Happy Father’s Day to all you Michigan fan dads out there!
I’m no Michigan football historian. If you asked me what the team’s record was back in 1929 or who the starting running back was in 1954, I would stare at you blankly and then walk away. They barely kept stats back then, so did it really happen if there were no TFLs?
I’m here to say it didn’t.
But I can make an argument for the best father-son duos to play for Michigan football since the beginning of the 1980s. If you disagree, you’re wrong. But it’s your prerogative to argue in the comments, anyway.
1. Chris Hutchinson (1989-1992) and Aidan Hutchinson (2018-2021)
Chris wore #97 and was an All-American at defensive tackle in 1992. He was a three-year starter and a captain who set the school record with 11 sacks in 1992, and he had 24 sacks for his career. Aidan also donned #97 and started for three seasons at defensive end, topping his dad with 14 sacks in 2021. He finished his career with 16.5 career sacks and was the #2 overall draft pick by the Detroit Lions in 2022.
Hit the jump for more.
2. Jon Runyan (1992-1995) and Jon Runyan, Jr. (2015-2019)
The elder Runyan wore #69 for the Wolverines and became an All-America right offensive tackle for the Wolverines. He was drafted in the 4th round of the 1996 NFL Draft by the Houston Oilers (later the Tennessee Titans) and went on to play 14 total seasons, including for the Eagles and Chargers. He played in two Super Bowls and a Pro Bowl. The younger Runyan wore #75 for the maize and blue and was First Team All-Big Ten in both 2018 and 2019, earning himself a 6th round draft spot with the Green Bay Packers.
3. Butch Woolfolk (1978-1981) and Troy Woolfolk (2007-2011)
Butch wore #24 and played running back for the Wolverines, rushing for a total of 3,861 yards on 5.4 yards per carry and 29 touchdowns on the ground. He had two 1,000+ yard seasons, in 1980 and 1981. He was also a champion sprinter for the Wolverines track team and got picked #18 overall by the New York Giants in 1982, gaining over 1,900 yards in both rushing and receiving during a short, injury-plagued pro career. The younger Woolfolk wore #29 and was less accomplished on the field than his father, but he was still a solid player. Troy made 90 tackles and 5 pass breakups while starting 23 total games at either safety or cornerback during his career, losing a chunk of time to a lower body injury. Troy also ran on the track team and had a personal best 10.58 in the 100 meters, as well as being a part of the 4 x 100 relay team.
What did I get wrong?
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