By Brian Price
On September 10, 2011, for the first time in the history of Michigan football, a ball was teed up under a crisp Ann Arbor night sky and sent sailing. A record 114,804 fans filled the stadium that night to witness the first night game in the school’s 133 year history.
Michigan came away with a dramatic 35-31 victory against the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame that night, beginning an impressive season that will conclude this evening in New Orleans.
There has been no bigger fan this year than 2011 College Football Hall of Fame inductee Lloyd Carr, who coached the Wolverines from 1995 to 2007.
“This has been one the most enjoyable Michigan seasons I've ever experienced,” said Carr, who compiled a 122-40 record while at Michigan’s helm. “Even though I wasn't [directly] a part of it. I was cheering every week."
Michigan’s 10-2 record under first-year head coach Brady Hoke, has secured tonight’s berth in the Sugar Bowl against Virginia Tech in New Orleans.
"The Sugar Bowl is such a great reward for where we came from in the first game to where we [are now]. Nobody, except Brady, predicted that. His enthusiasm and leadership had a tremendous impact throughout the season."
The 2011 season, highlighted by wins over Notre Dame, Ohio State and Nebraska, has reinvigorated the university.
“We could have sold 150,000 tickets if we had the seats,” Assistant Director of Development, Jordan Skolnick observed.
During the night game against Notre Dame, Michigan legend Desmond Howard, a 2010 inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame, was honored on the field with a special NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute.
“I was so privileged to wear the winged helmet and put on the maize and blue. I was so blessed to have the experiences I had at the University of Michigan on the field, off the field, from the cube to the Diag, from Schembechler Hall to the South Quad […] Those experiences made me the man that I am today: a Michigan man,” said an emotional Howard during his acceptance speech.
Howard finished his career with 134 receptions for 2,146 yards and 32 touchdowns and holds the Michigan record for most touchdowns (23) and points (138) scored in a single-season.
Carr, with a nod to Howard, noted during his own NFF induction ceremony that: “As a coach, you don’t get to the point of Hall of Fame recognition without having great players. Certainly, I had the greatest players and people that any coach could ask for.”
On November 26th, after a 40-34 win over Ohio State to conclude the regular season, the student section stormed the field.
"I couldn't be happier for the players [and students] as there have been tough times, but they hung in there," said Carr, who was as eager as anybody to snap a 7-game losing streak to OSU. "The players responded to Brady and his staff and it was impressive to see how they played collectively and found the will to win."
Carr’s journey at the helm began in 1995 when he was named the interim head of Michigan football. In 1997, Carr led the program back to a national championship, the first since 1948.
Carr credits his success to the late Michigan head coach Bo Schembechler, his mentor and predecessor into the hall of fame.
“Bo taught me, among many things, a great respect for the game, the way it’s played, the way you conduct yourself, and the way that you respect the people you play with and against,” said Carr. “You’re representing something bigger than yourself. He instilled integrity in the program and I had the great fortune to have him as a mentor.”
Brady Hoke has great passion for the game, he’s a coach’s coach and a player’s coach. He’ll demand the best, but he’s also on their side.”
It’s hard to talk about Michigan without mentioning the tremendous play of quarter back Denard Robinson, a player that Carr mentions in the same breath as Anthony Carter, Derrick Alexander and Desmond Howard. “These are the names you mention when you talk about exciting offensive players at Michigan and Denard is right with them. He’s the most exciting player I’ve ever seen at Michigan. He’s sensational.”
Robinson threw for 2000 yards and 18 touchdowns this season as well as gaining 1,163 yards on the ground with 16 rushing touchdowns. He also became only the fourth player in NCAA history with two seasons of 2000+ passing yards and 1000+ rushing yards.
For Carr, these are the moments that belong to the Wolverines and their fans. “I’m proud to represent the greatest university in the world, a place that I love, a place that has been everything to me. I love the University of Michigan.”
Michigan has always respected its traditions and is rocketing into the future full blast.
