Читать книгу Michigan Motivations. A Year of Inspiration with the University of Michigan Wolverines онлайн

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But Maize and Blue running back Butch Woolfolk made sure that did not happen. He led a comeback in the second half, and Michigan whipped off 22 unanswered points to win the game 38–20.

Woolfolk enjoyed the best game of his storied career. He carried the ball an impressive thirty-nine times for 253 yards. After the game, Wolverine coach Bo Schembechler, who had a hot-and-cold relationship with his player, called him one of the best backs in school history.

And it came as no surprise. Woolfolk started the season in 1981 with five straight games of 100 or more yards. He led Michigan to a 9–3 season and a 33–14 Bluebonnet Bowl win over UCLA. In that game, he gained 186 yards in the victory and was named Most Valuable Player. Although he was awarded the game’s highest honor, he said the only thing he would remember about the contest was that it was his last game as a Wolverine.

For three consecutive seasons, Woolfolk was the team’s leading rusher. During his sophomore year, he earned 990 yards. The following season, he tallied 1,042 yards with eight touchdowns. But in his final year, he blazed the ground for 1,459 yards. On average, he gained an astonishing 5.2 yards per carry.