The history of Michigan Wolverines football in the Kipke years covers the history of the University of Michigan Wolverines football program during the period from the hiring of Harry Kipke as head coach in 1929 through his firing after the 1937 season. Michigan was a member of the Big Ten Conference during the Kipke years and played its home games at Michigan Stadium.
During the nine years in which Kipke served as head football coach, Michigan claimed two national championships (1932 and 1933) and had an additional undefeated season in 1930. From 1930 to 1933, Kipke's teams won four consecutive Big Ten Conference co-championships, lost only one game, gave up only 81 points (2.38 points per game), and compiled a record of 31-1-3 (). However, in the final four years under Kipke, the team never had a winning season and compiled a record of 10-22 (). Kipke was fired after the 1937 season and replaced by Fritz Crisler.
Two Michigan players from the Kipke years have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. They are Harry Newman (quarterback, 1930–1932) and Whitey Wistert (tackle, 1932–1933). A third, Bill Hewitt, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Gerald Ford, who played for Michigan from 1932 to 1934, went on to serve as the 38th President of the United States.
Year-by-year results
Overview of the Kipke years
Hiring of Kipke
After Michigan compiled a 3–4–1 record (2–3 Big Ten) in 1928, Michigan athletic director Fielding H. Yost announced in May 1929 that head football coach Tad Wieman would not be a member of the coaching staff in the fall. Two weeks later, in June 1929, Yost announced that Harry Kipke had been hired as Michigan's new head football coach. Kipke had been an All-American halfback on Yost's Michigan football teams from 1921 to 1923 and had developed a reputation as one of the best punters in the game. After graduating from Michigan, Kipke had been an assistant football coach at Missouri (1924–1927) and had been the head football coach at Michigan State in 1928. Kipke had signed a three-year contract with Michigan State, but the athletic board there accepted his resignation and agreed to release him from the final two years of his contract.
The tenure of Kipke's predecessor had been marred by a power struggle between the head coach and Yost. With Kipke in place, Yost announced that he was stepping aside and thereafter would "act solely as an interested spectator" unless his advice was sought. Kipke retained Jack Blott, Franklin Cappon, Cliff Keen, Bennie Oosterbaan, and George F. Veenker as assistant coaches.
Rebuilding in 1929
In Michigan's first year under Kipke, the team finished in 7th place in the Big Ten Conference with record of 5–3–1 (1–3–1 Big Ten). The season began with three wins against non-conference opponents, Albion (39–0), Mount Union (16–6), and Michigan State (17–0). Three consecutive losses followed against conference opponents, Purdue (30-16), Ohio State (7-0), and Illinois (14-0). The team rebounded with wins against Harvard (14-12) and Minnesota (7-6) and closed the season with a scoreless tie against Iowa. The victory over Harvard was the first for Michigan, which had lost all four prior games against Harvard.
Undefeated in 1930
In Kipke's second year, the Wolverines compiled their first undefeated season since 1923. They finished the season 8–0–1 (5–0 Big Ten), outscored opponents 111 to 23, and tied with Northwestern for the Big Ten championship. The sole setback was a scoreless tie against Michigan State in the third game of the season. The 1930 season marked the debut of Michigan's College Football Hall of Fame quarterback Harry Newman, who became a star in his first season leading the Wolverines' offense. Four members of the 1930 Michigan team were selected as first-team All-Big Ten players – Newman, center Maynard Morrison, halfback and team MVP Jack Wheeler, and right tackle Leo Draveling.
Eight shutouts in 1931
The 1931 team compiled an 8–1–1 record (5–1 Big Ten), shut out eight of ten opponents, and outscored opponents 181 to 27. The team's only loss was a 20–7 defeat against Ohio State. In the nine other games, the Wolverines allowed only seven points throughout the season and did not allow a single point to be scored in the final six games. In the sixth game of the season, the Wolverines shut out a Princeton Tigers team coached by Fritz Crisler – the person who would replace Kipke as Michigan's coach in 1938.