The Michigan Daily-Saturday, July 31, 1982-Page 11
Woolfolk happy with Giants
By RON POLLACK
Last in an eight-part series
Disappointment was quickly
replaced by happiness for Butch
Woolfolk on the first day of this year's
national Football League draft.
"I thought that I would go higher in
the first round than I did," said
Woolfolk, "But when I found out that I
wasn't going to be one of the top three
running backs chosen, I was hoping I'd
go to the Giants."
AND GO TO the Giants he did, much
to the delight of Woolfolk and the New
York lans who were chanting "Butch,
Butch, Butch" when it was time for the
NFC team to make its first-round selec-
tion.
"I like the New York Giants," said
the Westfield, New Jersey native.
"Their being close to home is an ad-
ditional plus. Even if I were from
California, I'd want to play for them,
because they're a good team and I ad-
mire a good team."
Another plus for Woolfolk is the fact
that he has an excellent chance of
becoming the team's starting tailback.
The Giants' running game was a
definite weak spot last year until
fullback Rob Carpenter joined the
team. Despite the presence of Carpen-
ter, a quality tailback was still lacking.
IT IS FOR that reason that the Giants
picked Woolfolk and Syracuse tailback
Joe Morris in the first and second roun-
ds of the draft. Although he is con-
sidered to be the most likely candidate
to start at tailback, Woolfolk is taking
nothing for granted.
"I haven't earned the starting spot
yet," said Woolfolk, who became
Michigan's all-time leading ground-
gainer last year. "I haven't sewn it up.
It's there for me to earn, but I have to
earn it. Everyone keeps talking about
Rob Carpenter and me being in the
backfield together, but there are other
people in camp and I'll have to beat
them out to get that starting spot."
He adds that he will do everything in
his power to be in the starting lineup. "I
really like playing. I can't be content
sitting on the bench. So my only goal
this year is to play a lot. I hope to help
MICHIGAN'S ALL-TIME leading rusher Butch Woolfolk may team up with established running back Rob Carpenter in
the New York Giants backfield next year.
the team, because we definitely have
our eyes set on the Super Bowl."
WHILE Woolfolk won't assume that
he has a starting berth locked up, he
does feel that he and Morris will be a
big help to a Giants' offense that was
anything but explosive last season.
"We can add a great deal," said
Woolfolk. "Our defense was third in the
NFL and our offense was 28th, dead
last. So the added dimension of myself
and Joe Morris will definitely help. It
will add the dimension of breakaway
speed, and allow us to throw to the
backs more often and more effectively.
"At Michigan I hardly caught any
passes," he continued. "I'd be lucky if I
caught 10 a season. That's not very
many. I figure I'll catch twice as many
or even three times as many this season
with the Giants."
SINCE HE didn't catch a great deal
of passes in college, Woolfolk admits
that he must improve this area of his
game. But he does not think this will be
a problem.
"When you don't do something a lot,
it doesn't mean you can't do it. It just
means you have to work on it," said
Woolfolk. "Just because I didn't catch
the ball a great deal at Michigan
doesn't mean I can't do it."
In addition to catching the ball,
Woolfolk is looking to better his
blocking skills. "If my blocking and
catching were adequate, then I'd be
great," he said. "And I'm not great. So
that's what I have to work on in training
camp. Blocking is something I wasn't
required to do at Michigan. Anytime
you don't do something, you get rusty at
it. But it's something I think I can do.
Hopefully during the season I'll be a
good blocker and receiver."
ALTHOUGH he didn't block or catch
passes a lot in college, Woolfolk did
spend a good deal of time running
track. "I will miss track because I've
been competing in track longer than
football," said Woolfolk. "I started
track in fifth grade and football in
- eighth grade. So I'll definitely feel a
loss."
Just as the Giants' fans will feel a
gain should Woolfolk perform at the pro
level with the same success that he had
as a collegiate.
Ricks looks to prove
himself in '82 season
By BARB BARKER
Specialtothe Daily
CHICAGO - With Butch Woolfolk
now in the National Football League,
Michigan tailback Lawrence Ricks is
looking for 1982 to be his season.
"I see 1982 as a year to get out there
and show people what I can do," said
the 5-10, 195 senior at yesterday's Big
Ten conference luncheon. "I welcome
this as my opportunity to do the best for
the team as well as myself."
RICKS, WHO hails from Barberton,
Ohio, spent most of last year in the
shadow of all-time leading Michigan
rusher Woolfolk, after having rushed
for 850 yards the season before. But he
is now expected to play a prominent
Ricks role in the Wolverine Offense.
"I always want what's best for the
d team," he' said: "But being a coa-
petitive person of course it was hard not
getting to play as much. I don't think
I'm better or worse than Butch. I just
know I can do the job."
Ricks said he sees this year's team as
a conference leader despite the Big
Ten's increasing competitiveness.
"I GREW UP with the Ohio State-
Michigan rivalry, and of course I like
to see the championship come down to
that game," he said. "With Steve
Smith returning as an experienced
quarterback I know we have the poten-
tial to be there at the top."
Ricks, who is an engineering student
concentrating in computer science,
said he thinks that Michigan is unique
in its emphasis on education.
"Bo (Schembechler) has played a
major part in my academic career,"
said Ricks. "He really emphasizesthe
importance of getting a degree as well as
playing good ball."
And this season Schembechler will
also emphasize Ricks and the Michigan
running game.
SCORES
National League
Los Angeles 10, Atlanta 9
Cincinnati4,SanDiego2
Philadelphia 3, Chicago1
Montrea1s.St. Louis4
American League
Kansas City 4, Baltimosree3
New York 4, Texas 0
Cleveland 7, Milwaukee 2
Toronto6, etfoitS