1928 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1928 Michigan Wolverines football team was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan in the 1928 Big Ten Conference football season. The Wolverines compiled a 3–4–1 record (2–3 against Big Ten opponents), tied for seventh place in the Big Ten, and were outscored by their opponents by a total of 62 to 36.
| 1928 Michigan Wolverines football | |
|---|---|
| Conference | Big Ten Conference |
| Record | 3–4–1 (2–3 Big Ten) |
| Head coach |
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| MVP | Otto Pommerening |
| Captain | George Rich |
| Home stadium | Michigan Stadium |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 6 Illinois $ | 4 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 4 Wisconsin | 3 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 7 | – | 1 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minnesota | 4 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 6 Iowa | 3 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ohio State | 3 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purdue | 2 | – | 2 | – | 1 | 5 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northwestern | 2 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Michigan | 2 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Indiana | 2 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chicago | 0 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Before and during the season, a feud developed between head coach Tad Wieman and athletic director Fielding H. Yost, who had been the head coach until 1927. The team opened the season with four consecutive losses, the worst start by a Michigan football team to that point in time. During the losing streak, the Wolverines lost to Indiana, a program that had never beaten or even scored a point against a Michigan team, and Wisconsin, a program that had not beaten a Michigan team since 1899. The Wolverines finished the season with three wins and a tie; their victory over Big Ten champion Illinois spoiled an otherwise perfect season for the Illini. After the season, Wieman was removed as the team's head coach and replaced with Harry Kipke.
Quarterback/halfback George Rich was the team captain. Left tackle Otto Pommerening was selected as the team's most valuable player and as a consensus first-team player on the 1928 College Football All-America Team. Fullback Joe Gembis was the team's leading scorer with nine points on three extra points and two field goals.