The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/337607
18 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2014 FOOTBALL PREVIEW M THE TWO DEVINS Fifth-year senior quarterback Devin Gardner and junior wide receiver Devin Funch- ess have developed a rapport both on the football field and off. Funchess hauled in 748 yards in passes last season, earning Big Ten Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the Year honors and setting a receiving yardage record for a Michigan tight end (though he lined up plenty on the outside, too, at receiver). This year, Funchess heads into the season listed as a wide receiver, with bigger goals. His quarterback will make him his No. 1 target after losing Jeremy Gallon to the NFL, and it's fitting — the two are kindred spirits. Ask anyone who the funniest guy on the team is, and Gardner will be quick to claim it's him. Funchess is just as quick to disagree. "We're both goofy, but he's a different goofy from me. He's a different person from me. I'm a goofy guy, but I don't find him funny," Funchess quipped. "He thinks he's funny. I'm funny funny. You can ask anybody. "I always goof around with [redshirt junior running back] Justice Hayes. He's al- ways looking dead tired, so I'll make a joke and he's back to 100 percent. The type of goofy I am helps encourage people to relax and not focus on making mistakes on the field, but to keep working through them." Both Devins' leadership will be critical coming off a disappointing 7-6 season. They've developed a friendship off the field that should help them with it. "We share the same name, so we always go with that when we go out," Funchess said. "I'm Devin Gardner — he's Devin Funchess. We switch roles, and a lot of people don't know. That's why I like football. Nobody knows who I am. Everybody knows him because he's the quarterback, but I'm going to make sure they know me this year." As for his "funniest" claim … "Funchess isn't funny, he's just goofy," Hayes said with a grin. "He just thinks he's funny." WEST DIVISION EAST DIVISION Date Illinois Iowa Minnesota Nebraska N'western Purdue Wisconsin Indiana Maryland Michigan Mich. St. Ohio St. Penn St. Rutgers Aug. 30 Youngstown Northern Eastern Florida California Western vs. LSU Indiana James Appalachian Jacksonville at Navy vs. Central at Wash. State Iowa Illinois Atlantic Michigan (@ Houston) State Madison State State Florida State (Aug. 28) (Aug. 29) (@Dublin) (Aug. 28) Sept. 6 Western Ball State Middle McNeese Northern Central Western — at South at Notre at Oregon Virginia Akron Howard Kentucky Tenn. State State Illinois Michigan Illinois Florida Dame Tech Sept. 13 at Iowa at TCU at Fresno — vs. Notre — at Bowling West Miami — Kent State at Rutgers Penn Washington State State Dame Green Virginia (Ohio) State (@ Indianapolis) Sept. 20 Texas State at San Jose Miami (Fla.) Western Southern Bowling at Missouri at Utah Eastern — Massachusetts at Navy Pittsburgh State Illinois Illinois Green Syracuse Michigan Sept. 27 at Nebraska at Purdue at Michigan Illinois at Penn Iowa South Maryland at Indiana Minnesota Wyoming Cincinnati N'western Tulane State Florida Oct. 4 Purdue — — at Michigan Wisconsin at Illinois at North Ohio State at Rutgers Nebraska at — Michigan State N'western Texas Maryland Oct. 11 at Wisconsin Indiana N'western — at Michigan Illinois at Iowa — Penn State at Purdue — at Michigan — Minnesota State Oct. 18 — at Maryland Purdue at Nebraska at — Michigan Iowa — at Indiana Rutgers — at Ohio N'western Minnesota State State Oct. 25 Minnesota — at Illinois Rutgers — — Maryland — at at Michigan Michigan at Penn Ohio State at Wisconsin State State Nebraska Nov. 1 at Ohio N'western — Purdue at Iowa at at Rutgers at at Indiana — Illinois Maryland Wisconsin State Nebraska Michigan Penn State Nov. 8 — at Iowa — Michigan Wisconsin at Purdue Penn State — at Ohio at Michigan at Indiana — Minnesota N'western State State Nov. 15 Iowa at Illinois Ohio at at Notre — Nebraska at Rutgers Michigan — at at Temple Indiana State Wisconsin Dame State Maryland Minnesota Nov. 22 Penn State Wisconsin at at at Purdue N'western at Iowa at Ohio at Michigan Maryland Rutgers Indiana at Illinois at Nebraska Minnesota State Mich. St. Nov. 29 at Nebraska at at Illinois at Indiana Minnesota Purdue Rutgers at Ohio at Penn Michigan Michigan at N'western (Nov. 28) Wisconsin Iowa State State State Maryland (Nov. 28) Dec. 6 Big Ten Championship Game# # at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis; ^ at Met Life Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.; * at Soldier Field, Chicago 2014 BIG TEN FOOTBALL SCHEDULE Wide receiver Devin Funchess (above) and quarter- back Devin Gardner share a rapport on the field, while both like to joke around off the field, PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL 8,10-12,14-28,30-32.IMA.indd 18 6/19/14 4:59 PM