Michigan football countdown to kickoff: 77 days until 2022 season

On3 imageby:Anthony Broome06/18/22

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There’s much anticipation heading into the Michigan Wolverines football season, and TheWolverine.com is counting down the days until the Sept. 3 opener against Colorado State. We’ll discuss the current Michigan events, upcoming season and/or take a look at a significant number that correlates with how many days remain until kickoff, whether it be a player’s jersey number, a year, a date, a score, etc.

There are 11 weeks (77 days) until Michigan football kicks off its 2022 season at home against Colorado State. Today’s use of the No. 77 will actually spotlight two guys who carried the designation.

77s of recent Michigan past

The first is Jon Jansen, a two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection and Clawson, Michigan native. Jansen played tight end in high school, earning Prep Football Report All-Midwest and Detroit News Blue Chip honors for his play.

Jansen was a stalwart at right tackle for the Wolverines, starting a school-record 50 games and earning the nickname “Rock”. A former Michigan co-captain, he was part of a program that helped win a national championship in 1997.

Jansen was a second-round pick of the Washington Redskins in 1999 and had a long pro career, as well. He spent a decade in the nation’s capital before coming home and spending his last season with the Detroit Lions. He finished his NFL career with 125 starts in 137 games played.

Since 2018, Jansen has co-hosted Inside Michigan Football on TV and has been a morning radio host with Mike Stone on 97.1 The Ticket in Detroit. This year will be his first on color commentary for Michigan football with Doug Karsch on the play-by-play call.

The strong 77 legacy continues

Michigan has a strong history over the last few decades of the number 77. It does not get better in recent memory than Jake Long, a Lapeer, Michigan native who was with the program from 2003-07. Long was a two-time Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the year, two-time first-eam All-Big Ten selection and two-time consensus All-American. His strong play earned him the designation of No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, selected by the Miami Dolphins.

Long would play in the NFL for nine seasons with the Dolphins (2008-12), St. Louis Rams (2013-14), Atlanta Falcons (2015) and Minnesota Vikings (2016). He made four Pro Bowls in the league and was a first-team All-Pro in 2019 and second-teamer in 2009.

Michigan’s current 77 jersey is manned by senior guard Trevor Keegan, who has appeared in 19 career games with 12 at guard. He made 11 starts in 2021 and was part of the unit that won the Joe Moore Award, handed out to the top offensive line group in the country. Keegan was an honorable mention All-Big Ten honoree last season and is projected to once again hold down the left guard spot.

Michigan football countdown to kickoff

78 days | 79 days | 80 days | 81 days | 82 days | 83 days | 84 days | 85 days | 86 days | 87 days | 88 days | 89 days | 90 days | 91 days | 92 days | 93 days | 94 days | 95 days | 96 days | 97 days | 98 days | 99 days | 100 days

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