A Warm and Moving Tribute to Bill McCartney in his Return to the Big House in Ann Arbor

Bill McCartney is a Colorado legend and a Buff forever.

All CU Buffs fans acknowledge that Hall of Fame Coach Bill McCartney is and shall remain a Buff forever. McCartney is the most winning coach in the history of the program and led the Buffs to their only football national championship following the 1990 season. All coaches since him have been held up to the standard he created.

What many people in Colorado do not realize is that McCartney was a legend in Michigan before moving to Boulder. Mac was born and raised in Michigan. He coached Dearborn Divine Child High School's football AND basketball teams to state titles in 1973. Shortly thereafter, he became the only high school coach ever hired to coach at the University of Michigan by legendary coach Bo Schembechler. Mac worked for Bo from 1974-1981 and rose to the level of defensive coordinator before being hired at Colorado.

A fine article by Mark Snyder from the Detroit Free Press details the influence that Mac had at Michigan and how closely intertwined he is with current Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh and his family.

Before the Colorado-Michigan game this past weekend, many of the Wolverine faithful were fired up because former QB Tom Brady was in town to act as honorary captain. What was quite surprising to the Colorado fans in attendance was that the welcome for McCartney was equally as loud and moving as that for Brady.

The crowd showed that like Colorado, Michigan fans remember their roots. Mac grew up as a local boy who made good coaching two different high school sports to championships. He then moved on and up at The Big House in Ann Arbor under Schembechler, before finally moving on to his last coaching gig in Boulder.

Mac's last visit to Ann Arbor as a football coach broke the hearts of Michigan fans when Kordell Stewart and Michael Westbrook hooked up for one of the most memorable plays in college football history. The Miracle at Michigan is a play that is forever etched in the minds of Colorado fans. And it remains one of the more heart-wrenching endings in Michigan Stadium's storied history (at least to Michigan fans).

All history aside, McCartney was welcomed home as a returned son. To all of the Colorado fans there to see the game, it became quite clear.

Bill McCartney is a Michigan legend and Wolverine forever too.