Bo's Warriors-Mike Keller

The following post is a Foreword from Bo’s Warriors written by Mike Keller.

Moving from a small Midwestern town to a huge university and premier institution of higher learning, and athletics, how could I realize what was in store for me? While excited for the challenge, I was quite certain that someone entrusted with offering me a full ride Grant-in-Aid scholarship had made an awful mistake. I did not feel that I belonged among the nationally recruited football players who would become my teammates. My thoughts on that were, “Well that’s not my problem, I will get a great education and set my path firmly in a positive direction for a career in…. who knows what?”

All of that changed in December of my freshman year. Our head coach, Bump Elliott was being “promoted” within the athletic department, and we were to meet our new head coach, Bo Schembechler. In that first meeting, among other things, we learned from Coach Schembechler that we were soft and undisciplined, with a national reputation as underachievers. “Well, boys,” he said, “that is all going to change!”

In hindsight, that first Schembechler team at Michigan set the tone for a new and continued level of excellence for Michigan football. When youngsters decide to play for Michigan today, they know they will play in the greatest stadium in college football, in front of the most loyal fans and alumni, will prepare to play at the finest facilities, and be taught by a great coaching staff.

I would not change anything from my four years in Ann Arbor. There were great victories as well as crushing defeats. As young man, we were taught to live with both-not only as football players. But as people, with an eye for what the world would hand us in the decades after we played. Our dedication to our Alma matter is unshakable-as are the bonds of friendship we developed in competition and the driving force that mold us: coach Schembechler and his inimitable staff.

Every day. I was thankful for the men who will always be my teammates. I’m thankful for my coaches, Gary Moeller, Jim Young, to whom I have not expressed my appreciation enough over the years. Most of all, I’m thankful for having a chance to play for Bo, who helped all of us learn how good we could be.

My life’s journey has not been one anchored in the college of LS&A or Michigan Law School, although Michigan, academics taught me how to think and organize. My career has been in professional sports-as a player, scout, and administrator, providing opportunities to hundreds of young men and women seeking the dream of working in sports. As my career winds down, it is altogether fitting to look back at those early days, in Ann Arbor. When I wondered, “What am I doing here?” Fortunately for me, there were those who believed in me. It’s always a good time to pass it on.