Tag: 2013 season countdown

19Aug 2013

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2013 Season Countdown: #10 Devin Funchess

Devin Funchess

Name: Devin Funchess
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 235 lbs.
High school: Farmington Hills (MI) Harrison
Position: Tight end
Class: Sophomore
Jersey number: #19
Last year: I ranked Funchess #53 and said he would be the backup U-back. He caught 15 passes for 234 yards (15.6 yards/catch) and 5 touchdowns.

Funchess came into his freshman season at approximately 225 lbs., and as one might expect from a tight end that size, he was bound to struggle a little bit physically. At one point this summer, he admitted to having been a “pretty boy” who didn’t like to be physical. That combination of size and pretty boy-ishness kept him from some early playing time and the ability to play as an in-line blocker, but Denard Robinson liked using him as a passing target early in the year. In week two against Air Force, Funchess had 106 receiving yards and his first career touchdown. Things were going well early in the season, but Robinson’s elbow injury and Devin Gardner’s subsequent insertion at quarterback curtailed Funchess’s production; Robinson was adept at hitting tight ends and inside receivers, whereas Gardner liked to look outside a little more. Still, his season was good enough to warrant Honorable Mention All-Big Ten and several Freshman All-American nods.

I expect Gardner to look in Funchess’s direction more often this season. You can’t ignore a 6’5″, swift guy like Funchess for too long. He’s a matchup problem for linebackers because of his speed and defensive backs because of his size. If the quarterback can put the ball in the right place, Funchess will basically be open on every single pass play. Michigan doesn’t have another significant receiving threat at the position, so losing Funchess for any length of time would possibly alter the offense in a big way. Freshman Khalid Hill is a 6’2″, 258 lb. option at the position, and fellow freshman Jake Butt is a big target but perhaps not quite as athletic. Senior wide receiver Jeremy Gallon will almost certainly lead the team in receiving, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see Funchess in second place by the end of the year.

Prediction: Starting U-back; 35 receptions, 500 yards, 6 touchdowns

18Aug 2013

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2013 Season Countdown: #11 Quinton Washington

Quinton Washington (#76)

Name: Quinton Washington
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 301 lbs.
High school: Timberland (SC) St. Stephen
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Redshirt senior
Jersey number: #76
Last year: I ranked Washington #41 and said he would be a backup defensive tackle. He started ten games and had 32 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 1 sack, and 1 forced fumble.

Going into last season, Washington had 3 career tackles and looked like a backup. That turned out to be a poor assumption. He made his first career start in week three against Notre Dame and held onto the job from there. He became a pretty solid nose tackle for the Wolverines, doing a good job of holding the point of attack and allowing the linebackers to flow freely; the three starting linebackers each had between 81 and 88 tackles. Saving the best for last, he made his first career sack and first career blocked field goal against his home state South Carolina Gamecocks in the Outback Bowl. Washington is a different style of nose tackle than previous starter Mike Martin, who was a quick and explosive penetrator, but effective nonetheless.

This year Washington seems to have a pretty firm grip on the nose tackle job. His backup is the wide-bodied sophomore Ondre Pipkins, who was overweight last year and lacked some of the explosiveness that he showed as a high schooler. Greg Mattison likes to rotate defensive lineman, so losing Washington for a lengthy period of time means the third-string nose tackle (either Richard Ash or Willie Henry) would have to get significant reps. Ash has barely played throughout his career, and Henry has garnered practice buzz but redshirted as a freshman last season. Washington won’t be the nose tackle who busts through the line on every play and ends up with a bunch of TFLs and sacks. He will likely become a forgotten man in a few years because of his position, but I’m sure Desmond Morgan and James Ross will remember him for a long time as a guy who kept them clean and allowed them to rack up tackles.

Prediction: Starting nose tackle; 40 tackles, 2 sacks

17Aug 2013

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2013 Season Countdown: #12 Cameron Gordon

Cameron Gordon

Name: Cameron Gordon
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 237 lbs.
High school: Detroit (MI) Inkster
Position: Linebacker
Class: Redshirt senior
Jersey number: #4
Last year: I ranked Gordon #28 and said he would be the backup SAM with 30 tackles, 2 sacks, and 1 interception. He had 17 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, and 1 pass breakup.

Gordon has been quite an interesting player throughout his career. From wide receiver in 2009 to free safety in 2010 to 3-3-5 strongside linebacker in the second half of 2010 to SAM under Brady Hoke, he’s played everywhere. His best statistical season came as a redshirt freshman when he had 77 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions, 4 pass breakups, and 2 fumble recoveries; since then he has totaled 21 tackles and 3 tackles for loss. He was nominally the backup SAM in 2012, but starter Jake Ryan rarely came off the field. And if the team went to a nickel package, they would sometimes put Ryan at defensive end, remove the SAM linebacker spot, and insert a slot corner. This spring, after Ryan tore his ACL, junior Brennen Beyer moved to SAM from weakside end and started at his new position in the spring game; Gordon was relegated to backup duty once again.

Beyer also played ahead of Gordon back in 2011 (although Gordon was suffering from a minor back injury at the time), so evidence suggests that Beyer will be the starter in 2013. He’s been ahead of Gordon every step of the way. But Beyer’s next big play will be his first, and I think he’s just an average player. Gordon appears to be slightly inconsistent, but he’s a much better athlete and has more big-play potential. I think Gordon should be the starting SAM until Ryan recovers, and I’m going to hope that the coaches agree with me.

Prediction: Starting SAM linebacker; 40 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 interception

16Aug 2013

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2013 Season Countdown: #13 Desmond Morgan

Desmond Morgan

Name: Desmond Morgan
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 228 lbs.
High school: Holland (MI) West Ottawa
Position: Linebacker
Class: Junior
Jersey number: #48
Last year: I ranked Morgan #20 and said he would be the starting weakside linebacker with 80 tackles and 3 sacks. He had 81 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, .5 sacks, and 2 pass breakups.

Morgan was a pretty consistent player as a second-year starter in 2012. He didn’t make many flashy plays, but he was dependable and the coaches could usually count on him being in the right position. He finished the season tied for third on the team in tackles (Jake Ryan was first with 88, Kenny Demens had 82, Thomas Gordon also had 81) and was awarded the #48 jersey in honor of former Wolverine and President of the United States of America Gerald Ford. Morgan was also Academic All-Big Ten. With the graduation of Demens, Morgan bumped over to middle linebacker in the spring to make room for rising sophomore James Ross at WILL.

This year the coaches seem to be counting on Morgan to be a leader of the defense. He’s a little bit light for the MIKE spot, but he moves well and should be a bit of an upgrade over Demens, in my opinion. I have always had a fairly high opinion of Morgan, and I think he fits better at MIKE than WILL, where he was a little less athletic than desired; for the past couple years, he has been playing slightly out of position to get the best eleven on the field. His backup should be sophomore Joe Bolden, a quality player in his own right, albeit somewhat inexperienced. Jake Ryan is the star on the outside, and Ross is an up-and-comer on the weakside, but I believe Michigan fans will be very satisfied with the play from the middle linebacker position.

Prediction: Starting middle linebacker; 85 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 interception

15Aug 2013

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2013 Season Countdown: #14 Raymon Taylor

Raymon Taylor

Name: Raymon Taylor
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 183 lbs.
High school: Detroit (MI) Highland Park
Position: Cornerback
Class: Junior
Jersey number: #6
Last year: I ranked Taylor #48 and said he would be a backup cornerback. He started 11 games and made 45 tackles, 2 interceptions (1 returned for a touchdown), and 1 fumble recovery.

Taylor entered the 2012 season as the fourth cornerback, behind J.T. Floyd (since graduated), Blake Countess, and Courtney Avery. In the first quarter of the season opener against Alabama, Countess tore his ACL. Avery entered in his place and struggled mightily. Taylor stepped in opposite Floyd the next week against UMass and became the starter. He picked off a pass the following week against Notre Dame and then again the next game against Purdue, returning the latter for a 63-yard touchdown. Taylor, who had recovered a fumble against Alabama, didn’t force another turnover after game four. He was fairly physical and showed pretty good speed, but struggled with zone coverage.

When I ranked the players, I expected Taylor and Countess to be the starting corners; Avery has been the starting slot corner for the past couple seasons, and he struggled on the outside last year. However, recent indications suggest that Countess and Avery appear to be the top duo, and Taylor will be backing them up. I think Michigan is in pretty solid shape at corner with essentially three starters returning, but cornerbacks have been dainty in recent years (Countess’s ACL, Floyd’s broken leg, Troy Woolfolk’s broken ankle, etc.). I still think Taylor – or whoever the backup is – will get plenty of playing time, but this is likely too high for Taylor if he is indeed behind Avery. Mulligan? Anyway, I’ve never thought Taylor had superstar potential, but he was decent last season and should only improve in 2013 and 2014.

Prediction: Backup cornerback;