This post is part of a little August series on the 20 Most Memorable Michigan players of the past twenty years – basically going back to 1990.  Don’t forget my friends, these are my memories…and beef if you must once we start getting down to the wire and you sense an oncoming omission.  Previously: (20) Chris Floyd, (19) Marquise Walker, (18) Mercury Hayes, (17) Derrick Alexander, (16) Chris Howard, (15) Steve Breaston.

#3 Tripp Welborne

1987-1990
Position: Safety / Returner
Hometown: Greensboro, NC
Career Stats: 238 total Tackles, 9 Interceptions
Punt Returns: 70 att., 803 yards

I’m pushing 5 years old when Tripp Welborne became a Wolverine, but I remember.  Those were the days when Dad made it a big deal to watch the Michigan game each Saturday.  Not many Saturdays went by before I was hooked to the sport and to those maize and blue uniforms.

Sullivan Anthony Welborne, known as Tripp, came to Michigan as a wide receiver and then switched over to the defensive side of the ball after his Freshman season.  Tripp set the single season punt return yardage record in 1990 with 455 yards, which was a record that had legs until your man Stevie B broke it in 2003.

Welborne’s career became victim to his bum knee after he never really recovered from the knee injury against Minnesota as a Senior.

First Play That Comes to Mind

With 8:16 left in the 3rd quarter, in the Rose Bowl for an early season match up with the UCLA Bruins, UCLA faced a punting situation with a fourteen to nine lead.  Tripp fields the punt at Michigan’s own 31 yard line.  He go split, he go fast, but not fast enough to make it for six.  Nevertheless, roll the tape…

Tripp busted a long punt return of 53 yards against Illinois in 1990.  I put some effort into finding that clip, but had no such luck.  That turned out to be the very first Michigan football game I attended.

Here’s a link that will take you directly to the play described by WolverineHistorian on mgoblog.  Stronger man won that battle.

On Deck?

Who is going to be #13?  This guy was your favorite Safety for Michigan’s National Championship team in 1997. 

Video credit goes to Wolverine Historian.

Related Posts:

• 15th MMM Player since ’90: #15 Steve Breaston
• 16th MMM Player since ’90: #8 Chris Howard
• 17th MMM Player since ’90: #1 Derrick Alexander
• 18th MMM Player since ’90: #9 Mercury Hayes
• 19th MMM Player since ’90: #4 Marquise Walker