Michigan Mt. Rushmore of Defensive Plays
Since it’s a slow day on the board I’d like to see what you would include in your Mt. Rushmore of Michigan defensive football plays. A couple of plays that come to my mind are Thom Darden’s interception to seal the ‘71 game against OSU (the play where Woody tore up the sideline markers), John Milligan’s interception to close out the ‘89 Rose Bowl, Woodson’s interceptions against MSU and Washington St. Anywho, let’s see what you guys come up with and if you like the idea we can do offense tomorrow. Hope you are all enjoying your summers and Go Blue!
Little known play but epic results.
Roy Manning stuffs staee ball carrier on 3rd down resulting in a chip shot fg during one of the early overtimes of Braylonfest.
Meeeechigan goes on to win in triple ot.
The Minnesota goal line stand in 2015 was very memorable, especially coming off what happened the game before.
Agree. And then we did it again the very next week against Indiana. Really nice to respond to that gut-punch with back-to-back clutch wins.
Josh Ross’ TFL of Henderson in the first minute of the third quarter 2021. While Michigan dominated the second half, IF OSU keeps possession and scores and takes the lead, who knows where things might have gone.
Certainly not nearly as amazing as Sainristils’ play, but maybe the most important stop in the last two seasons.
I would have this one as well. Felt like the biggest play of the game to me
That's a really good point. That was OSU's opening possession of the half, and I think we stuffed them for a 3 and out. I honestly expected OSU and their potent offense to come out with some scripted drive to score and put us in a bad position, but Josh Ross had other ideas!
I miss the Tripp Welbourne /Vada Murray tandem skying to block key field goals. Amazing.
Fully agree!
11-8-97
daydrion Taylor
penn st wanted none of the smoke after that.
While Aidan didn’t make the play on the 4th down pass (that was completed for a 1st down), the way he called out Thayer Mumford before the snap and then absolutely de-cleated him was a microcosm of that game and the tide that had turned in the rivalry. Where we were the undoubted tougher team.
Was about to post this one.
I saw it live and thought OMG HE KILLED HIM
Stuffing Blake Ezor on 4th downs up in East Lansing in 1989 was pretty great.
Two great plays by Tripp Welbourne. Went on to win 10-7
Woodson's MSU pick, Woodson's OSU end zone pick, Woodson's Rose Bowl end zone pick, and Sainristil's PBU in the end zone
If there were s fifth it'd be the "O! JA! BO!" sack on 3rd down on the penultimate snap by OSU in '21, but if also go with the Josh Ross 3rd and 1 TFL to start the second half of the same game
Oh gosh also the Air Jourdan pick
Ernest Shazor’s game saving hit and forced fumble vs Purdue in 2004 as Purdue was entering field goal range down 2.
Shazor is probably the only consensus All-American we’ve had where it felt that he still left a lot on the table as far as ability and performance.
Surprised we had to get this far down the list before we got this play. Absolutely saved the day!
2004 Larry Steven’s fumble recovery In Purdue to seal the game and two point win. They were driving for the win. Final 16-14
For a Mt. Rushmore of defensive plays, I’ve gotta go with:
- Charles Woodson’s MSU interception.
- Daydrion Taylor’s Judgement Day hit.
- Mike Sainristil’s endzone PBU.
- Jourdan Lewis’ Wisconsin interception.
Recency bias on those last two, but I think Mikey’s play will hold up for decades to come. Lewis’ play was insane and always will be, but it really got us over the hump that year. That game was a slog and he put it away against a huge opponent. Daydrion Taylor ending two careers is the hardest hit that I can remember. It’s an unfortunate play but has to be on this list. I do think given our 6 interceptions on MSU, there’s an argument the Rose Bowl INT was bigger, but you’ve never seen a better interception than Woodson taking flight, and you never will.
Honorable mentions that are close for me would be Marcus Ray destroying David Boston (honestly, deserves to be on this list IMO), O-Ja-Bo, Branch memeing Morelli, and Hutch throwing a lineman on his ass. There’s also just defensive performances that stick out like Minnesota and Indiana goal line stands and 3 straight shutouts in the Don Brown era.
Wee bit of a secondary bias there? The front seven play football too, ya know.
I didn’t notice that, but I suppose so! Weird because normally my favorite plays are the sacks and TFLs. But I guess for mt rushmore status, I have to go with important/iconic plays as opposed to just my favorite.
What were the final results of the GIF tournament? You're not just going to leave us hanging, are you?
Michigan stopping Tony Eason and Illinois on 4 downs from the 5 yard line to win 16-10 back in 1982. I remember thinking,” thank God they can’t kick a field goal to win it”
Oh, and the Michigan defense batting down a Hail Mary by Ty Detmer at Folsom Field in 1996 to save us from CU having “Michigan Miracle 2.0”!!
Looks like everyone's lists are being dominated by mano-a-mano moments.
Ninth year of the "long drought", Michigan had made some plays in the first half to nurse a one-score lead, but it was still the sort of game where you could tell yourself they were merely clinging to a titan with heroics and hijinks, and soon the clock would strike midnight. OSU's driving to get the game back to a tie. Third and long at midfield? Not a problem for this offense! . . . And then this happens:
Everyone's covered, two safeties back, Ojabo gets immediate pressure, Hinton's right behind him for a pass block, Morris ties up a double-team so Barrett two-gaps the RB. Nowhere to throw, nowhere to go. Literally EVERYONE on the vaunted OSU offense gets beat. Stroud panics into running toward Aidan Hutchinson.
This play cracked OSU. Next drive, Michigan hit their defense with a flea flicker, Cam Brown ripped off Wilson's helmet, and Michigan went up two TDs.
2006 image of Crable standing over Brady Quinn. https://mgoblog.com/content/quod-erat-demonstrandum
There was a lot of hype going into that game and we just completely destroyed Notre Dame. Quinn had grass in his helmet for half of the game after that hit. That was always a Mannignham game, but I thought the defense made it happen. 4 rushing yards.
For the moment in a magical season, the 1997 Iowa game where Sam Sword intercepts a pass in the final 30 seconds. We rallied from 21-7 and 24-21 only to seem like we were going to blow it.
That stadium when from stunned silence when Iowa completed a long 3rd down pass to the pick and intense loudness.
Griese said years later that the Iowa game and the comeback and final stop is when the team really believed it could win it all.
I think that was Sam's only INT in his career but what a great ending to a sun-splashed Saturday.
Also not mentioned yet here, the ‘97 Notre Dame game where the defense saved the offense’s fumbly bacon three times in the 2nd half. Most notable Tommy Hendricks’ endzone interception.