The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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D Even his offensive coordinator took a day or so to fully appreciate the freshman tight end's effort. Funchess churned across the mid- evin Funchess began fash- ioning his Big Ten highlight reel less than 16 minutes into his debut in the league. BY JOHN BORTON dle at Purdue's Ross-Ade Stadium near the Boilermakers' goal line. Michigan's Denard Robinson fired a high, hard one that slid slightly be- hind the 6-4, 229-pound rookie. FRESH WEAPON Borges recalled, with a grin. "He goes, 'He caught that sucker!' I said, 'That's why we recruited him.' I was minimizing it, but then when I saw it, I would have reacted the same way." Borges, Ferrigno, Hecklinski and head coach Brady Hoke all saw those types of skills with regularity dur- ing Michigan's fall camp, leading up to the 2012 season. That's why a tight end position that appeared se- verely shorthanded entering the fall — especially when fifth-year senior "Jeff Hecklinski went crazy," Tight End Devin Funchess Found The Field Early Through Production He reached back, using hands the size and tackiness of Velcro frying pans to snag the football, a split-sec- ond before getting drilled by Purdue safety Landon Feichter. The freshman somehow held onto the football for a 14-yard gain down to the Boilermakers' 1. From there, the Wolverines punched it in on the way to a 44-13 rout, Al Borges not fully acknowledging the set-up play at the time. later. "That was an incredible catch. I had no feel for it from the booth. I'm 57, and I can't see like I used to. "I couldn't really see the catch, un- til I saw the replay of it later. He had to reach back and catch that ball, and there was a guy bearing down on him from the right. To hold it was a minor miracle." Brandon Moore went down with an injury — suddenly featured a buzz- generating rookie. From the early days of August, word began getting out, unsolicited. Funchess let his play do the talking, and soon enough, others were join- ing in. "Holy smokes," Borges marveled "Have you seen the size of his hands? They're huge," fifth-year se- nior Roy Roundtree offered prior to the season opener. That's why, Ferrigno noted, Borges fashioned a plan to get the rookie into games in a hybrid role. Funchess isn't big enough or strong enough to make all the blocks he needs to at this point, from a true tight end standpoint. But there are parts of the game he performs very well, and those couldn't be overlooked. Michigan tight ends coach Dan Ferrigno praised the crunch-absorp- tion aspect of the grab as much as anything. Funchess isn't seeking the spot- light. He gives off a matter-of-fact presence when it comes to talking about himself, and sounds reticent to detail his own achievements. He'd rather talk about Michigan, and the hunt for a Big Ten champion- ship. At the same time, he's become a bigger part of that hunt than most freshmen ever get a chance to be, and it took him a little off guard. "I was surprised I got out there so "He got hit right after he caught that one, too, which was really im- pressive," Ferrigno said. Beside Borges in the press box, Michigan receivers coach Jeff Heck- linski reacted with perhaps the most enthusiasm of anyone short of the players involved. A true freshman, Funchess has turned heads with his pass-catching ability, and he will look to bulk up this offseason to bolster his improving blocking skills. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN "It was day-in and day-out in camp," Ferrigno said. "It was just like 'Groundhog Day.' The next day was the same as the last one. Ev- ery day, he impressed you. He just showed up every day, and he catches the ball so darned well. He doesn't drop many balls. "Then the thing about him is, he makes what seem to be the impos- sible catches. He makes some great catches. Very rarely is the ball on the ground." early," Funchess admitted. "I didn't really come in as a tight end thinking I was going to get that much playing time. I was sort of undersized." He could definitely catch the foot- ball, though and just kept perform- ing in practice in head-turning fash- ion. His reach-back catch at Purdue — and a similar one he insists was even tougher against Air Force — didn't set precedent. In fact, he can recall the play in camp that caused some to do a dou- ble-take. "Over the middle, I made a one- hand catch on a throw from Russell [Bellomy], in front of the safety," Funchess noted. "I snatched it away from him. I just go out there and catch the ball when it comes to me." Ferrigno insists it wasn't any one- play wonderment that elevated Funchess from the shadows to a Michigan Stadium debut involving four catches for 106 yards, including a touchdown. The tight ends coach saw consistency of effort and pro- duction that took Funchess beyond the norm. John Herrington, the legendary Farmington Hills Harrison coach who guided Funchess through his high school career, noted his former standout came to a point of having to take football more seriously. That les- son has been well learned, Ferrigno insisted. "He loves to play football, and he's NOVEMBER 2012 THE WOLVERINE 29 "He's very willing, he's very coachable, but even more so than I thought," Ferrigno said. "He's just a great kid. His attitude, and the fact that Al has been able to do some things that showcase him a little bit, made it happen.