BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer
FINDING A HOME
Less than two weeks before the 2016 opener against LSU, Neuville made the move from defensive line to tight end. The Badgers were a short at the position because David Edwards had switched to tackle and Fumagalli was nursing an arm injury. Neuville had taken some snaps at tight end at Waupaca High School, but he was recruited for the D-line. After redshirting in 2014, he appeared in 13 games in 2015 without registering a tackle. A walk-on, he was put on scholarship prior to that season.
FOOOOOOOOM
National pundits have already identified Fumagalli among the top tight ends going into 2017. Others in this category are Penn State's Mike Gesicki (48 catches for 679 yards and 5 TDs in 2016), NC State's Jaylen Samuels (55 for 565 and 7 TDs) and UMass' Adam Breneman (70 for 808 and 8 TDs). How will Fumagalli handle his newfound celebrity? "When it's football time, I focus on football," he said, adding that he won't be distracted by outside noise, no matter how flattering. "I will let that (the hype) play itself out. I don't worry about it too much. I try to stay out of the media stuff the best I can."
QUOTE TO NOTE
After gaining some weight during the offseason, the 6-4, 237-pound Penniston said, "Last year, I played a little lighter than I would have liked. Personally, I want to become a better player overall and a bigger part of the offense. I'm trying out new things (this spring) now that I'm more comfortable and feeling a lot better about my body. We all have a really good mindset (as a group). We want to be the best tight end room in the country. And we all want to be able to lead this offense."
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