The Unappreciated Devin Funchess
This should be how we remember Devin Funchess. It is not. [Fuller]
Losing isn't conducive to hero worship. This is, perhaps, an obvious point. For every Minnesota-era Kevin Garnett, a beloved star on a bad team, there are many New York Carmelo Anthonys, nitpicked and questioned to an unreasonable degree while surrounded by lesser talents, hampered by poor coaching, or both.
Which brings me to Devin Funchess. In 2013, Funchess could do no wrong as the matchup nightmare foil to Jeremy Gallon's production by precision. Expectations entering last season were so high Brian had to repeatedly clarify that Calvin Johnson comparisons weren't entirely reasonable:
So Devin Funchess probably isn't Calvin Johnson. Michigan should try to prove that assertion wrong. Expect something between first team All Big Ten and an All-American followed by an early entry into the NFL draft. He may even win the Mackey award, because people don't pay attention.
Funchess's 2014 initially met expectations; he looked like a man among boys while scoring a trio of touchdowns in the opener against Appalachian State. Funchess managed 107 yards against Notre Dame as Michigan got whomped, but the seeds of discontent were planted:
Devin Funchess tore ligaments, crack bone in a toe in the ND game. Took a shot in the toe before Utah. Re-injured it. Never got better
— Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) March 21, 2015
We didn't know this, of course, because Brady Hoke didn't talk about injuries. "He's fine," Hoke said, days before he'd hold Funchess out of the Miami (OH) game.
Funchess didn't look the same for the rest of the season. He didn't record another 100-yard game until the season finale at Ohio State; he reached the end zone just once after the opener. With the offense—and the season, and the Hoke era—crumbling around him, the focus turned to his occasional drops and a perceived lack of effort. Save for Devin Gardner and the coaching staff, Funchess drew more ire from fans than any other member of the program.
Never mind that he clearly played hurt. Never mind that his quarterback had the worst year of his career. Never mind that his catch rate actually improved from 53% to 62% despite him being targeted on nearly a third of Michigan's passes—and even more frequently on passing downs, when it became obvious to all that the ball was going his way. Never mind that when Gardner threw his second interception against Northwestern, Funchess blew through two block attempts, chased down Ibraheim Campbell after a 78-yard return, and laid a lick on him for good measure:
This didn't fit the narrative. Funchess wasn't an otherworldly talent gamely battling through injury in a lost season even if it meant hurting his draft stock. He was a prima donna wide receiver who hadn't earned that status, a guy who didn't care about winning, if you interpreted an unfortunate postgame presser soundbite as so many did.
When Funchess declared for the NFL draft, the reaction from many Michigan fans wasn't one of disappointment or sadness; instead, the news was met with indifference or, quite often, a list of all the reasons why he'd fail as a pro. That list got longer when he ran a disappointing 4.7-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine a month ago. It was only after, when his draft stock and earning potential had taken a serious hit, that we learned he was still recovering from an injury of which we never knew the full extent.
I can't say for certain whether Funchess will succeed in the NFL. If I had to guess, though, I think he will. At his best, his combination of size, speed, and body control is up there with anyone; we just didn't get to see him at his best last year for reasons almost entirely out of his control. If he works through his too-frequent battles with butterfingers, he's got the potential to be a defense-bending number one receiver.
In an alternate universe, Funchess may very well be Braylon Edwards, whose game was eerily similar right down to the frustrating drops. We remember Braylon in a very different light; winning helps quite a lot, as does avoiding injury and being surrounded on all sides by NFL talent. I hope we'll come around on Funchess and similarly celebrate his accomplishments instead of bashing him for failures not of his own doing. If, and hopefully when, he's skying over NFL defenders like so many Mountaineers, we'll be glad we did.
So much potential. I really hoped he had stayed his senior year. With proper coaching, he could have been a monster this coming season; at least he would have been projected to be. Can anyone think of a guy who regressed so much from start to finish?
Coach Heck is a pretty good receivers coach. Don't forget that this was Funchess's first full season ever as a wide receiver. I think people are going to be surprised when he gets to the NFL and we all get to see just why his stock was so high.
Its tough to get a read on Heck's coaching skills. Sure he had Gallon and Funchess perform at a high level in his time here (and Hemingway and Roundtree to a lesser extent), but we never saw much from anyone else. And Gallon and Funchess' success seemed to be more of a result of them being freaks of nature instead of really well coached. So I'm not so sure if I would call Heck a pretty good receivers coach. Plus, after leaving Michigan he landed at Colorado State as their QB/Passing game coach. So he wasn't exactly in demand as a high level WR coach.
If you're a pretty good coach, you'll probably at least land on your feet at a power 5 school.
I'm not so sure Gallon was a freak of nature. Sure, he played like he was 5'9" and had good mitts but he wasn't particularly fast. He could have had about 4 or 5 more touchdowns if he didn't get tackled from behind so often. Alabama in 2012, Indiana in 2013 and Ohio State in 2013 come to mind.
Really? come on man
Oops. I forgot rule #16 of MGoBlog: Don't repeat stature jokes players make about themselves.
Gallon mancrusher here. I loved him and admired his play. I've always thought he was the prime example of a player doing everything he could to prepare and develop himself while also getting coached up. As much as I love him, I don't think "Freak of nature" describes him very well. He was a freak of his and the coaches hard work. His natural ability was impressive, but not freaky IMHO.
Plus, after leaving Michigan he landed at Colorado State as their QB/Passing game coach. So he wasn't exactly in demand as a high level WR coach.
I think Hecklinski is a good receivers coach. Being associated with our awful 2014 offense did not do him any favors, though. (And unlike Nussmeier, he didn't have Saban-era Bama on his resume.) I expect him to climb back up the ladder.
I'm not saying he's bad, but I don't think I'd label him as pretty good. I'd reserve that label for coaches that are at the top half of power 5 schools. I think Heck is an average position coach -- not really good, not really bad, just kind of OK.
Thank you for posting this. Seemed like people here randomly flipped a switch and became unfair ass holes towards the guy.
I was one of those critical of him, but I was never an ass hole like some comments I have seen on here. Be nice to others and the universe will reward you, IMO.
Anyway, this makes me a bit more frustrated with Hoke...if he just made injuries public it would have silenced alot of criticsm on here, and nationally. He didnt do any favors to Devin with this situation. I wish DF all the best, and I can see him being a solid contributor to any NFL team.
Thank you! I get really frustrated by all the shit people feel entitled to throw at this guy. I've seen people on this board call him a "candy-ass," "bitch," and say he acts "like a coward."
People feel way too comfortable attacking players just because the football team they like isn't playing well.
Funchess CALLED HIMSELF a "pretty boy", in the context that he was reluctant to block. And he was. That never changed. And at times it killed our offense.
The moral of the story is that there's always more to a person than a single narrative.
And I don't think him calling himself a "pretty boy" when attempting to constructively critique his own play gives everyone else permission to call him a "bitch."
Thanks. This was needed.
We're talking about a teenager (20 year old?) who at times failed to entertain me to the extent that I wished to be entertained. I have little sympathy and am glad that another sporting-man will replace him for my amusement.
Another sore spot: The so-called "reforms" Mr. Lloyd George has proposed are going to rob this country of what makes it great.
As someone who was down at times on Funchess over the course of the year for what I saw as a lack of effort and a desire to preserve draft stock (a la Clowney's last year), I want to say I was wrong and I regret it. I (obviously) had no idea his injuries were that serious, and running him out there with torn ligaments is yet another negligent nail in the coffin (or I guess it's dirt on the grave or whatever now, metaphors are hard) on the Hoke administration. Best of luck in the NFL Devin, and I look forward to drafting you in fantasy for years to come.
I shat on him unfairly. I didn't see him playing clearly hurt... just seemed like he lost a half step and didn't care after the ND game. Obviously that was wrong on my part, if he reads this thread, sorry Devin. Good luck in the league.
Brady and his boo-boos.
March 25th, 2015 at 10:03 AM ^
I'm incredulous that Hoke couldn't manage, even after the season was over, to finally inform the outside world that Funchess sustained that level of injury in the ND game. He couldn't have been completely oblivious to the hammering that Funchess was getting in social media and from some quarters in the press during the season about his performance, and you'd think Hoke would at some point decide to actually defend one of his players. I just don't get the total silence.
Communications just wasn't his strong suit, I guess.
Aware, but not fully aware. The epitath on the tombstone of Hoke's time at Michigan.
How does Hoke telling the world that Funchess was injured help Funchess or anyone else on the team? "Hey, opponent, our star WR is hampered and won't be as good in the next game, but our fans want to bitch at the kid so I need to protect the kid from our fans. In the meantime, please don't touch his foot. Pretty-please."
This is a great way of shifting the blame. You know, scouts to call up coaches, talk to coaches, and all that stuff. More than likely, even while not still the coach at Michigan, but certainly while as the coach of Michigan, Hoke would have told scouts about his injury. He likely would have also talked about whatever work ethic he had and all those things. Hoke, like any coach, would have informed the people that needed to know so that Funchess wasn't hurt career-wise.
But it's completely passing the buck to say "We were assholes, but it wasn't our fault we were assholes. We just didn't have all the information so we assumed the worst and were vocal about it." Yeah, I don't blame Hoke for some fans not supporting the players. Not to mention that I think most fans were aware he was banged up and playing through some injury, it was discussed quite frequently.
Derek Walton didn't have a great season before he sat out the rest of the year due to a foot injury, but no one got on his case because we knew he was hurt and gutting things out. Like many others, I thought Funchess just didn't care, and that disappointed me and I judged him improperly, although I didn't make any derogatory posts about the guy that I remember.
I really believe that Hoke did Funchess a disservice by his failure to disclose that Devin had a nasty booboo on his foot. That little bit of disclosure would have given me appreciation instead of just the opposite. The more I hear about spring practice and see how Harbaugh is running a host of different aspects of the team, the more I believe that Hoke was not the right man for the job on a bunch of different levels.
Yep, I see no gain in openly discussing a player's injury. Not to mention FERPA, which precludes a coach from discussing a player's injury unless they've signed a release.
March 24th, 2015 at 10:24 PM ^
The fact that he had broken a bone and torn ligaments was NOT "discussed quite frequently," since that information is just now coming out.
And I specifically mentioned that Hoke could have come out with this information AFTER the season, when it would have had no impact on Funchess's play.
His attitude towards injuries hardened more and more over time. There seems to be something beyond coaches stubbornness going on with this. I don't know if it was Brandon mandated or feeling like someone in the media had burned him?
I support the idea of coaches not sharing detailed injury information and not wanting to make excuses based off of injury. To not even acknowledge any injury information beyond someone having a season ending injury just felt more and more petty the deeper they got into last season, given how it was going.
Upvote for you as I know we are not supposed to dump on the good Michigan Man Brady was, however, you are spot on. While I am not a doctor, but if he was still hurt why not hold him out for a few more games to completely heal as I am sure the injury was not helped by the practices and games? Or was Brady worried about winning games for his own skin vs. what is in the best health and pro prospects for Devin F., as he was clearly not 100%. And of course, Devin was out there till the very end of the ND game, WHY?
And still played, and still played at a decently high level, and was still Michigan's best WR. WIth this sort of injury, it's likely not just "holding him out a few weeks" and it gets better. It's shutting him down for an extended period of time. And guess what happens to Funchess's draft stock if he's shut down for an extended period of time? It goes away completely.
There is a good chance Funchess wanted to play, just as Funchess wanted to play special teams (smart move on his part, in my opinion). There was a good chance Funchess wanted to improve his craft and improve his numbers and improve his draft stock. And Funchess still helped the team.
You act like Hoke played Funchess to try to save his own skin. Hoke had the audacity to try to win games? What would the board reaction have been if Funchess came back and said "I was capable of playing but the HC wouldn't let me"? I'm pretty sure, even if the record was the same and not worse, the responses would be filled with "incompetent", "dumb", "over his head", etc.
Hoke couldn't win enough on the football field and since that was the case any form of rationality towards him was thrown out the window. And don't be snarky and bring up "but he's a good guy", that's not the point at all and is a strawman. Hoke, regardless of what a lot of people seem to think, didn't do everything incorrectly. And that includes things that contridict the other things that people place blame on him for.
Come on man. We all know Hoke didn't have the audacity to try and win games.
The only thing "snarky" here is your tone and your assumptions. Unless you are an orthopedic doctor, not sure that you are qualified to say that the rest for 6 weeks would not have helped. Devin played hurt and it SHOWED as his yards and tds were down from last year, even including his monster game vs App St. He could have been better served by resting it and playing the last 5 or 6 games at a better pace than what he did. I and most normal fans would not have criticized him or Hoke if he did that. Every player will say they want to play, even if it is not in their best interest, and this is where the coach needs to make the right call for the player.
I think it would have been extremely likely that most fans would have said, "If Funch says he can play, he should play. I'd rather have an 80% Funch than _______. This offense is 110th in the nation how much worse can it get? He's our best receiver." If you would have tried to be a "voice of reason" that resting him was the right call...I think you would have been shouted down by those talking about toughness, country clubs, and the prima donna & Hoke's an idiot memes.
March 25th, 2015 at 12:16 PM ^
After Concussiongate, that's what you think of the Michigan fanbase?
Absolutely. A toe does not evoke concussiongate feelings.
"He couldn't have been completely oblivious to the hammering that Funchess was getting in social media"
Are you sure?
Didn't Brady not have email? Thought I read that here.
And as for "noise" out in the universe, if you are not aware yourself of what is going on in social media I dont see Coach Heck running into a coach meeting and saying "they are being mean to funchess" - just doesnt seem like a topic of conversation.
I do agree with the focus of your post and I'd also point to the UM team training group as being at fault here if they truly did not diagnose this. From all accounts this was supposedly not discovered until he trained at IMG. So if THAT is true - Hoke wouldnt know for other reasons. But that's another stain against the entire program.
Thanks Ace.
This is great and badly needed. Thanks.
Amen brother, amen.
I don't get the reference to Mountaineers.
Game 1 vs App. State
Ah, thank you. When I first read it I didn't understand how "so many Mountaineers" were skying over NFL defenders.
My mistake.
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When presented with the choice to either block or not block, Funchess usually chose to not block.
Agree with gpsimms. So many 1st downs lost or potential long plays. I can't tell if the injuries prevented him from blocking but my gut says "no". OTOH, I'd be mad at Hoke if I was him as not informing people of the injury cast such a negative perception that it could hurt his draft stock.
March 24th, 2015 at 11:26 PM ^
March 25th, 2015 at 11:23 AM ^
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