The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/347495
MICHIGAN FOOTBALL WOLVERINES SHOW UP ON PRESEASON WATCH LISTS Watch list time has rolled around for college football, and Michigan isn't getting left out. Several Wolver- ines cropped up on the initial lists for postseason awards. Michigan has a pair of perform- ers on the initial targeting docket for the 2014 Chuck Bednarik Award. Se- nior defensive end Frank Clark and fifth-year senior linebacker Jake Ryan drew notice, and join redshirt junior cornerback Blake Countess on the Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list. Both trophies honor the nation's top defender. Countess was also named a Thorpe Award preseason candidate as the top defensive back nationally, while Ryan is drawing consideration for the Butkus (top linebacker, one of 51 candidates) and Lombardi (top down lineman or linebacker, one of 123 on list). Meanwhile, Michigan has a pair of Devins — fifth-year senior quar- terback Gardner and junior wide re- ceiver Funchess — up for the Max- well Award as the player of the year in college football. Funchess in 2013 was named the Big Ten Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the Year and was a semifinalist for the John Mackey Award, even while making the move to receiver. He earned first-team All-Big Ten status after hauling in 49 receptions for 748 yards and six touchdowns. His receiving total represented the highest for a Michigan tight end in a single season. He now boasts 64 TOP FINISHES FOR WOLVERINES IN NATIONAL AWARDS Award Player Year Finish Bednarik Award Charles Woodson 1997 First LaMarr Woodley 2006 Finalist Maxwell Award Desmond Howard 1991 First Tom Harmon 1940 First Charles Woodson 1997 Finalist Nagurski Award Charles Woodson 1997 First Leon Hall 2006 Finalist Thorpe Award Charles Woodson 1997 First Charles Woodson 1996 Finalist Tripp Welborne 1989 Finalist Butkus Award Erick Anderson 1991 First Mike Mallory 1985 Finalist Jarrett Irons 1995 Finalist Lombardi Award LaMarr Woodley 2006 First Mike Hammerstein 1985 Finalist John Elliott 1987 Finalist* * There have been four more finalists