Space Emperor Jr.? Will Hart #4 nationally in punting
Given how things went last year, this might be the biggest surprise of the season so far: Will Hart is averaging 50.1 yards per punt, good for #4 nationally and #2 in the Power Five. Between that, kickoffs for touchbacks, and perhaps Nordin actually making a field goal, our kicking unit is looking pretty strong right now.
September 17th, 2018 at 9:36 AM ^
I would agree, but hope Nordin a little consistent and accurate as we might need his leg in one of our more challenging games this year.
September 17th, 2018 at 12:58 PM ^
Nordin 2 for 3 this year (botched hold on snap @ ND not counted).
Saturday's kick would have been good from 60.
PAT's have looked smooth.
Field goal kicking toughest part of special team play - snapper, holder & kicker.
After yesterday, several NFL teams looking for replacements.
September 17th, 2018 at 9:36 AM ^
Now you jinxed it...
September 17th, 2018 at 1:11 PM ^
No it's okay, I knocked on wood three times when I read it.
September 17th, 2018 at 9:47 AM ^
Is he a RS Soph?
September 17th, 2018 at 9:50 AM ^
Until our OL can crush a grape, he'll get plenty of practice punting.
September 17th, 2018 at 9:56 AM ^
Actually, he has only punted 8 times in three games, which is rather low.
September 17th, 2018 at 10:03 AM ^
Next you'll tell me that we scored on 6 straight possessions on Saturday, or that we have a Top 40 offense in S&P.
Sometimes you just have let our fans tire themselves out, man. They just need to yell about something or else they get backed up.
September 17th, 2018 at 10:07 AM ^
I take the same approach with my toddler.
September 17th, 2018 at 10:13 AM ^
70% of Michigan fans are essentially toddlers: loud, emotional, and extremely ignorant to that which they speak of.
September 17th, 2018 at 10:23 AM ^
" loud, emotional, and extremely ignorant"
Sounds like someone else we all know, not just Michigan fans.
September 17th, 2018 at 10:35 AM ^
Considering you have the first angry reply in the thread, you fit the description of the toddler more than anyone else.
September 17th, 2018 at 10:41 AM ^
I was laughing at you when I wrote my reply - hardly any anger here
September 17th, 2018 at 11:40 AM ^
Calmer than you are.
September 17th, 2018 at 11:46 AM ^
On the other hand, I don't know any toddlers who can type "UNACCEPTABLE"
September 17th, 2018 at 11:54 AM ^
I get to one game every other year. I had 4 of these toddlers in front of me on Saturday. They were actually pretty nice guys, but as soon as something went sideways there was a lot of booing and f'ing offense, f'ing Harbaugh. That was frustrating to sit through and have my kid hear and see.
September 17th, 2018 at 12:57 PM ^
Was at the game Saturday and some old fart screamed at the top of his lungs “come on!! Put McCaffrey in!!” This was after Shea’s very first pass. Took a lot of restraint not to slap him in the back of the head.
September 17th, 2018 at 4:50 PM ^
...And not nearly as cute, or likely to grow out of it.
September 17th, 2018 at 10:22 AM ^
We did just play two really bad teams though...
I agree the sky isnt falling, but we also dont have a top 40 offense.
September 17th, 2018 at 10:25 AM ^
Actually, we do
September 17th, 2018 at 10:43 AM ^
S&P adjusts for strength of opponent. You can disagree with Bill Connelly's numbers, which have us at 38th, offensively, but you can probably guess whose opinion I respect more.
September 17th, 2018 at 10:49 AM ^
We're 38! We're 38!
September 17th, 2018 at 10:53 AM ^
I know 38th isn't a sexy rank, but you can win double digit games, every year, forever with an offense in the 30s if your defense is top 5ish. Our offense is right around where I said they'd need to be for us to win 11 this year.
September 17th, 2018 at 12:33 PM ^
I'm curious to see whether you, or UMBig11 is closer to the mark this year. You're pretty optimistic, he's pretty pessimistic. It does seem like his "factions" comment has some legs, though.
September 17th, 2018 at 1:28 PM ^
I can read it on his user page but I don't know the context. Seems like it was suggesting that Harbaugh doesn't have total confidence anymore.
We will go 3-0 against Wisconsin, MSU, and PSU. That kind of moves the floor to 10-2, barring something crazy.
Look, UMBIG11 is a booster. He's a man who wants to see that his money is going to a productive institution. You can't blame him for that. I love when he posts here. I've exchanged private messages with him, as well as interacted here obviously. I obviously really respect what he has to say. At the end of the day though, I have no reason to trust his football eye more than mine. That's not a knock on him, I just see a team that can double digit games and I believe it will happen. Wisconsin is down. MSU is down. Penn State is replacing a lot. I can't guarantee that our 10 wins would be as good as Alabama's or LSU's or whoever, but I think we can our next 8 games and go into Columbus with a shot at the Division.
September 17th, 2018 at 2:52 PM ^
All bullshit aside. You're confident that Michigan will win in E Lansing? Mobile QBs seem to be having success so far this season. I don't think I'm being a toddler by mentioning that.
September 18th, 2018 at 1:08 PM ^
I'd bet my house on it.
September 17th, 2018 at 3:04 PM ^
I mostly agree with that, with a few slight caveats. But I'm just a plebe, so I'm always interested in what insidery types see/think.
Thanks for the response.
September 17th, 2018 at 11:15 AM ^
Pretty sure S&P removes anything that happens when the difference is 2+ scores, as well.
September 17th, 2018 at 1:23 PM ^
Yep, they remove garbage time, which I don't know the methodology for. Could have temporal component as well.
September 17th, 2018 at 10:26 AM ^
I'll tell you if it makes you feel better.
September 17th, 2018 at 10:36 AM ^
Did ya see the guy complaining about Harbaugh's attire? We have plenty to yell about buddy.
September 17th, 2018 at 7:15 PM ^
You're correct but the whining and ignorance has reached pathological proportions.
September 17th, 2018 at 10:05 AM ^
Unsung hero.
September 17th, 2018 at 10:05 AM ^
There's only room for one space emperor of space. Hart can certainly find his own realm, but it ain't the cosmos.
September 17th, 2018 at 11:54 AM ^
How about Columbus?
September 17th, 2018 at 10:08 AM ^
I feel like we've approached punting a bit differently than years prior....
last year, Hart/Robbins were instructed to punt in a way to minimize return yards. This resulted in a lot of 30-40 yard punts that were hit out of bounds or forcing a fair catch.
this year, I feel like Partridge & co. are allowing Hart to just boot the damn ball down field, hoping the gunners can minimize damage on returns. Just my $0.02. Don't know for sure if it's a change in punting style, but that's what I've noticed since the ND game.
Compare the punting from the bowl game to this year, it's not like our punters have nearly doubled their punting strength all of a sudden ;)
September 17th, 2018 at 11:28 AM ^
#HerbertEffect
September 17th, 2018 at 11:54 AM ^
From that perspective, UM was 113th in net punting last year at an average of 35.73 yards. Through 3 games this year, net average is 40.8, which is good for 26th. Major improvement.
September 17th, 2018 at 12:39 PM ^
Could it be because we had to switch to a backup punter due to injuries and they didn't want to ask too much of him? So they are just telling him to "kick the damn ball" and not get cute with directional punting and all that? If so, maybe unintended consequences are working out for us.
I know Hart had a few punts last year, but he was clearly not the main guy.
September 17th, 2018 at 10:41 AM ^
OT but not because it's related to Michigan punters, but Matt Wile is the starting punter for the Minnesota Vikings. His Michigan career coincided with Brady Hoke's tenure from 2011-14 (I had to look it up so I'm saving you a Google) and hasn't done much in the NFL for the last three seasons, but appears to have caught on and stuck so far this year. Congrats to Matt!
September 17th, 2018 at 10:57 AM ^
Special Teams as a whole has been impressive this year (minus FG vs ND) with a blocked punt, kick return, and Hart. I don’t understand why teams still try and return the sky ball kickoffs. They rarely get to the 20.
Im still waiting for a decent punt return.
September 17th, 2018 at 11:18 AM ^
Because fair catches don't make Sportscenter.
September 17th, 2018 at 12:57 PM ^
And, in fairness, because the risk/reward is actually pretty good. Giving up a small handful of yards in the back end of the field in exchange for the chance at a big chunk of them further up is worth it. When you start a drive at the 15, 20, or 25, the expected points are close to zero. Moving up the field, you start to get somewhere.
There's a pretty strong case for returning the kick even if you just look at the "expected points" chart.
http://advancedfootballanalytics.com/index.php/home/stats/stats-explained/expected-points-and-epa-explained
And then you realize that in real life points come in big chunks (rather than decimal points) when you achieve them and your probability of scoring them goes way up when you move up the field and there's limited number of chances in a single game and win probabilities swing pretty hard on touchdowns, and the case for trying for that Sportscenter highlight is actually almost ironclad. Obviously don't turn around and return the thing if you had to chase it back to the -7 yard line in the end zone, but in borderline cases, always return it.
September 17th, 2018 at 11:48 AM ^
Because Ambry Thomas.
September 17th, 2018 at 11:25 AM ^
The punting game is the second most improved part of this team compared to last year, so far.
Last year through the first three games, Hart punted 12 times for an average of 37.91 yards... This year, 8 punts and as the OP stated, 50.1 average yards.
September 17th, 2018 at 12:30 PM ^
Also, Jake "Mad-Eye" Moody is doing great work on kickoffs, considering that the NCAA eliminated the James "Doug" Foug special of dropping them on the 1-yard line with the new fair catch pseudo touchback.
September 17th, 2018 at 12:52 PM ^
Yeah but can he rock a Speedo?
September 17th, 2018 at 1:46 PM ^
And yet, b/c of hang time and archaic punt formations, is only #39 in net punting.