Longtime UM RB coach Tirrel Burton has passed away

Sorry to hear this, we lost a good one there...

He produced some great running backs, and I've heard some of the guys he coached speak very fondly of him over the years.

Schembechler's 1975 staff included Jerry Hanlon (front left), Tirrel Burton (front, third from left), Jack Harbaugh (back middle) and Gary Moeller (back, second from right).

This is a generational thing, but I knew nothing about Mr. Burton until right now. Anyone care to share a bit of his bio? DId he retire in 1991, or go on to other coaching opportunities?  

Born in 1930

After retiring as a coach, Burton remained employed by the University of Michigan as an assistant director of licensing for the athletic department In 1994, Burton was teamed with Tom Hemingway, who had been announcing University of Michigan football games since 1963, as the radio announcers for Michigan Wolverines football games on WUOM radio.

If memory serves, he was one of the first African-American coaches at Michigan. I believe he was the first African-American coach in any sport at Miami of Ohio. 

Part of the Go Blue family.

A true gentlemen with a big heart. Never had a bad word to say about anyone, kept his coaching to the point without shouting or humiliating his players, and was a quiet, dignified presence on a staff that included some larger personalities (Bo, Mo, Hanlon, Miles, Cameron)  I am pretty sure he retired from Michigan and did not coach elsewhere, but I could be wrong.

But man could he coach.  He really coached some great ones, up through Ricky Powers and the beginning of the Wheatley/Biakabutuka era, when Freddy J took over. Great guy.  

He will be missed. Thanks for all you did coach.

Great man and great coach who will be missed for sure. Thanks to him for all he's done.

I only heard of his name a few times compared to other of Bo's assistant coaches. He kept a low profile but was a great coach.

I remember watching a recording of a classic Michigan football game from the 1970s where Keith Jackson and Ara Parseghian were announcing a football game in Michigan Stadium on ABC, Michigan was running roughshod over the opponent, and the subject of Michigan's Running Backs Coach, Tirrel Burton came up.

Parseghian shared that Burton played running back from him at Miami (NTM) and explained how Burton had "made me a hero down there".

Burton played running back in college football on undefeated and one loss teams in the 1950s that weren't invited to bowl games because of black players on the roster and southern States that hosted the bowl games didn't take to kindly to this in their own "southern social customs".

One thing is for sure, Burton recruited and coached some of the most talented running backs in college football history for one of the most run-centric offensive philosophies ever.

Billy Taylor, Gordon Bell, Rob Lytle, Russell Davis, Harlan Huckleby, Roosevelt Smith, Butch Woolfolk, Stan Edwards, Larry Ricks, Rick Rogers, Jamie Morris, Jon Vaughn, Tyrone Wheatley and many others.

He was also associated with so many great coaches and players during some of the best years of Michigan football success.

but the results of those great RBs he coached are legendary.  Condolences to the family, RIP Tirrel.

I used to know his son when we worked in the same company in AA about 14 years ago.