The Univ. of Michigan yesterday announced that the four-year program, "under which retired numbers were worn by current players, will be discontinued," according to Mark Snyder of the DETROIT FREE PRESS. The school indicated to interim AD Jim Hackett that it was "not interested" in continuing the program. From the moment former AD Dave Brandon introduced the concept at the '11 Notre Dame game, the program "was panned by many." The five retired jerseys belonged to President Gerald Ford (48), Tom Harmon (98), Ron Kramer (87), Bennie Oosterbaan (47) and Albert, Alvin and Whitey Wistert (11). Those five numbers, plus '91 Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard's No. 21, "will be retired again -- as a group -- at the Ohio State game Nov. 28" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 7/29). Hackett said, "The right plan is to retire them and display them in Towsley Museum which is connected to Schembechler Hall. Because we don't have the display area inside the stadium, we have found an area on the concourse where fans can see and honor these retired jerseys." In Michigan, Nick Baumgardner noted UM "did not announce any plans to retire Charles Woodson's No. 2 or the famed No. 1 uniform." Neither number "is currently worn by a Michigan player" (MLIVE.com, 7/28).
