Is Funchess a "1" or just one of many?
I'm going to put a philosophical discussion of where Devin Funchess sits in the pantheon of Michigan receivers by creating a context with some sports memorabilia I own.
A million years ago I had Anthony Carter sign a Michigan football and a year later I had the opportunity to get Derrick Alexander to sign it too. Long story short, I managed to add Braylon and David Terrell to the ball in future years. There obviously were other #1's before Braylon but until Funchess got it, I don't believe there was ever one after him. My question is, assuming both that Devin Funchess finishes this year along the same lines the first 2/3 of the season goes AND assuming he leaves for the NFL, does Devin deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as Carter/Alexander/Terrell/Braylon as great #1's? Put another way, presuming I get the chance, should I get Devin to sign that ball?
November 3rd, 2014 at 1:35 PM ^
November 3rd, 2014 at 2:58 PM ^
he could be a mega star in the NFL or he could be a total bust
its your football but if you have UofM #1's then you should probably add his signature - if more for historical accuracy
I doubt his signature would one day detract from the value or sentiment
November 3rd, 2014 at 8:07 PM ^
I agree with rb4kb8: if you're into that kind of thing, get it signed. Funchess is definitely worthy. Also, I am not so sure Funchess is going to leave. This season's injuries have probably affected his potential draft position. He may find that he needs to come back next year and play himself into a better slot.
November 3rd, 2014 at 1:35 PM ^
November 3rd, 2014 at 2:04 PM ^
Not saying I disagree with him being above average and below great, but the numbers don't really show him dropping too many routine catches:
November 3rd, 2014 at 2:31 PM ^
I love Funchess, but it just seems like there's at least 1 pass a game where he just doesn't really try or half-ass it. Maybe it just seems that way cause he's usually so smooth, but I think those are the "drops" that most people complain about.
November 3rd, 2014 at 2:35 PM ^
Yeah I definitely agree that he takes some plays off.
November 3rd, 2014 at 3:50 PM ^
the difference in stats is that funchess plays on an awful offense with a qb who is inaccurate and an offensive line that is bad. and funchess may or may not be as good as braylon. i'd tend to say he doesn't seem to have the same ball hawking abilities, but we haven't really had many chuck it up and go get em type plays this year.
November 3rd, 2014 at 5:06 PM ^
that said, if funchess comes back and improves, which most players do, he could put up #s that push him into that group.
November 3rd, 2014 at 3:10 PM ^
depends on the construction of the chart. Is the grade given based on the caliber of the wide receiver among other things? I would say anything that is a 2 or 3 for an average receiver should be a 3 all day for a much better receiver. E.g. the moderate difficult balls for a guy like Houma is a 3, routine catch, for Funchess.
November 3rd, 2014 at 2:45 PM ^
He improved, but it was an issue that dogged him into the NFL.
November 3rd, 2014 at 2:54 PM ^
Braylon dropped a lot of routine passes too, but I think the biggest difference between him and Funchess is that Braylon made a lot of spectacular catches to make up for the easy drops.
Unfortunately, Funchess doesn't catch the ball well in traffic or in jump-ball situations. His "wow" factor isn't as high as some of the plays Braylon made.
Phyically, he's a "wow" type athlete. It just doesn't always translate into play-making ability.
November 3rd, 2014 at 3:37 PM ^
We fired "wow" last week. Let's get back to football being the primary entertainment. "Wow" is banned to Boliva.
November 3rd, 2014 at 4:34 PM ^
We can't fire athletes. Only Nick Saban does that.
I'm just saying that, our true #1's in the past have been the kind of players that made such amazing plays during a game/season, you're just left shaking your head. Funchess has all of the physical tools to make those same plays, but he hasn't found that Braylon or Hemmingway-type quality at this point. I want him to get there, but he isn't there yet.
November 3rd, 2014 at 5:57 PM ^
November 3rd, 2014 at 8:29 PM ^
Did you just put Hemingway and Braylon in the same sentence? Sorry but Hemingway was never the playmaker Braylon was. I respect the heck out of Hemingway, but he was not that caliber.
November 3rd, 2014 at 3:20 PM ^
When Herman Moore came to the Lions, he was a great athlete, but had a bad habit of dropping the ball, fortunately for Moore, his position coach, a man some of you may remember, Charlie Sanders, was a H.O.F. level former tight end who had spectacular hands, and could catch nearly everything thrown at him. In a short time, Sanders taught the rookie everyting he knew about centering and catching the ball and being a great receiver, and in his second year, the drops went away, and Moore went on to become a great receiver going to 4 pro bowls, and having sure hands.
What Devin needs to realize his potential is a receivers coach that he respects and can teach him how to utilize all of his potential, like Moore had, for it is clear that the current recievers coach has done little to improve the play of the receivers in his charge, and should be fired along with almost all of the rest of the staff.
Although Charlie Sanders is too old to coach, Herman Moore would probably make a fine receivers coach for the next regime, for he could pass on both the physical training that he received from his wife, a track star, and all that Sanders taught him about being a wide receiver. He would have credability with the players because he played in the NFL,and was an all-pro receiver, and would probably be a good recruiter for the same reason.
November 3rd, 2014 at 5:10 PM ^
only parially serious, but i thought his dropsies were cured when he got contact lenses. i think i remember that about him.
November 3rd, 2014 at 8:39 PM ^
Maybe Devin just needs contacts ?
November 3rd, 2014 at 10:52 PM ^
November 3rd, 2014 at 1:36 PM ^
Yes, you should absolutely get the ball signed by him. No, he will not be regarded as a great #1.
November 3rd, 2014 at 1:37 PM ^
You should to continue the collection. But I don't include Funch in the discussion of Great WRs. He hasn't done enough or taken over big games like a Terrell or Edwards.
November 3rd, 2014 at 1:37 PM ^
One of many, but if you have the ball signed by other #1s, I would get him to sign it.
November 3rd, 2014 at 1:37 PM ^
November 3rd, 2014 at 1:47 PM ^
November 3rd, 2014 at 1:40 PM ^
Greg McMurtry sad.
November 3rd, 2014 at 6:42 PM ^
how did mc murtry never wear the 1? ive seen the vids, he was good.
was it an overlap?
i always kinda assumed it was before alexander kinda made it a WR number by wearing it again.
but i was born in 1981, so i know carter from vids and legend(and being old ass AC on the vikes) , but the first number 1 i actually saw was alexander..
(ED: i cant spell on my phone, and just caught the WH vid posted. i had never caught that mc murtry wore the 1)
November 3rd, 2014 at 1:41 PM ^
To be honest he doesn't have a great QB throwing to him but he should still be better.
November 3rd, 2014 at 5:14 PM ^
dropped pass ever
November 3rd, 2014 at 1:41 PM ^
but Ifeel that he quits on plays. It may be frustration from not getting the ball when he does break open, double coverage on a lot of plays, or whateever, but it seems like he doesn't finish routes, or come back to the ball when his QB is in trouble. (He started walking when he thought Devin might scramble on the eventual TD pass, rather than continue to run a route or look for a block).
This might be a recent thing though. I've seen him take some huge hits to make plays across the middle earlier this year. It just appears to the layman's eye (just my eye) that he is playing out there, but not every down, and not as hard as he can.
I do think Funchess can be a great reciever, but when Braylon wore the #1 his senior year, he made a mental change. Carr had a way of doing this with his players. I remember specifically Joppru and Braylon being huge turnarounds from just getting by, to being the guy who played his hardest every play he was out there. I haven't seen that yet with Funchess.
November 3rd, 2014 at 2:15 PM ^
Maybe he does quit on some plays. I"ll be he counts to three in his head and realizes that he isnt open by the time he gets to two it wont matter cause Devin will be running for his life or sacked when he gets to three.
The biggest issue with Funchess is the guy doesnt have an elite passer to throw him the ball like some of the other #1's had and his QB doesnt have a line that allows for deep routes to develop with any consistancy so safety's massively overplay the underneath routes.
Talent wise he's every bit the equal of the others IMO.
November 3rd, 2014 at 2:23 PM ^
Gallon had the same or similar QB (depending on how broken you think he is) and similar line and found a way to get open and break Braylon's season record. He has talent like few have ever had, but his effort just doesn't seem to be there.
November 3rd, 2014 at 5:25 PM ^
Devin has 1st Round NFL Draft talent according to the mock drafts, but isn't producing like Jeremy Gallon at Michigan.
I can certainly see why he was given the #1. Here's a guy projected for the first round after racking up 748 yards receiving in 2013. Get ready for him to blow up.
But it hasn't happened. Unless Funchess comes back, Gallon will have had the far better Michigan career. (Gallon totalled 829 yds receiving in 2012 and 1,373 in 2013.)
http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/stats/_/id/16828/type/college/jeremy-gall…
http://espn.go.com/college-football/player/stats/_/id/535145/devin-func…
November 3rd, 2014 at 2:39 PM ^
After watching Funchess not block all season, I refuse to blame his lack of production on the same quarterback who made Jeremy Gallon Michigan's all time leading receiver.
November 3rd, 2014 at 2:45 PM ^
There is no way that he is as good as Anthony Carter was. Every time A.C. touched the ball, he was a threat to go all the way, he simply had an electricity Funchess will probably never have due to his size. As an older poster, you should remember him.
November 3rd, 2014 at 3:00 PM ^
I certainly do. And for what it's worth I do agree with the guys above you that his effort seems to be lacking so I stand corrected.
You guys are right.
November 4th, 2014 at 12:14 AM ^
About him taking some plays off. I saw him line up in the red zone on Saturday and he practically had his hands in his pockets. It's obvious enough when we're going to run... we don't need any of our receivers acting like it doesn't matter if they run a route.
I have nothing personal against him (he seems like a nice guy), but he doesn't seem to have a tremendous drive to win.
November 3rd, 2014 at 1:44 PM ^
get Greg McMurtry to sign it, too.
November 3rd, 2014 at 2:16 PM ^
he lives in the Detroit suburbs and I've met Greg on numerous occasions. I decided not to have him sign.
November 3rd, 2014 at 2:52 PM ^
players, but it's your ball.
November 3rd, 2014 at 3:00 PM ^
When he played, in the mid/late 80s, UM did not throw the ball much (nor did any previous UM team). Still, by the time he retired, he was third all-time in receptions (behind Carter and Mandich) and second in yards (Carter).
And FWIW, he had a decent NFL career as well, which shows he had a high-level of talent.
November 3rd, 2014 at 3:29 PM ^
McMurtry was also one of the very highest rated players Bo signed too. Like Drew Henson he was a very highly rated baseball prospect too who the Boston Red Sox coveted.
November 3rd, 2014 at 3:30 PM ^
November 3rd, 2014 at 5:28 PM ^
for your balls?
November 3rd, 2014 at 1:44 PM ^
how great funch could be if he had henne, navarre, brady, henson, hell any of the the qb's from the 90s to mid 00's
November 3rd, 2014 at 1:56 PM ^
but in all honesty, that should have been considered when he was awarded the number. I just feel like giving Funchess #1 (and Countess #2 for that matter) was kind of already an act of desperation. It was the off-season equivalent of driving the "stake" into the Michigan State field. It was like, "if we think it, it will come."
Braylon was one of best wide receivers in the country for at least one full year, and possibly two years prior to getting the number. Funchess was a good "wide receiver-tight endish," type who had one solid season(while still being the #2 threat on his team) and made a few plays in his freshman season.
I think it was premature.
November 3rd, 2014 at 2:10 PM ^
will probably be the first receiver drafted this year. he is not going all out for this lame duck season. he knows his ticket to the league is punched, and he is just buying time trying to avoid injury. if he had something to play for this season he would change your mind.
November 3rd, 2014 at 2:17 PM ^
sorry, but I can't get on board with that logic. He is very much a part of the lame duck season. So, essentially, he failed to live up to expectations, and has now completely quit because he doesn't want to get get hurt? And this is advanced to support the issuance of the #1 to him?