1978 Football Team
| Overall Record: 10-2 | Conference Record: 7-1 |
| Conference Finish: 1st place tie | |
| National Ranking: AP - No. , UP5I - No. 5 | |
| Coach: Glenn E. "Bo" Schembechler | |
| Captains: Russell Davis, Jerry Meter | |
| All-Americans: Rick Leach | |
| All-Conference: Rick Leach, Jon Giesler, John Arbeznik, Russell Davis, Curtis Greer, Ron Simpkins, Mike Jolly, Mike Harden | |
| Most Valuable Player: Rick Leach | |
| Meyer Morton Award: Gene Johnson | |
| John Maulbetsch Award: Mike Trgovac | |
| Frederick Matthaei Award: Mike Jolly | |
| Arthur Robinson Scholarship Award: Mark DeSantis | |
| Trainer: Lindsy McLean | |
| Assistant coaches: Dennis Brown, Tirrel Burton, Jerry Hanlon, Jack Harbaugh, Bill McCartney, Don Nehlen, Paul Schudel, Milan Vooletich | |
| Manager: Nicholas J. Uriah | |
| Opponent | Rank | Date | Site | Result | Attend. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preseason | 6 | |||||
| Illinois | 4/- | 09/16 | H | W | 31-0 | 104,102 |
| Notre Dame | 5/14 | 09/23 | A | W | 28-14 | 59,075 |
| Duke | 4/- | 09/30 | H | W | 52-0 | 104,832 |
| Arizona | 3/- | 10/07 | H | W | 21-17 | 104,913 |
| Michigan State | 5/- | 10/14 | H | L | 15-24 | 105,132 |
| Wisconsin | 9/- | 10/21 | A | W | 42-0 | 80,024 |
| Minnesota (HC) | 8/- | 10/28 | H | W | 42-10 | 105,308 |
| Iowa | 8/- | 11/04 | A | W | 34-0 | 49,120 |
| Northwestern | 7/- | 11/11 | A | W | 59-14 | 27,013 |
| Purdue | 7/15 | 11/18 | H | W | 24-6 | 105,410 |
| Ohio State | 6/16 | 11/25 | A | W | 14-3 | 88,358 |
| USC | 5/3 | 01/01 | 1 | L | 10-17 | 105,629 |
| Total: | 372-105 | 1,038,916 | ||||
___________________________________ | ||||||
| 1 - Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California | ||||||
| Position | Player | |
|---|---|---|
| wide receiver |
Rodney Feaster (7) Alan Mitchell (3) Gene Johnson Ed Kasparek | |
| left tackle | Jon Giesler (12) | |
| left guard |
John Arbeznik (9) John Powers (3) | |
| center | Steve Nauta (12) | |
| right guard | Greg Bartnick (12) | |
| right tackle |
Mike Leoni (5) Bill Dufek (3) John Powers (3) Bubba Paris | |
| tight end |
Gene Johnson (7) Doug Marsh (5) | |
| wing back |
Ralph Clayton (10) Alan Mitchell Roosevelt Smith | |
| quarterback |
Rick Leach (12)
| |
| fullback | Russell Davis (12) | |
| tailback |
Harlan Huckleby (9) Butch Woolfolk (2) Roosevelt Smith |
| Position | Player | |
|---|---|---|
| defensive tackle |
Chris Godfrey (6) Dale Keitz (6) | |
| middle guard |
Mike Trgovac (6) Dale Keitz (6) | |
| defensive tackle | Curtis Greer (12) | |
| outside linebacker |
Jerry Meter (12)
| |
| outside linebacker |
Tom Seabron (10) Ben Needham (2) | |
| inside linebacker |
Ron Simpkins (11) Ben Needham | |
| inside linebacker |
Andy Cannavino (6) Mark DeSantis (4) Mel Owens (2) | |
| ws cornerback | Mike Jolly (12) | |
| ss cornerback |
Mark Braman (10) Gerald Diggs Dan Murray | |
| wolf | Gene Bell (12) | |
| safety |
Mike Harden (10) Stu Harris (2) |
View full 1978 roster (from all-time roster database, includes non-lettermen and freshmen)
1978 Team Photo
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- Back Row
- Coaches Bob Patek, Jerry Zuver, Mike Gittleson, Milan Vooletich, Dennis Brown, Jack Harbaugh, Bill McCartney, Jerry Hanlon, Don Nehlen, Tirrel Burton, Paul Schudel, Bob Thornbladh, Barry Pierson, Mike Smith, Curt Stephenson, Trainer Lindsy McLean, Eqp. Mgr. Jon Falk
- 9th Row
- Kevin Smith, Doug Agnew, * , Mike Butts, Steve Zarnata, Brad Fischer, Kevin Gilligan, * , Karl Tech, Jerome Jelinek, Bill Welch, * , Vince Shaw, Mgr. Nick Uriah
- 8th row Row
- Marion Body, Dave Brewster, Rich Strenger, Sanford Washington, Steve Reilly, Tom Neal, Norm Betts, Mike Petsch, Mike Lemirande, Gary Snell, Jeff Reeves, Tony Jackson, Jeff Felten, Tony Kelsie
- 7th Row
- Mike Webster, Butch Woolfolk, Cedric Coles, Bubba Paris, Chuck Rowland, Ed Muransky, Mark Warth, Tom Garrity, Robert Thompson, Jim Paciorek, Gary Lee, Zeke Wallace, Brian Carpenter, John Sandberg
- 6th Row
- Tom Moss, Tim Carrier, Jay Allen, Jim Breaugh, Larry Jones, David Angood, Tom Wandersleben, Fred Motley, Dave Payne, Rod Vaughn, Gasper Calindrino, Kevin Long, Bryan Virgil
- 5th Row
- Brad Bates, Irvin Johnson, Kelly Keough, Tom Keller, Rick Novak, Ben Needham, Oliver Johnson, Jeff Jackson, Dan Kwiatkowski, John Prepolec, Greg Wunderli, Kurt Becker, Tony Osbun, Mike Kligis, Chuck Christian
- 4th Row
- Craig Page, B.J. Dickey, Rodney Peaster, Dan Murray, Andy Cannavino, Dave Nicolau, Stanley Edwards, Michael Davis, Mike Trgovac, Stuart Harris, Roger Gaudette, Jim Kozlowski, Alan Mitchell, Rick Jones, Head Coach "Bo" Schembechler
- 3rd Row
- Gerald Diggs, Tony Leoni, Roosevelt Smith, Gary Weber, Lawrence Reid, Mel Owens, George Lilja, John Powers, Chris Godfrey, John Wangler, Gene Bell, Michael Harden, Mike Leoni, Gary Quinn, Jim Humphries
- 2nd Row
- Gregg Willner, William Jackson, Mike Jolly, Ralph Clayton, Chip Pederson, Rock Lindsay, John Arbeznik, Ron Simpkins, Doug Marsh, Dale Keitz, Tom Melita, Mark Torzy, Tim Malinak, Ed Kasparek, Chuck Netts
- Front Row
- Mark Braman, Mark DeSantis, Mark Schmerge, Curtis Greer, Greg Bartnick, Harlan Huckleby, Co-Captain Russell Davis, Bill Dufek, Rick Leach, Co-Captain Jerry Meter, Gene Johnson, Jon Giesler, Tom Seabron, Steve Nauta, Bob Hollway