Michigan Football News: ESPN Analyst Predicts Big Things Out Of Wolverines Offense

In this Michigan football news and rumors update, ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit believes in the direction that head coach Brady Hoke is taking the team's offense, per Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press.

“In his fourth year now, I think there’s more depth there, I think it’s going to help them become more dominant up front because I think (new offensive coordinator Doug) Nussmeier comes in at the right time,” Herbstreit stated on a Thursday conference call, per Snyder's article. “They’re going to try to run the football downhill. I think the backs are more experienced and, consequently, I think it’s going to take a lot of pressure off Devin Gardner."

One name in particular that Herbstreit tabs as essential to the offense's revival (and to Gardner's success) is tight end Devin Funchess.

“I think Devin Funchess is going to be his go-to guy. They’ll put him in a position to make some plays one on one and the defensive secondary will have to pay a lot of attention to him, which will create a lot of running lanes.”

Herbstreit's optimism runs counter to the line of questioning that has been directed at Hoke in what many college football minds believe to be a crucial year for his tenure at Ann Arbor.