Devin Funchess and Frank Clark light it up in debut
After Jake Ryan had a great performance for GB yesterday, Funchess and Clark had stellar performances in their first NFL action.
Clark lead the team with 9 tackles and had a forced fumble.
Funchess finished with 2 catches for 53 yards. Both catches were quite difficult too.
Check out this sideline tip-toe (NFL won't let you embed copyrighted clips)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWGqXSdFVAI
Also noteworthy: Denard got the start at RB for the Jags and played 2 series. He had 4 carries for 22 yards(5.5 avg)
I know its only preseason, but Wolverines are representing well thus far.
August 15th, 2015 at 1:40 AM ^
We are dominating this NFL Preseason!
August 15th, 2015 at 1:56 PM ^
I don't really want to celebrate Frank Clark's NFL accomplishments, as that implies his exploits can somehow bring reflected glory to U of M. I so not believe that to be the case.
Just how I feel...
August 15th, 2015 at 1:43 AM ^
...wearing white pants, tho?!?!?
August 15th, 2015 at 1:47 AM ^
I grow ever more disappointed in Hoke. If there was ever a coach who failed to get the most from his talent...
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August 15th, 2015 at 1:49 AM ^
Yeah but he left the program in great shape.
August 15th, 2015 at 2:35 AM ^
The true measuring stick of coaching acumen; how talented the team you're fired from is.
August 15th, 2015 at 7:44 AM ^
if that's the case then ron zook is the greatest coach of all time
August 15th, 2015 at 4:44 PM ^
I think you're missing the point. That would make Zook the worst coach of all time.
August 15th, 2015 at 2:08 AM ^
And I was a big supporter of Hoke. I think that's why my meltdown during last year's ND game was so huge. That is when I finally figured out all those great recruits weren't jelling to live up to expectations. Great to see this very early success from these guys, and I hope it continues....but with that, I also feel so bad for Devin. I hope he lands somewhere where he can play and fulfill that dream. I think he had more in him, and it's a shame.
August 15th, 2015 at 9:08 AM ^
Reposting, because I've posted so late on a couple of other chains that they dropped off the fast-moving front page:
After clearing the waiver wire (where he was "waived-injured"), the Steelers took him back to go on their IR list. Speculation as to whether the drops were due to being already injured, perhaps in the first couple of passes to him that were heavily defended, but it seems they saw enough of him in practice to want to keep him available for the future.
August 15th, 2015 at 9:44 AM ^
I did miss that. Still a bummer that he couldn't have gotten more from his coaches.
August 15th, 2015 at 2:21 AM ^
We still don't know what Hoke would have actually done if David Brandon wasn't dictating the offense to him. Brandon made him try to play 1970's football in the 2010's. No wonder he didn't get anything out of his teams. I am as pissed as you are, but my ire goes 100% to David Brandon.
August 15th, 2015 at 2:32 AM ^
Brandon dictated the scheme Hoke ran? Honest question.
August 15th, 2015 at 2:37 AM ^
Didn't he sit in on film sessions?
August 15th, 2015 at 9:29 AM ^
He was only bringing Pepporoni pizzas from Dominos, sprinkled with execution & toughness
August 15th, 2015 at 2:37 AM ^
That seems completely insane to me too. We're going to need a source on that statement.
August 15th, 2015 at 3:40 AM ^
It's a Taterism, no facts just made up bullshit preached like the gospel. This guy also swears that Dave Brandon forced Rich Rod to hire Greg Robinson a year before he was even AD.
August 15th, 2015 at 7:43 AM ^
It is pretty well known at this point that Brandon did have a huge role in several of the coordinator hires, that he sat in with Hoke during film study and that he did give his views on football strategy.
August 15th, 2015 at 12:24 PM ^
It's also pretty well known that Greg Robinson was hired in 2009 and Dave Brandon was hired in 2010.
August 15th, 2015 at 8:42 AM ^
Sorry I can't source it now, but I recall some player comments about Brandon sitting in on film sessions. They were positive in tone, iirc.
August 15th, 2015 at 6:35 AM ^
Brandon hired Nussmeier.
August 15th, 2015 at 8:44 AM ^
And while we remind ourselves of that let's not forget that he received 99% MgoBlog approval, and 100% confidence that he could do no worse than his predecessor.
August 15th, 2015 at 8:59 AM ^
Hoke hired Borges...stop making excuses...at the end of the day, Hoke is to be predominantly judged on wins and losses. The former came up in short supply
August 15th, 2015 at 11:29 AM ^
Were the ones running the offense for Michigan. Either way, I am pretty sure Hole didn"t understand what they were doing anywho.
August 15th, 2015 at 12:12 PM ^
Dude, we get it.
August 15th, 2015 at 10:20 AM ^
After all. They always practiced great during the week. These were practice games and were on weekdays after all. /s
August 15th, 2015 at 11:25 AM ^
Al Golden is giving Brady Hoke a run for his money in the "Name a coach who failed to maximize the talent he recruited/inherited" competition.
Miami went 6-7 in 2014 despite having 7 players drafted - 2 in the 1st round and 3 more in the next 2 rounds.
August 15th, 2015 at 12:22 PM ^
Starting from Mgblog's analysis of him long ago I never had any illusions or misconceptions about his capabilities.
August 15th, 2015 at 2:36 AM ^
I mean we all damn well know these guys were talented.
I just don't think the focus and accountability was there at all last season.
There were a lot of opportunties for these guys to make plays despite the all the issues and it rarely happened in the MUST HAVE SPOTS.
In those moments Ohio State makes the play. We never did and would then let it carry over and bury us.
August 15th, 2015 at 2:02 AM ^
If Funchess wants it bad enough and works hard enough, he is going to be a pro bowler and soon.
August 15th, 2015 at 2:09 AM ^
It's a shame he didn't seem to want it that badly while wearing the maize and blue.
August 15th, 2015 at 3:18 AM ^
Like LongLiveBo said he was hurt. Torn ligaments and a cracked toe.
We could've easily gone 4-8 last year if he doesn't make that tackle.
Ace had a pretty good write up about it, idk if we'll ever know exactly what the issues were.
August 15th, 2015 at 3:58 AM ^
Not downplaying the effort, but that tackle would have been made by one of the other 3 guys right there
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August 15th, 2015 at 4:31 AM ^
Lol. Was thinking the exact same thing until I saw your post. Then I thought "thank God Funchess made that play to preserve our precious 5-7 record."
Funchess was a bum, plain and simple. Said wins and losses were just numbers for Christ's sake.
August 15th, 2015 at 5:02 AM ^
I would be willing to bet Hoke just said that to help his draft stock.
August 15th, 2015 at 2:10 AM ^
I remember seeing one of those offseason videos with playing with some other guys at a high school last off season and couldn't believe how jacked he was.
Its all the mental and focus with him - which he rarely showed at Michigan.
August 15th, 2015 at 2:50 AM ^
I can't blame Funchess too much on last season. it would be hard to play all out all the time under Hoke.
August 15th, 2015 at 8:52 AM ^
Tend to agree. There was something seriously wrong with the chemistry of Hoke's teams.
August 15th, 2015 at 10:24 AM ^
"It would be hard to play all out all the time under Hoke"
-said Devin Gardner never. I would guess for Funchess it was a combination, he got injured early and thought it wasn't worth killing himself for that team. Which frankly is the most rational response.
Poor damn Gardner thought it WAS worth killing himself for that team. I don't judge Funchess any more negatively for that, just that it makes me like Gardner that much more. We better have a cushy Athletic Dept job waiting for him in a few years if he doesn't stick in the NFL
August 15th, 2015 at 9:45 AM ^
Not sure why he'd want to be a bowler if he's so good at football...
August 15th, 2015 at 9:39 AM ^
That's a big if.
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August 15th, 2015 at 5:59 PM ^
from his problems dropping passes last year, the guy has always been able to get into position for the catch. He uses his arms better than most to create the separation within the rules before the ball arives. Many receivers never catch onto this.
August 15th, 2015 at 7:16 AM ^
I always liked Rawls. I hope he does well.
August 15th, 2015 at 1:58 PM ^
Who had two solo tackles and a sack.
August 15th, 2015 at 2:18 AM ^
Funchess said some dumb things last year but I feel the need to remind everyone that he was hurt the entire year last year.
August 15th, 2015 at 11:35 AM ^
It was agruably the Hoke's fault that Funchess was injured all year.
August 15th, 2015 at 2:52 AM ^
9 tackles for a defensive end is a pretty damn good game.
August 15th, 2015 at 4:22 AM ^
Alright so check this out. A friend of mine, just got back from dinner with some of his friends. He eats dinner early.
A friend of my friend, happens to have very insidery insider connections with "folks in the know" at the university. He gave my friend quite the nugget, packed with juice. The players were not receiving the highest level of coaching last year.
However, only the most inside of Michigan insiders know this. Including my friend of course, who told me. It'll be going public quite soon, I assure you. You'll all be depressed peckers when the news breaks.
All props to the wiener which is spicy named Carlos.
August 15th, 2015 at 5:11 AM ^
Brady Hoke may have been the most over paid HC in college football history.