The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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M BY MICHAEL SPATH ark Schmerge feels fortunate he was born Feb. 3, 1957. Had he been born a few years earlier, like friend David Metz, he likely would have missed out on the opportunities afforded to him arriving as a freshman at U-M in the fall of 1975. A two-year starter at guard for the Wol- verines in 1973-74, Metz was not eligible to dress as a true freshman in 1971, and thus missed out on U-M's only trip to the Rose Bowl (and only bowl game period) during his career. In three seasons as a member of the var- sity team, Metz helped Michigan to a 30-2-1 record, but only one Big Ten team was eli- man, out there," Schmerge said. "Back in those days, you used to run the play calls in from the sideline, so I would start and then alternate every play with Gene." Schmerge would catch five passes during his four-year career, including a touchdown in a win over Illinois in 1976 and two touch- downs in a victory at Purdue in 1977, and he would be part of teams that went 38-8-2, won three Big Ten titles and played in four bowl games — three Rose Bowls and the Orange Bowl in 1975. "I got hurt in the Orange Bowl, and when The Advent Of Freshman Eligibility In 1972 Forever Altered The Michigan Football Landscape GAME CHANGED THE DAY THE I was on the sideline, they put the camera on me, and all my friends from Cincinnati just couldn't believe it," he said. "One year, you're a senior in high school and the next I'm playing in the Orange Bowl. It was fun." gible to play in the postseason each year, and despite winning a share of three conference titles, the Maize and Blue were passed over in favor of rival Ohio State every season. When Schmerge first stepped foot on the Ann Arbor campus, though, college football was different. In 1972, the NCAA passed legislation permitting the eligibility of true freshmen — prior to that, freshmen had been allowed to play only during World War I (1917-18), World War II (1943-45) and the Korean War (1951-52). Then in 1973, the NCAA put a cap on football scholarships at 105, ending the days of unlimited financial aid. In 1978, the NCAA would reduce the number even more to 95, and in 1992 brought it to its current level of 85. Schmerge was aware the rules had changed, and hoped he would see the field during his rookie campaign. In fact, he would start six games at tight end, becoming the second true freshman since eligibility went into effect (classmate Rick Leach was the first) to start at Michigan. "I traveled to Wisconsin in the first game of the year and didn't play a lick, and was kind of bored standing on the sideline. But after the third game, Pete Traber [1973- 75] got chewed out by the coaches and got benched, and they began throwing me and Gene Johnson, who was also a true fresh- One of six true freshmen to earn a letter for the Maize and Blue in 1975, Schmerge helped usher in a new era that forever changed college football. This fall, the game celebrates 40 seasons of freshman eligi- bility. In the 39 years since eligibility was granted, 208 have lettered at U-M, and 65 have started at least one game, including seven starters and 20 participants in the past two seasons alone. Even though the policy went into effect in 1972, it took a few years for a true fresh- man to dress for the Wolverines. Michigan — like Oklahoma, Nebraska, Texas, Ohio State and others — had been grandfathered into the new legislation so even through the scholarship limit was set at 105 in 1973, U-M wasn't forced to cut its athletes in one fell swoop. Over a period of years, the Wol- verines, along with the Sooners, Cornhusk- ers, Longhorns and Buckeyes, trimmed their rosters until they reached the mandate. The result was a roster abundant with up- perclassmen in the early to mid-1970s that made it unnecessary to turn to a freshman. Former head coach Bo Schembechler (1969- 89) didn't even play a single freshman in 1972. "We didn't need the freshmen," said To Embrace Freshmen Michigan Slow 64 s THE WOLVERINE 2012 FOOTBALL PREVIEW linebacker John Anderson, fullback Scott Corbin, defensive back Dwight Hicks, de- fensive back Derek Howard and wide re- ceiver Max Richardson. A year later, in 1975, six rookies lettered, including Schmerge, while Leach became the first freshman to start at Michigan when he made his debut in the season opener against Wisconsin. He would complete only 2 of 10 attempts for 34 yards with three interceptions, but he directed the Maize and Blue to a 23-6 win over the Badgers. "Dennis Franklin had started the past three years, but his career was over with and I knew there wasn't a lot of experience com- ing back," Leach said. "I didn't expect to start, but I knew there'd be an opportunity. But then that first day I showed up, there were four other quarterbacks in my class and eight other quarterbacks on the roster that were all the best players from their towns so I sort of dialed my expectations back a little bit." Though the Wolverines did welcome back four veteran quarterbacks, only Mark Elz- inga had seen the field, completing 5 of 21 attempts for 104 yards with two touchdowns Quarterback Rick Leach became the first true freshman in school history to start for the Maize and Blue when he made his debut in the 1975 season opener against Wisconsin. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN longtime offensive line coach Jerry Hanlon (1969-91). "There were probably some that could have played, that were maybe talented enough, but we didn't need them. We had five or six seniors, juniors or sophomores at every position, and you won with the older, stronger, more experienced players. "It was a risk to throw a freshman in the lineup when you had guys that had been through the battles, and were physically and mentally mature." In 1973, a young man from Fremont, Ohio — Rob Lytle — earned three carries against Purdue, but did not letter, and officially doesn't count as the first true freshman to see the field in a winged helmet. That honor would belong to the five rook- ies to letter for the Wolverines in 1974: