RIP Bo

from si.com

"Will I die from a heart attack? I've pretty much accepted that," Schembechler wrote. "I'll probably go through another episode before I'm finished here on earth."

The seven-time Big Ten coach of the year compiled a 194-48-5 record at Michigan from 1969-89. Schembechler's record in 26 years of coaching was 234-64-8.

"Bo was Bo," said Don Nehlen, an assistant on Schembechler's staff at Michigan until becoming head coach at West Virginia in 1979.

"He had such a unique ability to motivate players and motivate his coaches," Nehlen said. "The hallmark of any great football program is complete honesty between the coaches and the players. There's got to be a trust between the two. And Bo was always, always honest and so sincere. There was such a bond between the coaches and players at Michigan, because he was so highly respected by the players because he told it like it was. He didn't tell them what they wanted to hear."

Schembechler's Wolverines were 11-9-1 against the Buckeyes. But fans in both states generally agree that the rivalry's prime years were 1969-78, when Schembechler opposed his friend and coaching guru, Woody Hayes. Ohio State prevailed in those meetings, going 5-4-1.

Go Blue....