Season Review: 2015 Michigan Football
1/14/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
• Team Captains: Joe Kerridge, Joe Bolden
• Record: 10-3 overall, 6-2 Big Ten Conference (3rd place, East Division)
• Final Rankings: 12th by Associated Press, 11th by coaches
• Postseason: Defeated Florida, 41-7, in Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl
The 2015 football season was a team effort for the University of Michigan, which finished 10-3 overall to reach the double-digit win plateau for the 27th time in program history. The final poll rankings released this week give U-M its first season with top-12 spots in both season-ending polls since 2011.
The Maize and Blue went 6-2 in conference play, and five of the 13 opponents that U-M played against ended the season ranked in the top 25 of the final polls. Closing the season with an emphatic finish, U-M capped the first campaign under J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Head Football Coach Jim Harbaugh with a dominant 41-7 victory against the No. 19-ranked Florida Gators in the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl.
Michigan doubled its win total from the previous season with a strong effort from all three phases. U-M finished the year ranked in the nation's top six in five major defensive categories: first in pass efficiency defense (94.6 rating), third in pass defense (158.5 yards allowed per game), fourth in total defense (280.7 yards allowed per game) and third-down percentage allowed (27.6 percent), and sixth in scoring defense (16.4 points per game). The Wolverines ranked among the top 25 in five offensive categories, including seventh in red zone scoring efficiency (92.9 percent scoring rate), and finished with the No. 3 kickoff return average (28.4 yards per return).
Team Highlights
• Historic Shutout Streak: For the first time since 1980, U-M recorded a three-game shutout streak, keeping a clean slate against No. 22 BYU (Sept. 26), Maryland (Oct. 3) and No. 18 Northwestern (Oct. 10) to become the first team since the 1995 Kansas State squad to shut out three consecutive FBS opponents. The Wolverines allowed just 378 total yards of offense in that span and capped off the stretch by scoring touchdowns on offense, defense and special teams against Northwestern -- a feat previously not accomplished since 2003.
• Last Stand at Minnesota: With college football's oldest trophy on the line, the Wolverines needed a gutsy goal-line stand to stifle the Golden Gopher attack in the waning moments of the game. It was an emotional evening, as earlier in the week longtime Minnesota head coach Jerry Kill announced his retirement due to health reasons, and the Minnesota faithful made for a raucous crowd on Halloween night. With just two seconds remaining on U-M's one-yard line, the Gophers went for victory, passing up a potential game-tying field goal, and their quarterback sneak attempt was met with a forceful rejection as the Wolverine front seven silenced the final threat of the game.
• Shootout in Bloomington: Quarterback Jake Rudock threw a Michigan-record six touchdown passes, including four air strikes to Jehu Chesson (tied a U-M record) to push the Wolverines past the Hoosiers (Nov. 14) in two overtime frames. The Maize and Blue tied things up with just two seconds remaining in regulation before OT scores to tight end Jake Butt and wide receiver Amara Darboh put U-M up seven. On IU's final possession, safety Delano Hill broke up a pass at the goal line to seal victory and move U-M to 8-2 at that juncture of the season.
• Citrus Bowl Win: Pitted against the No. 19-ranked Florida Gators, the Maize and Blue closed its 2015 season out in style on New Year's Day with a thumping of the SEC East Division champs. Quarterback Jake Rudock earned MVP honors after leading the Wolverines to seven scoring drives, including throwing three TD passes, and the stout U-M defense held U-F to just 28 total yards in the second half. It was a memorable way to send off the senior class, most of whom earned their first career bowl victory.
Individual Highlights
• Rudock Reaches 3,000 Yards Passing: In the final minutes of the 2015 season, and the opening hours of the 2016 year, Jake Rudock became the second QB in program history to eclipse the 3,000-yard passing mark in a single season. He finished with 3,017 yards, joining John Navarre (3,331 yards; 2003) as the only Wolverine quarterbacks to ever accomplish the feat. The feat was made even more impressive by the fact that Rudock only eclipsed 200 yards throwing once in the first eight weeks of the season. He closed the year with five consecutive games of over 250 yards passing -- a Michigan first -- and threw 14 touchdowns to two interceptions while averaging 314.8 yards per game over that span.
• Butt Completes Historic Tight End Season: This year, Jake Butt completed one of the most prolific single season performances by a Michigan tight end in program history. He totaled 51 receptions, second-most all-time, and gained 654 receiving yards off those touches, third-most by any U-M tight end. He became only the sixth Wolverine tight end to accumulate 1,000 career receiving yards, and he ranks as the team's second-leading active career receiver with 92 catches for 1,100 yards and seven touchdowns, stats which list fourth, fifth and tied-sixth, respectively, among all-time tight end ranks at U-M.
• Lewis Sets PBU Record: Jourdan Lewis totaled an incredible 22 pass breakups in 2015, shattering the previous program record of 18 shared by Marlin Jackson (2002) and Leon Hall (2006). He led the Big Ten with 15 PBUs during conference play alone, including a school-record-tying six in his game-long one-on-one battle with Michigan State wide receiver Aaron Burbridge (Oct. 17). Lewis earned the record-sealing PBU against Rutgers (Nov. 7) and finished the year as ProFootballFocus College's top-ranked cornerback despite being targeted once every 4.5 snaps, third-most in the nation.
• Morgan Finishes With 300 Tackles: As one of the clear defensive leaders of the Maize and Blue, it was appropriate that linebacker Desmond Morgan reached a significant milestone in his final game as a Wolverine. Morgan, who tallied at least four tackles in 36 of his final 39 regular-season games, hit that number on the nose against the Florida Gators to end his career with exactly 300 tackles. It was a fitting end for the Holland, Michigan, native, who is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree with plans to teach and coach at the conclusion of his playing career.
Honors and Awards
Jake
Butt
Jourdan
Lewis
Jabrill
Peppers
Jehu
Chesson
Jake
Rudock
Desmond
Morgan
All-America
Associated Press: Jake Butt (2nd team), Jourdan Lewis (2nd team)
The Sporting News: Jake Butt (2nd team), Jabrill Peppers (2nd team)
Football Writers Association of America: Jourdan Lewis (2nd team)
Walter Camp: Jourdan Lewis (2nd team)
USA Today: Jourdan Lewis (1st team)
Sports Illustrated: Jake Butt (1st team), Jourdan Lewis (1st team), Jabrill Peppers (2nd team)
CBS Sports: Jake Butt (1st team), Jabrill Peppers (2nd team)
All-Big Ten Conference (Coaches)
First Team: Jake Butt (TE), Jehu Chesson (WR), Jourdan Lewis (CB) and Jabrill Peppers (DB)
Second Team: Jabrill Peppers (Return Specialist)
Third Team: Erik Magnuson (OL) and Chris Wormley (DL)
Honorable Mention: Kenny Allen (K), Joe Bolden (LB), Ben Braden (OL), Mason Cole (OL), Amara Darboh (WR), Graham Glasgow (C), Ryan Glasgow (DT), Willie Henry (DT), Kyle Kalis (OL), Blake O'Neill (P), Jake Rudock (QB), De'Veon Smith (RB), Jarrod Wilson (S)
All-Big Ten Conference (Media)
First Team: Jake Butt (TE), Jourdan Lewis (CB) and Jabrill Peppers (DB)
Third Team: Kenny Allen (K), Kyle Kalis (OL) and Erik Magnuson (OL)
Honorable Mention: Joe Bolden (LB), Ben Braden (OL), Jehu Chesson (WR), Mason Cole (OL), Amara Darboh (WR), Graham Glasgow (C), Ryan Glasgow (DT), Willie Henry (DT), Royce Jenkins-Stone (DL), Jourdan Lewis (Return Specialist), Desmond Morgan (LB), Blake O'Neill (P), Jabrill Peppers (Return Specialist), Jake Rudock (QB), Chris Wormley (DL)
Other Big Ten Conference Awards
Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the Year: Jake Butt
Thompson-Randel El Freshman of the Year: Jabrill Peppers
Sportsmanship Award: Jake Rudock
Michigan Team Awards
Bo Schembechler Most Valuable Player Award: Jehu Chesson
Dr. Arthur D. Robinson Scholarship Award (Top Senior Scholar-Athlete): Michael Jocz
Robert P. Ufer Award (Senior with Most Love and Enthusiasm for Michigan): Joe Bolden
Richard Katcher Award (Top Defensive Lineman): Ryan Glasgow and Chris Wormley
Hugh R. Rader Memorial Award (Top Offensive Lineman): Graham Glasgow
Roger Zatkoff Award (Top Linebacker): Desmond Morgan
Academic All-Big Ten
Brad Anlauf, Sr., political science
Blake Bars, Sr., political science
Ian Bunting, So., undeclared
Noah Furbush, So., aerospace engineering
Ben Gedeon, Jr., economics
Graham Glasgow, Sr., economics
Bobby Henderson, Sr., information
Sione Houma, Sr., general studies
Maurice Hurst, Jr., sports management
Michael Jocz, Sr., mechanical engineering
Joe Kerridge, Sr., sport management
Dan Liesman, Sr., biomolecular science
Desmond Morgan, Sr., secondary education
Tom Strobel, Sr., general studies
Jack Wangler, Jr., cognitive science
Jared Wangler, So., undeclared
Maurice Ways, So., undeclared
Chase Winovich, So., undeclared
Chris Wormley, Sr., sport management
Big Ten Player of the Week
Offensive: Jehu Chesson (co-recipient Nov. 16), Jake Rudock (co-recipient Nov. 16)
Defensive: Jourdan Lewis (Oct. 12)
Special Teams: Jehu Chesson (Oct. 12)
Freshman: Jabrill Peppers (co-recipient Oct. 12, Nov. 2)
Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl MVP
Jake Rudock
National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete
Desmond Morgan (Michigan Chapter)
Rose Bowl Hall of Fame Inductee
Tyrone Wheatley (player 1991-94, current U-M running backs coach)
Communications Contact: Dave Ablauf, Chad Shepard
