Jack Wheeler ( American football ) Clare Jack Wheeler ( October 31 , 1908 – February 26 , 1990 ) was an American football player . He played in the backfield for the University of Michigan from 1928 to 1930 and was the Most Valuable Player on the 1930 Michigan Wolverines football team . Early life . A native of Bay City , Michigan , Wheeler began to attain athletic prominence playing halfback and quarterback for the football team at Bay City Central High School from 1924 to 1926 . College career . After graduating from high school , he enrolled at the University of Michigan and played on the freshman football team in 1927 . As a sophomore in 1928 , Wheeler started three games at the halfback position for Michigan ' s varsity football team . As a junior in 1920 , he started two games at the fullback position . Wheeler had his best season as a senior in 1930 . He demonstrated his versatility by playing all three backfield positions ( quarterback , halfback and fullback ) for the undefeated 1930 Michigan Wolverines football team that compiled a record of 8 - 0 - 1 . In the 1930 season opener , Wheeler was the Wolverines ' starting quarterback and scored two touchdowns in a 33 – 0 victory over Denison College . His performance in the fourth game of the 1930 season helped secure his reputation . Michigan trailed Purdue 13 – 0 at the end of the first quarter . Wheeler and sophomore quarterback Harry Newman were sent into the game in the second quarter and led Michigan to a come - from - behind victory and a final score of 14 – 13 . Wheeler did most of the ball carrying on the drive that resulted in Michigan ' s winning touchdown . Wheeler scored the winning touchdown with an eight - yard run on " the old 83 play . " The following week , Wheeler was Michigan ' s leading rusher in a 13 – 0 win over Ohio State . He also caught a 20 - yard touchdown pass from Harry Newman in a 15 – 7 win over Illinois . In the seventh week of the 1930 season , Wheeler scored the only touchdown in Michigan ' s 7 – 0 win over Minnesota in the annual competition for the Little Brown Jug . Wheeler scored the touchdown in the first quarter on a 45 - yard punt return which a newspaper account of the game described as follows : " Wheeler ' s run will go down as one of Michigan ' s , classics . He got the ball after a low , twisting kick by [ Clarence ] Munn had traveled to the Minnesota 45 - yard line . Wheeler gathered it in and charged . He hit two Minnesota tacklers and knifed his way between them . He staggered a yard or two from the impact and sidestepped another Gopher tackler . Morrison came across like a charging bull to take another from Wheeler ' s path . He waved away , and slid yards across the goal line on his dive for a touchdown . " Michigan head coach Harry Kipke praised Wheeler ' s performance during the 1930 season as follows : " He was our offensive spark , as well as our best ground gainer . He lacked confidence up to this year , it seems , but he had it when this season opened and he got better as the season progressed . He worked effectively with Simrall , Hudson and Newman in carrying out the running attack . He blocked well for them , and they for him . " Despite his slight build at 155 pounds , Wheeler scored 30 of the 111 points scored by Michigan in 1930 and was selected as a first - team All - Big Ten player by Claire Burcky of the Newspaper Editors Association . Burckey explained his selection of Wheeler as follows : " The reason Jack Wheeler , the Bay City boy , made my team is because he kept Michigan going when Harry Newman failed . Wheeler ' s punt handling , run - backs and interception of passes provided the brightest bits of ball lugging Michigan showed to the conference this season . " Wheeler was voted by his teammates on the 1930 Michigan team as the recipient of the Most Valuable Player award . He also finished second behind Wes Fesler in the voting for the Chicago Tribune Silver Football trophy awarded to the Most Valuable Player in the Big Ten Conference . Late life . In February 1990 , Wheeler died at age 81 . He was a resident of Midland , Michigan at the time of his death .