Michigan Wolverines Football: 30 greatest players of all-time

Bob Chappuis was not only one of the best football players in Michigan history, but one of the better stories in the history of the program. Though his college career was interrupted due to his service in World War II, he still was one of the more prolific players in program history. He is regarded by many as the best running back the school has seen.

While Chappuis was recruited by plenty of schools, he chose Michigan for a very understandable reason. His father just did not like the Ohio State Buckeyes. What better school to go to than Ohio State’s arch rival. Chappuis certainly made his mark on the program, having had back-to-back seasons where he re-wrote the record books.

Chappuis served in the Air Force during World War II, but when he returned in 1946, he became one of the more dominant players in college football. In 1946, he broke the Big Nine conference record for total offense. He then went on to break his own record the following season. That 1947 Michigan team was something special, going undefeated and beating the USC Trojans 49-0 in the Rose Bowl.

During that Rose Bowl game, Chappuis was named the Most Valuable Player, capping an incredible career at Michigan. Chappuis finished second in the Heisman Trophy balloting that season and still owns the Big Ten Conference single-season passing rating record. He was elected into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1988.