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1952 Michigan Wolverines football team

American college football season

1952 Michigan Wolverines football team

American college football season

FieldValue
year1952
teamMichigan Wolverines
sportfootball
image1901-94 Michigan Wolverines Primary Logo.png
conferenceBig Ten Conference
short_confBig Ten
record5–4
conf_record4–2
head_coachBennie Oosterbaan
hc_year5th
mvpTed Topor
captainMerritt Green
stadiumMichigan Stadium

The 1952 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1952 Big Ten Conference football season. In its fifth year under head coach Bennie Oosterbaan, Michigan compiled a 5–4 record (4–2 against conference opponents), tied for fourth place in the Big Ten, and outscored opponents by a combined total of 207 to 134.

Defensive end Merritt Green was the team captain, and quarterback Tony Branoff received the team's most valuable player award.

Lowell Perry was selected by the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) as a first-team defensive back on the 1952 College Football All-America Team. Five Michigan players received All-Big Ten honors: linebacker Roger Zatkoff (AP-1, UP-1); guard Bob Timm (AP-1); center Dick O'Shaugnessy (UP-1); left halfback Ted Kress (UP-1); and defensive tackle Art Walker (AP-1).

The team's statistical leaders included Ted Kress with 559 passing yards and 623 rushing yards and Lowell Perry with 492 receiving yards.

Schedule

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Game summaries

Northwestern

  • Ted Kress 20 Rush, 218 Yds

Statistical leaders

Michigan's individual statistical leaders for the 1952 season include those listed below.

Rushing

Passing

Receiving

Kickoff returns

Punt returns

Personnel

Letter winners

Merritt "Tim" Green, captain of the 1952 team

The following players received varsity letters for their participation on the 1953 team. Players who started at least four games are shown with their names in bold.

  • Fred Baer, 5'11", 180 pounds, sophomore, La Grange, IL – started 3 games at fullback
  • James Balog, 6'3", 210 pounds, junior, Wheaton, IL – started 8 games as defensive right tackle
  • Richard Balzhiser 6'1", 185 pounds, junior, Wheaton, IL – started 5 games at fullback
  • James V. Bates, 6'0", 195 pounds, sophomore, Farmington, MI - end
  • Richard Beison, 6'0", 200 pounds, junior, East Chicago, IN – started 8 games at offensive right guard
  • Donald Bennett, 6'2", 195 pounds, junior, Chicago, IL – started 4 games as offensive left tackle
  • William E. Billings, 5'11", 180 pounds, senior, Flint, MI - quarterback
  • Tony Branoff, 5'1", 180 pounds, freshman, Flint, MI – started 6 games as right halfback
  • Ted Cachey, 5'11", 185 pounds, junior, Chicago, IL - guard
  • J. Daniel Cline, 5'10", 168 pounds, sophomore, Brockport, NY - halfback
  • Robert Dingman, 6'0", 180 pounds, senior, Saginaw, MI - end
  • Donald Dugger, 5'10", 178 pounds, junior, Charleston, WV - guard
  • George Dutter, 6'2", 190 pounds, junior, Fort Wayne, IN – started 9 games as defensive right guard
  • H. Ronald Geyer, 6'2", 215 pounds, sophomore, Toledo, OH - tackle
  • Merritt Green, 6'0", 180 pounds, senior, Toledo, OH – started 9 games as defensive left end
  • Frank Howell, 5'8", 165 pounds, senior, Muskegon Heights, MI – started 3 games as right halfback, 1 game as safety
  • Robert Hurley, 5'10", 185 pounds, junior, Alaamosa, CO - fullback
  • Stanley Knickerbocker, 5'10", 165 pounds, sophomore, Chelsea, MI - halfback
  • Gene Knutson, 6'4", 210 pounds, junior, Beloit, WI – started 9 games as defensive right end
  • Ted Kress, 5'11", 175 pounds, junior, Detroit – started 9 games as left halfback
  • Laurence LeClair, 6'0", 190 pounds, senior, Anaconda, MT – started 9 games as linebacker
  • Robert K. Matheson, 5'10", 190 pounds, senior, Detroit - guard
  • Duncan McDonald, 6'0", 175 pounds, sophomore, Flint, MI - quarterback
  • Wayne F. Melchiori, 6'0", 185 pounds, senior, Stambaugh, MI - center
  • Don Oldham, 5'9", 167 pounds, senior, Indianapolis – started 4 games as defensive back, 2 games as safety
  • Dick O'Shaughnessy, 5'11", 190 pounds, junior, Seaford, NY – started 9 games at center
  • Bernhardt Pederson, 6'2", 215 pounds, senior, Marquette, MI -started 6 games at offensive right tackle
  • Lowell Perry, 6'0", 180 pounds, senior, Ypsilanti, MI – started 9 games as offensive left end, 4 games as safety
  • Russell Rescorla, 5'11", 180 pounds, senior, Grand Haven, MI – started 3 games as defensive back
  • Thad Stanford, 6'0", 190 pounds, junior, Midland, MI – started 9 games at offensive right end
  • Ralph Stribe, 6'1", 205 pounds, senior, Detroit - tackle
  • Dick Strozewski, 6'0", 200 pounds, senior, South Bend, IN – started 5 games as offensive left tackle
  • Bob Timm, 5'11", 185 pounds, senior, Toledo, OH – started 8 games as offensive left guard
  • David Tinkham, 5'10", 178 pounds, senior, East Grand Rapids, MI – started 9 games as defensive back
  • Ted Topor, 6'1", 212 pounds, senior, East Chicago, IN – started 9 games as quarterback
  • Bob Topp, 6'2", 190 pounds, junior, Kalamazoo, MI - end
  • Art Walker, 5'11", 198 pounds, sophomore, South Haven, MI – started 9 games as defensive left tackle
  • Ronald Williams, 5'9", 185 pounds, junior, Massillon, OH – started 7 games as defensive left guard
  • Thomas Witherspoon, 5'11", 185 pounds, senior, Detroit - halfback
  • Roger Zatkoff, 6'2", 210 pounds, senior, Hamtramck, MI – started 9 games as linebacker, 1 game as offensive right tackle

Coaching staff

  • Head coach: Bennie Oosterbaan
  • Assistant coaches: :* Jack Blott - line coach :* George Ceithaml - backfield coach :* Cliff Keen - head wrestling coach and assistant football coach :* Bill Orwig - end coach :* Don Robinson - junior varsity coach :* Wally Weber - freshman coach and scout :* J. T. White - assistant line coach
  • Trainer: Jim Hunt
  • Manager: Gerry Dudley

Awards and honors

Honors and awards for the 1952 season went to the following individuals.

  • Captain: Merritt Green
  • All-Americans: Lowell Perry
  • All-Conference: Roger Zatkoff, Art Walker, Bob Timm, Dick O'Shaughnessy, Ted Kress
  • Most Valuable Player: Ted Topor
  • Meyer Morton Award: Gene Knutson

References

References

  1. "1952 Michigan Wolverines Schedule and Results". [[Sports Reference.
  2. (October 19, 1952). "Michigan State Tops Litratings; Tech Is Runnerup". The Nashville Banner.
  3. "1952 Football Team". University of Michigan, [[Bentley Historical Library]].
  4. (2005). "ESPN College Football Encyclopedia". ESPN Books.
  5. (November 24, 1952). "3 Badgers on AP All Big Ten Team". The Capital Times, Madison, Wisconsin.
  6. Ed Sainsbury. (November 26, 1952). "Michigan, Badgers Each Land Trio On All-Big Ten Squad". Nevada State Journal.
  7. "1952 Michigan Wolverines Statistics". Sports Reference LLC.
  8. George S. Alderton. (September 28, 1952). "State Racks Up 16th Win in Row". Lansing State Journal.
  9. Middlesworth, Hal. (November 9, 1952). "Cornell Pays Penalty for Upset, 49-7". [[Detroit Free Press.
  10. University of Michigan Football Record Book Pt. 1
  11. "Michigan Football Statistic Archive Query Page". University of Michigan.
  12. Balzhiser was the first University of Michigan athlete to be inducted into the Academic All-America Hall of Fame.
  13. (September 17, 1952). "Expert Coaching Staff Makes Wolverines Grid Power". The Michigan Daily.
Info: Wikipedia Source

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