1953 Michigan Wolverines football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 1953 Michigan Wolverines football 1953 Michigan Football Team.jpg 285 Big Ten Conference Big Ten 19 20 6–3 3–3 Bennie Oosterbaan 6th Tony Branoff Dick O'Shaughnessy Michigan Stadium The 1953 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1953 Big Ten Conference football season. In its sixth year under head coach Bennie Oosterbaan, Michigan compiled a 6–3 record (3–3 against conference opponents), tied for fifth place in the Big Ten, outscored opponents by a combined total of 163 to 101, and was ranked No. 20 in the final AP Poll and No. 19 in the Coaches Polls.1953 Michigan Wolverines Schedule and Results Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football November 6, 2017 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/michigan/1953-schedule.html Center Dick O'Shaughnessy was the team captain, and right halfback Tony Branoff received the team's most valuable player award.1953 Football Team University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library November 6, 2017 https://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/football/fbteam/1953fbt.htm Two Michigan players received All-Big Ten honors: left end Bob Topp was selected by the Associated Press as a first-team player, and left halfback Ted Kress.Coaches Pick Gopher's Giel Ludington Daily News November 24, 1953 6 https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=110&dat=19531124&id=JFNOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=eDwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3916,1826150 The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Duncan McDonald with 293 passing yards, Tony Branoff with 501 rushing yards, and Bob Topp with 331 receiving yards.1953 Michigan Wolverines Statistics Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football November 6, 2017 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/michigan/1953.html Schedule 1953 AP September 26 w y Washington Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, MI 50–0 44,086 October 3 w y 4 Tulane Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, MI 26–7 51,960 October 10 w 5 Iowa Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, MI 14–13 49,551 October 17 w 5 Northwestern Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, MI rivalry 20–12 64,420 October 24 l y 5 Minnesota Memorial Stadium Minneapolis, MN Little Brown Jug 0–22 62,795 October 31 w y y 16 Penn Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, MI 24–14 56,795 Penn Rallies to Lead; U-M Rallies to Win Hal Middlesworth November 1, 1952 D1 The Detroit Free Press Detroit, Mich. Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/clip/67728267/1953-penn-michigan/ November 7 l y 17 Illinois 4 Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL rivalry 3–19 69,507 November 14 l y Michigan State 4 Macklin Stadium East Lansing, MI rivalry 6–14 51,421 Spartans Sure of Share of Title Honors Lansing State Journal George S. Alderton November 15, 1953 57, 64 https://www.newspapers.com/article/lansing-state-journal-spartans-sure-of-s/167373331/ Newspapers.com November 21 w Ohio State Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, MI rivalry 20–0 87,048 Statistical leaders Michigan's individual statistical leaders for the 1953 season include those listed below.Michigan Football Statistic Archive Query Page University of Michigan November 6, 2017 http://statsarchive.ath.umich.edu/VS-Football/footstart.php https://web.archive.org/web/20150402151629/http://statsarchive.ath.umich.edu/VS-Football/footstart.php April 2, 2015 dead(statistics retrieved by entering "1953" in the box for "Games & Totals by Season" and then, at the next screen, choosing "Display Season Totals") Rushing 2 Michigan Wolverines Player Attempts Net yards Yards per attempt Touchdowns Tony Branoff1005015.05Ted Kress1013393.45 Bob Hurley472826.01 Passing 2 Michigan Wolverines Player Attempts Completions Interceptions Comp % Yards Yds/Comp TD Long Duncan McDonald4620343.529314.7449Lou Baldacci5121641.228513.6136Ted Kress4319744.223812.5144 Receiving 2 Michigan Wolverines Player Receptions Yards Yds/Recp TD Long Bob Topp2333114.4266Gene Knutson1120118.3133Tony Branoff1115113.7144 Kickoff returns 2 Michigan Wolverines Player Returns Yards Yds/Return TD Long Ted Kress1020320.3033Tony Branoff613021.7028 Punt returns 2 Michigan Wolverines Player Returns Yards Yds/Return TD Long Tony Branoff89011.3018Ted Kress12635.3016 Personnel Letter winners thumb|right|150px|Dick O'Shaughnessy, captain of the 1953 team right|thumb|150px|End Bob Topp The following 31 players received varsity letters for their participation on the 1953 team.31 Wolverines Given Major Grid Letters The Michigan Daily November 24, 1953 3 https://digital.bentley.umich.edu/midaily/mdp.39015071756345/395 Players who started at least four games are shown with their names in bold. Fred Baer, 5'11", 180 pounds, junior, LaGrange, IL - fullback Lou Baldacci, 6'0", 205 pounds, sophomore, Akron, OH - started 9 games at quarterback James T. Balog, 6'3", 210 pounds, senior, Wheaton, IL - started 9 games at left tackle Richard E. Balzhiser,Balzhiser was the first University of Michigan athlete to be inducted into the Academic All-America Hall of Fame. 6'0", 186 pounds, senior, Wheaton, IL - started 9 games at fullback Richard A. Beison, 6'0", 200 pounds, senior, East Chicago, IN - started 9 games at right guard Donald C. Bennett, 6'2", 195 pounds, senior, Chicago - tackle Tony Branoff, 5'11", 180 pounds, sophomore, Flint, MI - started 9 games at right halfback Theodore J. Cachey, 5'11", 185 pounds, senior, Chicago - guard J. Daniel Cline, 5'10", 168 pounds, junior, Brockport, NY - halfback Donald Dugger, 5'10", 185 pounds, senior, Charleston, WV - started 9 games at left end George S. Dutter, 6'2", 190 pounds, senior, Fort Wayne, IN - end James W. Fox, 6'0", 185 pounds, sophomore, Saginaw, MI - guard H. Ronald Geyer, 6'2", 220 pounds, junior, Toledo, OH - tackle Edward L. Hickey, 5'8", 160 pounds, senior, Anaconda, MT - halfback Robert S. Hurley, 5'10", 180 pounds, senior, Alamosa, CO- fullback Raymond K. Kenaga, 5'11", 170 pounds, junior, Sterling, IL - quarterback Eugene P. Knutson, 6'4", 210 pounds, senior, Beloit, WI - started 8 games at right end William P. Kolesar, 6'0", 190 pounds, sophomore, Mentor, OH - tackle Ted Kress, 5'11", 175 pounds, senior, Kansas City, MO - started 9 games at left halfback Duncan B. McDonald, 6'0", 175 pounds, junior, Flint, MI - quarterback G. Edgar Meads, 6'0", 190 pounds, sophomore, Oxford, MI - guard John M. Morrow, 6'2", 220 pounds, sophomore, Ann Arbor, MI - started 4 games at center Dick O'Shaughnessy, 5'11", 190 pounds, senior, Seaford, NY - started 5 games at center H. John Peckham Jr., 6'2", 220 pounds, sophomore, Sioux Falls, SD - center Thad C. Stanford, 6'0", 175 pounds, senior, Midland, MI - end Dick Strozewski, 6'0", 205 pounds, senior, South Bend, IN - started 9 games at left tackle Bob Topp, 6'2", 190 pounds, senior, Kalamazoo, MI - started 8 games at left end, 1 game at right end John J. Veselenak, 6'2", 190 pounds, junior, Flint, MI - end Art Walker, 5'11" 200 pounds, junior, South Haven, MI - tackle Gerald H. Williams, 6'2", 188 pounds, sophomore, Flint, MI - started 1 game at left end Ronald M. Williams, 5'9", 185 pounds, senior, Massillon, OH - guard Coaches and staff Michigan's 1953 coaching, training, and support staff included the following persons. thumb|right|180px|Oosterbaan lifted to players' shoulders after 20-0 win over Ohio State Head coach: Bennie Oosterbaan Assistant coaches: Jack Blott - line coach Cliff Keen - assistant football coach, head wrestling coach Bill Orwig - offensive backfield coach Matt Patanelli - defensive ends coach Don Robinson - defensive backfield coachRobinson, Orwig In New Grid Jobs March 26, 1953 3 https://digital.bentley.umich.edu/midaily/mdp.39015071756329/271 Bentley Historical Library Wally Weber - freshman coach J. T. White - assistant line coach, scout, and junior varsity coach Trainer: Jim Hunt Manager: Richard Petrie Awards and honors right|thumb|150px|Tony Branoff, 1954 Most Valuable Player Honors and awards for the 1953 season went to the following individuals. Captain: Dick O'Shaughnessy All-Conference: Ted Kress, Bob Topp Most Valuable Player: Tony Branoff Meyer Morton Award: Tony Branoff References Michigan Category:Michigan Wolverines football seasons Michigan Wolverines football