The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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120 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2020 FOOTBALL PREVIEW 19 of 64 punts inside the 20 (29.7 percent) and only had four touchbacks, compared to nine and seven touchbacks for Hart in less attempts the last two years. The two have actually landed a similar percentage of their career attempts inside the 20 — 29.4 percent for Robbins (on 68 punts) and 29.9 percent for Hart (107) — but the big difference comes in the touchbacks, with Robbins registering only the four in his career (5.9 percent of the time) compared to Hart's 17 (15.9 percent). "That's a big deal when you're talking about putting a team inside the 5-yard line versus the 20," Kornblue said. "At the end of last year, Brad got more opportunities to show what he could do after coming back from his back surgery [in 2018]. He worked really hard to get back in. He's talented and has the athletic ability with his multiple- sports background to make a difference. "Will came in after Brad's injury and did a phenomenal job. Again, coaching has to come in and make a decision, maybe even mix it up. They have two talented guys, and it's a good problem to have." Explosive Return Options Michigan lost receiver Donovan Peoples- Jones to the NFL and will need someone to replace him in the punt return game. Special teams coordinator Jay Harbaugh has a num- ber of possibilities in mind, including a few who have some experience. Junior Ronnie Bell and sophomore Mike Sainristil have both seen action in live game punt return situations, and will be in the mix. "Not having Donovan will be a new thing for them. Getting live reps for Bell and Sain- ristil in the past was big for both guys," Har- baugh said. "That's something [sophomore] Giles [Jackson] can do as well, which is exciting." Redshirt sophomore viper Michael Barrett catches the ball extremely well, Harbaugh added, while freshmen Blake Corum and Andre Seldon will also get looks. "That's not even including the freshmen we haven't seen, the Roman Wilsons and A.J. Hennings of the world, who we're still not sure yet," Harbaugh said. "But those guys are electric. I'm confident they'll at least be able to compete and push those guys." At kick return, Jackson is back after a true freshman season in which he ran 24 kicks back for 622 yards and a score, an impres- sive 25.9-yard average that ranked third in the Big Ten among players with multiple runbacks. His 97-yarder to open the game at Maryland set the tone in a Michigan rout. The Wolverines need someone capable back there with him, and there are plenty of options. "It's a really strong group," Harbaugh said. "I would say overall it might be the best we've had in terms of depth — guys we feel could be an option. In the past, we've taken it off the plate of older guys, and the guys were really young and inexperienced. We have a nice balance now. "We love Giles back there. I think every- body does. He's crazy fast and super tal- ented. He left some yards out there last year, and I think this year he is going to be able to take better advantage of what's there. "He is continuing to improve his under- standing of our system and seeing the block- ing scheme develop. We're expecting a huge year from him." The second deep man needs to be capable, as well, and Bell and Barrett have proven themselves in that respect. Barrett has been a "great" off returner, Harbaugh said, espe- cially as a blocker, while Sainristil, Corum, Seldon, sophomore safety Daxton Hill and fifth-year senior running back Chris Evans will also get their chances. "We feel great about the quality of guys back there, which is really necessary. As soon as a returner becomes a big-play threat, that guy doesn't get the ball so much any- more," Harbaugh said. "It's important to have somebody else back there who is a legit big-play threat." Michigan seems to have plenty of options, just as they do all over the special teams units. They're often the difference in tight games, and the Wolverines appear to be in great shape heading into the 2020 season, re- gardless of who wins the position battles. ❑ Commitment To Special Teams Sets Jim Harbaugh Apart Some head coaches view special teams as an afterthought, focusing their efforts on offense and defense. Jim Harbaugh isn't one of those. In fact, former Michigan kicker Brandon Kornblue said the U-M head coach is one of the best in the country at appreciating the importance of the game's "third" phase. Kornblue has helped many coaches identify punters, kickers and long snappers through his Florida- based Kornblue Kicking School, but few are as dialed in as Harbaugh, he said. "That's the difference in the way Harbaugh does things, the way his brother John does things [with the Baltimore Ravens]. They just put an emphasis and a value on special teams in general," he said. "If you're willing to put scholarships on guys the way Harbaugh has been, you're going to get production. "You're going to get talented guys to the point it's almost like they've got too many good guys instead of not enough, which is where most teams are in that situation." And, make no mistake, the latter is not a good place to be. "Some schools call me and say, 'This year, I need a guy to step in and be our punter,'" Kornblue contin- ued. "If you've waited until your guy is gone to recruit somebody, you're too late. That's true whether it's a quarterback, kicker, punter or anything else. "If you're expecting them to come in and start as true freshman, it's just not fair or realistic." That's where Harbaugh and his staff shine, he added. Instead of waiting, they offer scholarships realizing the importance of special teams. Coaches willing to spend offers on the best will often get the cream of the crop. "That's the way I wish all head coaches were," Kornblue admitted. "It would make their lives a lot easier in terms of their special teams. "For whatever reason, coaches don't do that. They tend to not offer scholarships. I don't know what their reasoning is, but I do know it's the reason why Michigan has had really great production out of their specialists." Something that figures to continue in Harbaugh's tenure, much to the program's benefit. — Chris Balas Fifth-year senior kicker Quinn Nordin enters 2020 tied for first in school history with 13 career field goals from 40 or more yards, and is also tied for first with four from at least 50. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL SPECIAL TEAMS