"That's ALAN Walker, Mr. Fillipiak," Bo Barked.

Posted: Jul 3, 2012 at 5:27 PM [Jul 3, 2012]

 

A highly-touted running back came to the stable of the Michigan football team in 1970- Alan Walker.

 

New coach Glenn E. (Bo) Schembechlar landed a prize recruit in his second year as Michigan's Man Up Front on Hoover Street.

 

ALAN WALKER had excellent running and blocking skills AND he was a media-darling when he arrived with a nickname of "Cowboy."

 

Walker had apparently run herd over his schoolboy opponents in high school.

 

Late in a game in his first fall of eligibility, Cowboy made his highly anticipated debut.

 

After a run of about five yards, the stadium P.A. announcer, Steve Fillipiak, told the Maize and Blue faithful, "Cowboy Walker was the ball carrier!"

 

The following Monday at the weekly M-Club Luncheon at Weber's Inn, coach Bo shared his analysis of the Michigan victory.  He also indicated his lack of love of player nicknames.  

 

When he praised Alan Walker's performance, he paused and looked down the dias to where Fiilipiak was seated and said, "The name is ALAN Walker, Mr. Fillipiak!"

 

Around Ann Arbor it soon became legend to not fool with Mother Nature and the Town Sheriff named Bo!