Michigan football countdown to kickoff: 64 days until 2022 season
There’s much anticipation heading into the Michigan Wolverines football season, and TheWolverine.com is counting down the days until the Sept. 3 opener against Colorado State. We’ll discuss current Michigan events, upcoming season and/or take a look at a significant number that correlates with how many days remain until kickoff, whether it be a player’s jersey number, a year, a date, a score, etc.
We are another day closer to Michigan football’s season-opening game against Colorado State on Sept. 3 in Ann Arbor. Today’s countdown shows the No. 64, which allows us to take a look at the best to wear in the number in program history.
No. 64 is typically an offensive or lineman’s number these days, but the man profiled today played a different position and was a much smaller man. Quarterback/halfback/fullback hybrid Jack Wheeler is who gets the microscope in this edition.
Wheeler was Michigan’s most valuable player on the 1930 squad that went undefeated (8-0-1) in coach Harry Kipke’s second year on the job. That team outscored its opponents 111-23 on the year and tied Northwestern for the Big Ten championship.
Wheeler came from Bay City, Michigan and enrolled in Ann Arbor in 1927. He played a role in the backfield for his first few seasons before exploding in 1930.
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Wheeler, who stood at 5-foot-8, 155 pounds, scored 30 of the 111 points Michigan had that season. After receiving MVP honors from his teammates, he also was the runner-up for the Chicago Tribune Silver Football award, which goes to the best player in the Big Ten. Wheeler lost out to Ohio State’s Wes Fesler.
“[Wheeler] was our offensive spark, as well as our best ground gainer,” Kipke told the Chicago Tribune about Wheeler’s 1930 season. 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. Worked effectively with Simrall, Hudson and Newman in carrying out the running attack. He blocked well for them, and they for him.”
Wheeler passed away at the age of 81 in February 1990.
Michigan football countdown to kickoff
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