.jpg)
15th MMM Player since ’90: #15 Steve Breaston
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
2003-2006
Position: Receiver / Returner
Hometown: North Braddock, PA
Career Stats: 42 rush att., 321 yds, 2 TDs
156 Rec, 1,696 yards, 10 TDs
KO Returns: 81 att., 1,993 yards, 1 TD
Punt Returns: 127 att., 1,599 yards, 4 TD’s
Stevie B did it all. Michigan’s all-time punt returner and kick returner. His career stat line is quite a bit larger than most can manage. From the get go during the man’s freshman year you knew there was something special there. He had a long strides and made confident cuts. And somehow, for a fairly small dude, he was incredibly hard to bring down.
Breaston came up big in some big games. How about putting Michigan near midfield with just over 40 seconds to play against Penn State at home in 2005? The final play of that game is one that Penn State fans and Michigan fans alike will never forget.
Stevie’s biggest game statistically came in the Rose Bowl loss to Texas. My B for even bringing that game up. But Breaston had a monster day amassing 315 total yards.
Don’t you remember how many times Breaston got dragged down near something like that 5 yard line? One or two against Notre Dame seem to stand out. Breaston would bust one for sixty or seventy yards, zig zagging all about, and then some defender would get an angle on him.
First Play That Comes to Mind
This took a second in part because Stevie B put together quite an extensive highlight reel. But after I digested some friendly WolverineHistorian YouTube reminders – it was this return against Illinois that I love. He snags the pill on the bounce along the sideline, gives up ten yards or so crossing the field, then cuts it up field and sets his sights on the end zone. History. Roll the tape…
I always liked the play when Lloyd put the ball in the hands of the former high-school quarterback as a running back against Ohio State in the red-zone in 2005 – scoring a TD.
On Deck?
Who is going to be #14? This two-time consensus All-American’s real name begins with… “Sullivan Anthony”. This defender also wore #3. Someone throw down a bone and guess who this man is!
Video credit goes to Wolverine Historian.
