UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN RECORDS SET BY RICK LEACH (1975-78)
(Records INCLUDE Bowl Games)
  
SINGLE GAME 
TD Passes - 3 (tie) 1977 Iowa; 1978 Notre Dame; 1978 Minnesota 
Average Yards per Completion - 36.3 yards (1975 Purdue)* 
 
SEASON 
TD Passes - 17 (1978) 
Highest TD Percentage - 12.38 (1976)* 
Highest Avg. Gain per Play - 7.36 yards (1976) 
Total Offense - 1,894 yards (1978)** 
 
CAREER 
Most Passes Attempted - 537 
Most Passes Completed - 250 
Most Yards Passing - 4,284 yards 
Most TD Passes - 48** 
Most Interceptions - 35 
Highest TD Percentage - 8.9* 
Highest Avg. Yards per Completion - 17.1 yards* 
Most Plays - 1,034 
Total Offense - 6,460 yards** 
Highest Avg. Gain per Play - 6.25 yards 
Most Touchdowns Rushing - 34 
Most TD’s Accounted For - 82** 
* Current Michigan Record 
** Big Ten Record in 1978, since broken 
 


SEASON AWARDS / ACCOMPLISHMENTS
1975 
First true freshman to start at QB in school history. 
 
1976 
1st Team All-Big Ten QB 
All-American QB (AP Honorable Mention) 
14th in balloting for Heisman Trophy 
John F. Maulbetsch Award (Michigan Character & Leadership Winner On and Off Field) 
 
1977 
UPI Big Ten Player of the Week vs. Duke 
Michigan Offensive Champion vs. Wisconsin 
AP Big Ten Player of the Week vs. Northwestern 
1st Team All-Big Ten QB 
8th in balloting for Heisman Trophy 
 
1978 
Michigan Offensive Champion vs. Illinois 
ABC Offensive Player of the Game vs. Notre Dame 
AP & UPI Offensive Player of the Week vs. Notre Dame 
AP Offensive Player of the Week vs. Wisconsin 
AP Offensive Back of the Week vs. Minnesota 
Michigan Offensive Champion vs. Minnesota 
AP & UPI Offensive Back of the Week vs. Northwestern 
ABC Offensive Player of the Game vs. Ohio State 
Michigan Offensive Champion vs. Ohio State 
1st Team All-Big Ten QB 
Big Ten MVP 
Michigan MVP 
3rd in balloting for Heisman Trophy 
Player of the Year: ABC-TV & Chevrolet, CBS Sports Today, Football News, Washington D.C. Pigskin Club, Miami TD Club. 
Gridiron Club of Greater Boston - Swede Nelson Sportsmanship Award 
Columbus TD Club - Award of Distinction 
1979 Rose Bowl Game Co-MVP 
1979 Hula Bowl Game Co-MVP 
Japan Bowl selection 
2nd Team QB - Associated Press, United Press International 
All-American - 1st Team QB - Kodak Coaches, Football News 
Led Wolverines to an All-Time Michigan High 38 Career Wins by a starting QB 


  
RICK LEACH'S NCAA RECORDS*
(Records EXCLUDE Bowl Games)
1. Most Career TD's Rushing & Passing (79 TD's) 1975-78. 
2. Career Most Points Responsible for (474 points) 1975-78. 
3. First NCAA Div. 1A player to score over 200 points Rushing AND over 200 points Passing (474 total points). 
4. NCAA Div. 1A QB to run for over 2,000 yards AND pass for over 3,000 yards in a career (5,852 total yards). 
* NCAA Records as of 1978 that have since been broken. 
  


  
RICK LEACH AND THE HEISMAN TROPHY
1976 - Finished 14th. (Tony Dorsett 2,357). 
1977 - Finished 8th with 59 points. (Earl Campbell 1,547). 
1978 - Finished 3rd with 435 points. (Billy Sims 827, Chuck Fusina 750). 
  

 
ROSE BOWL RECORDS SET BY RICK LEACH
  
 
INDIVIDUAL SINGLE GAME
PASSING 
LONGEST PASS PLAY: 76 yards (TD) - Rick Leach to Curt Stephenson, Michigan vs. Washington, 1978.* 
 
INDIVIDUAL CAREER
TOTAL OFFENSE 
MOST PLAYS: 94** - Rick Leach, Michigan, 1977-78-79. 
MOST YARDS GAINED: 513*** - Rick Leach, Michigan, 1977-78-79, (452 passing, 61 rushing). 
PASSING 
MOST YARDS GAINED: 452*** - Rick Leach, Michigan, 1977-78-79. 
*Current Rose Bowl Record. 
**This record lasted until 2006 (Vince Young, Texas). 
***These records lasted until 1993 (Mark Brunell, Washington). 


NOTABLE QUOTES
 
Bo Schembechler, Michigan Head Football Coach, 1978 Pre-Season: 
"He (Leach) is the best football player in the United States of America. If he doesn't win the Heisman Award, I will be very much surprised. He is the greatest football player I have ever been associated with." 
 
Don Nehlen, Michigan Offensive Backfield Coach, 1978 Michigan-Wisconsin Postgame: 
"We ask Rick Leach to do everything for us on every down. This guy is something special, and I mean special!" 
 
John Robinson, USC Head Football Coach, 1979 Rose Bowl Postgame: 
"I believe we played against one of the great football players I've ever coached against."  
  
Bob Ufer, Michigan Radio Broadcaster, during 1977 Michigan-Wisconsin Game: 
"So goes Ricky Leach, so goes Michigan. He is the Guts and Glue of the Maize and Blue."