had concluded its season with a 7–3 record and a #9 ranking in the final AP Poll. Several key players from the 1942 team, including tackles Albert Wistert and Bill Pritula, quarterback George Ceithaml, and end Elmer Madar, were lost to graduation. Several others were called up to active military service, including backs Bob Chappuis, Tom Kuzma and Don Robinson. Another key player expected to return was right guard Julius Franks, who in 1942 became Michigan's first African-American player to be selected as an All-American. Franks contracted tuberculosis at the start of the school year and missed the entire 1943 season. Fritz Crisler announced on September 7 that Franks had been lost for the season due to illness. While Michigan lost a number of key players to wartime service, the school's military training programs (including the V-12 Navy College Training Program) also resulted in more than a dozen players being transferred to Michigan from other schools. The two most highly touted transfers joining the Michigan program in 1943 were fullback Bill Daley from Minnesota and Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch from Wisconsin. After watching Hirsch in pre-season practice, Associated Press football writer Jerry Liska referred to "squirming Elroy Hirsch" as "Wisconsin's gold-plated wartime gift to Michigan." Daley and Hirsch became Michigan's most powerful offensive weapons during the 1943 season and were dubbed Michigan's "lend-lease backs." The arrival of players from other universities required Michigan veterans to be flexible. Merv Pregulman was credited with being Michigan's "Handy Man" for adapting to a new role. Pregulman was a guard for Michigan in 1941 and the starting center in 1942, but moved to right tackle to make room for Fred Negus of Wisconsin at center. With a pre-season injury to place-kicker Jim Brieske, Pregulman also was given responsibility for kick offs and place-kicking extra points. With World War II being fought in Europe and the Pacific, some universities, including Michigan State, canceled their football programs for the 1943 season. In April 1943, Fritz Crisler, who was Michigan's athletic director as well as its football coach, announced that the university would continue "a complete schedule in all sports even if Michigan does not receive a dime in revenue." With thousands arriving in the area to work in war industries, Crisler opined the college football would serve civilian morale. More importantly, Crisler touted the training impact of the sport: "There is no substitute for football in