The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/80972
R BY JOHN BORTON icky Barnum drew more spring- time attention than a peanut butter sandwich atop an anthill. The fifth- year senior knew it was coming and didn't try to hide from it. How could he? The moment head coach Brady Hoke tabbed Barnum as the man to beat at center, the questions rolled over him like Mike Martin over a 98-pound Pop Warner center. How could he replace David Molk, the Rimington Award winner as the best center in college football and the Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year? How could Barnum and his uncooperative ankles hold up, given the backdrop of Molk performing one-legged in the Sugar Bowl? not just an expectation because Molk left. It's always that. Even when I came in as a fresh- man, it was high." When Barnum returned from New Orleans following Michigan's Sugar Bowl triumph, plans were already moving forward to get him ready for spring ball. Funk told him center would be a great fit, and the veteran certainly wasn't a stranger to the position. He came in from Lakeland, Fla., as a fresh- man center. He's seen time at the position off and on throughout his career. Although he im- mediately began working on snaps with quar- terbacks Denard Robinson and Devin Gardner last January, they required no introductions. "Ricky has got a natural skill set for center," Funk said. "He played it quite a bit in prac- tice last year. Every day, I have five centers ATTENTION To A Crucial Role On The Line CENTER OF Ricky Barnum Steps In Furthermore, how can a veteran who hasn't seen the field as a starting center come in and take over one of the most crucial roles on the offense? Michigan offensive line coach Darrell Funk bears no resemblance whatsoever to musician Bobby McFerrin. But Funk remains serious when singing the "Don't Worry, Be Happy" tune regarding the Wolverines' center position in 2012. Barnum proved himself almost from the first whistle of spring practice, Funk insisted. Those who doubted, the offensive line coach assured, didn't do so for long. "Ricky had a real good spring," Funk certi- fied. "All eyes were on him early in the spring. I'm just going to tell you, after about three practices, it wasn't the focal point of … can he do it? Can he do it? It just wasn't. I knew it wouldn't be." Barnum, while offering up all due respect to Molk, has more on his mind than living up to the departed senior's ironman effort. Yes, the pressure is on, Barnum acknowledged, but it's not because of one recent success story. "It's a lot of pressure," Barnum acknowl- edged. "Here at Michigan, it's an expectation. It's not just what Molk did at center. Michigan has had a lot of great centers, not just Molk. That expectation is high for the whole offen- sive line, across the board. "We've had a lot of great linemen here. It's start practice with the quarterbacks, doing exchange. Ricky took 1,000 snaps last year, the gun snaps and all of that. I don't worry about that part." No, but he does stress that part. Barnum insists Funk's No. 1 message to his centers involves getting the play underway quickly and effectively. "Get the ball back to the quarterback," Bar- num nodded, with a grin. "The play can't start if you don't get it back there. It has to be in the right spot. If it's too high or too low, you messed up the quarterback's read. If it's way to the left or way to the right, you've messed him up. "That's what Coach Funk preaches. He knows everything else, I'm going to do my best at. He preaches, get the ball back to the quarterback." A greater concern, albeit no daunting one in Funk's eyes, involves Barnum's inexperience in terms of reading defenses, making line calls and working through the stage director's role at center. Barnum has done plenty of taking di- rection at a guard spot, but hasn't been called upon for game-time signal responsibilities. The veteran lineman views that aspect as his chief challenge this season. Barnum started at left guard in the Notre Dame, Eastern Michigan and San Diego State games last fall. 128 s THE WOLVERINE 2012 FOOTBALL PREVIEW PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL