Mike Jolly

Mike Jolly
Date of birth (1958-03-19) March 19, 1958
Place of birth Detroit, Michigan
Career information
Position(s) Defensive back
College University of Michigan
Career history
As player
1980-1983 Green Bay Packers

Michael Anthony Joseph Jolly (born March 19, 1958) is a former American football player. He played professional football as a defensive back for the Green Bay Packers from 1980 to 1983. He also played college football for the University of Michigan from 1976 to 1979. He started at weak side cornerback for Michigan in 35 of 36 games from 1977 to 1979 and was selected as a first-team All-Big Ten Conference player in both 1978 and 1979.

Early years

Jolly was born in Detroit and grew up in Melvindale, Michigan. He attended Dearborn Sacred Heart High School for three years and one year at St. Thomas Aquinas High School. He played four sports, including football and baseball, in high school. He played both tailback and defensive back, and returned punts, in high school.[1]

Michigan

He played for the Michigan Wolverines football team under head coach Bo Schembechler from 1976 to 1979.[2] As a sophomore in 1977, Jolly started 11 of 12 games for Michigan at the weak side cornerback position.[3] On October 1, 1977, in Michigan's 41-3 victory over Texas A&M, Jolly intercepted a pass and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown.[4] Jolly played in the 1978 Rose Bowl against the Washington Huskies on New Year's Day. In the third quarter of the Rose Bowl, he intercepted a pass at the Washington 36-yard line and returned it 25 yards.[3][5][6]

As a junior, Jolly started all 12 games at weak side cornerback for the 1978 Michigan Wolverines football team and was selected as an All-Big Ten Conference player.[7][8] In the team's 51-0 victory over Duke, Jolly intercepted two passes.[1] The 1978 team won the Big Ten Conference championship, held opponents to an average of 8.75 points per game, played in the 1979 Rose Bowl, and finished the season ranked No. 5 in both the AP and UPI polls.[7]

As a senior in 1979, and for the second consecutive season, he started all 12 games at the weak side cornerback position. The 1979 Michigan Wolverines football team held opponents to an average of 12.6 points per game, played in the 1979 Gator Bowl and finished the season ranked No. 18 and 19 in the final AP and UPI polls. For the second consecutive season, Jolly was selected as an All-Big Ten Conference player.[9][10]

Over the three-year period from 1977 to 1979, Jolly started 35 of 36 games for the Wolverines and appeared in two Rose Bowls and a Gator Bowl.[3][7][9] In his collegiate career, Jolly totaled 124 tackles and nine interceptions.[11]

Professional football

Jolly was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the fourth round (96th overall pick) of the 1980 NFL Draft.[12] In August 1980, Jolly was cut by the Saints and picked up on waivers by the Green Bay Packers.[13]

As a rookie, Jolly appeared in all 16 games as a defensive back for the 1980 Packers.[12] As the fifth back in Green Bay's nickel defense,[14] he had two interceptions and knocked down three passes as a rookie.[15] Jolly was slated to be the Packers starting safety in 1981. During his first game as a starter, a preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys in August 1981, Jolly sustained an injury to his left knee which required surgery to repair ligaments.[15][14] Jolly missed the entire 1981 season after the injury. He returned for the 1982 season but appeared in only seven games, none as a starter.[12] In 1983, he appeared in 12 games for the Packers, none as a starter.[12]

In May 1984, the Packers released Jolly.[16]

References

  1. 1 2 Henry Engelhardt (October 5, 1978). "Sets Sights on Pros: Blue defensive back has Jolly outlook". The Michigan Daily.
  2. ↑ "1976 Michigan Football Roster". University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library.
  3. 1 2 3 "1977 Football Team". Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan.
  4. ↑ Herschel Nissenson (October 3, 1977). "Schembechler Isn't Crowing". The News and Courier (AP story).
  5. ↑ "Upset! Washington knocks off Michigan, 27-20". Star-News (AP story). January 3, 1978. p. 6B.
  6. ↑ "Moon Dusts Off Michigan". The Milwaukee Sentinel. January 3, 1978.
  7. 1 2 3 "1978 Football Team". Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan.
  8. ↑ "Michigan, Michigan State Dominate All-Big Ten Team". The Hour (UPI story). November 22, 1978.
  9. 1 2 "1979 Football Team". Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan.
  10. ↑ "Blue lands four All-Big Ten Spots". The Michigan Daily. November 29, 1979.
  11. ↑ "Michigan Football Statistic Archive Query Page". MGoBlue.com. University of Michigan. Retrieved December 5, 2012.(To retrieve Marsh's statistics, enter "jolly" in the space for "Enter last name.")
  12. 1 2 3 4 "Mike Jolly NFL & AFL Football Statistics". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC.
  13. ↑ "Packers acquire DB, cut Sampson". The Milwaukee Sentinel. August 29, 1980.
  14. 1 2 Chuck Salituro (August 11, 1981). "Surgery ends Jolly season". The Milwaukee Journal.
  15. 1 2 "Jolly is out for season". The Milwaukee Sentinel. August 11, 1981.
  16. ↑ "Packers cut Jolly, Curcio". The Milwaukee Sentinel. May 24, 1984. p. 2.
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