The Wolverines were sky high returning from Iowa City after their
blowout victory. Ann Arbor was cold and there was snow on the ground when the
Wolverines returned. Then came Monday for practice. The players were huddled,
but warm inside their building. Looking out, they expected that they would have
to clear the snow off the playing field. However, to their surprise, it was the
coaches that were clearing the playing field for their players. That act
symbolized how much the coaches were behind their players and made a mark in
the player’s psyche.
At practice during that week, the players were focused, high and
excitable. They practiced like no other week. The players blocked hard, tackled
hard and ran their plays with heightened enthusiasm. In fact, Coach Gary
Moeller was concerned about the amount of effort and focus by the players, and
he was afraid they were going to burn themselves out and play their game on the
practice field. Coach Moeller went to Bo and shared with him, his fear. Bo, the
other hand, reassured, Gary Moeller and said “let them go.” And go, they did.
Friday, prior to Saturday’s game, the team stayed at the nearby
Sheraton Hotel. Then a peculiar thing happened. There was a fire alarm. Players
were taken from their slumber and had to take their blankets with them to the
lobby of the hotel to cover themselves. And with all the commotion they didn’t
get much sleep that night. Was that fire alarm a blessing? It was simply a
distraction. Everyone knew about the importance of that first meeting between
Bo and Woody. No one had to say the word-they all knew.
Then, the next morning as the Michigan players were ready to go on
the playing field, there was Woody and his team warming up and practicing on
the Michigan side. Bo went nuts. In the locker room, Bo made it clear they were
the number one team in the country and they took three quarters of our playing
field during pregame practice. Bo said “they disrespected you. We are going to
show them. Let’s go get them.” Bo, being excited pounded his fist into the
blackboard exploding it. Then, the seniors got up and started throwing chairs
around. It was a chaotic atmosphere and the discharge of energy was unchecked.
As the players started to go through the rather narrow tunnel a
fight that broke out likely started by Cecil Pryor. That added commotion of the
heightened moment prior to the big battle. Then, Captain Jim Mandich leading
his troops turned around and faced them. Jim, with tears, spittle, as well as
hands and fists shaking in the air started shouting unintelligible words to his
faithful teammates. His teammates will never forget about Mad dog Jim Mandich
the captain and leader at that moment in time.
The players remembered that week in practice; time spent at the
Sheraton; Bo’s pregame speech in the locker room; the eruption that followed;
gliding as if on air propelling them through the tunnel; and witnessing their
leader Jim Mandich’s entire body full of pent-up impulses discharging like
missiles.
This sequence of events has never been duplicated at Michigan, or
even at the professional level. This was an once-in-a-lifetime experience only
remembered by those who were there. They can talk about it as its left its
indelible mark on each and every psyche. In fact, Captain Mandich stated that
playing in the Super Bowl, and playing on an undefeated Miami Dolphins team
takes second fiddle to the University Michigan experience on November 22, 1969.
Without a doubt, Bo Schembechler’s mark on college football was made
when his team beat the mighty Ohio State Buckeyes coached by his mentor Woody
Hayes on that cold November Saturday at the Big House. Make no mistake about
it.
Go Blue!
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