Funk fills Purdue's offensive line opening, completes Hazell's staff

Darrell Hazell completed his staff by hiring Darrell Funk to coach Purdue’s offensive line.

Funk comes to the Boilermakers from Akron but spent four seasons previously coaching Michigan’s O-line.

“The experience and expertise that Darrell brings will accelerate the growth of our linemen, both young and old,” Hazell said in a statement. “He is an excellent coach and an amazing person. He fits in extremely well with the rest of our staff.”

Funk also has coached the offensive lines at San Diego State, Ball State, Colorado State, Rhode Island and Mesa State College. He also has experience coaching tight ends and defensive line and even served as defensive coordinator early in his career at Hazell’s college, Muskingum.

He fills an opening left by Jim Bridge, who is now at Duke.

While at Michigan, Funk coached two Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year players, David Molk and Taylor Lewan. Lewan, who plays in the NFL with the Titans, has had high praise for Funk in the past.

“Coach Funk's one of the best coaches I've had, personally," Lewan told MLive.com in 2013. "And he sticks on those guys, he knows how to coach those guys. He knows how to get them fired up, when to get on them, when not to get on them.

"He's really easy to be around, he's really easy to talk to. He's kind of like a father figure to a lot of us. Being around him so much and getting to know him, his method of coaching isn't about just yelling all the time. He knows the guys he has to yell at and the ones he has to talk to and coach. Everyone has a different personality. Some guys need to get yelled at, others need to get talked to. He's been in the business for a long time, he knows what he's doing."

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