The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1545685
SPECIALISTS THE WOLVERINE 2026 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 115 TRENT MIDDLETON • LS Sr. • Fullerton, Calif. Ht.: 6-3 • Wt.: 230 • Spent two seasons at UCLA before transferring to Michi- gan in 2025. • Ranked as the No. 6 long snapper in the NCAA transfer portal, per On3. • Hasn't seen game action as a college player. NEWCOMERS JACOB BAGGETT • K Fr. • Charlotte, N.C. Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 170 • Converted 6-of-7 field goal attempts for Providence Day in 2025, with the lone miss coming on a 51-yarder. • Delivered 95 touchbacks on 102 attempts (93.1 percent) as a senior, a state high school record for touchbacks in a single season. • North Carolina Independent School Division 1 All-State selection and first-team All-Charlotte Observer in 2025. • Ranked a five-star and the No. 8 kicker in the 2026 class by Chris Sailer Kicking. CAMERON BROWN • P So. • Coolangatta, Queensland, Australia Ht.: 6-2 • Wt.: 185 • Transferred from UNLV. • Averaged 43.8 yards per at- tempt on 46 punts in 2025, with a 71-yard long. • Pinned opponents inside the 20-yard line 17 times compared to 3 touchbacks. • Had 9 punts of 50 or more yards in 2025. • Averaged 3.6-second hang time, ranking 12th of 15 qualified Mountain West punters. • Attended Palm Beach Currumbin State High School in Gold Coast, Australia. • Also played Representative Australian Rules Football with Queensland State team, winning four championships. TREY BUTKOWSKI • K So. • Orlando, Fla. Ht.: 6-0 • 170 • Transferred from Pittsburgh. • Appeared in 11 games in 2025. • Converted 20-of-23 (87 per- cent) field goal attempts and 43-of-44 PATs (97.6 percent). • Was perfect (14-of-14) on attempts from in- side 40 yards. • 2025 Lou Groza Award semifinalist. • Attended Lake Nona (Fla.) High. • Five-star kicker who was rated No. 9 in the country, according to Kohl's Kicking. NICO CRAWFORD • LS Gr. • Dublin, Ohio Ht.: 6-2 • Wt.: 235 • Transferred from Pittsburgh. • Also spent time at Illinois (2022) and Charlotte (2023). • Appeared in 37 games in his career. • Made 26 game appearances at Pitt in 2024-25. • Played 11 games in 2023 at Charlotte. • Walked on at Illinois in 2022 and did not see game action. GAVIN MAGORIEN • LS So. • Erie, Pa. Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 202 • Transferred from Marshall. • Appeared in all 12 games for the Herd in 2025. • Attended McDowell High. • Also played wide receiver and defensive back as a prep athlete. • Five-star prospect and the No. 11 snapper in 2025 class per Rubio Long Snapping. HUNTER ROBERTSON • P Sr. • Huntington Woods, Mich. Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 205 • Transferred to Michigan from Division II Clarion (Pa.) University in 2025. • Appeared in one game as the holder on PATs and field goals in the Citrus Bowl loss to Texas. • Appeared in 22 games in two seasons (2023-24) as a kicking specialist for Clarion, handling kickoff duties throughout his ca- reer with 15 games as a punter and five games kicking field goals/PATs. • Averaged 43.2 yards per punt in 2024 with a long of 70 yards, and out of 51 total at- tempts, had 17 punts downed inside the 20-yard-line and 15 punts of 50 or more yards. JACK TREUTELAAR • LS Fr. • Libertyville, Ill. Ht.: 6-1 • 220 • Attended Libertyville High. • Committed to Michigan on Jan. 30. • Four-star long-snapper prospect, as rated by Kohl's Kicking. Ohio Guy Brings His Expertise Up North Kerry Coombs has been an Ohio guy most of his life, starting his coaching career in his hometown of Cincinnati in 1983. The longtime Colerain High coach (16 years starting in 1991) sent players to Michigan before moving up. He then made two stops at Cincinnati and two more at Ohio State, including as defensive coordinator. In addition to his collegiate experience, Coombs also served as a defensive backs assistant with the NFL's Tennessee Titans in 2018 and 2019. In short, he's seen it all, and he brings an impressive resume to Ann Arbor in Year 1. "I've known him since his first stint at Cincinnati [2007-11]," former Michigan kicker Brandon Kornblue of Kornblue Kicking School said. "I had a kicker that I was working with, one of the first I ever coached, who ended up there, so I've known and been aware of him since I've been doing this, 20 years now. He's always been respected as a guy who has been at this high level, been around [former OSU coach] Urban Meyer, many great coaches over the years." One of his assistants, Garrett Clawson, is another Kornblue is familiar with. "I like him a lot," Kornblue added. "From a coaching standpoint, that's a really good room right now. "When [Coombs] came in, that was really exciting. There's a respect factor for what he's done, what he's accomplished over a long period of time. He brings stability to the position, understands the Big Ten and big-time football." Coombs gives shot in the arm to an area in which U-M hopes to improve dramatically this year. — Chris Balas Veteran coach Kerry Coombs has brought energy and expertise to the Wolverines' special teams units since last December's Citrus Bowl prep. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL