The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/230001
INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS Student-Athlete Of The Month: Football Junior Kicker Matt Wile The Michigan football team is no older. I want to take that chance." stranger to kickers with ambitious But, like Mesko, Wile certainly has a goals both within football and out- plan for life after football. side of it. Wile is enrolled in the School of EnPunter Zoltan Mesko (2005-09) gineering, where he is majoring in kicked in the NFL and used his de- industrial operations. gree from the Stephen M. Ross School "I wanted to go into business. I like of Business to get an engineering, and I'm internship at Graham really good at math," Partners, a private eqhe said. "You can't reuity firm in Philadelally go from a business phia, during the NFL degree to an engineerlockout in the spring ing master's degree, and summer of 2011. but you can definitely Junior kicker Matt do it the other way Wile hopes he can be around. So I figured as successful in both I'd go engineering for areas. undergrad. And then Wile did a little bit I found out about inof everything for the Wile, who is enrolled in the dustrial operations, Wolverines this sea- School of Engineering and and that is like a hyson. He punted 56 majoring in industrial opera- brid between the two times, averaging 40.6 tions, earned Academic All-Big fields I was interested yards per kick, with a Ten accolades this year. in, so it was perfect for PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN long of 69 yards and me." 14 that dropped inside the 20-yard By finding a concentration within line. He hit 1 of 3 field goal attempts (a the engineering school that melds 49-yarder against Michigan State) as his two interests, Wile has thrived, dethe long-range option. And he racked spite the difficulty of juggling a full up 36 touchbacks on 73 kickoffs. football schedule and a challenging With Wile's diverse kicking talents, field of study. his goal is to kick in the NFL after his "During the season, it's very tough, senior season. but the coaches and everyone are "I am going to try and kick in the very understanding during the offNFL," Wile said. "I have a chance. It's season," Wile said. "There are certain not a big chance, but I think if I don't classes that I have to take, where I at least try, I will regret it when I'm won't always be able to make practice