2012 Season Countdown: #50 Josh Furman

Tag: 2012 season countdown

11Jul 2012
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2012 Season Countdown: #50 Josh Furman

Josh Furman (#14) blocks a punt against Nebraska (image via AnnArbor.com)

Name: Josh Furman
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 208 lbs.
High school: Annapolis (MD) Old Mill
Position: Safety
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #14
Last year: I ranked Furman #52 and said he would be a backup safety and a special teams contributor.  He was both, making 10 tackles and blocking a punt.

Furman was a main cog of Michigan’s special teams units last season, playing a good deal on coverage units.  He played in just two games as a reserve safety, however, and what I’ve seen of him still makes me question whether he can play the position at this level.  As a downhill, attacking linebacker in high school, he was at his best.  Reading plays and dropping into pass coverage do not seem to be his strong suits, but perhaps further experience will help him there.  Unfortunately, he spent spring practices dealing with a legal issue that was overblown by the prosecutor, so he probably didn’t get much better in the spring.

As far as his prospects go for the 2012 season, they don’t look much more involved than 2011.  Furman has practiced at both safety spots, but both starters return (Thomas Gordon at free safety, Jordan Kovacs at strong).  Backup safety Troy Woolfolk graduated, but true freshman Jarrod Wilson got a lot of reps in the spring as an early enrollee.  Wilson’s upside is probably higher than Furman’s, but the freshman is less physically ready.  Redshirt freshman Tamani Carter may also work his way into the mix, although he was not a highly regarded recruit and missed much of the spring dealing with the same legal issue as Furman.  The Maryland native should once again contribute heavily on special teams, but will probably not be counted on in key defensive situations.

Prediction: Backup safety, special teams contributor

10Jul 2012
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2012 Season Countdown: #51 Will Hagerup

Will Hagerup

Name: Will Hagerup
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 225 lbs.
High school: Milwauke (WI) Whitefish Bay
Position: Punter
Class: Junior
Jersey number: #45
Last year: I ranked Hagerup #14 and said he would be the starting punter.  He punted 29 times for 1,043 yards (36.0 yards per punt) and downed 5 inside the 20-yard line.

Hagerup was suspended for the first three games of last season because of off-the-field issues.  His off-the-field issues carried over into on-the-field issues, however, because he only averaged 36.0 yards a punt as a sophomore after averaging 43.6 as a freshman in 2010.  Minor fluctuations might be expected from a punter, but not a 7.6-yard drop.

Based on his first two seasons, all we can really count on is that Hagerup will get suspended.  He went from being the best underclassman punter in the league and the nation’s 28th-best punter (by average distance) in 2010 to somewhere around the 95th-best punter in the country as a sophomore, so I don’t know what to expect out of his leg for 2012.  However it turns out for him, he has a capable backup punter in sophomore Matt Wile (41.7 yards per punt last season), so if Hagerup can’t get the job done, hopefully the coaches will insert someone who can.

Prediction: Starting punter unless he sucks again

9Jul 2012
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2012 Season Countdown: #52 Matt Wile

Matt Wile

Name: Matt Wile
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 208 lbs.
High school: San Diego (CA) Francis Parker
Position: Kicker, punter
Class: Sophomore
Jersey number: #45
Last year: I ranked Wile #28 and said he would be the starting placekicker and backup kickoff specialist.  He kicked off 79 times for 5,054 yards (64 yards per kick).  He also punted 17 times for 707 yards (41.6 yards per punt) and landed 4 of them inside the 20-yard line.

My prediction for Wile was essentially backward, because Wile was the starting kickoff guy, a backup punter, and wasn’t used as a placekicker.  So goes the life of a kicker.  Brendan Gibbons took a monumental leap forward from 2010 and held onto the placekicking job all season, so Wile was not needed there.  He did, however, do a good job with kickoffs and was named to the Freshman All-Big Ten unit. It’s a little strange that Wile didn’t hold onto the punting job, because his average punt was 5.6 yards longer than starter Will Hagerup.  And while Hagerup seemed to have uncharacteristic struggles for some reason (perhaps his off-the-field activities, for which he was suspended, had something to do with it), it seemed somewhat apparent to me that Wile should have been giving more opportunities to punt.  Hagerup’s 36.0 yards per attempt was pretty paltry. 

As I admitted last year, I know very little about the mechanics of kicking.  And kickers are often prone to being streaky.  Hagerup could go back to booming punts like he did as a freshman and Gibbons could go back to missing the majority of his field goals.  But one thing that seems to remain pretty consistent is kickoffs.  Wile is the best kickoff guy of the bunch, so at the very least, he should hold onto that spot for 2012.  If Hagerup doesn’t step up his game, Wile ought to take over that position, too.  As for field goals, let’s hope Gibbons continues to be solid.

Prediction: Starting kickoff specialist, backup punter

8Jul 2012
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2012 Season Countdown: #53 Devin Funchess

Devin Funchess

Name: Devin Funchess
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 223 lbs.
High school: Farmington Hills (MI) Harrison
Position: Tight end
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #19
Last year: Funchess was in high school. He had 21 receptions for 452 yards (21.4 yards per reception) and 5 touchdowns.

Final TTB Rating: 75

Funchess committed to Michigan in April of last year after having an outstanding junior season catching the ball.  He carried that success into his senior year.  At 6’5″ and 223 lbs., he was still fast enough to get downfield while being tall and athletic enough to make players over smaller defensive backs. 

The coaches see Funchess fitting into their U-back position, which is part fullback, part tight end, and part wide receiver.  Kevin Koger filled that role at times last season, creating mismatches against linebackers, but Koger was also used as an in-line blocker.  Funchess will likely be 225-230 lbs. when the season rolls around, meaning he will lack the bulk to be a dependable interior blocker.  However, he does have the frame and speed to go in motion and split out into the slot.  Because the need is so dire at the tight end positions, it’s likely that both Funchess and the more traditional tight end A.J. Williams will play this season, but they will play different roles.  Furthermore, those positions will quite possibly be de-emphasized this season in an effort to get the best eleven athletes on the field and give quarterback Denard Robinson plenty of room to operate.

Prediction: Backup U-back

7Jul 2012
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2012 Season Countdown: #54 Delonte Hollowell

Delonte Hollowell (#24)
(image via AnnArbor.com)


Name: Delonte Hollowell
Height: 5’9″
Weight: 164 lbs.
High school: Detroit (MI) Cass Tech
Position: Cornerback
Class: Sophomore
Jersey number: #24
Last year: I ranked Hollowell #79 and said he would redshirt.  He made 6 tackles and 1 fumble recovery on special teams.

Hollowell was on his way to a redshirt last season when Brady Hoke tossed him in for the first time at the beginning of November.  He proceeded to play in five games, mostly on special teams.  Toward the end of the season, Hollowell made a bit of a name for himself as a gunner on the punt team.

Look for more of the same in 2012.  It stands to reason that he’ll continue to play on special teams, but Michigan returns its two starters at cornerback, Courtney Avery returns as the slot corner, Terrence Talbott was pushing for playing time in the spring, and Raymon Taylor appears to be the other second-teamer.  It will be an uphill battle for Hollowell to earn playing time on defense, and incoming freshman Terry Richardson could also push for time.

Prediction: Special teams contributor; backup cornerback