The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1546678
OCTOBER 2026 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 37 H eading into the 2026 season, several analysts acknowledged that Michi- gan's special teams needed to improve dramatically this year. The punting game, especially, had been subpar the last two seasons, and UNLV transfer Cam Brown was tabbed as the guy to help create field position advantages while the offense found its way. Through three games, he's been ev- erything expected and more. Though the Wolverines ranked only 43rd nationally in net punting at 42.08 yards per kick, that stat didn't come close to telling the story of Brown's prowess. In a 13-12 survival against Western Michigan, Brown punted 6 times with a long of 50 yards and pinned 2 kicks inside the 20-yard line. A week later, he punted 7 times for 296 yards, dropped 5 kicks in- side the 20-yard line and 2 at Oklahoma's 1-yard line to earn the Ray Guy Award's Ray's 8 honors for the week. Through three games, Brown has put 8 of his 14 punts inside the 20 and has forced 8 fair catches due to outstanding hang time. He's just getting started, spe- cial teams coordinator Kerry Coombs said of his sophomore. "He's just scratching the surface, and he would tell you there were a couple of mishits on Saturday that he'd like to have back," Coombs said following the Wolver- ines' 17-10 victory over Oklahoma. "But our goals are very specific in punt — we want a 45-yard punt with a four-and- a-half-second hang time on a one-nine operation, and that's what he does. He's really good at it. He's really good at ball placement. "We knew [against Oklahoma] we were facing a really good returner [in Isaiah Sategna III] who had an 88-yard touchdown last week, and ball place- ment and hang time were critical. So, he put the ball right where we wanted it." He has an "innate ability to drop the pooches down there where we want them," Coombs said, also giving props to the coverage team for getting to the goal line to keep the ball from going in. "But Cam is going to be one of the better punters in the country, if not the best," he added, noting the Australian is one of many from his country who have suc- ceeded in American football. A native of Gold Coast, Queensland, Brown brings the "Aussie rules" style of punting that Coombs said provides a unique type of accuracy. "It's different, because you can move the pocket more," Coombs said. "It's funny, because he can literally kick the ball with more accuracy than he can throw it — which for us here in America, who grew up throwing balls, doesn't make any sense. "But that's what he can do. When we tell him to put the ball at the 8-yard line at the bottom of the numbers, guess where it shows up? Eight-yard line, bot- tom of the numbers. Just an extraordi- nary thing. "I'm really not sure how it all came about in Australia, but there are a ton of those kids who can do that with a ball, and he's magical." ❱ MICHIGAN FOOTBALL Punter Cam Brown Has Become A Weapon For Michigan Special teams coach Kerry Coombs has consistently put the Wolverines in favorable field position with the punting game so far in 2026. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL 2026 MICHIGAN SCHEDULE Date Opponent Time/Result Sept. 5 vs. Western Michigan W, 13-12 Sept. 12 vs. Oklahoma W, 17-10 Sept. 19 vs. UTEP W, 52-17 Sept. 26 vs. Iowa* 3:30 p.m. Oct. 3 at Minnesota* Noon Oct. 17 vs. Penn State* TBA Oct. 24 vs. Indiana* TBA Oct. 31 at Rutgers* TBA Nov. 7 vs. Michigan State* TBA Nov. 14 at Oregon* TBA Nov. 21 vs. UCLA* TBA Nov. 28 at Ohio State* Noon All times Eastern * Big Ten game