Butch Woolfolk

Harold E. "Butch" Woolfolk (born March 1, 1960) is an American former professional football player who was a running back and kick returner in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines (1978–1981) before playing in the NFL for the New York Giants (1982–1984), Houston Oilers (1985–1986) and Detroit Lions (1987–1988). Woolfolk attended Westfield Senior High School in Westfield, New Jersey. Woolfolk led Michigan in rushing three straight years and set the school record with 3,850 rushing yards while playing for the Wolverines from 1978 to 1981. As a sophomore in 1979, he was the Big Ten Conference scoring champion, and he went on to become a three-time first-team All-Big Ten selection. He had his best season as a senior at Michigan, winning the 1981 Big Ten rushing title and falling just 10 yards short of Rob Lytle's single-season rushing yards record. He was also selected in 1981 as the Most Valuable Player of both the Rose Bowl played January 1, 1981, and the Bluebonnet Bowl played December 31, 1981, as well as the Wolverines' team MVP for the season.

Woolfolk also excelled in track. He was named an All-American in 1980 and won nine Big Ten track and field championships both as an individual and relay race team member. He continues to hold the Michigan outdoor 200-meter record. He was also a member of relay teams that hold numerous U-M and Ferry Field all-time records.

Woolfolk played seven seasons in the NFL. As a rookie in 1982, he finished third in the NFL in all-purpose yards. And in 1983, he set an NFL record with 43 rushing attempts in a single game. He was also fifth in the NFL in receptions in 1985. Woolfolk was plagued with injuries during his NFL career and was able to play in 16 games only twice—in 1983 and 1985. In both of those years, he accumulated at least 1,200 yards from scrimmage. He also had seven 100-yard games—five receiving and two rushing.

High school Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Woolfolk attended Eastridge High School in Kankakee, Illinois in the 1976–1977 school year. He moved with his family to Westfield, New Jersey, where he was a multi-sport star at Westfield High School. He also excelled in track and field, winning the State All-Group and International Prep Invitational 100 meter and 200 meter races.

253 yards rushing against Michigan State He began the 1981 season with five consecutive 100-yard games, including a 253-yard effort. Woolfolk's best game as a Wolverine was the October 10, 1981 contest against Michigan State. The Wolverines beat the Spartans, 38–20, and Woolfolk rushed for 253 yards in 39 carries. After the game, Coach Bo Schembechler said: "I wondered what a kid like that would do if he ran as much as the guy on the West Coast (Marcus Allen). I didn't plan on this, but he proved he can do it. Butch is going to be our all-time leading ground gainer. There isn't any way they're going to stop him now. And so be it." His 1981 rushing performance against the Spartans still stands as the fifth best single-game performance by a Wolverine running back. During the January 1981 Rose Bowl, he gained 182 yards against Washington, and during the December 1981 Bluebonnet Bowl, in which he gained 186 yards against UCLA. He won the MVP award despite the lack of sleep, and after the game Woolfolk called the game his "greatest thrill in football." After winning his second MVP trophy in 1981's Bluebonnet Bowl, Woolfolk said: "I might look back in later years and notice that, but right now all I can think about is that I've worn a Michigan uniform for the last time."

Woolfolk's top ten games at Michigan Woolfolk's top ten games in a Michigan uniform are as follows: Woolfolk noted at the time Schembechler is a "tough coach", and it was "not easy at all" playing for him. He also competed in the 200 meter event in the 1980 Olympic Trials. The 100 m record and 300 m record were broken by 4 × 100 m relay race teammate Andrew Bruce in 1981 and 1982 respectively. The men's track and field team won the Big Ten indoor title in 1982, and they won the outdoor titles in 1980, 1981, 1982. The 4 × 100 meter relay team won the Big Ten Conference championships in 1981 and 1982, Three of his 100-yard games came as a Giant and four as an Oiler.

New York Giants Woolfolk was drafted 18th overall by the Giants in the first round of the 1982 NFL draft. Woolfolk, who had graduated from high school in New Jersey and was a Giants fan, recalled watching the draft at his apartment in Ann Arbor: "When there were only four or five choices left before the Giants picked, I was hoping I'd last." In a December 1982 game against the Oilers, Woolfolk scored his first two NFL touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving, to help the Giants win, 17–14. With the Giants trailing and less than two minutes remaining in the game, Woolfolk scored on a 40–yard gain after making a leaping, one-handed catch. The next day, The New York Times published an article headlined, "The Catch By Woolfolk."

In 1983, Bill Parcells' first year as head coach, Woolfolk gained 1,225 yards from scrimmage for the Giants (857 yards rushing and 368 yards receiving) -- more yards than any Giants running back in the previous ten years. Woolfolk gained 115 yards on 26 carries in the first half alone and said after the game: "I'm not as tired as I thought I would be when somebody told me how many carries I had." Ironically, Woolfolk's 43-carry record was broken in 1988 by Jamie Morris, the same player who also broke Woolfolk's career rushing record at the University of Michigan. The 1984 Giants made the playoffs, but Woolfolk did not touch the ball. In March 1985, the Giants traded Woolfolk to the Oilers. In reporting on the trade, The New York Times said: "The mystery of Butch Woolfolk, who in his three seasons with the Giants went from star running back to benchwarmer may be solved next fall, but not with Giants." Woolfolk said at the time he was "not bitter" about the trade, and Coach Bill Parcells said: "Maybe a new place will be good for Butch. I don't think he was satisfied with what transpired last year." He also rushed for 392 yards and had 1,206 yards from scrimmage. In 1986, he switched from tailback to fullback, but he only played in 10 games due to a fractured and dislocated shoulder in the second half of the season. The Oilers drafted Alonzo Highsmith with the third selection overall in the 1987 NFL draft after trading up in the draft because their top three running backs Rozier, Ray Wallace and Woolfolk had finished the season on injured reserve. At Houston, Woolfolk was reunited with former Michigan teammate Stan Edwards. The sons of both Woolfolk and Edwards (Braylon Edwards) would later follow in their fathers' footsteps by playing at Michigan.

Detroit Lions Woolfolk was released by the Oilers at the beginning of training camp in 1987 and signed with the Lions. Woolfolk appeared in 12 games for the 1987 Lions and contributed 549 yards of total offense–248 yards receiving, 219 yards on kick returns, and 82 yards rushing.

Career after football Woolfolk worked for over 20 years in various real estate ventures. The company stated at the time that Woolfolk would help the company's development and implementation of steroid testing for Texas high school athletes.

Family Woolfolk and his wife, Regina, have two sons, Jarrel and Troy Woolfolk. Their son Troy Woolfolk was a defensive back at Michigan from 2007 to 2011. When his son was issued a Michigan jersey with the Woolfolk name on the back, Butch Woolfolk said: "It's a big day, no doubt. I'm proud of him and excited for him. But the biggest thing for me is, I know he's at a place where I don't have to worry about him."

Statistics Career

100-Yard Games

N.B.: Home team is in bold.