▁def ensive ▁team ▁reg ains ▁the ▁ball , ▁Cris ler ▁orders : ▁' Off ense ▁unit , ▁up ▁and ▁out ,' ▁and ▁nine ▁men ▁pour ▁onto ▁the ▁field ▁at ▁once ." ▁Cris ler ' s ▁single - wing ▁formation ▁in ▁action ▁was ▁" so ▁d azz ling ▁in ▁its ▁de ception " ▁that ▁the ▁media ▁nick named ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁team ▁the ▁" Mad ▁Mag icians ". ▁ ▁Sch edule ▁ ▁Season ▁summary ▁ ▁Pre - season ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 9 4 6 ▁Michigan ▁football ▁team ▁compiled ▁a ▁record ▁of ▁ 6 – 2 – 1 ▁and ▁closed ▁the ▁season ▁with ▁four ▁consecutive ▁wins ▁over ▁ranked ▁oppon ents ▁by ▁a ▁combined ▁score ▁of ▁ 1 6 2 ▁to ▁ 1 9 . ▁In ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁lin eman ▁Bruce ▁Hil k ene ▁was ▁selected ▁as ▁the ▁captain ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁team . ▁Hil k ene ▁had ▁previously ▁been ▁selected ▁as ▁the ▁captain ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁team , ▁but ▁he ▁was ▁transferred ▁as ▁a ▁Navy ▁tra ine e ▁and ▁did ▁not ▁play ▁for ▁Michigan ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁ ▁Com ing ▁off ▁a ▁strong ▁finish , ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁team ▁featured ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁veter ans ▁from ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 6 ▁squad . ▁The ▁returning ▁veter ans ▁included ▁half back ▁Bob ▁Ch app uis ▁who ▁set ▁a ▁Big ▁Ten ▁Conference ▁record ▁for ▁total ▁off ense ▁in ▁ 1 9 4