The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1094509
APRIL 2019 THE WOLVERINE 39 2019 SPRING FOOTBALL PREVIEW. SPECIALISTS BY THE NUMBERS 4 Wolverines were tied with a then-Michigan- record five field goals in a game (including return- ing starter Quinn Nordin) before walk-on rookie Jake Moody nailed six against Indiana last fall. 30 Career field goals made for Nordin, which ranks eighth on Michigan's all- time list. 45.03 Was the single-season record at U-M for punt- ing average, set by Will Hagerup in 2012, before Will Hart notched an of- ficial 46.98 during the 2018 campaign. 59.3 Is the new Michigan record for single-game punting average (mini- mum three punts) af- ter Hart established it against Nebrask a last September, breaking the old standard by three yards. POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH Both major kicking positions are worth watching through spring ball. Do Quinn Nor- din and Brad Robbins push back, and make it tough for those who came out of the shad- ows and accomplished so much in 2018? Or do Will Hart and Jake Moody carry on like they did during the season, forcing a pair of former top prep kickers to re-evaluate? WHO'S GONE Michigan lost no primary perform- ers from its kicking and punting units. Several veterans are gone from the coverage and protection squads, and will be replaced this spring. WHO'S BACK REDSHIRT JUNIOR PUNTER WILL HART After averaging 37.7 yards per punt in 2017, Hart pumped out an unfore- seen and amazing 2018 campaign. He averaged more than 50 yards per punt for most of the season, finally leveling out at a Michigan-record 47.0 yards per boot. Nineteen of his 43 punts (44.2 percent) traveled 50 or more yards, with a long of 65. SOPHOMORE PLACEKICKER JAKE MOODY Michigan's field goal kicking unit be- came the Moody Blues over the final three games of the season. Moody nailed a Michigan-record six field goals against Indiana in his debut, and made his only two attempts at Ohio State. He then went 2 of 3 in the Peach Bowl, with his only miss a 52-yard attempt. REDSHIRT JUNIOR LONG-SNAPPER CAMERON CHEESEMAN Cheeseman kept his head down and quietly delivered in all 13 of Michigan's games last season. JUNIOR PUNT RETURNER DONOVAN PEOPLES-JONES The one they call DPJ took a leap forward over his freshman year, av- eraging 10.0 yards per return and producing one highlight-reel 60-yard touchdown. JUNIOR KICK RETURNER AMBRY THOMAS Thomas brought back 19 kicks in 2018 and averaged 21.7 yards per return. He stunned the Notre Dame crowd in the season opener with a 99- yard return for a touchdown. TOP NEWCOMER FRESHMAN WIDE RECEIVER GILES JACKSON Keep an eye on the speedster out of Antioch, Calif. Given his jets and quickness, he could well find a role on special teams sooner rather than later. BY JOHN BORTON "We had a couple of guys step up to the plate extremely well. Will Hart had a hell of a season. I expect him to get better and do the same thing this year. Jake Moody came in and hit six field goals against Indiana." — Former U-M All-American Jon Jansen QUOTABLE M ichigan's kicking game looked set going into 2018. Two very highly regarded scholarship players would handle the placekicking and punt- ing duties more than capably. Then life — or football life — happened. The nation's former No. 1 prep punter, Brad Robbins, suffered an injury and didn't see the field at all during his sophomore season. Strong-legged placekicker Quinn Nordin began his redshirt sophomore campaign as Michigan's starting field goal kicker, but didn't finish it that way. Walk-on redshirt junior punter Will Hart became the Big Ten Punter of the Year and a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award nationally. Walk-on kicker Jake Moody knocked through 10 of 11 field goals down the stretch of his debut campaign. They're all saying bring on 2019 — for healing, competition and more success. After the past year, nothing is guaranteed. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN JAKE MOODY