 Crisler from 1948 Michiganensian | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 12, 1899 Earlville, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | August 19, 1982 (aged 83) Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| Football | |
| 1919–1921 | Chicago |
| Position(s) | End |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| Football | |
| 1922–1929 | Chicago (assistant) |
| 1930–1931 | Minnesota |
| 1932–1937 | Princeton |
| 1938–1947 | Michigan |
| Basketball | |
| 1932–1934 | Princeton |
| Baseball | |
| 1927–1929 | Chicago |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| 1930–1932 | Minnesota |
| 1941–1968 | Michigan |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 116–32–9 (football) 32–11 (basketball) 22–25 (baseball) |
| Bowls | 1–0 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| Football 3× National (1933, 1935, 1947) 2× Big Ten (1943, 1947) | |
| Awards | |
| |
| College Football Hall of Fame Inducted in 1954 (profile) | |
Herbert Orin "Fritz" Crisler (/ˈkraɪslər/ KRY-slər; January 12, 1899 – August 19, 1982) was an American college football coach who is best known as "the father of two-platoon football",[1] an innovation in which separate units of players were used for offense and defense. Crisler developed two-platoon football while serving as head coach at the University of Michigan from 1938 to 1947. He also coached at the University of Minnesota (1930–1931) and Princeton University (1932–1937). Before coaching, he played football at the University of Chicago under Amos Alonzo Stagg, who nicknamed him Fritz after violinist Fritz Kreisler.
During his 18-year career as a head football coach, Crisler's teams won 116 games, lost 32, and tied 9. At Michigan, Crisler won 71 games, lost 16, and tied 3 for a winning percentage of .806. Crisler introduced the distinctive winged football helmet to the Michigan Wolverines in 1938. The Michigan football team has worn a version of the design ever since. Crisler had first introduced the winged helmet design at Princeton in 1935.[2] He was also the head basketball coach at Princeton for two seasons from 1932 to 1934, tallying a mark of 32–11.
Crisler's 1947 Michigan Wolverines football team, dubbed the "Mad Magicians," had an undefeated campaign, ending with a 49–0 triumph over the USC Trojans in the 1948 Rose Bowl. Afterwards, the team was selected the national champion by the Associated Press in an unprecedented post-bowl vote. Crisler retired from coaching after the 1947 season and served as the University of Michigan's athletic director from 1941 to 1968. Crisler was also a member of the NCAA football rules committee for 41 years and its chairman for nine years.
Crisler Center, home of the Michigan men's and women's basketball teams, was renamed in honor of Crisler in 1970. In addition, one "extra" seat in Michigan Stadium was added to honor Crisler for his special place in the history of Michigan football. However, its location is unknown.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
CFHOFwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ After 61 years, "Tiger" helmet returns to Princeton. Princeton Alumni Weekly (PAW), September 9, 1998