Darrell Funk says Michigan offensive line has to be a 'physical, nasty group'
Darrell Funk has been Brady Hoke’s offensive line coach for the past three seasons and followed the new Michigan football coach to Ann Arbor.
Last season at San Diego State, the Aztecs had the 12th-best passing game in the Football Bowl Subdivision and were sixth in the nation in fewest sacks allowed.
Despite that solid pass protection, the ground game still comes first in Funk’s coaching philosophy.
David Molk (50) and Taylor Lewan (77) are two of four offensive linemen with extensive experience that will return for Michigan next season.
AnnArbor.com file photo
“It all starts with running the ball,” Funk said in a video posted by MGoBlue.com as it continues its series introducing Hoke’s coaching staff.
“It doesn’t mean it’s three yards and a cloud of dust and you don’t throw it. But when I’ve been with programs that couldn’t run it, you’re one-dimensional, you’re at a disadvantage.”
Funk will have a veteran line to work with at Michigan. Among the returning players are center David Molk and right guard Patrick Omaneh, who each started all 13 games last season.
Taylor Lewan, who started nine games at left tackle, and Mark Huyge, who had four starts at left tackle and four at right tackle, also return. So does starting tight end Kevin Koger.
Ricky Barnum and Elliott Mealer are expected to lead the competition for the left guard spot vacated by four-year starter Stephen Schilling.
Funk said the success of his unit will go a long way in determining the success of the Wolverines’ offense.
“Our offense will follow the lead of the line,” he said. “If we’re a physical, nasty group and we dictate that we can run the football when we want to and we come off the football, everything else falls into place.”
Comments
DonAZ
Wed, Jan 26, 2011 : 10:46 p.m.
@Dusty -- you may not believe me, but I'm in agreement with you on the play of Michigan's offensive line. It was a bright spot in the Michigan play. And as for the play of Molk in particular, all one need do is see what happened in 2009 when Molk went down for the season. I just want to see the focus going forward to be on quiet, determined execution. It makes me nervous when I see sports articles that seem to play up the idea of sensationalism. I suspect Hoke will do this. I suspect the sports article writers are trying to create the sensationalism.
Jen Eyer
Wed, Jan 26, 2011 : 4:24 p.m.
Comments have been removed for being off-topic and for being too personally directed at other commenters.
1st Down
Wed, Jan 26, 2011 : 11:36 a.m.
Again Dusty....., this is just one article and one point of view on this...but I can source many pro scouts and personnel who make similar statements on the difficulty in evaluating college spread linemen. And BTW...how many OL did Rich Rod put in to the NFL from his years in WV? not many... It will be good for our Michigan OL who want a future in 'the league' to migrate to a pro style offense and learn the techniques associated with it. This will help us in recruiting as well as top talent will want to come play in our system which is based on what the next level uses and on sound football principals. This is Michigan. Go Blue.
1st Down
Wed, Jan 26, 2011 : 11:05 p.m.
OK Ill take Dusty's word over Tony Bosellis...or any number of NFL scouts who say emphatically that OL that come from spread systems are harder to evaluate coming out than kids from pro systems and it takes longer for the spread kids to adapt to the NFL... whatever....
Dusty
Wed, Jan 26, 2011 : 9:01 p.m.
Your story says that college spread offenses "don't ask offensive linemen to get in that three-point stance". Seeing as how Michigan's o-line used a 3 point stance as much as they ever have this past season, I think maybe your whole point is moot. And a blanket statement about spread offenses by that author kills his credibility anyway. There are so many versions of the spread, and so many looks within each spread, that you can't lump them all together like that. And I have news for you, even in the NFL, tackles often passblock from a 2 point stance. It's a ridiculous assessment.
1st Down
Wed, Jan 26, 2011 : 11:35 a.m.
This post is for Dusty. The NFL has a hard time...a very hard time evaluating potential OL draft picks that played solely in the spread offense in college. This is VERY well known and Im surprised that you dont know this yourself, since you claim a lot of football knowledge. Here is a quote from one of many articles that you can find on the net concerning this topic: College spread offenses are killing line play - source CBS sports 10/14/2010 by Pete Prisco Former Jacksonville Jaguars tackle Tony Boselli is the best offensive lineman I've seen with my own two eyes. So I sought out his opinion as to why line play isn't as good this season as it was maybe five or 10 years ago. "It's the spread they use in college," Boselli said. "It doesn't allow them to be taught the techniques you need to have in the pro game. I talk to linemen now who didn't know how to get in a three-point stance when they came out of college. They never had to do it. In the old days, when college teams ran the triple-option, the linemen had a hard time adjusting to the pro game. That's what we're seeing now with the spread." Colleges that use the spread, an offense that is being seen more and more on that level, don't ask offensive linemen to get in that three-point stance, which means the run-blocking is much different than on the pro level and it's tough to learn how to pass block out of a two-point stance. "It's even that way in high school now," Boselli said. "So where are they learning the pro techniques?" When they get to the league, and that takes time. That's why you see some young linemen struggling when they get to the NFL.
Dusty
Wed, Jan 26, 2011 : 4:10 p.m.
Wow. Your whole argument is based on one man's opinion about the 3 point stance? Really? I played offensive line when I was in 7th grade. It took me about 5 seconds to learn how to get into a 3 point stance.
Tru2Blu76
Wed, Jan 26, 2011 : 7:49 a.m.
Welcome, Coach Funk, to Michigan. It looks like you'll be a solid part of Hokeomania here. Now you're a Big Blue Funk - hoping that means what you're going to put the other teams and coaches "into." Recruiting: the cupboard is being restocked with lots of solid, promising players - despite all the worries we'd end up with "nothing" come February 3rd. I think I see the Return of Michigan solidifying out of the fog of uncertainty.
Dusty
Wed, Jan 26, 2011 : 3:34 a.m.
Michigan was 10th in the nation in sacks allowed, in a real conference. Granted, Denard is probably harder to sack than 95% of the QBs in the nation, but the line still gave him great protection all year long. Michigan played against studs like Adrian Clayborn, JJ Watt, Corey Liuget, and Ryan Kerrigan, and only gave up 11 sacks all season. I can't believe I even need to defend these kids. The offensive line was the most consistent unit on the entire team this season.
DonAZ
Wed, Jan 26, 2011 : 12:04 a.m.
Translation: dominate the line of scrimmage and you dominate the game. Personally I'd leave out the "nasty" part. It's like the other story about Jones being a "violent" hitter. Stop with the silly adjectives. Here are the examples of the adjectives I'd prefer seeing: "disciplined" blocker; "effective" tackler; "smart" coverage corner.
DonAZ
Wed, Jan 26, 2011 : 8:06 a.m.
If you read my post you will see that I was NOT saying the Michigan offensive line was undisciplined. And yes, I know a few things about blocking schemes. And yes, I am well aware that Molk and Schilling were particularly good. And in particular what was appealing about them was the quiet, workmanlike way they went about their job. Now I know that Funk was NOT suggesting the O-line get "nasty" in the sense that they play dirty and incur penalties. But I ask -- what would you rather have: a player who was trying to hard to be noticed for being "nasty" or "hard-hitting" ... or a player who simply got the job done with no mistakes? Clearly the latter. And that's my point.
Dusty
Wed, Jan 26, 2011 : 3:24 a.m.
Outside of Lewan, our offensive line was very disciplined last year. If you know anything about blocking schemes, Molk and Schilling in particular did some very, very difficult blocking last season and shined. Some of the stretches they had to make in the run game required serious agility and quickness that you don't often see in men who weight upwards of 285.
1st Down
Tue, Jan 25, 2011 : 11:38 p.m.
To paraphrase my immortal brotha George Clinton: "We want the Funk...gotta have that Funk!" I think this OL will convert well to pro style and a lot of these players will be thankful that they do as the pro style offense will prep them for the next level....and give Michigan a mean-streak, downhill running game that we've been missing since Brandon Minor wrist was healthy.
1st Down
Wed, Jan 26, 2011 : 11:05 p.m.
No where in my comments above did I even refer to the words "zone blocking"... some people can see only what they want to see
Dusty
Wed, Jan 26, 2011 : 5:15 a.m.
Not to mention that Michigan has been zone blocking since the spring of 2006.
Dusty
Wed, Jan 26, 2011 : 5:14 a.m.
And what do you mean "these players will be thankful that they do as the pro style offense will prep them for the next level"? Have you heard of the Green Bay Packers? (If not, you'll be hearing a lot about them in the next two weeks, because they're about to play in the Super Bowl). They are among MANY professional teams that use zone blocking schemes exclusively.
Dusty
Wed, Jan 26, 2011 : 3:22 a.m.
A "pro style" offense has nothing to do with the blocking schemes. Drive blocking and zone blocking are both used in "pro style" offenses. Ohio State uses both, just for reference.
PortageLkBlu
Tue, Jan 25, 2011 : 10:26 p.m.
Our coaches keep on saying all the obvious right things and then some I guess I'm not interested in all the chatter I want to see what our boys can do on the playing field this next season.
azwolverine
Wed, Jan 26, 2011 : 3:39 a.m.
I want to see, too. I personally don't expect a huge, if any, jump in wins next year. The schedule is tough with road games at Iowa, MSU, Illinois, and Northwestern, as well as home games against ND, SDSU, Nebraska and OSU. However, what is more important to me next year is to see UM closing the gap on the top teams in the B10...to play mentally and physically tough and competitively from start to finish, both in games and over the course of the season. If they do that, which I do expect, it will be a sure sign that Coach Hoke and his staff are laying the foundation for big time success in the future.
tulsatom
Wed, Jan 26, 2011 : midnight
I agree that talk is cheap. I remember that the previous coaching staff said all the right things, too. I remember Scott Shaffer as defensive coordinator saying how they were going to be an "attacking defense". The proof is in the pudding. I think it will be easier for Funk because he has four of the five starting offensive linemen plus the starting tight end back. It will be more of a challenge on defense.
OldTimer
Tue, Jan 25, 2011 : 10:26 p.m.
Inspiring news on the new offensive line coach and his philosophy. A physically tough offensive line matches well with a nasty tough running back squad. Remember Demetrius Hart's comment when he had chosen Michigan? The defenses would have to "pick their poison." In other words, key on him or Shoelace, and get burned by the other. Not that Jackson's backfield isn't dangerous already. But is it possible to put Shoelace on the phone with Dee? He WAS committed to Michigan, and he DID say the above, so it's not like the Michigan staff and players are barging in on another schools recruiting effort. Referencing Denard's "I'm staying" video clip, can anybody really say no to that guy's radiant cool?
81wolverine
Tue, Jan 25, 2011 : 10:03 p.m.
Lewan shouldn't have any problem with the nasty part. He got more than his share of PF penalties last year. I think the OL will be good this year. The coaches just need to A) retool the running game and B) work with Denard to improve his reads and downfield passing. Our wide receivers are probably pretty happy about the coaching change, but I expect a few of our slot guys to depart during the off-season. We kind-of over-recruited that position in the last 3 years and were light in some other areas. Hoke and staff will need to fix the imbalances going forward.
Dusty
Wed, Jan 26, 2011 : 3:18 a.m.
Why would the receivers be "pretty happy" about he coaching change? They had plenty of opportunities last season, and dropped way, WAY too many passes that hit them in the hands (particularly Roy Roundtree). I'm positive Denard will be a better passer next year, but I don't think the change in coaches will make that so any more than the previous coaches. Rod Smith did an EXCELLENT job with Denard between his freshman and sophomore years, and I would have expected him to do the same if he were still here.
michboy40
Tue, Jan 25, 2011 : 8:39 p.m.
It's time to put on a little weight and start smashing some people in the mouth. Stephen Hopkins just got a promotion!
PHXblue
Tue, Jan 25, 2011 : 8:31 p.m.
Lewan is a great prospect if someone can teach him the intricacies of the snap count. I dont have the stats but I have to guess he lead the team in false starts last year. Probably holding calls as well.