Quinn Nordin back from injury
I was perusing Twitter this morning and just saw the Rivals guys posted a (free) article about the kicking competition this week. Most importantly the bit at the end:
https://michigan.rivals.com/news/michigan-football-harbaugh-says-kickin…
“We’ve been working extremely hard at it. ... Unfortunately, we missed three kicks in the ball game last week. We have confidence in our guys, yet we want to see that competition in practice. I feel if we make them in practice, we’ll be able to make them in a game. Guys are battling this week.”
And doing well, including freshman Quinn Nordin. Nordin had been working through an injury, but he returned to the competition this week.
“Quinn made both his kicks yesterday, in fact, and had a really good day yesterday. Kenny Allen made all his kicks; Ryan Tice made all his kicks and Quinn made all his kicks," Harbaugh said. "It will rage on again today.”
October 6th, 2016 at 12:45 PM ^
And one thing that seemed lost in the aftermath of the Wisconsin game, during the pissing and moaning of the three missed field goals, is that Kenny Allen had 4 punts greater than 50 yards and pinned Wisconsin inside their 20 several times. His punting was a key reason they only put up 7 points, adding to our strong D. He should be getting kudos for that!
October 6th, 2016 at 9:27 AM ^
Oh, thank the Lord...
October 6th, 2016 at 9:36 AM ^
No one cares about the FG kicker until he starts missing.
Having Nordin back makes me feel marginally better.
October 6th, 2016 at 9:39 AM ^
Allen was so clutch last year, he got plenty of praise around these parts.
Not sure if that's a hot take, but it's a touch on the luke warm side.
October 6th, 2016 at 2:37 PM ^
October 6th, 2016 at 9:28 AM ^
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October 6th, 2016 at 9:29 AM ^
October 6th, 2016 at 9:30 AM ^
October 6th, 2016 at 9:32 AM ^
But in all seriousness, this is the ideal game to be conservative later in the game with a lead in order to give your kicking game some work. I'd like to see multiple FG attempts in this game, because the O and D don't worry me down the stretch as much as ST does (in terms of potentially costing us a game).
October 6th, 2016 at 9:50 AM ^
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October 6th, 2016 at 2:39 PM ^
October 6th, 2016 at 9:31 AM ^
Harbaugh on the kicking game:
"We're looking for someone to put their iron jock on and kick the ball through the uprights"
October 6th, 2016 at 9:48 AM ^
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October 6th, 2016 at 10:56 AM ^
October 6th, 2016 at 9:36 AM ^
In all my years that I would wish for the days of Garrett Rivas. Yes, I know he wasn't as bad as people gave him shit for, but he was the outlet for quite a bit of fan ire on multiple occassions.
October 6th, 2016 at 9:38 AM ^
October 6th, 2016 at 9:41 AM ^
Ali Haji-Sheikh....
October 6th, 2016 at 9:47 AM ^
The kick against OSU in 74 was good though Mike.....you and the rest of the team got screwed.....
October 6th, 2016 at 9:52 AM ^
So let me get this straight. You are shocked that you wish we had a kiccker as good as Garrett Rivas? The same Garrett Rivas who is 1st all-time for career field goals made and 2nd for career field goal percentage at Michigan. He also has 3 of the top 7 seasons for field goals made and 2 of the top ten seasons for field goal percentage. Garrett Rivas was an excellent kicker, and I can't remember anyone giving him shit or being an outlet for fan ire. If you are looking for a kicker who wasn't very good, you made an EXTREMELY poor choice.
October 6th, 2016 at 10:29 AM ^
I think what I said was taken a certain way I didn't intend. Rather, I was trying to convey that, as a fan back then, I was hard on Rivas for...reasons? That was stupid.
Regardless of my idiocy as a student fan, Rivas is certainly worthy of praise - I'm not arguing against that at all. My point was that, looking back at the past frustration with Rivas, I was clearly dumb and would take a guy like Rivas any day of week (and twice on Saturdays).
October 6th, 2016 at 11:29 AM ^
I understand what you are getting at now. I apologize for any snarkiness in my reply.
October 6th, 2016 at 11:38 AM ^
Please do not overgeneralize your own personal experience to that of Michigan fans as a whole. I never booed him nor do I remember anyone who did. If you did, OK, but you're one guy out of 100,000.
October 7th, 2016 at 6:18 AM ^
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October 6th, 2016 at 10:07 AM ^
Rivas may not have had the biggest leg in the counry but he was deadly accurate from about 45 yards in. And when was he subject a lot fan ire cause I sure as hell dont remember that at ALL.
I'd take him back in a NY second.
October 6th, 2016 at 10:24 AM ^
Of that except the ire part. Perhaps it was just a student thing, as this was during my time at UM, but I recall quite a bit of vitriol thrown his way. Obviously we were spoiled idiots back then, because Rivas was indeed solid as a rock for a college kicker, and I'd also take him back in a NY second, as you stated.
October 6th, 2016 at 11:25 AM ^
People are using revisionist history to draw the conclusion that Rivas never went through rough patches.
He was the recipient of boos at Michigan just like the rest of the team. He was an amazing kicker, but the fan base was very rough on him when he struggled.
Maybe he wasn't the best fit for the scenario you were presenting, but your sentiment was valid.
October 6th, 2016 at 11:31 AM ^
Are you sure you aren't thinking about Brendan Gibbons? I do not remembers much booing, if any, from 2003-2006 (maybe during the year of inifite pain???).
October 6th, 2016 at 11:35 AM ^
The year of infinite pain is one time that comes to mind and there were boos. Rivas also took the ire of fans for his lack of range and his low kicking resulting in blocks. He was an amazing college kicker don't get me wrong, but it's not accurate to look at his stats now and draw the conclusion that all fans were always happy to have him. I remember a post, I can't remember what site it was on, but about how many of his game winning field goals were only required because he had 1 or 2 blocked or missed earlier in the game.
Again, don't missunderstand my position. I'm only saying the sentiment that he received the ire of fans is not ludicrous.
October 6th, 2016 at 11:45 AM ^
So, based on [anecdote], the Michigan fanbase as a whole treated him poorly?
I don't doubt that random people got mad at him when he missed. You can find a random person in the stands complaining about literally anything at a football game. The guy behind me during the Hawaii game was complaining about the defense.
What's problematic is acting like these angry individual yahoos are representative of the whole fanbase.
October 6th, 2016 at 12:27 PM ^
Reductio ad absurdum. You are taking what was said to an extreme to counter a logical idea that was never presented.
UMAmaizinBlue only stated how he felt and his experience regarding other fans. I only suggested that based on my experience, his comments aren't ludicrous and showing Rivas' stats doesn't prove otherwise.
October 6th, 2016 at 11:31 AM ^
I don't remember Rivas taking much flack. Did he really? He went 64-82 on FGs in his career.
October 6th, 2016 at 9:42 AM ^
does Nordin stay off the field and use this as a redshirt year?
October 6th, 2016 at 9:46 AM ^
2016 is the year of...
October 6th, 2016 at 10:03 AM ^
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October 6th, 2016 at 9:48 AM ^
Even if Nordin isn't 100% this week, it sounds like he should be good to go by the time we'd really need him. If we're needing field goals to win against Rutgers or Illinois, we've got bigger problems, so ideally we don't really need a reliable FG kicker until until the Staee game (and even then I'm hopeful FGs won't make or break that game).
October 6th, 2016 at 9:48 AM ^
Great news.
What isn't great is the fact that the MGoBlog roundtable has been like five minutes today. Too many commercials and guests.
October 6th, 2016 at 11:39 AM ^
Brian and Ace brought in guests so they wouldn't have to prepare as much for the show. They need a LOT more time to prepare for rivalry week.
October 6th, 2016 at 9:57 AM ^
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October 6th, 2016 at 10:01 AM ^
October 6th, 2016 at 10:11 AM ^
Bring him back!
October 6th, 2016 at 10:20 AM ^
I'd take Epstein.
October 6th, 2016 at 10:51 AM ^
October 6th, 2016 at 11:12 AM ^
Remy Hamilton is my guy....
October 6th, 2016 at 11:12 AM ^
Ali Haji-Sheikh!
October 6th, 2016 at 12:42 PM ^
Survey says... yes.
October 6th, 2016 at 10:12 AM ^
October 6th, 2016 at 10:14 AM ^
Could it be that punting is just enough different than kickoff or field goal that it is messing him up?
I know I was having trouble hitting the golf ball when I was still playing softball... incompatible swings...
October 6th, 2016 at 11:43 AM ^
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October 6th, 2016 at 10:15 AM ^
We won't need field goals until MSU, so if they can have this straightened out by then, that would be wonderful. A good FG kicker is something you can take for granted so easily, then when its a problem, you quickly realize how important it is.
October 6th, 2016 at 10:27 AM ^