page_title: Germany Schulz
section_title: All-American in 1907
hierarchical_section_title: Germany Schulz / Star athlete at the University of Michigan / All-American in 1907
caption_attribution_description: English: 1955 Topps football card of Adolph "Germany" Schulz
context_page_description: Adolph George "Germany" Schulz was an All-American American football center for the University of Michigan Wolverines from 1904 to 1905 and from 1907 to 1908. While playing at Michigan, Schulz is credited with having invented the spiral snap and with developing the practice of standing behind the defensive line. As the first lineman to play in back of the line on defense, he is credited as football's first linebacker.
  During his time at Michigan, Schulz also became involved in one of college football's earliest recruiting controversies, as some suggested that he was a "ringer" recruited by Michigan coach Fielding H. Yost. Schulz was 21 years old when he enrolled at Michigan and had worked in an Indiana steel mill and reportedly played for either amateur or professional teams. Michigan was refused re-entry into the Western Conference in 1908 when it insisted on playing the 25-year-old Schulz for a fourth season in violation of conference eligibility rules.
  Despite the controversies, Schulz is remembered both as an innovator and one of the toughest football players in the early days of the game.
context_section_description: When Schulz returned to the team in 1907, he was the talk of the campus.  One newspaper reported that Ann Arbor had "5,000 students continually gossiping about him", as Schulz's return was seen as "a gigantic stride in the direction of (Michigan's) winning back her former football prestige".  Coach Yost noted: "We need him not only as a player, but also as a leader.  In energy, ability to stand hard knocks, and courage he is a model for the rest of the team to strive after".  With Schulz in the lineup, Michigan won its first five games by a combined score of 107–0.  In Michigan's game against Ohio State, Schulz was reported to have been "a brick wall of defense" and "hard as nails".
  After starting the season 5–0, Michigan closed the 1907 season playing the University of Pennsylvania.  For the first time, one of the eastern schools had agreed to play a game at Ferry Field in Ann Arbor.  In the buildup to the game, the press focused on Schulz as the key to Michigan's chances.  One writer noted: "There is one man in the Michigan eleven that Pennsylvania fears and will endeavor to stop if possible when the two great teams meet in Ann Arbor November 16, 1907.  That man is Germany Schulz, Yost's great center".  Penn even announced that they were moving their star tackle, Draper, to center in an effort to stop Schulz. In the end, Penn beat Michigan, 6–0, marking the first time the Wolverines had ever lost a game at Ferry Field.
  Despite the loss, press reports after the game credited Schulz with a great effort.  One account noted: "Pennsy is said to have delegated three players to watch him, the heavyweight center played a star game throughout.  He broke through the line repeatedly and stopped plays.  Then again he would dash out to the end and tackle the man attempting to circle the wing.  He was down under punts and in the open play showed as much speed as any player on the field.  And he weighs 234 pounds".
  At the end of the season, there was a consensus that "The giant center of Michigan practically stands in a class by himself at the pivot position".  University of Chicago star Walter Eckersall, said: "Schulz, of Michigan, easily outshone his opponents in every game.  He is finely built, runs fast, snaps accurately, tackles hard, and is all over the field in every play".  One writer referred to Schulz in 1907 as a "human catapult" and said: "Schulz of Michigan is a very heavy man, weighing over 200 pounds, yet he is strikingly fast on his feet and is unusual on that account.  He propels his massive frame at a rate of speed that terrifies opponents. . . . The acknowledged prowess of Schulz makes him an especial object of unfair attack in scrimmages by opponents who hope, by disabling him, to weaken the Michigan team".
  Coach Yost added: "Schultz is without doubt the best center in the country.  In fact, Schulz is the best man in the middle of the line I have ever seen in all my football experience".  In naming Schulz to his All-America team, Walter Camp said: "He is well over six feet in height, yet a fast, powerful man who gets well over the field and makes more tackles in a game than any other man on his team.  In addition he is an accurate passer and feeds the ball well to his backs either for kicks or runs".
caption: Schulz depicted on a football card, c. 1955
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