Your favorite obscure player in Michigan history

Submitted by jamiemac on
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.
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befuggled

February 14th, 2009 at 10:35 PM ^

...were I not at that 1977 Wisconsin game where he had the big TD run. That Gator Bowl was not a happy day, though. I'm pretty sure you're right about that being Taylor. I don't know why Bo didn't play Hewlett in the Gator Bowl, since he was presumably at least marginally better than Dickey. I assume Hewlett was hurt.

Joined: 07/01/2008

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MichFan1997

February 15th, 2009 at 1:44 PM ^

maybe he was around when i was in high school then. but i remember him being there when i was in middle school for some reason. And upon looking it up, he started his Michigan career 11 years ago in the 1998 season. So I was 11 when he joined the team.

Joined: 08/04/2008

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chitownblue (not verified)

February 15th, 2009 at 2:03 AM ^

Diallo Johnson. 2 reasons: he had the pick in the end-zone in 1997 that preserved the defenses 4th quarter scoreless streak (the starters had been pulled, and Sparty was driving on our 2nd string defense). Also, I played intramural hoops against him several times, and all he did was throw down alley-oops.

Joined: 12/12/2017

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jmblue

February 17th, 2009 at 4:40 PM ^

Good call. DiAllo really took one for the team by switching positions twice (from QB to safety, then to WR). He looked like he might emerge as a real playmaking WR but then tore his ACL and didn't play much as a senior. Oh well.

Joined: 11/07/2008

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Rush N Attack

February 15th, 2009 at 10:21 AM ^

I love it when people bring up a player that I'd almost forgotten about. My favorite Michigan player is already obscure enough (Walter Smith), but I'll go with Marc Milia. I came in contact with him a few times at U of M Hospital and he was very down to earth. I believe he turned out to be a surgeon. That's pretty awesome. (Suck it Harbaugh).

Joined: 07/07/2008

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Goblue89

February 16th, 2009 at 3:06 PM ^

First off, great name. Second, few remember he wore the #1 jersey. And third, his drop over the middle against Virginia probably saved us the game as he wouldn't have scored and the time would have ran out.

Joined: 08/28/2008

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upennwolverine

February 17th, 2009 at 3:06 AM ^

He's not really that obscure, but my favorite player is Chris Howard, tailback for the 97 National Championship team. I was still in the fourth grade in CT when I flew out to Ann Arbor with my dad to visit an old family friend and take in the Michigan-Notre Dame game that year. I had the opportunity to tour Schembechler Hall, during which I bumped into Chris; he was very cool, shook my hand - he was great. Plus, his taste in women is well documented. My other not-really-that-obscure Michigan favorite also hails from that team - Tai Streets.

Joined: 02/04/2009

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Jim Harbaugh S…

February 17th, 2009 at 9:06 AM ^

Good topic. Nice back story on Jefferson. (IIRC)There used to be a picture of him in Wolverine uniform in the halls of DLS. I'd assume it is still there. And how has no one said Antonio Bass yet?

Joined: 06/30/2008

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jmblue

February 17th, 2009 at 4:49 PM ^

Does Bass really qualify as obscure? He was universally considered a future star before he got hurt. If he entered obscurity, it was only because he couldn't play. My choice: Darnell Hood. Came in as a blue-chip RB, then switched to safety, but never really panned out. He accepted his role as a special-teams player and became a very good gunner.

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