The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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THE WOLVERINE 2016 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 79 TIGHT ENDS PLAYER BIOS POSITION COACH Jay Harbaugh, in second season with the Wolverines as U-M's tight ends and special teams coach, has been around football his entire life. His dad, Jim, is Michigan's head coach, and his uncle, John, is in the NFL leading the Baltimore Ravens. H a r b a u g h g u i d e d a M i c h i g a n tight end group that accounted for 72 catches, 926 receiving yards and three touchdown grabs in 2015. The crew also produced an All-American in Jake Butt. Harbaugh spent the three seasons prior to coming to Michigan under his uncle's tutelage, including the 2014 season as an offensive quality control coach focusing on statistical analysis, self-scouting reports and breakdowns of opposing defenses. He was also part of the coaching staff that won Super Bowl XLVII in 2013, beating his father's San Francisco 49ers team. Harbaugh spent four seasons as an undergraduate as - sistant at Oregon State under head coach Mike Riley. The Beavers played in two bowl games during Harbaugh's tenure (2008-11), including a win in the 2008 Sun Bowl. He also interned for the San Francisco 49ers in the scout - ing department during the summer of 2011. A native of San Diego, Harbaugh holds a bachelor's degree in sociology from Oregon State. RETURNING PLAYERS IAN BUNTING • TE R-So. • Hinsdale, Ill. Ht.: 6-7 • Wt.: 252 Career Highlights: Appeared in eight games in 2015 … Corralled five passes for 72 yards … Redshirted in 2014. Prep: Attended Hinsdale Central High School … Caught 27 passes for 583 yards and four touchdowns in his career … Hauled in 10 receptions for 165 yards as a senior and earned an invitation to the prestigious Nike event "The Opening" in Oregon … Rated by Rivals.com as a four-star prospect, the No. 15 player in Illinois and the No. 9 tight end nationally. Personal: Born Feb. 10, 1996 … Enrolled in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts, major undeclared. JAKE BUTT • TE Sr. • Pickerington, Ohio Ht.: 6-6 • Wt.: 250 Career Highlights: Appeared in 13 games and made 11 starts in 2015 … Caught 51 passes for 654 yards and three touchdowns … Earned first-team All-America honors from SI.com and CBS Sports … Tabbed as the Kwalick-Clark Big Ten Tight End of the Year … Secured a career-high eight passes for 93 yards and a touchdown at Utah … Hauled in four passes for a career-best 102-yards, includ - ing a career-long 44-yard reception, versus Rutgers … Re- turned quickly from a knee injury suffered in spring 2014 and played in 10 games, making five starts … Caught 21 passes for 211 yards and two touchdowns, including four receptions for 25 yards and a touchdown at Ohio State … Made ESPN.com's All-Big Ten Freshman Team in 2013 after starting eight of 13 games and notching 20 receptions for 235 yards and two touchdowns … Recorded five catches for 85 yards and one touchdown in the 42-41 loss to OSU. Prep: Attended Pickerington North High School … Three-year varsity letterman in football … Caught 96 passes for 1,361 yards and 20 touchdowns on offense, and had 142 tackles, 39.5 tackles for loss and 20.5 sacks on defense during his career … Named Associated Press Division I All-Ohio first team as a senior and made the U.S. Army All-American Bowl roster … Rivals.com listed him as a four-star prospect, the No. 8 player in Ohio, and the No. 5 tight end and No. 144 player overall nationally. Personal: Born July 11, 1995 … Enrolled in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts, majoring in sociology. Year GP/GS Rec. Yds. Avg. TD 2013 13/8 20 235 11.8 2 2014 10/5 21 211 10.0 2 2015 13/11 51 654 12.8 3 Totals 36/24 92 1100 12.0 7 ZACH GENTRY • TE R-Fr. • Albuquerque, N.M. Ht.: 6-7 • Wt.: 244 Career Highlights: Redshirted in 2015 … Switched from quarterback to tight end during the 2015 season. Prep: Played at Eldorado High School … Completed 201 of 337 passes for 2,975 yards with 26 touchdowns as a senior … Completed 175 of 317 passes for 1,751 yards with 10 touchdowns as a junior … Ranked as a four-star pros - pect, the No. 1 player in New Mexico, and the No. 4 quarterback and No. 105 overall prospect in the nation by Rivals.com. Personal: Born Sept. 10, 1996 … Enrolled in the Col - lege of Literature, Science and the Arts, major unde - clared. MICHAEL JOCZ • TE 5th-Sr. • Novi, Mich. Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 241 Career Highlights: Has played in six career games … Received the 2015 Dr. Arthur Robinson Scholar - ship Award for U-M's top student- athlete … Earned a varsity letter in 2014 after appearing in four games. Prep: Attended Novi High School … Earned all-confer - ence honors at wide receiver as a senior. Personal: Born Jan. 9, 1994 … Enrolled in the College of Engineering, majoring in mechanical engineering. TYRONE WHEATLEY JR. • TE R-Fr. • Buffalo, N.Y. Ht.: 6-6 • Wt.: 280 Career Highlights: Redshirted in 2015. Prep: Played at Canisius High School … Hauled in 27 passes for 372 yards and four touchdowns as a senior … Rivals.com rated him as a four-star recruit, the No. 1 prospect in New York and the No. 13 tight end in the country. Personal: Born Feb. 4, 1997 … Son of former U-M running back and current running backs coach of the same name … Enrolled in the Col - lege of Literature, Science and the Arts, major undeclared. NEWCOMERS DEVIN ASIASI • TE Fr. • Concord, Calif. Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 265 Prep: Caught 74 passes for 1,240 yards and eight touchdowns during his high school career … Defen - sively, he posted 96 total stops, 25 tackles for loss, 15.5 sacks, 11 passes defended, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery during his career … Made 17 catches for 311 yards and five touchdowns as a senior … Helped De La Salle to state titles in 2015 and 2014 … Ranked as a four-star performer, the No. 10 player in California, and the No. 2 tight end and No. 46 overall prospect nationally by Rivals.com. Personal: Born Aug. 14, 1997. NICK EUBANKS • TE Fr. • Plantation, Fla. Ht.: 6-6 • Wt.: 230 Prep: Tallied 49 receptions for 752 yards in his final two prep seasons … Made 23 catches for 344 yards (15.0 yards per reception) and three touchdowns as a senior for American Heritage … Secured 26 catches for 408 yards (15.7 average) and four touchdowns as a junior … Helped American Heritage to back-to-back 5A state titles in 2013 and 2014 … Listed by Rivals.com as Florida's No. 34 senior and the nation's No. 9 tight end. Personal: Born Nov. 21, 1996. KENNETH FERRIS • TE So. • Fowlerville, Mich. Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 229 Prep: Played wide receiver for Fowlerville High School. SEAN MCKEON • TE Fr. • Dudley, Mass. Ht.: 6-5 • Wt.: 230 Prep: Caught 23 passes for 334 yards and three touch - downs as a senior … Made 19 receptions for 354 yards and three scores his junior year … Ranked as a three-star prospect, the No. 3 player in Massachusetts and the No. 32 tight end nationally by Rivals.com … A two-time USA Today All-State selection and ESPN Boston All-State selection. Personal: Born Dec. 28, 1997 … Enrolled in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts. ROSTER No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Year Elig. Hometown (High School) — Devin Asiasi TE 6-4 265 Fr. Fr. Concord, Calif. (De La Salle) 89 Ian Bunting TE 6-7 252 Jr. So. Hinsdale, Ill. (Central) 88 Jake Butt TE 6-6 250 Sr. Sr. Pickerington, Ohio (North) — Nick Eubanks TE 6-6 230 Fr. Fr. Plantation, Fla. (American Heritage) 34 Kenneth Ferris TE 6-4 229 So. So. Fowlerville, Mich. (Fowlerville) 10 Zach Gentry TE 6-7 244 So Fr. Albuquerque, N.M. (Eldorado) 81 Michael Jocz TE 6-4 241 5th Sr. Novi, Mich. (Novi) 84 Sean McKeon TE 6-5 230 Fr. Fr. Dudley, Mass. (Shepherd Hill Regional) 8 Tyrone Wheatley Jr. TE 6-6 280 So. Fr. Buffalo (Canisius)