Your favorite obscure player in Michigan history
What can we talk about to get us through a Friday at work?
How about our favorite Michigan football players......wait a second, but lets not choose obvious ones.
So, tell me who is your favorite obscure/under the radar Wolverine off all time?
Mine is a running back from the late 1980s by the name of Allen Jefferson.
This kid came in with all the talent in the world....but he was so star crossed, he could not stay healthy....he broke his leg....he had an iron rod in his leg.....guy was tough as nails and Bo loved him.....tried to get him in whenever he could.
By the time he was healthy enough to play, he was behind Boles and Hoard on the depth chart, with up and coming Jerrod Bunch in the mix....but Bo still gave him carries.
In Bo's last OSU game, Jefferson scored a touchdown to culminate a classic Bo drive where the team just ran, ran, ran the ball down OSU's throat.
Always thought Jefferson's was a great story.
Anyone else have an obscure Wolverine hero they would like to talk about?
The phone lines are yours.
February 13th, 2009 at 9:29 AM ^
Les Miles.
February 13th, 2009 at 9:34 AM ^
i think that was his name...
he was either a CB or Safety from Omaha Nebraska; and he recovered a muffed punt deep in Wisconsin territory to seal the victory for us sometime in the early 2000's.
the special connection i had with him is that i had recently moved from Nebraska to the A2, so me and my dad chatted with him on media day because there was really no one else who gave a shit about him.
February 13th, 2009 at 9:37 AM ^
Close. It was Brandon Williams.
February 13th, 2009 at 9:37 AM ^
Brandon Williams?
February 13th, 2009 at 9:39 AM ^
My dad used to have to tow me along to his bowling league when I was a kid (single father) and he bowled on the same team as David's dad "Bubba" Brandt. Bubba was the nicest guy in the world and used to just beam when he talked about how his kid played for the Wolverines. Actually that may have been where my love affair with Michigan Football began, at the very least it was fortified by the times I spent talking to Bubba about Michigan Football and David Brandt.
February 13th, 2009 at 9:46 AM ^
You a Jenisonite?
February 13th, 2009 at 10:02 AM ^
by birth then moved to Rockford.
February 19th, 2009 at 10:50 AM ^
You gotta go with Grandville though. I wonder why the conference turns out state champs but not too many D1 prospects outside of a few from Muskegon (who beat Devin Gardner.)
February 13th, 2009 at 9:41 AM ^
He was very good to my two sons at two different media days five or six years ago. We caught him after media day concluded heading into Crisler in full uniform and he let my youngest son (around 6 at that time) hold his helmet and put it on. He caught a long pass at Iowa one year that set up a key TD. He hurt his knee early on in practice but he didn't let that set him back playing in Braylon's shadow.
February 16th, 2009 at 2:52 PM ^
I remember him recovering Brylan's fumble in the Washington game after Brylan gave up on the play thinking it was a fumble. We later went on and kicked a game winning field goal!
February 13th, 2009 at 9:42 AM ^
Eric Mayes
February 13th, 2009 at 9:45 AM ^
Mo Abrams
Cuz he knew how to keep his women in line and he coached my high school football team.
Long story....
February 13th, 2009 at 9:50 AM ^
I think his name was Eric Carpenter. I have no idea how obscure he was; I don't even know what position he played. I was in second grade and he was part of a "mentor" program at my elementary school where Michigan students (many of them athletes; friends of mine got David Terrell and Tom Brady helping them with school) came and helped out. I don't know why this happened, come to think of it. Anyway, this guy helping my second grade class had his '97 ring stolen, if I remember correctly.
Looked it up. His name was Chad, and he was a tight end.
February 13th, 2009 at 9:51 AM ^
not really obscure, but Leroy Hoard is one of my all time favorites.
February 13th, 2009 at 9:51 AM ^
He was a tight end on the 1997 team and blew out his knee in I believe the ND game. It was my freshman year, and a couple of my new friends in AA (who happened to be from my same home town, but different HS) were friends with him. As a life long fan, I thought it was really cool to have a little connection to the program (although VERY indirect)
February 13th, 2009 at 9:51 AM ^
Who was the running back that Woodley brought with him? He was my favorite while I was on campus.
February 13th, 2009 at 9:52 AM ^
Jackson?
February 13th, 2009 at 9:53 AM ^
Yes. I really liked the idea that he was getting a shot because his friend was there for him... I was a weird kid.
February 13th, 2009 at 10:04 AM ^
he did well his freshmen year and had a lot of potential..
February 13th, 2009 at 9:52 AM ^
Tom Brady
February 13th, 2009 at 9:58 AM ^
Darnell Hood followed Ernest Shazor as the only 2 gunners that I can remember that made a difference doing 1 of the hardest things to accomplish playing football. Hood was awesome at beating the double team and then just stoning the punt returner.
February 13th, 2009 at 9:59 AM ^
Good topic.
Probably not long enough to be considered obscure yet, but I was a huge Kevin Dudley fan and was always disappointed he never got to score a touchdown while here.
Also from the recent era I think Jermaine Gonzalez will eventually count as obscure (he's going to be our running QB!!!!!!!), Alijah Bradley was pretty cool, and Obi Oluigbo was awesome as well.
February 13th, 2009 at 10:08 AM ^
Kevin Dudley was awesome... I always used him in goal line situations in NCCA 04, just because I wanted him to score a touchdown.
Again, weird.
February 13th, 2009 at 10:02 AM ^
...WR who pumped up the crowd in that mesmerizing 22-22 tie with Illinois in 1992, and caught the touchdown pass meant for Howard in the 1991 Rose Bowl (when Wheatley had the long TD run near the end - we lost 34-14 to Washington).
I think Michigan had 11 fumbles in the Illinois game, so you will all understand, based on last year's Michigan fumbling issues, why that game is so fresh in the memory.
February 13th, 2009 at 10:02 AM ^
He had a helluva leg. I've always loved M football, but my full-blown obsession has only been for the last 5 or 6 years, so maybe I'm not remembering correctly, but seems like he would boom kickoffs through the endzone pretty much every time to help us win the field position battle, and I think he was none to shabby at FGs too
February 17th, 2009 at 4:35 PM ^
Epstein indeed had an incredibly strong leg, but he was never all that accurate. He wasn't very good in pressure situations. He missed twice in the fourth quarter of the 2000 UCLA game, for instance (we lost 23-20).
February 13th, 2009 at 10:07 AM ^
Larry Foster. Pash rushing machine!
February 13th, 2009 at 10:11 AM ^
For me it's a close call--either Lance Dottin (the Stevie Brown of 1991) or Yale VanDyne
February 13th, 2009 at 10:16 AM ^
I love this guys.
We have the makings of a pretty solid squad with these "obscure" players.
We have a couple good tailbacks, a couple good blocking fullbacks, two nice WRs, an O-lineman to anchor the front.
Very nice.
Defensively, I was a big fan of Lance Dottin as well.....he had a big INT to start the 1991 ND game off on the right foot.
Lets keep adding players!
February 13th, 2009 at 10:29 AM ^
Lance may have been Charles Woodson, but I would never know as whenever my memory bank thinks "Lance Dottin" immediately the Florida St game highlight reel turns on and I see Amp Lee dislocating Dottin's kneecaps and ankles and laughing at his exposed jock as he waltzes in the end zone. Till this day while playing basketball or recalling the previous days game we refer to any great juke or horrible tackle as a Dottin. "did you see that guy go Dottin last night that was sick.
Give me Clint Copenhaver blitzing off the edge for $200 Alex.
February 13th, 2009 at 10:19 AM ^
Daydrian Taylor for the big hit in 97.
February 13th, 2009 at 10:20 AM ^
Great lead blocker. Hayden Epstein was a good one too. I remember going to a game against EMU where he put two kickoffs through the uprights. I think a couple more went into the stands.
February 13th, 2009 at 10:26 AM ^
Was Epstein the punter turned kicker?
February 13th, 2009 at 10:34 AM ^
Adam Finley?
February 13th, 2009 at 10:38 AM ^
Yes, liked him too.
February 13th, 2009 at 10:52 AM ^
Shea in my Madden football game to get a great fullback who was not very costly. He had great hands in that game as well (forget which year). I signed a bunch of low rated Michigan guys so I could have Randy Moss and Peyton manning on my team at the same time. For some reason Shea sticks out in my memory.
February 13th, 2009 at 10:29 AM ^
Howabout Trent Zenkewicz,Trezelle Jenkins and Chris Floyd.
February 13th, 2009 at 10:31 AM ^
RT from a few years ago had some AWESOME sideburns, if I recall correctly
February 13th, 2009 at 10:55 AM ^
The Big Elvis! I remember that guy. He had to be a jokester sporting those chops.
February 13th, 2009 at 10:33 AM ^
Remy! (south bend 1994)
February 13th, 2009 at 10:34 AM ^
is Yale Van Dyne!
(btw, i'm a big alan jefferson fan - he almost arrested me along w/some buddies 12-13 yrs ago when he was with the DPD, but let us go after i recognized him and gave him mad props for his h.s. and college play)..
February 13th, 2009 at 10:36 AM ^
Epstien handled both punting and kickoffs. According to the statistical archive on Mgoblue he is in the top ten in both punting and kicking categories. I think he spent some time with the Minnesota Vikings but never really panned out in the NFL.
February 14th, 2009 at 12:22 PM ^
I'm pretty sure I remember him playing in the Arena League a few years back.
February 14th, 2009 at 12:26 PM ^
Epstein signed (literally last week) with the Edmonton Eskimos after being out of football for 3 years.
February 14th, 2009 at 2:05 PM ^
I was thinking Remy Hamilton.
February 13th, 2009 at 10:38 AM ^
How about Jesse Johnson and Ricky Powers? (I guess I'm showing my UM vintage)
February 13th, 2009 at 10:51 AM ^
Nice call along with Jesse Johnson. Jesse was built like a balling ball,tough runner btw the tackles. Ricky never got his just dues,imo.
February 16th, 2009 at 2:57 PM ^
Great call with Ricky Powers. I got one of those Wolverine mini Hutch uniforms Like 20 years ago and the jersey number was 12 for Ricky. Ah, the memories...
February 13th, 2009 at 10:42 AM ^
At the end of the Iowa game in 1986 as Gillette was lining up the winning kick, Zurbrugg turns around to no one in particular, smiles, and says, "Wouldn't it suck if he missed?"
Cam Cameron almost had an aneurysm.
We won.