The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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michigan football in scoring (39.4 points per game) and third in total offense (496.8 yards per game) through 10 contests, led the conference in big plays with 70, including a league-high 47 such pass plays. Wisconsin ranked first with 35 rushes of 20 yards or greater in the first 10 contests, and second overall with 63 total big plays. Ohio State was the most balanced; OSU was the only team with 30 big plays on the ground (30) and through the air (31). Purdue ranked dead last with just 22 big plays, including just two via the rush. Jake Butt Makes Huge Strides Since January Every freshman football player grows up plenty in the fall, winter and spring of his first season on campus. Freshman tight end Jake Butt got an early start, arriving last January, and he grew in all sorts of ways. "I feel like a freshman, but I feel like I've come a long way," he said. "Coming in early definitely helped. The coaches have done a great job, teaching me the mental part of the game, and the strength staff has done a great job in improving the physical aspects. I've come a long way, but there's still a long way to go." His most obvious growth involved going from 209 pounds when he arrived to his present 245. Butt attended the Army All-American Bowl last winter, where he contracted strep throat and was misdiagnosed twice on the way to finally healing up. He also experienced some knee issues, but once he got squared away he pushed hard toward getting ready to perform as a true freshman. That involved putting away a huge amount of calories, above and beyond protein shakes. "I was on an everything and anything diet," Butt noted, with a laugh. "I could even put on some more body fat. I'm a Chipotle guy. Chipotle, B-Dub's [Buffalo Wild Wings] and protein shakes. I like the triple-steak burrito with rice, double cheese, lettuce and chips." As he built himself back into shape and worked out hard through spring ball, Butt couldn't help but notice another tight end that performed as a freshman last year. Sophomore Devin Funchess showed it could be done, although Butt said he can't match some of what Funchess does. "I've learned a few speed drills," Butt said. "I'm going to try to catch up to him. He's just a physical freak of nature. Split him out, and he's just too big for the DBs to guard him. You put a linebacker on him and he's just going to make him look silly. I look up to him and his athletic abilities. "He goes up and makes the onehanded catches all the time. I've made a few one-handers, but I'm not flying 12 feet through the air like he is." Nonetheless, as Butt's footwork improved through fall camp, he began to get more and more snaps with the first team. Michigan's coaches noted coming in early made a huge difference for him, and Butt sprang