The Wolverine

February 2013

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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routinely bested for long gains, and looked confused and unsure of himself. He wasn't alone. Redshirt junior Thomas Gordon manned the other safety post, and he kept the ball from getting over his head during the year. He didn't make the spectacular plays, finishing the year with only two passes broken up and two interceptions, but that wasn't asked of him. Fifth-year senior cornerback J.T. Floyd had his best year yet, but missed the bowl game for a violation of team rules, greatly handicapping his teammates. Sophomore cornerback Raymon Taylor stepped in for injured classmate Blake Countess in week one and progressed considerably week after week. He and Countess represent the future, and they could be the Big Ten's best cornerback tandem in 2013. The game-changing plays weren't there — the starting four combined for just 10 passes broken up and five interceptions all season — but the secondary kept the opponent's big plays at a minimum. Until Jan. 1. One game alone cannot trump an entire year's worth of success. It can bring the grade down, though. Grade: B   Specialists Summary: For some, the nightmare of 2010 — when U-M's kickers made just 4 of 13 field goals and were so ineffective that then-head coach Rich Rodriguez just gave up altogether — is a hard memory to shake, so even though redshirt junior Brendan Gib- bons went 13 of 17 in 2011, drilling the game-winning kick against Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl, they still expected the worst this fall. Gibbons, on the other hand, wanted to improve upon his 76.5 conversion percentage of last season. By connecting on both of his attempts in the Outback Bowl, Gibbons would make good on his promise, finishing the year 16 of 18 in ranking third all time among Wolverines with a field goal conversion rate of 88.9 percent. He did more than make the short, easy ones; Gibbons hit a 52-yarder against Nebraska and split the uprights for a tension-filled game-winning 38-yard attempt against Michigan State. Carving out a niche, sophomore Matt Wile showed off his big leg with a critical 48-yard make in the 12-10 win over MSU and also converted a 52-yard try against South Carolina. He served in the role of pooch punter, dropping nine of 12 kicks inside the 20-yard line while handling the full-time post superbly in the Outback Bowl. Junior Will Hagerup was the Big Ten Punter of the Year, averaging a Michigan single-season record 45.0 yards per punt on 33 kicks. Unfortunately, Hagerup's bowl-game suspension for a violation of team rules muddied his effort in 2012. Still, it could be argued that the Maize and Blue boasted the Big Ten's top kicker — Gibbons ranked second in accuracy and fifth in scoring — and the conference's best punter, and pooch punter. Grade: A ❑

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