, ▁and ▁he ▁held ▁co aching ▁positions ▁with ▁X avier ▁University , ▁University ▁of ▁Iowa , ▁and ▁the ▁Minnesota ▁Vik ings . ▁ ▁In ▁two ▁years ▁as ▁the ▁head ▁coach ▁at ▁X avier , ▁he ▁compiled ▁a ▁record ▁of ▁ 8 – 1 3 – 1 . ▁ ▁Football ▁player ▁Cec ch ini ▁began ▁his ▁football ▁career ▁at ▁Detroit ' s ▁Pers hing ▁High ▁School ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁selected ▁as ▁an ▁all - city ▁player ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 1 . ▁▁▁ ▁In ▁the ▁fall ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 2 , ▁Cec ch ini ▁en rolled ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Michigan . ▁As ▁a ▁s oph om ore , ▁he ▁started ▁the ▁first ▁four ▁games ▁of ▁the ▁season ▁as ▁a ▁two - way ▁player ▁at ▁center ▁and ▁line back er . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁selected ▁by ▁the ▁U PI ▁was ▁the ▁Mid west ▁Lin eman ▁of ▁the ▁Week ▁for ▁his ▁performance ▁against ▁Michigan ▁State ▁on ▁October ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 1 9 6 3 . ▁ ▁One ▁week ▁later , ▁he ▁t ore ▁lig aments ▁in ▁his ▁left ▁kne e ▁in ▁a ▁game ▁against ▁Pur due ▁and ▁was ▁lost ▁to ▁the ▁team ▁for ▁the ▁remainder ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 3 ▁season . ▁▁ ▁After ▁surg ery ▁on ▁his ▁kne e , ▁Cec ch ini ▁returned ▁to ▁Michigan ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 4 . ▁He ▁played ▁ 3 0 0 ▁minutes , ▁princip ally ▁at ▁line back er , ▁in ▁Michigan ' s ▁nine ▁regular ▁season ▁games ,