*1 SPORTS The Michigan Daily Wednesday, October 28, 1981 Page 8 'Ready to run' Bostic refreshed by rosier bowl outlook By MARK MIHANOVIC For Keith Bostic, it provides resuscitation. The idea that his team can still win the Big Ten title after dropping two conference contests, an idea that seemed so preposterous only a few days ago, has breathed new life into the junior strong safety. To hear him talk, one would presume that he and the rest of the Michigan Wolverines have been delivered a last-minute reprieve from the harshest of penalties: a New Year's spent somewhere other than Pasadena. "I'VE HAD A terrible season," he said Monday. "Terrible. I don't see myself making as many big plays (thus far) 'as I should have been making. That's gonna change. I'm ready to make a run now. I just wish we could have done it against Iowa. But that's in the past-we're ready to run." The 6-4, 209-pounder is part of a defensive unit that has been an enigma through its first seven outings. Only in its 25-7 win over Notre Dame and its 9-7 loss to the Hawkeyes did the unit play up to the preseason accolades resulting from statistics like eight of 11 returning starters and nine points-against during 1980's last five outings. "It's been a rough year," the Ann Arbor Pioneer High School graduate sighed. "Coach (Bo) Schem- bechler kept telling us that we were ranked too high. He always said that you don't let the press get to you. You just play ball, or you get knocked off. And that's what happened-we weren't ready to play, and we lost." IT CERTAINLY has not helped the Wolverine cause that eight returnees dwindled to three by last Saturday. Middle guard Jeff Shaw was dismissed from the squad for "disciplinary reasons," and from there the problems multiplied. Tackle Winfred Carraway has played very sporadically this season as the result of a severe ankle sprain, and outside linebackers Robert Thom- pson and Ben Needham both sat out the Northwestern game. Of the trio, only Needham has any chance of stepping on the field at Memorial Stadium this Satur- day when the Wolverines and Minnesota battle for the Brown Jug, and more importantly, to avoid elimination from the Big Ten race. The secondary has also been ,hit hard by injury. Neither Bostic nor Brian Carpenter were able to start against Michigan State three weeks ago, and when Marion Body, Evan Cooper, and Jeff Reeves all went down during the course of the action, Schembechler must have started looking around for voodoo dolls. BUT THE FOURSOME of Bostic (recovered from his stomach ailment), Carpenter, Body, and Tony Jackson are back intact, and not a moment too soon, according to their coach. "Our secondary's got to come to the fore and give us the leadership and do the job because we're going to be very young up front," Schembechler explained.. "I think they'll respond." When Schembechler refers to leadership from the secondary, he is unquestionably looking to Bostic, whom Bo tabbed "the best guy back there" before the campaign began.I "HE HAD THAT bad first game, and then he had that spell where he was sick, and that kept him out, but he played well Saturday," Schembechler said at his Monday media luncheon. "(Over)'the next four weeks, he's going to be very good, I think. He's hustling. Did you ever see him run down the field on a punt? He's the first guy down there." Bostic, though not cut from the same cloth as swashbuckling, hell-bent-for-leather ,types like last, year's Andy Cannavino or Mel Owens, does not' assume his leadership position lightly. "This is a chance of a lifetime for me," the education major: said, "to really show what kind of a leader I am. "I've been there before, and now I think I will play like I'm capable of playing. I'm not one of the rah-rah types. I'm just trying to get the team motivated to keep on playing. I have to play 10 times past my potential because Robert (Thompson) is a great' linebacker, one of the best I've seen." The first priority, though, for Bostic and the rest of the secondary speedsters (none of the quartet runs slower than a 4.4 in the 40-yard dash) is to return to the form of 1980, in which they allowed only three scoring passes and sent more than one Heisnan- eyeing quarterback packing. If they don't, someone like Mike Hohensee of the Minnesota Gophers may prevent them from packing-for Pasadena. Doily Photo by BRIAN MAST MICIhGAN DEFENSIVE back Keith Bostic and a teammate bring down Notre Dame quarterback Tim Koegel during Michigan's 25-7 rout of the Fighting Irish. Michigan coach Bo Schembechler.has called upon Bostic to provide leadership for this year's defensive secondary. y U Rain postpones Series Winfield gets death: a. NEW YORK (AP) - The sixth game of the 1981 World Series was postponed by rain yesterday with the Los Angeles Dodgers leading the New York Yankees 3-2 in the best-of-seven set. Game six will be played tonight at Yankee Stadium with a seventh game, if necessary, tomorrow night. THE BASEBALL commissioner's of- fice announced the postponement at 3:45 p.m.. The game had been -scheduled to be played at 8:20 p.m., but with intermittent rain during the day and the threat of heavy rain at night, the game was postponed. After losing the first two games of the Series in New York, the Dodgers won three in a row in their own ballpark to continue their comeback story of 1981. We overcame a 2-0 deficit against an outstanding ballclub, and we've had three super, super games here," Dodgers Manager Tom Lasorda said after Sunday's game. "I hope and pray we can win one of two in Yankee Stadium." The Dodgers have not defeated the Yankees in New York since Game Two of the 1977 World Series, when Burt Hooton beat Catfish Hunter 6-1. [ ----......--- --..---- ...-.... NEW YORK (UPI) - Outfielder Dave Winfield of the New York Yankees received a death threat after Sunday's, World Series game in Los Angeles, his agent confirmed yesterday. "He got on letter during the playoffs and a letter and a phone call after the last game in Los Angeles," said Al Frohman of Winfield. "He got the sani thing last year in San Diego. I guess some idiot thought it would scare him." Winfield has been struggling at the plate in the Series with only one hit in 18 at-bats. However, he has played well on defense and has hit the ball hard on occasion. "He's playing well and hitting the ball," said Frohman. "You know these death threats happen all the time to athletes and celebrities. Bjorn Borg got one at the U.S. Open and I remeln- ber Lou Brock geting one in the World Series." 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