| Year: | 1956 |
| Team: | Michigan Wolverines |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Big Ten Conference |
| Short Conf: | Big Ten |
| Coachrank: | 7 |
| Aprank: | 7 |
| Record: | 7–2 |
| Conf Record: | 5–2 |
| Head Coach: | Bennie Oosterbaan |
| Hc Year: | 9th |
| Mvp: | Dick Hill |
| Captain: | Tom Maentz |
| Stadium: | Michigan Stadium |
The 1956 Michigan Wolverines football team was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan in the 1956 Big Ten Conference football season. In their ninth year under head coach was Bennie Oosterbaan, the Wolverines compiled a 7–2 record (5–2 Big Ten), outscored opponents 233 to 123, and finished the season in second place in the Big Ten Conference and ranked No. 7 in the final 1956 AP poll. The team played five of its nine games against ranked opponents, losing to No. 2 Michigan State by a 9–0 score and No. 15 Minnesota by a 20–7 score, but defeating No. 15 Army by a 48–14 score, No. 7 Iowa by a 17–14 score, and No. 12 Ohio State by a 19–0 score.
End Ron Kramer was selected as a consensus All-American and a first team All-Big Ten player. Guard Dick Hill was selected as the team's Most Valuable Player and was named by the Associated Press (AP) as a first-team All-Big Ten player. Halfback Terry Barr averaged 6.1 yards per carry rushing and 19.7 yards per punt return and was selected as a first-team All-Big Ten player by the United Press (UP).
On September 29, 1956, Michigan opened its season with a 42–13 victory over UCLA.[1] The Bruins were ranked #4 in the final AP Poll in 1955, but lost a number of players due to sanctions imposed by the Pacific Coast Conference. Michigan rushed for 234 yards against UCLA, including 67 yards by junior halfback Jim Pace. In the air, Michigan completed four of nine passes for 103 yards, including a 13-yard touchdown pass from Bob Ptacek to Jim Van Pelt and a 70-yard touchdown pass from Terry Barr to Ron Kramer. Barr also set up a touchdown with a 51-yard punt return to the UCLA 15-yard line in the first quarter. Halfback John Herrnstein scored two touchdowns for Michigan on runs of six and four yards. Ed Shannon and Jim Dickey also scored touchdowns for Michigan. Kramer and Maddock each kicked three extra points for Michigan.[1]
On October 6, 1956, Michigan (ranked No. 5 in the AP Poll) lost to Michigan State (ranked No. 2), 9–0, before a crowd of 101,001 at Michigan Stadium. After a scoreless first half in which Michigan dominated statistically, turnovers led to two Michigan State scores. In the third quarter, John Herrnstein was intercepted at Michigan's 38-yard line, setting up a 20-yard field goal by John Matsko. In the fourth quarter, Herrnstein fumbled, and Michigan State recovered the ball at Michigan's 21-yard line, leading to a Spartan touchdown shortly thereafter.[2]
On October 13, 1956, Michigan (ranked No. 12 in the AP Poll) defeated Army (ranked No. 15), 48–14, before a crowd of 93,101 at Michigan Stadium. Army fumbled eight times with Michigan recovering six times. Michigan led, 27-0, at halftime, and none of Michigan's starters played in the second half. Michigan totaled 246 rushing yards and 124 passing yards. Seven different Wolverines scored touchdowns: Jim Pace, Terry Barr, Bob Ptacek, Gary Prahst, John Herrnstein, Jim Van Pelt, and Jim Maddock.[3]
On October 20, 1956, Michigan (ranked No. 8 in the AP Poll) defeated Northwestern, 34–20, before a crowd of 81,227 at Michigan Stadium. John Herrnstein scored three touchdowns. Jim Maddock scored on a 15-yard pass from Bob Ptacek, and Ron Kramer also scored on a 15-yard pass from Terry Barr. Michigan totaled 283 rushing yards and 156 passing yards.[4]
On November 24, Michigan defeated Ohio State, 19-0, before a crowd of 82,223 in Columbus, Ohio. Senior back Terry Barr, playing in his final game for Michigan, scored two touchdowns. Quarterback Jim Maddock also scored a touchdown. Ron Kramer converted one of three extra point kicks. On defense, the Wolverines allowed only one completed pass and intercepted two.[5]
In the final polls released in early December, Michigan was ranked No. 7 by both the Associated Press and United Press.[6] [7]
End Ron Kramer was a unanimous pick for the 1956 All-America college football team.[8] He received first-team honors from all seven official selectors: Collier's/American Football Coaches Association (AFCA),[9] Associated Press (AP),[10] Look magazine/Football Writers Association of America (FWAA),[11] International News Service (INS),[12] Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA),[13] The Sporting News (TSN),[14] and United Press (UP).[15]
Five Michigan players received honors on the 1956 All-Big Ten Conference football team:[16] [17]
Guard Dick Hill won the team's award as most valuable player. Fullback John Herrnstein won the Meyer Morton and John Maulbetsch Awards.
The following players won varsity letters for their participation on the 1956 Michigan football team.[18] [19] Players who started at least half of Michigan's games are shown in bold.[20]
| Player | Attempts | Net yards | Yards per attempt | Touchdowns |
| Jim Pace | 103 | 498 | 4.8 | 2 |
| John Herrnstein | 123 | 475 | 3.9 | 7 |
| Terry Barr | 60 | 366 | 6.1 | 6 |
| Player | Attempts | Completions | Interceptions | Comp % | Yards | Yds/Comp | TD | Long |
| Bob Ptacek | 23 | 15 | 2 | 65.2 | 245 | 16.3 | 3 | 25 |
| Jim Van Pelt | 33 | 15 | 1 | 45.5 | 221 | 14.7 | 1 | 37 |
| Jim Maddock | 42 | 19 | 3 | 45.2 | 213 | 11.2 | 0 | 18 |
| Player | Receptions | Yards | Yds/Recp | TD | Long |
| Ron Kramer | 18 | 353 | 19.6 | 2 | 70 |
| Jim Pace | 7 | 155 | 22.1 | 0 | 37 |
| Jim Maddock | 5 | 79 | 15.8 | 1 | 23 |
| Player | Returns | Yards | Yds/Return | TD | Long |
| Jim Pace | 11 | 274 | 24.9 | 0 | 39 |
| Jim Van Pelt | 4 | 84 | 21.0 | 0 | 36 |
| Player | Returns | Yards | Yds/Return | TD | Long |
| Terry Barr | 6 | 118 | 19.7 | 0 | 51 |
| Ed Shannon | 7 | 38 | 5.4 | 0 | 9 |