Michigan Thursday: We Got The Funk

It's hard to coach one of the worst position groups in the country and keep your job.  But it seems Darrell Funk has done just that.   As you know, Darrell is Michigan's Offensive Line coach and is coaching 4 and 5 star guys and even some walk-on's.   Michigan replaced Big Al and now Coach Nuss has the reigns of the offense.  

So what's the plan?  "They have to move forward," Funk said during MGoBlue's signing day special earlier this month. "We have so many young guys in these last three classes, we don't have any choice but to move forward."

So what went wrong?
"It was a combination of a lot of things," said Funk, when asked to describe what went wrong a year ago. "Youth does bring inexperience. There is something to be said, even though you're talented, for that. It's 'I saw that once as a freshman, and it doesn't beat me anymore' if you're an older guy. But that being said, we have to do a better job of putting them in positions where they don't have to think as much for a young guy.

"The inside positions was where we struggled at times last year. But the nice thing about playing young guys (hopefully), maybe isn't (that first year), but you want to be able to look back this year and maybe next year and say 'when I was a true freshman, I took my lumps' and that's what we have to build on."  

Michigan has 5 guys coming off redshirt in David Dawson, Logan Tuley-Tillman, Patrick Kugler, Dan Samuelson and Chris Fox.  Bosch played last year as a true freshman and Magnuson and Kalis played as redshirt freshman.  Sophomores Chris Bryant and Graham Glasgow also contributed last year. 

The Wolverines started a total of nine different players up front a year ago, using a total of five different five-man starting combinations.

Spring Practice starts on Tuesday and Funk will be without Magnuson and Bryant who are recovering from shoulder injuries.    The depth issues are gone but the youth still remains.   This position group is going to have to get really good really fast.     We need some Funk Magic for these young guys!