Best Michigan football players: Modern-era Mount Rushmore

When Desmond Howard arrived in Ann Arbor, he may not have been an integral part of the offense but it was clear that his future was quite bright. In the 1989 season, he had only nine catches for 136 yards and two touchdowns but his playmaking was on display in that limited usage and as he took 13 kick returns for 295 yards. That, of course, was just a warmup.

As a sophomore, Howard burst onto the national scene in a monster way as a weapon that seemingly couldn’t be stopped for the Michigan offense and special teams. He notched 63 receptions for 1,025 yards and 11 touchdowns on offense and added 504 kick return yards and another touchdown as well.

It was in his junior season, which ended up being his final year with the Wolverines when Howard delivered the magnum opus of his collegiate career. While he had fewer receptions and yards with 62 and 985 in the 1991 season, he exploded for a program-record 19 receiving touchdowns on the year. Throw in two rushing touchdowns, a kick-return score and a punt-return score, and you’re talking about one of the most all-around productive seasons ever.

Howard won the 1991 Heisman Trophy for his efforts and for good reason. His 19 touchdowns in a single season remain the Wolverines record and his 32 career receiving touchdowns rank third all-time in school history, despite only playing three seasons.