The promotion of Bump Elliott to head coach in 1959 defined a historical era of the University of Michigan Wolverines football through 1968 when he resigned after that season.

During the 10 years in which Elliott served as head football coach, Michigan compiled a record of 51–42–2 (.547) and claimed one Big Ten championship, one Rose Bowl victory, and two Chicago Tribune Silver Football awards for the most valuable player in the Big Ten.

The 1964 team compiled a 9–1 record, won the Big Ten championship, defeated Oregon State in the 1965 Rose Bowl, and finished the season ranked No.

Quarterback Bob Timberlake was selected as an All-American and won the 1964 Chicago Tribune Silver Football award.

After losing to Michigan by a 34–7 score in the Rose Bowl, Oregon State coach Tommy Prothro opined that the 1964 Wolverines were "the greatest football team he has ever seen.

"[2] In Elliott's final year as head coach, the 1968 team compiled an 8–2 record (6–1 Big Ten) and was ranked No.

Running back Ron Johnson won the Chicago Tribune Silver Football award and broke Michigan's single-game and single-season rushing records.

[3] Elliott had played for Michigan under Fritz Crisler and had won the Chicago Tribune Silver Football award in 1947 as the most valuable player in the Big Ten Conference.

[5] Predicting that he would require three to five years to rebuild and win a championship, Elliott discarded the single-wing formation that had been the mainstay at Michigan since Fritz Crisler arrived in the late 1930s.

[7] The steady improvement in the team's record was reversed in 1962, which marked a low point in the Elliott years.

[12] Before the season began, the team lost three of its best offensive players, end John Henderson, fullback Bruce McLenna, and kicker Doug Bickle, to injuries.

[16] At the end of Elliott's first five years as head coach, Michigan had compiled an overall record of 20–23–2 and finished no higher than fifth place in the Big Ten Conference.

[6][10][11][14][16] In its sixth year under Bump Elliott, the 1964 Michigan team compiled a 9–1 record and won the Big Ten Conference championship for the first time since 1950.

[18] In the second game of the season, Michigan avenged its 1963 loss to Navy and 1963 Heisman Trophy winner Roger Staubach.

Staubach was eventually forced from the game, limping after being knocked to the turf by Michigan defensive tackle Bill Yearby.

The New York Times wrote that the Wolverines "brought Roger Staubach, the heroic middie quarterback, back into focus as an ordinary mortal.

Michigan had a chance to tie the game in the fourth quarter, but quarterback Bob Timberlake carried the ball for an attempted two-point conversion and was stopped short of the goal line.

He won the Chicago Tribune Silver Football award as the most valuable player in the conference and was selected as an All-American.

[18] As the Big Ten champions, the Wolverines advanced to the 1965 Rose Bowl, defeating Oregon State by a score of 34–7.

Michigan fullback Mel Anthony was awarded the Player of the Game trophy after scored three touchdowns, including an 84-yard run in the second quarter that set a Rose Bowl record.

[7] Oregon State coach Tommy Prothro opined after watching game film from the Rose Bowl that the 1964 Wolverines were "the greatest football team he has ever seen.

Quarterback Dick Vidmer shattered Michigan's single-season records by completing 117 of 225 passes for 1,609 yards and 10 touchdowns.

[7] Center Joe Dayton, linebacker Tom Stincic, and Ron Johnson were selected as All-Big Ten players in 1967.

[23] Michigan opened the 1968 season with a disappointing 21–7 loss at home in Ann Arbor to the California Golden Bears.

Despite having a 36-point lead, Ohio State coach Woody Hayes passed for, and failed to get, a two-point conversion after the final score and with 1:23 remaining in the game.

"[24] The 1968 Buckeyes went on to defeat USC in the 1969 Rose Bowl and were recognized as national champions in both the AP and UPI polls.

The 1968 Michigan team included a core of young players (Dan Dierdorf, Jim Mandich, Don Moorhead, Tom Curtis, Marty Huff, Henry Hill, and Cecil Pryor) who became stars in the early years of the Schembechler era.

In late December 1968, Elliott resigned as head coach and accepted a new position as Michigan's associate athletic director.

Bump is not naïve – he knows that when you work at a place for 10 years and you're not winning consistently, it doesn't become fun for anybody – the coach, the alumni, the players or anybody else.