1976 All-Big Ten Conference football team

The 1976 All-Big Ten Conference football team consists of American football players chosen by various organizations for All-Big Ten Conference teams for the 1976 college football season.

Seven players were unanimously selected as first-team players by the Associated Press (AP): flanker Jim Smith (Michigan); running backs Scott Dierking (Purdue) and Rob Lytle (Michigan); defensive linemen Bob Brudzinski (Ohio State) and Greg Morton (Michigan); and linebackers Calvin O'Neal (Michigan) and Scott Studwell (Illinois).

The Michigan Wolverines dominated the offensive unit, taking six of eleven places on the first team selected by the Associated Press (AP), including Lytle, Smith, and quarterback Rick Leach. The Ohio State Buckeyes, on the other hand, dominated the defensive unit, taking five of the eleven places on the AP first team, including Brudzinski and linebacker Tom Cousineau.^[1]

Offensive selections

Quarterbacks

Quarterback Rick Leach

• Rick Leach, Michigan (AP-1)
• Tony Dungy, Minnesota (AP-2)

Running backs

• Scott Dierking, Purdue (AP-1)
• Rob Lytle, Michigan (AP-1)
• Pete Johnson, Ohio State (AP-1)
• Jeff Logan, Ohio State (AP-2)

Flankers

Second-team flanker Kirk Gibson as manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks

• Jim Smith, Michigan (AP-1)
• Kirk Gibson, Michigan State (AP-2)

Wide receivers

• Scott Yelvington, Northwestern (AP-1)
• Ron Kullas, Minnesota (AP-2)

Tight ends

• Mike Cobb, Michigan State (AP-1)
• Jim Moore, Ohio State (AP-2)

Centers

• Walt Downing, Michigan (AP-1)
• Al Pitts, Michigan State (AP-2)

Guards

Guard Mark Donahue

• Mark Donahue, Michigan (AP-1)
• Connie Zelencik, Purdue (AP-1)
• Kirk Lewis, Michigan (AP-2)
• Bill Lukens, Ohio State (AP-2)

Tackles

• Bill Dufek, Michigan (AP-1)
• Chris Ward, Ohio State (AP-1)
• Tony Bruggenthies, Michigan State (AP-2)
• Jerry Finis, Illinois (AP-2)

Defensive selections

Front five

• Aaron Brown, Ohio State (AP-1)
• Bob Brudzinski, Ohio State (AP-1)
• Nick Buonomici, Ohio State (AP-1)
• Greg Morton, Michigan (AP-1)
• Blane Smith, Purdue (AP-1)
• John Anderson, Michigan (AP-2)
• Larry Bethea, Michigan State (AP-2)
• John DiFeliciantonio, Illinois (AP-2)
• Paul Maly, Northwestern (AP-2)
• George Washington, Minnesota (AP-2)

Linebackers

• Tom Cousineau, Ohio State (AP-1)
• Calvin O'Neal, Michigan (AP-1)
• Scott Studwell, Illinois (AP-1)
• Dave Crossen, Wisconsin (AP-2)
• Steve Sanders, Indiana (AP-2)
• Ed Thompson, Ohio State (AP-2)

Defensive backs

• Ray Griffin, Ohio State (AP-1)
• Pete Shaw, Northwestern (AP-1)
• Tom Hannon, Michigan State (AP-1)
• George Adzick, Minnesota (AP-2)
• Paul Beery, Purdue (AP-2)
• Dwight Hicks, Michigan (AP-2)

Special teams

Placekicker

• Dan Beaver, Illinois (AP-1)

Punter

• Tom Skladany, Ohio State (AP-1)

Key

AP = Associated Press^[1]

See also

• 1976 College Football All-America Team

References