tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440694009017367434.post9064466937670941198..comments2024-03-28T20:09:43.455-04:00Comments on Touch the Banner: Ian Bunting, WolverineUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440694009017367434.post-74676109998962723122013-04-24T16:50:20.849-04:002013-04-24T16:50:20.849-04:00Well, I appreciate your response, but I guess we&#...Well, I appreciate your response, but I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on this. Koger, I agree, was not limited--and I thought he had a very productive senior year, both with effective run-blocking and making plays in the passing game. IMO Funchess was one-dimensional (basically a big WR) in 2012, yet still I thought Michigan got a lot of production out of him for being a true freshman. The players I had in mind as being "limited" were guys like Brandon Moore and Kwiatkowski. I agree Moore had a disappointing career, but overall I am not sure what else we were supposed to have seen by now out of the TE position based on the personnel we've had.<br /><br />That said, I really enjoy your blog--especially now that I can read it at work. Keep up the good work!EGDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01319456311333566357noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440694009017367434.post-2880803767870894322013-04-24T11:54:07.909-04:002013-04-24T11:54:07.909-04:00I don't think you are comparing apples to appl...I don't think you are comparing apples to apples with Funchess to Bunting. Your point is valid, but just because a high school is using an athletic huge kid as a wide-receiver doesn't mean that he can't (or can't be taught to) block. It's just the way that coach uses him which is probably pretty effective against your average HS corner. 2, 3, tight end sets with big backs and tall WR's - a defense is going to have to hedge its bet and commit to a probable defensive approach - that will give Borges and our QB some very good audible opportunities. Remember too, you don't have to be a Mike Ditka, pile driving TE to be effective. Just delay, help set the edge or occupy the defender and we should have some good sized RB's to do the rest.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440694009017367434.post-42154431416831440732013-04-24T11:31:16.652-04:002013-04-24T11:31:16.652-04:00I agree that it's the former. And I think Bun...I agree that it's the former. And I think Bunting has good potential as a blocker from the technical and attitude standpoints; he just needs to develop his body.Thunderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09708792562446136381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440694009017367434.post-72090494647928439762013-04-24T11:30:18.845-04:002013-04-24T11:30:18.845-04:00Zero.Zero.Thunderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09708792562446136381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440694009017367434.post-67834627468212893832013-04-24T11:29:55.806-04:002013-04-24T11:29:55.806-04:00Koger wasn't very limited, and Funchess wasn&#...Koger wasn't very limited, and Funchess wasn't, either, for what they wanted him to do. Perhaps it was the presence of Denard Robinson that kept the tight ends from being heavily involved (although Funchess did pretty well with him early last season). If/when Michigan shows improved usage of the tight end this fall, then Bunting's rating might go up. If Gardner keeps targeting the wideouts the vast majority of the time, then there won't be a need.Thunderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09708792562446136381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440694009017367434.post-25034315151564082732013-04-24T11:12:07.829-04:002013-04-24T11:12:07.829-04:00First off, I'm excited about the commitment. T...First off, I'm excited about the commitment. This kid's offer sheet speaks for itself, and I think he'll be a real matchup problem a la Funchess. <br /><br />That said, I'm a bit wary of these "flex" TE's. I would have preferred a kid like Helm who can both block and receive (a more traditional TE) to a kid who is a receiving threat though unproven in blocking. We saw last year how Funchess's inability to block kept him off the field, and although that can largely be attributed to his being only a freshman last year, him showing up to spring camp at 220 does not inspire confidence in me that the grand plan is to make him a blocker. This uni dimensionality I think will ultimately limit the production (and playing time) of a flex TE vs. a traditional (ie Jake Butt) TE.<br /><br />But hey, that's why Borges makes the big bucks right? I'm withholding judgement on the Flex TE position until I see how Borges intends to use these hybrid players in the next few years. Certainly the NFL has made flex TE's en vogue with guys like Gronkowski (though Gronk is around 265), so perhaps Borges has something similar in store. <br /><br />Overall, I think this kid has excellent potential to add a lot of weight. His receiving skills are way above average for a TE recruit. The question is: is it easier to teach blocking to a receiver or receiving skills to a blocker? I, for one, think it's the former. Very excited, nice pickup. GregGoBluehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11492205497063889306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440694009017367434.post-31892563872869350732013-04-24T10:55:31.641-04:002013-04-24T10:55:31.641-04:00This is very intriguing. Given the direction that...This is very intriguing. Given the direction that it seems Borges is going finally - they are building a "Stanford like" stable of multi-role TE's with size, U-Backs (hill), H-backy kind of guys (shallman imo). Especially like that we are equipping the offense with some pretty interesting match-up problems as these kids get on the field. I think Bunting will eventually get up to 250 - 260 as he matures and lifts. Excellent ! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440694009017367434.post-28771425779897237722013-04-24T10:17:58.360-04:002013-04-24T10:17:58.360-04:00This seems like an odd approach to me. It's n...This seems like an odd approach to me. It's not as though Michigan never had any standout tight ends prior to the Rich Rod era (Joppru, Tuman, and McGee come immediately to mind). And the current staff hasn't given me any indication that they won't develop any new TE prospects to their fullest potential--it's just that some of the guys they've been working with so far were a bit limited.EGDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01319456311333566357noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440694009017367434.post-89781915276508835292013-04-24T08:46:08.599-04:002013-04-24T08:46:08.599-04:00Nice get for us. Should be a mismatch when he puts...Nice get for us. Should be a mismatch when he puts on weigh and hits the field. GO BLUE. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440694009017367434.post-33401900382437162972013-04-24T06:32:37.511-04:002013-04-24T06:32:37.511-04:00I'm not saying he has less potential. I'm...I'm not saying he has less potential. I'm saying I don't see him having a career worthy of being rated higher. I'm not going to rate a tight end in the 90's, for example, when Michigan hasn't shown that they can develop a 1st round/All-American type player at the position.Thunderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09708792562446136381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440694009017367434.post-11343949445824929352013-04-24T01:25:55.246-04:002013-04-24T01:25:55.246-04:00I suppose I just think your ratings system is very...I suppose I just think your ratings system is very useful for the purpose of evaluating player potential. Trent Richardson didn't have less potential when he was running behind Mark Ingram. You can't say Bunting has less potential just because Michigan has many other top options. But, maybe I'm wrong...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440694009017367434.post-87752167323712528092013-04-23T22:10:36.131-04:002013-04-23T22:10:36.131-04:00Gardner didn't use Funchess much last year. I...Gardner didn't use Funchess much last year. I'm not saying that he won't, but we haven't seen it. It's a worthwhile argument because it's true, and if Michigan is going to spread the ball around to its wideouts, its running backs, and numerous tight ends (Funchess, Butt, Bunting, etc.), then nobody may develop into a star.Thunderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09708792562446136381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440694009017367434.post-13440567646249460722013-04-23T22:06:45.210-04:002013-04-23T22:06:45.210-04:00Not sure the "Michigan has yet to really turn...Not sure the "Michigan has yet to really turn a tight end into a star" argument is worthwhile since we're still working our way out of the RR era. I think we'll know a lot more after DG has spent an entire offseason as the presumptive starter. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440694009017367434.post-1379118388188890952013-04-23T22:03:29.353-04:002013-04-23T22:03:29.353-04:00How many defenses do you think will be equipped to...How many defenses do you think will be equipped to deal with the kind of size Michigan will have with Harris and Bunting/Funchess?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440694009017367434.post-51253759037344915492013-04-23T21:12:10.649-04:002013-04-23T21:12:10.649-04:00He rattled that kid's grill pretty good on the...He rattled that kid's grill pretty good on the fake reverse thing they ran at about 5:50. <br /><br />It's really looking like the plan going forward is simply all jump balls are ours.Roanmanhttp://justthinking.usnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440694009017367434.post-66033894463130404812013-04-23T21:09:12.002-04:002013-04-23T21:09:12.002-04:00I would have probably taken Helm because he's ...I would have probably taken Helm because he's bigger and you know what you're getting a little bit more. Both are good options, though. I think Helm has the ability to play Y or U, whereas Bunting is pretty limited to U.Thunderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09708792562446136381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440694009017367434.post-83642367433751028732013-04-23T21:05:05.244-04:002013-04-23T21:05:05.244-04:00He would be higher than 14th, yes. I'm not su...He would be higher than 14th, yes. I'm not sure how much, though. I would take him over Weishar, but this is a pretty good year for tight ends, in my opinion. There are a lot of good ones.Thunderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09708792562446136381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440694009017367434.post-58821780263786878242013-04-23T20:53:01.421-04:002013-04-23T20:53:01.421-04:00I understand how your rating system works, but if ...I understand how your rating system works, but if you were in charge of the Rivals ratings and used it how they currently do: Would you have him ranked higher than the 14th overall tight end?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440694009017367434.post-17363569620781556882013-04-23T20:44:38.224-04:002013-04-23T20:44:38.224-04:00Okay, so now for the big question, Thunder: Bunti...Okay, so now for the big question, Thunder: Bunting or Helm?TTB Andrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14360667391085484476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440694009017367434.post-68809619939541517412013-04-23T20:28:28.878-04:002013-04-23T20:28:28.878-04:00Michigan has yet to really turn a tight end into a...Michigan has yet to really turn a tight end into a star. Koger, Funchess, and others have just been mildly productive over the past couple years. Bunting has the potential to be pretty darn good; but it remains to be seen whether Michigan can get him the ball enough to be a stud, All-Big Ten, All-American, etc. If they use Funchess more effectively in 2013, that might help Bunting's TTB Rating.Thunderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09708792562446136381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2440694009017367434.post-77527901656093901022013-04-23T20:23:27.608-04:002013-04-23T20:23:27.608-04:00Your comments about him make a rating of 78 seem a...Your comments about him make a rating of 78 seem a tad low, the kid seems to have star potential. What is keeping him from a rating of 80+?Juicy Juicehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15000754533376561492noreply@blogger.com