1958 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1958 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1958 Big Ten Conference football season. In its 11th and final year under head coach Bennie Oosterbaan, Michigan compiled a 2–6–1 record (1–5–1 against conference opponents), finished in eighth place in the Big Ten, and were outscored by opponents by a combined total of 211 to 132.[1][2]
1958 Michigan Wolverines football | |
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Conference | Big Ten Conference |
1958 record | 2–6–1 (1–5–1 Big Ten) |
Head coach | Bennie Oosterbaan (11th season) |
MVP | Bob Ptacek |
Captain | John Herrnstein |
Home stadium | Michigan Stadium |
1958 Big Ten Conference football standings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 2 Iowa $ | 5 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 1 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 7 Wisconsin | 5 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 7 | – | 1 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 8 Ohio State | 4 | – | 1 | – | 2 | 6 | – | 1 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 13 Purdue | 3 | – | 1 | – | 2 | 6 | – | 1 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Indiana | 3 | – | 2 | – | 1 | 5 | – | 3 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Illinois | 4 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Northwestern | 3 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Michigan | 1 | – | 5 | – | 1 | 2 | – | 6 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Minnesota | 1 | – | 6 | – | 0 | 1 | – | 8 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Michigan State | 0 | – | 5 | – | 1 | 3 | – | 5 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The team got off to a promising start with a 20–19 victory over USC and a 12–12 tie with a Michigan State team that was ranked No. 2 in the Coaches Poll. After two games, Michigan was ranked No. 12 in the Coaches Poll. The team then lost six of its final seven games. Bennie Oosterbaan resigned after the 1958 season.
Fullback John Herrnstein was the team captain, and quarterback Bob Ptacek received the team's most valuable player award.[2] The team's statistical leaders included Bob Ptacek with 763 passing yards, left halfback Darrell Harper with 309 rushing yards, and left end Gary Prahst with 313 receiving yards.[3]
Schedule
Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
September 27 | USC* | W 20–19 | 77,005 | [4] | ||
October 4 | at No. 4 Michigan State | No. 16 |
| T 12–12 | 76,434 | [5] |
October 11 | No. 12 Navy* | No. 14 |
| L 14–20 | 82,220 | [6] |
October 18 | at No. 17 Northwestern | No. 19 | L 24–55 | 41,345 | [7] | |
October 25 | Minnesota |
| W 20–19 | 72,981 | [8] | |
November 1 | No. 2 Iowa |
| L 14–37 | 68,566 | [9] | |
November 8 | Illinois |
| L 8–21 | 58,788 | [10] | |
November 15 | Indiana |
| L 6–8 | 31,000 | [11] | |
November 22 | at No. 11 Ohio State | L 14–20 | 83,248 | [12] | ||
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Statistical leaders
Michigan's individual statistical leaders for the 1958 season include those listed below.[3][13]
Rushing
Player | Attempts | Net yards | Yards per attempt | Touchdowns |
Darrell Harper | 55 | 309 | 5.6 | 2 |
Brad Myers | 82 | 202 | 2.5 | 3 |
Fred Julian | 45 | 180 | 4.0 | 0 |
Passing
Player | Attempts | Completions | Interceptions | Comp % | Yards | Yds/Comp | TD | Long |
Bob Ptacek | 115 | 65 | 9 | 56.5 | 760 | 11.7 | 3 | 37 |
Stan Noskin | 29 | 13 | 1 | 44.8 | 204 | 15.7 | 1 | 33 |
Darrell Harper | 14 | 8 | 0 | 57.1 | 131 | 16.4 | 0 | 56 |
Receiving
Player | Receptions | Yards | Yds/Recp | TD | Long |
Gary Prahst | 22 | 313 | 14.2 | 2 | 37 |
Brad Myers | 17 | 169 | 9.9 | 0 | 35 |
Darrell Harper | 13 | 137 | 10.5 | 1 | 36 |
Kickoff returns
Player | Returns | Yards | Yds/Return | TD | Long |
Brad Myers | 8 | 173 | 21.6 | 0 | 29 |
Bob Ptacek | 6 | 134 | 22.3 | 0 | 41 |
Fred Julian | 5 | 88 | 17.6 | 0 | 25 |
Punt returns
Player | Returns | Yards | Yds/Return | TD | Long |
Bob Ptacek | 8 | 73 | 9.1 | 0 | 19 |
Brad Myers | 7 | 63 | 9.0 | 0 | 20 |
Darrell Harper | 5 | 33 | 6.6 | 0 | 15 |
Personnel
Letter winners
The following 40 players received varsity letters for their participation on the 1958 team.[14][15] Players who started at least four games are shown with their names in bold.[2]
- John Batsakes, 5'8", 172 pounds, senior, Ann Arbor, MI - halfback
- Jared Bushong, 6'2", 209 pounds, junior, Toledo, OH – started 1 game at right tackle
- Reid J. Bushong, 6'1", 179 pounds, sophomore, Toledo, OH - halfback
- James Byers, 6'0", 198 pounds, senior, Evansville, IN - center
- Alex Callahan, 6'0", 195 pounds, senior, Wyandotte, MI – started 9 games at left guard
- Donald R. Deskins, 6'2", 241 pounds, sophomore, Jamaica, NY – started 8 games at right tackle
- James Dickey, 6'1", 191 pounds, senior, Miamisburg, OH – started 9 games at center
- Michael Fillichio, 5'10", 190 pounds, junior, River Forest, IL - guard
- George Genyk, 6'1", 200 pounds, junior, Detroit – started 9 games at left tackle
- James P. Gray, 6'3", 233 pounds, senior, Battle Creek, MI - tackle
- Alvin Groce, 5'11", 166 pounds, junior, Clairton, PA - halfback
- John Halstead, 6'2", 205 pounds, sophomore, Bay City, MI - end
- Darrell Harper, 6'1", 195 pounds, junior, Royal Oak, MI – started 3 games at left halfback
- John Herrnstein, 6'2", 215 pounds, senior, Chillicothe, OH – started 3 games at fullback
- Willard R. Hildebrand, 6'2", 216 pounds, sophomore, Chillicothe, OH - tackle
- E. Thomas Jobson, 6'0", 201 pounds, sophomore, Flint, MI - guard
- Robert Johnson, 6'2", 199 pounds, senior, Chicago - end
- Walter N. Johnson, 6'2", 214 pounds, senior, Dearborn, MI – started 9 games at right end
- Fred Julian, 5'9", 184 pounds, junior, Detroit – started 9 games at right halfback
- Gary F. Kane, 6'2", 215 pounds, sophomore, Elgin, IL - end
- William MacPhee, 6'0", 191 pounds, senior, Grand Haven, MI - center
- Jerry Marcinak, 6'2", 236 pounds, Chicago – started 9 games at right guard
- Gary McNitt, 5'9", 196 pounds, sophomore, Mesick, MI - halfback
- Brad Myers, 6'0", 196 pounds, junior, Evanston, IL – started 6 games at left halfback
- Harry Newman Jr., 5'9", 185 pounds, sophomore, Franklin, MI - halfback
- Stan Noskin, 5'11", 180 pounds, junior, Chicago - quarterback
- Douglas F. Oppman, 5'10", 192 pounds, junior, Gary, IN - guard
- Paul Poulos, 5'11", 198 pounds, junior, Freedom, PA - guard
- Gary Prahst, 6'4", 220 pounds, senior, Berea, OH – started 9 games at left end
- Bob Ptacek, 6'1", 204 pounds, senior, Cleveland – started 9 games at quarterback
- Gene Sisinyak, 6'0", 195 pounds, sophomore, Monroe, MI – started 4 games at fullback
- Gerald Smith, 5'11", 185 pounds, junior, Detroit - center
- Willie Smith, 6'2", 243 pounds, senior, Little Rock, AR – tackle
- John Spidel, 5'11", 180 pounds, senior, Greenville, OH - quarterback
- Maynard Stetten, 6'2", 206 pounds, senior, Gibraltar, MI - tackle
- William R. Stine, 6'1", 215 pounds, sophomore, Toledo, OH - tackle
- Richard Syring, 6'0", 189 pounds, sophomore, Bay City, OH - center
- James Sytek, 5'11", 194 pounds, senior, Detroit - quarterback
- John C. Walker, 6'0", 195 pounds, sophomore, Milford, MI - fullback
- John Zachary, 5'9", 174 pounds, senior, Chicago - halfback
Non-letter winners
- Tony Rio, 6'0", 189 pounds, senior, Chicago – started 2 games at fullback
Freshmen
- George Mans, 6'4", 205 pounds, Trenton, MI - end
- Bennie McRae, 6'0", 170 pounds, Newport News, VA - halfback
- John Stamos, 6'2", 200 pounds, Chicago - quarterback
- Bill Tunnicliff, 6'1", 200 pounds, Ferndale, MI - fullback
Coaches and staff
- Head coach: Bennie Oosterbaan
- Assistant coaches:
- Jack Blott - line coach[16]
- Don Dufek, Sr. - freshman coach[17]
- Bump Elliott - backfield coach[16]
- Bob Hollway - assistant line coach[16]
- Cliff Keen - assistant football coach, head wrestling coach[16]
- Matt Patanelli - end coach[16]
- Wally Weber - recruiting and eligibility[17]
- Trainer: Jim Hunt
- Equipment manager - Henry Hatch[16]
- Manager: Tom Hitchman
Awards and honors
Team honors and awards for the 1958 season went to the following individuals.[2]
- Captain: John Herrnstein
- Most Valuable Player: Bob Ptacek
- Meyer Morton Award: Dick Syring
- John Maulbetsch Award: John Walker
References
- "1958 Michigan Wolverines Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
- "1958 Football Team". University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
- "1958 Michigan Wolverines Statistics". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
- Tommy Devine (September 28, 1958). "13-Yard Conversion Pass Fails: SC's Gamble Is U-M Joy, 20-19". Detroit Free Press. p. 1E – via Newspapers.com.
- Tommy Devine (October 5, 1958). "'M' Ties Mighty Spartans, 12-12". Detroit Free Press. p. 1E – via Newspapers.com.
- Tommy Devine (October 12, 1958). "Navy Smokes M, 20-14: Middie Pass Is Killer". Detroit Free Press. p. 1E – via Newspapers.com.
- Tommy Devine (October 19, 1958). "Wildcats Murder M, 55-24". Detroit Free Press. p. 1E – via Newspapers.com.
- Tommy Devine (October 26, 1958). "M Nips Gophers, 20-19: Minnesota's Two-Point Try Fails". Detroit Free Press. p. 1E – via Newspapers.com.
- Tommy Devine (November 2, 1958). "Iowa Tags U-M as Buck Bow: Hawkeyes Pull 'Fast One,' 37-14". Detroit Free Press. p. 1E – via Newspapers.com.
- Tommy Devine (November 9, 1958). "How The Mighty Have Fallen! U-M, Spartans Beaten Again; Illini Bomb Wolverines Out, 21-8". Detroit Free Press. p. 1E – via Newspapers.com.
- Tommy Devine (November 16, 1958). "Indiana 'Buries' M with 8-6 Loss: Only 31,000 Go To Grid Funeral". Detroit Free Press. p. 1E – via Newspapers.com.
- Tommy Devine (November 23, 1958). "OSU Wins, 20-14, On Goal-Line Fumble: U-M Fights–and Loses–to the End". Detroit Free Press. p. 1C – via Newspapers.com.
- "Michigan Football Statistic Archive Query Page". University of Michigan. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved November 6, 2017.(statistics retrieved by entering "1958" in the box for "Games & Totals by Season" and then, at the next screen, choosing "Display Season Totals")
- "Letter Winners". The Michigan Daily. November 25, 1958. p. 6 – via Bentley Historical Library.
- "1958 Roster". Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
- "Former Wolverines Handle 'M' Coaching Chores". The Michigan Daily. September 18, 1958. p. 10 – via Bentley Historical Library.
- "Dufek, Weber Assume New Coaching Positions". The Michigan Daily. September 20, 1958. p. 1 – via Bentley Historical Library.