Willie Heston

Born September 9, 1878 in Galesburg, Illinois, was Willie Heston, a college football player and coach who is considered one of the greatest players in the history of the University of Michigan. He played halfback from 1901 to 1904, and led the Wolverines to four consecutive undefeated seasons and two national championships.

Willie attended San Jose Normal School (now San Jose State University) before transferring to Michigan. He was a two-way player for the Wolverines, excelling at both running and passing. He was also a superb punter and kicker.

Heston was a consensus All-American in 1903 and 1904. He was also named the captain of the 1904 team. In his four years at Michigan, Heston scored 72 touchdowns, which is still a school record. He also rushed for 2,339 yards and passed for 1,003 yards.

After graduating from Michigan, Heston played professional football for the Canton Bulldogs in 1905. He suffered a broken leg in his first game, and this ended his playing career.

Heston then turned to coaching. He was the head coach for Drake University in 1905 and North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts (now North Carolina State University) in 1906. He then returned to Michigan to practice law.

Heston was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1954. 

The Michigan Wolverines football program began play in 1879 and has competed in the Big Ten Conference since 1953. The Wolverines have an all-time record of 918-412-38, and have won 11 national championships (1901, 1902, 1919, 1923, 1932, 1933, 1947, 1948, 1950, 1951, 1997).

The Wolverines have had several notable eras of success, including:

• Fielding H. Yost era (1901-1925): Yost led the Wolverines to eight national championships and 10 Big Ten championships. His teams were known for their powerful offense and their aggressive defense.
• Fritz Crisler era (1932-1947): Crisler led the Wolverines to three national championships and two Big Ten championships. His teams were known for their passing attack and their ability to score points in bunches.
• Bo Schembechler era (1969-1989): Schembechler led the Wolverines to two national championships and 13 Big Ten championships. His teams were known for their physical style of play and their ability to dominate their opponents.
• Jim Harbaugh era (2015-present): Harbaugh has led the Wolverines to one Big Ten championship and three College Football Playoff appearances. His teams have been known for their high-powered offense and their ability to make big plays.

The Wolverines have had several notable players over the years, including:

• Tom Harmon (Heisman Trophy winner in 1940)
• Tom Brady (NFL Super Bowl winnning QB)
• Desmond Howard (Heisman Trophy winner in 1991)
• Charles Woodson (Heisman Trophy winner in 1997)
• Jake Long (NFL offensive tackle)
• Denard Robinson (Heisman Trophy finalist in 2010)
• Shea Patterson (Heisman Trophy finalist in 2018)

Check out the best posts of the internet that tell the history of Miichigan Wolverines football program in this collection we have assembled. Enjoy the stories of past Maize and Blue squads and legends with our collection. The Wolverines represent the Michigan University on the gridiron.

Sharing the greatest stories of Big 10 football team histories! Originally started as the Western Conference this group of scholls traditionally from the Mid-West has fed fans in America's heartland with many memorable moments, players and coaches over the years.