Lucas at Large: Level-headed Fumagalli stays focused
November 18, 2017 | Football, Mike Lucas, Varsity Magazine
Big picture coming into focus for senior who has kept his attention on details
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BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer
MADISON, Wis. — If tight end Troy Fumagalli has questions about the Senior Day protocol and the inevitable emotion that is triggered — "I just know that we've had a slow start the last two years and that's my biggest concern right now" — he can tap into his position coach Mickey Turner for answers.
Garrett Graham, O'Brien Schofield, Chris Maragos and Turner were among the seniors that were introduced before Wisconsin's final home game of the 2009 season; a pivotal turnaround year under coach Bret Bielema because it served as a springboard to three consecutive trips to the Rose Bowl.
"My family was in town and getting to go out and meet them at midfield kind of brought it all together," recalled Turner, a tight end/fullback from Camdenton, Missouri. "The biggest thing is if you stay focused on the game, then you can enjoy the rest of the day after the game."
Turner and his classmates enjoyed a memorable sendoff as the Badgers rolled over Michigan 45-24, marking an unprecedented third straight UW home win in the series. Scott Tolzien accounted for five touchdowns (four passing), John Clay rushed for 151 yards and Chris Borland led the defense in tackles.
It was the last time that the Wolverines played in Madison.
Consider:
In 2009, Jim Harbaugh was coaching Andrew Luck at Stanford, while Rich Rodriguez was coaching Tate Forcier at Michigan. Paul Chryst was Bielema's offensive coordinator and coaching Tolzien, who guided the Badgers to a win over Miami (Florida) in the Champs Sports Bowl and a 10-3 record.
Eight years ago, Drew and Ross Fumagalli were playing linebacker for the Dayton Flyers while "little" brother Troy was still developing as a young athlete in Naperville, Illinois, where he came under the coaching wing of his dad, Doug Fumagalli, a former Holy Cross football player.
"My father has been coaching me my whole life right up until high school and he's had a huge impact on me," said Troy Fumagalli, who was originally a UW walk-on from Waubonsie Valley High School. "That will be pretty cool to see it come full circle and have them all out there (Saturday)."
That will include his mother (Char), dad and maybe both brothers.
"I know my mom will obviously get a kick out of it," he said. "She'll like it more than I will."
Fumagalli is more of a flat-liner. Take it from tight end Zander Neuville.
"Especially this season, our offense has been up and down a lot during the games and the one thing I've learned from him the most is that he's always level-headed," Neuville said. "He never gets too high or too low. That's huge. There are times when I'm getting frustrated, and he's always the same."
?? Wisconsin Senior Day ?? Be in your seat by 10:45am ?? Camp Randall Stadium Get there early. Get there loud. Let's send our seniors out right. #OnWisconsin || #Badgers
— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFB) November 15, 2017
Neuville, a converted defensive lineman, has learned something else from Fumagalli.
"It's the way he approaches every day," he said. "He's always trying to find ways to get better."
Turner has put a check by that same box.
"He's a guy that has pushed himself over and over," Turner said of Fumagalli's persistence in the face of adversity and accolades. "He just keeps growing and getting better and better. He has been humble, too, through the whole thing. He has not made it about him."
One of his Camp Randall Stadium memories was one of his most humbling moments.
"My first play ever," Fumagalli said, "I was next to Rob Havenstein."
Havenstein, a three-year starter with the Los Angeles Rams, was UW's right tackle; a mountain of a man at 6-foot-8, 321 pounds. Whenever anyone inquired about the correct pronunciation of his name, he would provide a helpful tip. "It's Havenstein," he would advise. "It rhymes with Frankenstein."
You get the picture. "So, he gave me a backside call on a block," remembered Fumagalli, who was trying to win over the trust of his older teammate. "And I messed it up. I completely blanked."
Havenstein was a gentle soul and giant. But he could be intimidating.
"Oh, yeah, he yelled at me," said Fumagalli. "I kind of kicked myself into gear from there."
John Mackey Award semifinalist ?? Burlsworth Trophy finalist... ?? Troy Fumagalli has been named 1 of 4 finalists for the Burlsworth Trophy
— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFB) November 15, 2017
Fumagalli never worried about catching a football or throwing a baseball — he was a lefthanded pitcher on his prep team — even though he was born with a congenital disorder (Amniotic Banding Syndrome) that resulted in the amputation of his left index finger.
"That was something I've always had confidence in," he said of his receiving skills.
Blocking out the fact that he had only nine fingers was not a problem. Blocking was.
"That has always been my biggest area to improve on since I was young," said Fumagalli.
Blocking is not optional in the offense. The Badgers like to get an extra blocker — like Fumagalli — at the point of attack. "I like to picture myself as the eyes of the tailback," he said. "I'm kind of finding that first hole for him and letting him do the rest. I love pulling. It's the unique thing about the job."
When Fumagalli is blocking on the edge of the defense, on some of the outside zone runs, he said, "You've got guys flying around and you're flying around, and you don't always hit them square on. But you try to make something happen."
Asked when it started to "happen" for him, he said, "My first spring here. That was a point where I started gaining confidence in myself. There was less thinking, 'I should do this, or I should do that.' I was relaxing and playing and that's when you start to grow as a football player."
Fumagalli, named Tuesday a semifinalist for the John Mackey Award given to the nation's top tight end, never gave much thought to how his journey might end at Wisconsin. "I never really thought about the big picture, I guess," he said. "I admit that I always believed in myself and I was always thinking that I belonged here. And I tried to prove it the best I could."
#OnWisconsin
— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) November 14, 2017
