The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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120 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2017 FOOTBALL PREVIEW SPECIAL TEAMS SPECIAL TEAMS SPECIAL TEAMS enroll at U-M this summer as a preferred walk- on. "Baldeck was extremely solid at the VE- GAS XXIX Camp on January 14-15, 2017," kicking coach Chris Sailer reported on his website. "He is a very strong long snapper that is built well and is thick … he will be able to withstand a college rush. "He snaps a rocket back to the punter and uses his whole body really well … he is easily one of the most powerful long snappers in the country. His snaps almost punish the punter when they get to him … his form is very good, and he is using his whole body really well." Confidence will be key in helping him reach his potential, as it is with most positions and most players. Redshirt junior Andrew Robin- son provides the primary competition, and he's more than capable, Kornblue said. "I always saw him as being neck and neck with Sypniewski, so that could certainly be a good competition," he said. "It will be interest- ing to see what happens. [Redshirt freshman] Camaron Cheeseman is good depth, but I don't think he's quite ready yet." Fifth-year senior Garrett Moores is ready, though, to try to defend his Mortell Holder of the Year award, a national honor started a year earlier by Minnesota holder Pete Mortell. Moores handled his job well last year and even scored two points on a fake extra point against Rutgers. "That's a big piece," Kornblue said. "He's been very valuable and will be critical for who- ever wins the kicking job." Several Candidates Are Vying For Return Duties Cleveland Browns rookie Jabrill Peppers was among the best return men in the country last year, and his sure-handedness and play- making ability will be missed. Coaches were hesitant to release names of those battling for the right, with Partridge noting in April there was as many as 15 candidates. "It's an opportunity," Partridge said. "When then punt goes up in practice and you're the guy who's supposed to catch and burst and try to score, you've got to take advantage of those opportunities. We've got a lot of guys working at that. We'll be very dynamic back there." Graduate assistant Drew Terrell will work with the group, as well, to give them added attention. "They have someone to go to all the time. As a coordinator, you're working on the whole unit, and you forget about individual positions sometimes," Partridge said. "You try to get at them. Those guys need someone standing there coaching them at all times, so we went with that direction and hopefully it works out." One of his primary goals for the team is to make sure they remain elite in the return game ("best in the country" good), and there's no shortage of candidates with experience … at least at the prep level. Jay Harbaugh ripped off names of sev- eral this spring who were in contention for both jobs, including true freshman Donovan Peoples-Jones, redshirt junior Maurice Ways, sophomore Kekoa Crawford, junior Karan Higdon, redshirt freshman Kareem Walker, fifth-year senior Ty Isaac, sophomore Lavert Hill, freshman Benjamin St-Juste, junior Tyree Kinnel and sophomore Khaleke Hudson. When the spring game started, however, two he didn't mention — freshman Ambry Thomas and sophomore David Long — were back deep for the opening kick. On the other end, Walker and sophomore Nate Johnson also got opportunities. "They're both," Harbaugh said when asked if his list included kickoff or punt returners. "Most of them cross train. It's a different type of ball to track so certain guys weed them- selves out. "We have a lot of guys who have done things like that in the past, and the only way to find out who can do it is to let everybody try." Johnson was the first to field punts, and he dropped one during the game, which was re- covered by the kicking team. Sophomore Chris Evans was also given a look, and he worked at both last year, as well. Michigan was the nation's best in blocked punts last year, with four, and partially de- flected three others. Partridge said U-M would still be aggressive, but would also change things up. "We're going to come after people still, but we're doing a lot of work on the return team this year," he said. "Different drills, different techniques. We're stepping it up with that, and hopefully that will help the returners. We're crawling them, we're walking them and then we'll run them when the time comes. "Every player you coach you think is ir- replaceable. Jabrill Peppers is Jabrill Peppers, and we're not going to have another Jabrill Peppers. You're not going to replace him. "But is his position or his skill replaceable? Of course. That's what we're here for. We're going to replace him with whatever we feel is necessary to get that position to the skill level he brought. And that's exciting, and it's motivating." That will be the case at all special teams positions, but if the coaches are nervous about it, they certainly didn't show it in the spring, seemingly more confident that ever in their ability to keep special teams a strength. ❏ Redshirt junior Kyle Seychel capped a strong spring by converting a game-winning 31-yard field goal as time expired to give the Maize team a 31-29 win over the Blue squad. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN The 'Little Things' Can Determine Special Teams, And Overall, Success Coaches, especially those in charge of special teams, say it early and often — the kicking game makes up a third of each contest and is every bit as important as offense and defense. Look no further than the 2015 Michigan–Michigan State game, won by the Spartans on a botched punt as time expired, for the evidence. Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh wouldn't have to, having always taken that aspect of the game seri- ously. But his understanding of its importance goes beyond the basics, according to Brandon Kornblue. The former U-M kicker has worked with Harbaugh during kicking camps and appreciates his attention to detail. "That's a credit to him — he acknowledges that and understands every little piece and its importance, which most coaches don't," Kornblue said. "He made sure [fifth-year senior holder] Garrett Moores stuck around even though he's not contributing anywhere else. It's the little things like that that separates them [as a coaching staff]." Practice makes perfect, and that's about repetition on special teams. Snapping and holding are every bit as important as the kick and the punt, and all require a very similar mindset. "Quarterbacks, golfers, specialists … must be able to complete that same motion over and over again, consistently, no matter what the situation is," Kornblue said. "Snapping doesn't look like the most compli- cated thing, but just like a kicker, you've got to have laser precision. You've got to be able to not only get the ball back quickly with velocity, but to the exact spot it needs to be." Which is why Harbaugh and his staff take it more seriously than most. It could be one play in the minut- est detail of the game that determines the outcome, and they're well aware. "There are a lot of pieces to it that most don't appreciate. They only realize it when it's off just a little bit, and then it's noticed," Kornblue said. "That is definitely a big piece of the puzzle, and he knows it." — Chris Balas