B—Collegian Magazine Saturday,'Nov. 2, 1985
Dozier shaping up for stretch drive
By MARK ASHENFELTER
Collegian Sports Writer
The good news for Boston College is
that D.J. Dozier said he has yet to
regain his top form after tearing a
hamstring against Temple in the season's
second game.
The bad news for the Eagles' defense is
that a less than healthy Dozier still man-
aged to rush for 125 yards as the Lions
defeated West Virginia 27-0 last weekend.
On Wednesday, Dozier admitted that he
is getting stronger with each practice a
thought that will do nothing to brighten the
spirit's of a BC squad that carries a 3-6
mark into Beaver Stadium for this af
ternoon's contest.
"I think there are times I feel I am (100
percent), but my hamstring's still a little
tight," he said. "But I do feel I can run my
fastest. I guess it goes up and down."
It is hard to imagine that Dozier still has
"down" times based on his performance
against the Mountaineers. Late in the first
half he broke a 52-yard run that featured a
360 degree spin when it appeared he was
going to be dropped for a loss.
Dozier, however, said that if he were in
top form that run could have gone for a
touchdown instead he was pulled down
at the Mountaineer 16.
"I kind of felt it coming," he said of the
stop by defensive back Andrew Jones. "I
was kind of concentrating on him more
than the goal line and at the same time I
didn't think I was moving as fast as I
could. . . . I don't know why. But I had a
feeling I was going to get caught."
Dozier, however, said he was not looking
to break a long run.
"My goal is to get four or five yards
each play I'm running," he said. "I want
to try and get the first downs so I'm not
really thinking about the long runs. Like
Joe (Paterno) says, you keep pounding
and keep pounding and it's just going to
happen.
Paterno, however, said that it was just a
typical run by Dozier. He gave Dozier all
the credit for the run and said it is a sign
that Dozier is regaining his form.
"He's going to get a big one for you most
every game you give him the football
when he's well," Paterno said. "He got a
big run just about on his own today."
Although the junior tailback from Vir
ginia Beach, Va., may not have reeled off
many long runs this year, he has made his
presence felt in other ways.
Entering today's game, Dozier leads the
team in both carries (83) and yards gained
with 388. Those totals may not dazzle those
who remember his four consecutive 100
yard games in 1983, but Dozier has com
piled this season's numbers in just 4 1 / 2
games.
Dozier has also caught eight passes for
48 yards, and quarterback John Shaffer
said Dozier's presence in the lineup bol
sters the entire offense.
"It's not to put the spotlight on D.J., but
when you have a kid like D.J. Dozier in
there you have to use him," Shaffer said.
"He's the type of kid that can run the ball
as well as he can catch it. He's an asset to
not only our running game but our passing
game.
"If (the coaches) call on him to run a
pass play he'll be open. If they ask him to
run the ball and gain three of four yards,
then he'll do that. He's just that type of
individual."
Dozier, however, is not the type of
individual that can tolerate watching the
action from the sidelines. Back-up quar
terback and roommate Matt Knizner said
it was. _easy to tell that Dozier was not
Lion tailback D.J. Dozier (42) has had to watch other Penn State backs, including fullback Tim Manoa (44) do more running than he would
have liked due to injuries. But after a solid 125-yard performance against West Virginia last Saturday, he appears to be rounding into.top
form just as the Lions' drive for a bowl game intensifies.
`My goal is to get four or five yards each play I'm
running. I want to try and get the first downs so I'm not
really thinking about the long runs.'
himself while he was injured.
"It's true with any player when
you're sitting out, you're not going to be as
alert," Knizner said. "You're not going to
be as enthusiastic about it because you
wish you're in there."
Dozier's enthusiasm may have suffered
somewhat, but Knizner said he tried not to
let his teammates know he was troubled.
"D.J.'s not the type of kid that's going to
get down, he know's he has to contribute
some way and his way, when he was
injured, was to keep everybody up. He
wanted to keep everyone going and work
ing hard."
At various times injuries have caused
Dozier to find the going tough he missed
two games last year with a groin pull and
underwent knee surgery last January
and each injury has tested his patience.
"It is frustrating, but what can you do,"
he said. "It's part of life, and there's a
reason for everything, so that's the way I
had to look at it. I tore a hamstring what
could you do."
The only thing Dozier could do was
stand and watch, so he decided to become
an extra coach on the sidelines. Dozier
watched David Clark and Kevin Woods
and offered them advice when they came
off the field.
Although he is able to help his team
mates, Dozier said he has problems pre
paring for Saturday's when he knows he is,
going to be on the sidelines. His only
consolation is that he is able to learn more
about the opposing defense when he is on
the bench.
D.J. Dozier, Lion tailback
"The first thing that runs through my
mind on game day is a depressing feeling
because you know no matter what, you
can't go in the game, and I like to be in the
game at all times," he said. "I like to be hi
there, and thinking about the fact that
whateirer happens, you can do nothing
except maybe pump up the guys on the
sidelines."
Dozier, however, is off the sidelines now
and said he hopes to continue improving
each game. Although he rushed for 125
yards and went over the 2,000-yard mark
for his career, Dozier was not overly
impressed with his performance against
West Virginia.
"I don't want to say I wasn't in top
condition, but I still feel I could have done
better and it wasn't the best game I've
played," he said. "But then again, you've
got to look at the offensive line -- they did
a fantastic job. You could see it in their
eyes and on the field that they wanted to
get the job done and they got it done."
Offensive lineman Todd Moules said
that the line enjoys blocking for all of the
Lion backs, but admitted that the addition
of Dozier helps motivate the line to try to
do an even better job. He said Dozier's
work ethic rubs off and makes the entire
offense play harder.
"He definitely gives us a lift," the senior
tri-captain said. "He's just such an intense
player and he can light up an offense so
quick. Everybody knows how hard he
works and he's an exciting player."
Dozier knows he can become even more
exciting as the season progresses, he just
hopes to be in top shape by the end of the
season as the 7-0 Lions drive toward a
bowl bid.
In last week's game he passed Franco
Harris to become the ninth all-time lead
ing rusher in Penn State history, but he
paid no attention to the milestone. The
only number Dozier is concerned with is
eight the number of wins he hopes the
Lions have after today's game.
Although they are undefeated; Dozier
knows the Lions have yet to play their best
football. He just hopes the team continues
to jell and that he can help the offense
show the productivity it had last week.
"I think we showed we can be a good
offensive team," Dozier said after defeat- •
ing West Virginia. "We made another step
as far as how good as we are I think we
can be good. I don't think we're at our
potential yet."
For clutch players like Dozier, this is the
time of year when they usually turn their
level of play up that final notch. Dozier
hopes his teammates will do the same, and
he has a feeling that they .will.
Dozier said the Lions have learned a lot
from the losses against Nortre Dame and
Pitt that brought the final curtain down on
a disappointing 6-5 season.
"We don't look at records. We know
every team that we play's going to play
good against us," Dozier said. "I think a
lot of that has to do with last year."
A 7-0 record and a No. 3 ranking have
helped many people forget about last
year, but Dozier said the team now knows
what it must do to avoid another disas
trous finish.
"Each week we have to worry about
that game, that week, those practices, and
I think that's another thing that's helped
us come together."
And news that the Lions are coming
together is the last thing Boston College
needs to hear at a time.like .
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