newyorkwolverine.com

On Dec. 27, 1968, the world was significantly different. In any major city, people would walk up to a newsstand, pick up their morning paper, pay a few coins, and depart with their paper to read the day’s news. Lyndon B. Johnson was still the president, but Richard M. Nixon had been elected just the previous month. On the radio, we were listening to “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” by Marvin Gaye, and the Ford Mustang was still one of the most popular cars, for those in the market for a new car. 

In Ann Arbor, the Michigan Wolverines were in the market for a new football coach. They found one, and hired Bo Schembechler that day to lead their football team. 

Long before ESPN and the Internet made coaching searches part of the daily routine, few fans and alumni knew who Bo was. He wasn’t a stranger for long. His training camp came as a shock for many. Practices were grueling and players left in droves. 

Still, Bo inherited a roster that was stocked with many talented players, and his tough training camp forged a determination in the team. 

The Wolverines started the season in an up-and-down manner, but by the Ohio State game, the team began to jell. On a chilly afternoon in late November, the changes implemented by Bo paid off, and the Wolverines had earned a trip to the Rose Bowl with a historic victory over the Buckeyes. 

Some changes aren’t always that comfortable. Kyle Whittingham may do some things that threaten the status quo. In the long run, that might just be a good thing.