My All-Time Michigan Wolverine Football Team

I'm a big fan of all-time lists and a big fan of the Michigan Wolverines, so I figured I would collect my suggestions of an all-time greatest Wolverine football team. In attempting to select a team such as this, there will inevitably be a number of deserving players who don't make the cut. Also, keep in mind that I didn't take into account success in the NFL (hence, no Tom Brady), but only rewarded accomplishments while in college, including placement on All-American teams, other post-season honors, recognition as a team captain and overall productivity.

I realize I'm a bit biased towards players that I've watched (1980's - present) but I think this is a fairly good team based on the research I've done.  To help demonstrate how I determined this team's roster, I've listed each individual's accomplishments that led them to be selected on the team.

[Note: List was last updated before the 2011 season.]

THE FIRST TEAM

Offense
Quarterback – Bennie Friedman (2x All-American in '25 & '26, Big Ten MVP)

Running Backs -
Tom Harmon (Heisman & Big Ten MVP in '40, 2x All-American in '39 & '40),
Willie Heston (2x All-American in 1903 & 1904, 72 TD's)

Wide Receivers –
Anthony Carter (3x All-American in '80-'82, Big Ten MVP, 161 Rec., 3076 Rec. Yds., 40 TD's),
Desmond Howard (Heisman, All-American, & Big Ten MVP in '91, 2146 Rec Yards, 35 TD's)

Tight End – Bennie Oosterbaan (3x All-American in '25-'27)

Center – Charles Bernard (2x All-American in '32 & '33)

Tackles –  
Jake Long (2x All-American, Big Ten Off. Lineman of Year in '06 & '07),
Greg Skrepenak (2x All-American in '90 & '91, Big Ten Off. Lineman of Year in '91)

Guards –
Albert Benbrook (2x All-American in 1909 & 1910),
Steve Hutchinson (2x All-American in '99 & '00, Big Ten Off. Lineman of Year in '00, 4x All-Big Ten 1st Team)

Defense

Ends –
LaMarr Woodley (All-American, Lombardi Winner in '06, 24 Sacks),
Brandon Graham (All-American & Big Ten MVP in '09, 29.5 Sacks)

Tackles –
Mark Messner (All-American in '87 & '88, 36 Sacks),
Chris Hutchinson (All-American & Big Ten Def. Lineman of Year in '92, 24 Sacks)

Linebackers –
Ron Simpkins (All-American in '79, 516 Tackles),
Erick Anderson (All-American & Big Ten Def. MVP in '91, 428 Tackles, 60 Sacks)
Jarrett Irons (All-American in '96, 2x Team Captain, 453 Tackles, 66 Sacks)

Cornerbacks –
Charles Woodson (Heisman in '97, 2x All-American & Big Ten Def. MVP in '96 & '97,  18 INT's)
Marlin Jackson (All-American in '02 & '04, 9 INT's, 195 Tackles)

Safeties –
Tripp Welbourne (2x All-American in '89 & '90, 9 INT's, 238 Tackles),
Tom Curtis (All-American in '69, 25 INT's)

Special Teams

Placekicker - Remy Hamilton (All-American in '94, 63 FG's, 280 Pts.)
Punter - Monte Robbins (43.1 Yds/Punt, Longest Punt of 82 Yards)
Returnman - Steve Breaston (24.6 Yds/KR, 12.6 Yds/PR, 5 Return TD's)

Coach
Bo Schembechler (194 Wins, 13 Big Ten Titles, 6x Big Ten Coach of Year)

THE SECOND TEAM

Offense

Quarterback - Rick Leach (All-American in '78, 3x All-Big Ten in '76-'78, 82 Total TD's)

Running Backs –
Tyrone Wheatley (3x All-Big Ten in '92'-94, Big Ten MVP in '92, 4287 Rushing Yds, 54 Total TD's),
Mike Hart (3x All-Big Ten in '04, '06, '07, 5040 Rushing Yds, 43 Total TD's)

Wide Receivers –
Braylon Edwards (All-American & Big Ten MVP in '04, 252 Rec., 3541 Rec. Yds, 39 TD's),
Amani Toomer (2x All-Big Ten in '94 & '95, 143 Rec., 2657 Rec Yds, 18 TD's)

Tight End – Ron Kramer (All-American in '55 & '56, 880 Yds., 8 TD's)

Center – Germany Schulz (All-American in 1907)

Tackles –
Dan Dierdorf (All-American in '70, 2x All-Big Ten in '69 & '70),
Jumbo Elliott (2x All-American in '86 & '87)

Guards –
Mark Donahue (2x All-American in '76 & '77),
Reggie McKenzie (All-American in '71)

Defense

Ends –
Curtis Greer (All-American in '79, 2x All-Big Ten in '78 & '79, 313 Tackles) ,
Mike Mallory (2x All-Big Ten in '84 & '85, 321 Tackles)

Tackles –
Mike Hammerstein (All-American in '85, 161 Tackles, 16 Sacks),
Rob Renes (All-American in '99, 151 Tackles, 5 Sacks)

Linebackers –
Sam Sword (All-Big Ten in '97, 370 Tackles, 5 Sacks),
Larry Foote (All-American & Big Ten Def. MVP in '01, 212 Tackles, 11 Sacks)
Steve Morrison (All-Big Ten in '94, 315 Tackles)

Cornerbacks –
Leon Hall (All-American in '06, 12 INT's),
Ty Law (All-American in '94, 2x All-Big Ten in '93 & '94, 8 INT's)

Safeties –
Dave Brown (2x All-American in '73 & '74, 212 Tackles, 9 INT's),
Brad Cochran (All-American in '85, 189 Tackles, 12 INT's)

Special Teams

Placekicker - Garrett Rivas (All-Big Ten in '06, 64 FG's, 354 Pts.)
Punter - Zoltan Mesko (2x All-Big Ten in '08 & '09, 42.5 Yds/Punt, Long Punt of 68 Yds)
Returnman - Derrick Alexander (All-American in '92, 23.4 Yds/KR, 12.7 Yds/PR, 4 Ret. TD's)

Coach
Fielding Yost (6 National Championships, 10 Big Ten Titles, 165 Wins)

You can check out Motown Sports Revival for a list from several years ago of the 100 greatest Michigan players ever and look at a listing of Michigan's All-Americans here.

Here is another site that lists a number of top Michigan players over the years at each position.

College Student Saves a Life

Photo Credit: GoUSFBulls.com

Danous Estenor may seem like an ordinary student athlete. Even though Estenor does play football for the University of South Florida, what he did recently was anything but ordinary... even for the average Division 1 lineman.

Beliefnet.com tells the story:

"God, bring an angel to my side," prayed the desperate, screaming wife as she struggled to lift a car off of her husband’s chest. "Help me!"

In the parking lot of the Bull's Den Cafe near the University of South Florida, tow truck driver Pedro Arzola, 34, was pinned under the right front tire of a 1990 Cadillac Seville owned by Chris Merrick, a cook at the restaurant.

When preparing to tow the broken-down vehicle to a repair shop, Arzola remembers in a bit of a blur that the car somehow lurched forward, knocking him down.

It dragged him about 10 feet, one tire pinning his chest.

His wife, Maria Uribe, was napping in the cab of her husband’s truck when it lurched and she suddenly heard shouting.

It was "like a horror movie," she told the Tampa Times.

She leaped out and futilely began trying to help Merrick and dishwasher Marcus Baker lift the car off of her husband. She screamed for help. They couldn’t lift the 3,500-pound Cadillac.

Maria says she called out to God for what "in Spanish, we say, 'milagro.'" A miracle. She desperately needed a miracle. "There was a lot of blood," Maria told the Times.

College student Danous Estenor pulled into the restaurant parking lot. He was hungry, he remembers, but for some unknown had an extra urgency that evening to go to the cafe. He shrugs, unable to explain it.

In the parking lot, the communications major heard Maria screaming for help.

"I could just see his legs," remembers Estenor, 21, the son of immigrants from Haiti. "The car is crushing him. He's not moving. I'm thinking, 'Oh, God, this guy is going to die.'"

To read what happened next, please click here.

Remember, we never know how God might work through us until we step out in faith and trust Him to do the seemingly impossible.