The Michigan Daily-Friday, September 7, 1979-Page 13-s NEW COACH MUST PRODUCE Bruce shoulders OSU burden ISU GYMNAST TOPS: Thomas puts U.S. in ,COLUMBUS, (AP) - From a distan- ce, it will appear to be the same-that short, rotund coaching figure stalking the Ohio State University football sidelines. But Earle Bruce is no Woody Hayes and he does not intend to be. "I know I'm following a great coach. I guess he's difficult to follow. But I lave great, faith in the Ohio State program," Bruce has been repeating. fgr the eight months he succeeded the stormy, legendary Hayes. SO CAN BRUCE, at 48, keep the Buckeyes on. their traditional winning path in Hayes' 28-year regime, keep Ohio Stadium jammed with 87,000 fans and keep the school's alumni happy? Bruce wrinkles his nose, pauses and says, "I guess I'll find out in the next few months if I can do that." He concedes he'll feel the pressure when he leads the Buckeyes into their opener Saturday against Syracuse with another home sellout watching his every move, his every decision. "Some rabid Ohio State fans are saying the Buckeyes should be no worse than 8-3 in Bruce's rookie season. They concede UCLA; Michigan State and Michigan could account for the losses. EVEN HAYES, with all of his ex- perience, skill and hard work couldn't do that in 1978. Ohio State struggled to a 7-4-1 season, climaxed by a Gator Bowl loss that cost the 66-year-old disciplinarian his job. Hours after the 17-15 defeat to Clem- son, Hayes was dismissed for slugging Charlie Bauman after theClemson Join the D il sports staff So you've watched the Wolverines, Tigers, Pistons or whomever play and you think you could tell them how to set their fortunes aright? Well, sports enthusiasts, at Michigan there's just the place for you-the Michigan Daily sports staff. We cover all the Michigan varsity sports, including all away hockey, basketball and football games, and we've our own AP sports wire, to bring you up to date on all the breaking national sports news. 'We'll .train you on the job in the mechanics of layout, and you'll be able to do stories as well right off the bat. Come on down to 420 Maynard and give us a look if you're interested, we're al.s looking for new members of our stff. It's a lot of fun, and requires only a 'much time as you wish to spend. linebacker intercepted a pass in the waning moments. In an ironic twist, Hayes works in an office furnished by the sprawling Big Ten school just yards from Ohio. Stadium. He's already written 800 pages on his new book relating military history with football. HAYES SAYS he will not be in the giant horseshoe Saturday. He'll be out of town on business. Will he attend any future Ohio Staten football games? "I don't know yet," he replied quietly. It's a bitter role he must live with, this living legend who tourned out 238 career victories, fourth on the all-time college coaching list behind Pop War- ner, Amos Alonzo Stagg and still active Bear Bryant. NEW YORK (AP)-Kurt Thomas, the first American winner of a gold medal in international gymnastic competition for nearly a half century, said Wed- nesday that carrying the burden of a pioneer is a worthwhile contribution to the growth of his sport.. "Yes, sometimes all the questions bother me," said Thomas after accep- ting an athletic award here Wednesday, "but the exposure is what has got us where we are now in gymnastics. I really feel that it's good." Thomas, a 23-year-old graduate of Indiana state University, finished 21st in the all-around competition in the 1976 Olympics at Montreal. Since then, he has blossomed into the finest all-around performer in the history of American gymnastics. He won a gold medal in the World Games at Strasbourg, France last fall, the first American to win a gold in international competition since 1932. As for the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, Thomas is hopeful with a modesty that belies the intensity of his competitive instinct. "I hope to do well, I hope we all do well, although I think the best we can hope for as a team is third," he said. "But we're moving up. The best spotlight we've ever done in the world is fourth place." One of the reasons for the slow progress of the U.S. gymnastic program, on the world scene is the relative age of, the teams, according to Thomas. EA believes that the Soviet, Japanese an, East German teams are the best inthe world at this point. "They all have national progran, that are excellent," Thomas said. "One of the big differences is the age of- the competitors. The average age of the Japanese team is 29 and our averagg age is about 20." On the other hand, Thomas said that the future is bright for the gymnasts representing the United States. "We have a real good junior program and that is the main thing for the future,'; Thomas said. "That's what's going to keep us going." Daily Photo CAN FIRST-YEAR COACH EARL BRUCE reverse the Buckeye plunge? If he does, a prime factor will have to have been Ohio State quarterback Art Schlichter, shown here eluding Michigan' linebacker Ben Needham in last year's 14-3 loss to the Wolverines. Bruce plans to implement the pass more that did his predecessor, Woody Hayes, and Schlichter will be the man entrusted with making the revamped Buckeye offense click.