Sports
Wednesday, July 28, 1982

Page 12

The Michigan Daily

COULD HAVE GONE PRO LAST SEASON
Extra year costs Becker

By RON POLLACK
Fifthinaneight-part series
This past year didn't exactly work out like Kurt
Becker had hoped it would.
The offensive guard could have turned pro a year
ago, but chose to play at Michigan as a fifth-year
senior. He chose to stay in college because he had en-
joyed his experience in the Rose Bowl the previous
season when the Wolverines defeated Washington, 23-
6. He was looking forward to playing in Pasadena
again.
BUT THE season didn't turn out as expected for
Michigan, ranked number one in the nation when the

year started. The Wolverines lost three conference
contests and Becker found himself in Houston for the
Bluebonnet Bowl, rather than in Pasadena for the
Rose Bowl game that he had looked forward to
playing in.
The college draft also did not go as had once been
expected for Becker. When Becker decided to stay at
Michigan for a fifth year, he undoubtedly disappoin-
ted National Football League teams that were in the
market for offensive guards. One scouting service
had him rated as the best guard prospect for the up-
coming draft, prior to Becker's decision to return to
college for one last season.
At the time. it didn't seem to matter when Becker

turned pro. After all, if he was the best guard
prospect one year, he would be the best guard
prospect the next year. Unfortunately, for Becker,
this line of reasoning did not prove to be true.
HE WAS considered by many to be the top guard
when last season began, but when it ended this was
not true as far as NFL scouts were concerned. Becker
was not the first guard selected in this year's draft. In
fact, he didn't even come close. The 6-6 lineman
lasted until the sixth round when the Chicago Bears
took him.
Becker, however, is taking this all in stride. "It
really doesn't matter," he said. "The draft is over,
and what's done is done. Once you're on the playing
field, it doesn't matter. Everyone is
treated equal."
Although there are obvious benefits
to being a high draft choice, Becker
says that there is one advantage to his
having been taken in the sixth round.
"I THINK that if you're a higher
draft pick, a lot is expected from you
due to the money you've been paid,"
said Becker. "There's a lot of pressure.
I feel no pressure. I'll just go in and see
what I can do."
As training camp begins, Becker is
just looking to make the Bears' squad.
"I think you have to learn to walk
before you run," he said.. "So I just
want to make the roster. It's like when I
came to Michigan. I didn't expect to
start right away. I had to work my way
up.
"My whole game needs improvement
in order to make the team. But I'm not
thinking that I won't make the Bears.
You can't go around thinking that. I
can't say what I'd do if I don't make the
Bears, because that thought hasn't
even crossed my mind."
The attempt of Brian Carpenter
,AN MASCK to make the jump from college fo
rBut-
tional pro football will be featured
tomorrow.

I

{

I

FORMER MICHIGAN OFFENSIVE guard Kurt Becker (65, dark jersey) blocks for another ex-Michigan gridder
ch Woolfolk, during last season's 2J-16 win over Navy. Becker was drafted in the sixth round of this year's Na
Football League draft by the Chicago Bears.

Washington to only play football

4

'M' athlete decides that
two sports is too much

By RON POLLACK
"He sure can play," said a college
assistant coach. "We had him rated as
the third best high school guard in the
state his senior year."
The assistant coach was admiring the
play of Michigan sophomore Greg
Washington, a member of last season's
Wolverine cage squad, at the Sandy.
Sanders Summer Basketball League.
And from now on, the only place
Washington will be seen playing
basketball is at summer leagues and in-
tramural games. They won't be able to
see him at the varsity level any more.
LAST YEAR, Washington played
basketball and football for the

Wolverines, but this year he will con-
centrate solely on football.
"I decided it was too hard athletically
and academically to play both sports,
so I decided to concentrate on football,"
said Washington. "Football is the sport
I prefer right now."
Washington did not make a big con-
tribution to the basketball team last
year, but feels he could have if he
hadn't played football. "I feel I could
have helped last year's team a lot if I'd
just concentrated on basketball," he
said. "But I was so far behind when I
came out after the football season had
ended."
SO; IF he isn't going to play basket-

ball atgMichigansanymore, why is he
playing in a summer basketball
league? "I like the game, so I like to go
out and play with the college players,"
said Washington. "It's also for con-
ditioning. It doesn't get you in football
shape,.not even close. But it helps."
When the summer league ends and
the football season begins, Washington
will find himself at a new position. He
will play strong safety after lining up at
wide receiver last year. "It'll be dif-
ficult since there's so much to learn,"
said Washington. "But I'm more com-
fortable at strong safety than
linebacker, which is where they had me
playing in spring ball."
Working in Washington's favor is the
fact that he played defensive back in
high school, and it is that position that
he had hoped to play last season when
he joined the squad asa freshman.

4

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4

Washington
..: moved to strong safety