The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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play. We're always making sure we're on the same page. "Sometimes the ball will be in a dif- ferent spot than it should be. We'll come talk to each other and say, 'Hey, maybe you should do this a little bit different next time, Jake.' Or he'll tell me, 'I'm going to put it on your back shoulder this next play.' It's little com- munication things like that." Butt remains excited about the sea- son and what Harbaugh has brought into Michigan football. He stressed that there is a lot going on during any given play, with a level of intricacy that helps ensure success. "We're sitting in the huddle, call- ing an eight-second play, because we might have two run plays and a pass play. We can switch the direction of a play or kill it to a pass play based on their defense," Butt said. "That's some sophisticated stuff that you don't really see a lot of college teams doing. "Jake just does a great job of lead- ing. He calls the play really crisp in the huddle. Everyone is on the same page. Everyone knows what is going on. You rep it so many times in practice, by the game, it's like second nature." It's second nature for Butt to go up and get the football, whether in a crowd or churning like a runaway train down the seam of a defense. In either scenario, he recognizes nothing in his way. "I'm just trying to do my job," Butt assured. "Whatever the game plan calls for, I'm just going to do my job. Coach Harbaugh is going to put together a great game plan, and if my number gets called, I'm going to answer it." ❏ Michigan's Top Five Tight Ends For A Single Season The Wolverines have enjoyed some effective tight end play over the years, harkening all the way back to the early years of Bo Schembechler's coaching tenure. They've featured bigger performers who could not only block but go get the football as well. Devin Funchess set the standard for U-M receiving yards by a tight end, gar- nering 748 on 49 catches in 2013. He enjoyed an advantage as a bit of a hybrid, usually splitting out from the line and towering over defensive backs. With 134 yards and 14 catches through three games, junior tight end Jake Butt could not only threaten Funchess' yardage record, but the single-season mark of 53 tight end receptions set by Bennie Joppru in 2002. Here's a look at the top five tight ends, in terms of receiving yardage, for a single season: 1. Devin Funchess, 748, 2013: Funchess roamed free in opposing backfields, unencumbered by the extensive blocking duties of many Michigan tight ends. The 6-5, 230-pounder used his superior length to dominate, becoming the Big Ten Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the Year. Funchess became one of eight finalists for the John Mackey Award, given annually to the nation's top tight end. He