# 1953 Michigan Wolverines football team

The 1953 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1953 Big Ten Conference football season. In its sixth year under head coach Bennie Oosterbaan, Michigan compiled a 6–3 record (3–3 against conference opponents), tied for fifth place in the Big Ten, outscored opponents by a combined total of 163 to 101, and was ranked No. 20 in the final AP Poll and No. 19 in the Coaches Polls.
Center Dick O'Shaughnessy was the team captain, and right halfback Tony Branoff received the team's most valuable player award. Two Michigan players received All-Big Ten honors: left end Bob Topp was selected by the Associated Press as a first-team player, and left halfback Ted Kress.
The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Duncan McDonald with 293 passing yards, Tony Branoff with 501 rushing yards, and Bob Topp with 331 receiving yards.

## Schedule

| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 26 | Washington* | | Michigan StadiumAnn Arbor, MI | W 50–0 | 44,086 |
| October 3 | Tulane* | No. 4 | Michigan StadiumAnn Arbor, MI | W 26–7 | 51,960 |
| October 10 | Iowa | No. 5 | Michigan StadiumAnn Arbor, MI | W 14–13 | 49,551 |
| October 17 | Northwestern | No. 5 | Michigan StadiumAnn Arbor, MI (rivalry) | W 20–12 | 64,420 |
| October 24 | at Minnesota | No. 5 | Memorial StadiumMinneapolis, MN (Little Brown Jug) | L 0–22 | 62,795 |
| October 31 | Penn* | No. 16 | Michigan StadiumAnn Arbor, MI | W 24–14 | 56,795 |
| November 7 | at No. 4 Illinois | No. 17 | Memorial StadiumChampaign, IL (rivalry) | L 3–19 | 69,507 |
| November 14 | at No. 4 Michigan State | | Macklin StadiumEast Lansing, MI (rivalry) | L 6–14 | 51,421 |
| November 21 | Ohio State | | Michigan StadiumAnn Arbor, MI (rivalry) | W 20–0 | 87,048 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game |||||||

## Statistical leaders

Michigan's individual statistical leaders for the 1953 season include those listed below.

### Rushing

| Player | Attempts | Net yards | Yards per attempt | Touchdowns |
| Tony Branoff | 100 | 501 | 5.0 | 5 |
| Ted Kress | 101 | 339 | 3.4 | 5 |
| Bob Hurley | 47 | 282 | 6.0 | 1 |

### Passing

| Player | Attempts | Completions | Interceptions | Comp % | Yards | Yds/Comp | TD | Long |
| Duncan McDonald | 46 | 20 | 3 | 43.5 | 293 | 14.7 | 4 | 49 |
| Lou Baldacci | 51 | 21 | 6 | 41.2 | 285 | 13.6 | 1 | 36 |
| Ted Kress | 43 | 19 | 7 | 44.2 | 238 | 12.5 | 1 | 44 |

### Receiving

| Player | Receptions | Yards | Yds/Recp | TD | Long |
| Bob Topp | 23 | 331 | 14.4 | 2 | 66 |
| Gene Knutson | 11 | 201 | 18.3 | 1 | 33 |
| Tony Branoff | 11 | 151 | 13.7 | 1 | 44 |

### Kickoff returns

| Player | Returns | Yards | Yds/Return | TD | Long |
| Ted Kress | 10 | 203 | 20.3 | 0 | 33 |
| Tony Branoff | 6 | 130 | 21.7 | 0 | 28 |

### Punt returns

| Player | Returns | Yards | Yds/Return | TD | Long |
| Tony Branoff | 8 | 90 | 11.3 | 0 | 18 |
| Ted Kress | 12 | 63 | 5.3 | 0 | 16 |

## Personnel
### Letter winners

The following 31 players received varsity letters for their participation on the 1953 team. Players who started at least four games are shown with their names in bold.
* Fred Baer, 5'11", 180 pounds, junior, LaGrange, IL - fullback
* Lou Baldacci, 6'0", 205 pounds, sophomore, Akron, OH - started 9 games at quarterback
* James T. Balog, 6'3", 210 pounds, senior, Wheaton, IL - started 9 games at left tackle
* Richard E. Balzhiser, 6'0", 186 pounds, senior, Wheaton, IL - started 9 games at fullback
* Richard A. Beison, 6'0", 200 pounds, senior, East Chicago, IN - started 9 games at right guard
* Donald C. Bennett, 6'2", 195 pounds, senior, Chicago - tackle
* Tony Branoff, 5'11", 180 pounds, sophomore, Flint, MI - started 9 games at right halfback
* Theodore J. Cachey, 5'11", 185 pounds, senior, Chicago - guard
* J. Daniel Cline, 5'10", 168 pounds, junior, Brockport, NY - halfback
* Donald Dugger, 5'10", 185 pounds, senior, Charleston, WV - started 9 games at left end
* George S. Dutter, 6'2", 190 pounds, senior, Fort Wayne, IN - end
* James W. Fox, 6'0", 185 pounds, sophomore, Saginaw, MI - guard
* H. Ronald Geyer, 6'2", 220 pounds, junior, Toledo, OH - tackle
* Edward L. Hickey, 5'8", 160 pounds, senior, Anaconda, MT - halfback
* Robert S. Hurley, 5'10", 180 pounds, senior, Alamosa, CO- fullback
* Raymond K. Kenaga, 5'11", 170 pounds, junior, Sterling, IL - quarterback
* Eugene P. Knutson, 6'4", 210 pounds, senior, Beloit, WI - started 8 games at right end
* William P. Kolesar, 6'0", 190 pounds, sophomore, Mentor, OH - tackle
* Ted Kress, 5'11", 175 pounds, senior, Kansas City, MO - started 9 games at left halfback
* Duncan B. McDonald, 6'0", 175 pounds, junior, Flint, MI - quarterback
* G. Edgar Meads, 6'0", 190 pounds, sophomore, Oxford, MI - guard
* John M. Morrow, 6'2", 220 pounds, sophomore, Ann Arbor, MI - started 4 games at center
* Dick O'Shaughnessy, 5'11", 190 pounds, senior, Seaford, NY - started 5 games at center
* H. John Peckham Jr., 6'2", 220 pounds, sophomore, Sioux Falls, SD - center
* Thad C. Stanford, 6'0", 175 pounds, senior, Midland, MI - end
* Dick Strozewski, 6'0", 205 pounds, senior, South Bend, IN - started 9 games at left tackle
* Bob Topp, 6'2", 190 pounds, senior, Kalamazoo, MI - started 8 games at left end, 1 game at right end
* John J. Veselenak, 6'2", 190 pounds, junior, Flint, MI - end
* Art Walker, 5'11" 200 pounds, junior, South Haven, MI - tackle
* Gerald H. Williams, 6'2", 188 pounds, sophomore, Flint, MI - started 1 game at left end
* Ronald M. Williams, 5'9", 185 pounds, senior, Massillon, OH - guard

### Coaches and staff

Michigan's 1953 coaching, training, and support staff included the following persons.
* Head coach: Bennie Oosterbaan
* Assistant coaches:
   * Jack Blott - line coach
   * Cliff Keen - assistant football coach, head wrestling coach
   * Bill Orwig - offensive backfield coach
   * Matt Patanelli - defensive ends coach
   * Don Robinson - defensive backfield coach
   * Wally Weber - freshman coach
   * J. T. White - assistant line coach, scout, and junior varsity coach
* Trainer: Jim Hunt
* Manager: Richard Petrie

## Awards and honors

Honors and awards for the 1953 season went to the following individuals.
* Captain: Dick O'Shaughnessy
* All-Conference: Ted Kress, Bob Topp
* Most Valuable Player: Tony Branoff
* Meyer Morton Award: Tony Branoff