[2] As a sophomore, Ptacek started two games at the left halfback position for the 1956 Michigan Wolverines football team.

[4] As a senior, Ptacek started all nine games at quarterback for the 1958 Michigan Wolverines football team that compiled a 2-6-1 record.

[6] He played on both offense and defense in 1958, remaining on the field for 51 of 60 minutes in a 20–19 victory over Minnesota; an Associated Press story referred to him as one of football's "vanishing breed -- the iron man.

[9] He was named the Most Valuable Player in the August 1959 College All-Star game after completing five of eight passes against the NFL champion Baltimore Colts.

[1] In an unusual NFL-CFL transaction, the Browns in May 1960 dealt Ptacek to the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) in exchange for Jim Marshall.