Kornacki: Perry Finds Meaning in Wearing Butt's No. 88

By Steve Kornacki

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan leading receiver Grant Perry is doing his best to "represent" his friend and former teammate, Jake Butt, by adopting the No. 88 Butt made a name for himself with as a two-time All-America tight end.

"I took on the switch," said Perry. "Donovan (Peoples-Jones) came in and wanted No. 9. ... I had to choose another number. There weren't too many left, and I actually reached out to Jake Butt and asked him if it was cool that I would wear it. He said, 'Of course. You're a leader, and you're a ballplayer. So, go out there and represent it.'

"Jake was a heck of a leader, on and off the field. He was voted team captain (in 2016) for a reason, and it still shows. Because even this past weekend, when we were playing Michigan State, he was still giving advice in the locker room. He was still coaching up, still teaching, and that's something I really admire and something I'm trying to instill in myself that I can give on to other people."

Butt was able to attend the Saturday night (Oct. 7) game at Michigan Stadium because the Denver Broncos had a bye week. Broncos coach Vance Joseph announced Monday (Oct. 9) that Butt, who had ACL knee surgery in January when he got injured in the Orange Bowl, will resume practice with the team and likely soon be playing.

Perry said of Butt: "He just said, 'Get the guys up, keep them up.' He was giving me tips and in-game stuff and really trying to motivate them and keep them up. You know, we were down at half, and he was trying to keep the spirits up in the locker room."

Butt tweeted from @JakeButtTE prior to Michigan's Sept. 9 win over Cincinnati: "Make a play @TheGrantPerry!!!"

Make a play @TheGrantPerry !!!
— jbooty (@JakeButtTE) September 9, 2017

Perry responded, too, making four catches for 66 yards, including a 33-yard touchdown that was a highlight-reel grab. Perry caught the ball from quarterback Wilton Speight in the middle of the field, raced through two Bearcats, sprang off his feet parallel to the ground as if taking flight, and reached out with the ball in his right hand while hitting the end zone.

"That was cool to go back in the locker room and see the tweet," said Perry. "I appreciated that, and he texted me after the game, 'Good game. Way to ball out.' It's great to get that support."

So, they stay connected beyond the number they now share.

"We have numbers on our backpacks," said Perry, "and one guy asked me if I was a tight end. I kindly said, 'No.' "

Perry, 6-0 and 196 pounds, chuckled about that. The junior from Bloomfield Hills (Michigan) Brother Rice has added strength and is solid, but he is several inches and at least 45 pounds away from tight-end bulk.

He was a solid contributor as a freshman (when he had a big touchdown catch against Florida in the bowl game in Orlando) and sophomore but has become the team's leading receiver with 18 catches for 224 yards and one touchdown heading into Saturday's (Oct. 14) game at Indiana.

Officials ruled that he had scored his second touchdown in the 14-10 loss to Michigan State, but a film review placed the ball about one foot from the goal line and reduced it to a 15-yard reception. Khalid Hill ran it in on the next play.

Wolverine fans roar when Perry catches the ball and takes off with a burst of speed as if he's fuel-injected with the ball in his hands.

"Yeah, I pick up on that," Perry said of the crowd reaction. "I mean, I get pumped, man. Every time I get the ball, I'm excited and try to get as much YAC, yards after catch, as I can, just anything to help the team."

How has he improved this season?

"First off," Perry said, "my mental game, just knowing what everyone has to do at the other 10 positions. I have a strong memory, and I'm really working to understand the playbook and learn some things about the offensive line. I'm really trying to get a good grasp of the whole offense.

"It benefits me to try to understand what an offensive coordinator is telling us -- whether my route has a certain depth for the other route to come underneath -- so it makes sense. And, just physically, I've been working really hard and gaining weight, putting on muscle. The strength staff we have is really good and has watched over me and done really well with me."

Grant Perry
Perry leaps for the end zone on a 33-yard touchdown against Cincinnati on Sept. 9.

He added that he "has a better understanding of blocking" this year.

"It's a skill in itself just being able to block these big safeties and linebackers," Perry said. "But it's a fun one, especially when you get a nice, clean block."

Perry has enjoyed gleaning information from new receivers coach and passing game coordinator Pep Hamilton, who spent the previous four seasons with the Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts.

"He came from the pros and so he's been instilling a lot of good things that he was doing with receivers in the pros," said Perry. "I find that fascinating and I try to watch as much pro film as I can watch. Those are guys doing it at the highest level and he was coaching at the highest level. I really admire that."

Perry got himself open on a play at Purdue when quarterback John O'Korn eluded the grasp of a would-be sacker, nearly lost his balance and recovered to sprint to his right and find Perry for 12 yards. That third-and-six play ignited a comeback victory over the Boilermakers.

"I was running a crossing route," said Perry. "I saw he was getting sacked, and I thought, 'Oh, crap.' Then I saw him roll, and said, 'Whoa, I've got to help him out and get into the picture.' We practice that, and that's a scramble drill. He popped open and the line kept blocking and I was just there for the catch."

Perry followed the examples of wide receivers Jehu Chesson (Kansas City Chiefs) and Amara Darboh (Seattle Seahawks) the last two seasons but now finds himself as the leader for a young, talented receiving corps.

"Obviously, I didn't think I'd be in this position," said Perry. "I didn't even know back in high school if I was going to be going to be at Michigan or get an offer from them.

"And now, being in a position to lead the receiver group is an honor. Jehu and Darboh definitely prepared me well, and I still reach out to them and ask them for advice to help everyone perform to their best each Saturday."

Perry, a three-star recruit rated the No. 12 player in the state by Rivals.com, was headed to Northwestern before Jim Harbaugh became Michigan's coach about five weeks prior to National Letter of Intent signing day and offered him a scholarship.

"Life changed in a split-second," said Perry.

His jersey number changed this year. And while it's not a move that's path-altering, it is one that represents the path he wants to follow.