Quinn Nordin Best UM kicker since?

Submitted by Boner Stabone on

After watching Quinn Nordin on Saturday nail those 50 yard Field Goals, I feel really good about our kicker.  I was thinking he is probably our best kicker since who?  or is he possibly one of the best kickers we have ever had.  

Here is a list of  kickers from UM football past.  Who do you think our best kicker has ever been?

1) Brendan Gibbons

2) Remy Hamilton

3) J.D. Carlson

4) Hayden Epstein

5) Brendan Gibbons

6) Jay Feely

7) Kenny Allen

8) Garrett Rivas

9) Bob Bergeron

10) Ali Haji-Shiek

11) Mike Gillette

12) Kraig Baker

13) Mike Lantry 

14) Peter Elezovic

15) Phillip Brabbs

Maynard

September 6th, 2017 at 10:03 AM ^

The jury is only out because of the one game thing because the guy was a better kicker in high school than probably 90% of the college kickers at the time. So while I get it, you're playing the cautious contrarian, my guess is you know the actual answer is, he is going to be a great kicker.

Also, percentage is deceiving in part because if I only kicked 50 yarders and my percentage was lower than a guy who only kicked 20 yarders, it would not mean that he was a better kicker. Opportunity and circumstance matters.

snarling wolverine

September 6th, 2017 at 11:29 AM ^

I don't think that's quite fair.  A kick from 50+ is objectively more difficult than one from closer in.  We've had kickers in the past who simply didn't have 50+ range, so we would pooch from that distance.  For him to go 2-3 from over 50 is fantastic.  I'm not sure if we've ever had a kicker attempt that many long kicks in a game before.

(You can ding him a bit for the miss from 32 though.)

In reply to by MGoAndy

Boner Stabone

September 6th, 2017 at 9:40 AM ^

Gibbons did have the Sugar Bowl GW kick in OT,  The Game winning FG against MSU in 2012, and who cannot forget the chaos crazy 46 yarder at Northwestern with holder Drew Dileo sliding in out of nowhere to send the game into OT.  Those are some pretty solid kicks.  

I do remember his GW miss at Penn State to cost us that game though.

WolverineHistorian

September 6th, 2017 at 10:49 AM ^

I remember Epstein best for his kickoffs which were never returnable.  I was at the Eastern game in 1998 when his kickoff went through the uprights and the little kid sitting behind me asked his dad if we get 3 points from that. 

At the spring game in 2000, Epstein kicked a field goal on the last play that was close to 60 yards and the entire team surrounded him as if he had just won the Super Bowl.  He kicked the game winner against Wisconsin.  But otherwise, I remember him as just an OK FG kicker. 

I think you have to rank Remy Hamilton ahead of him in field goals. 

 

J.W. Wells Co.

September 6th, 2017 at 10:43 AM ^

Epstein was a great kickoff man, a good punter, and had a strong leg, but he was only ever okay for accuracy. He was only 26-for-42 on his career, with 3 missed extra points.  And never forget the 2000 game at UCLA, the 23-20 loss, in which he missed a 46-yarder, a 24-yarder with 3 minutes left, and an extra point.

goblueram

September 6th, 2017 at 9:45 AM ^

In the stadium I could be quoted as saying "best kicker since Hayden Epstein" after the 55 yard bomb.  Obviously it's way too early to say anything or create a thread like this.   :) 

Polyanna

September 6th, 2017 at 9:46 AM ^

He set a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) record in 1971 by successfully converting 55 of 55 extra point attempts. He also extended the Michigan school record for the longest field goal in 1970 and kicked a game-winning field goal in November 1971 that clinched a Big Ten Conference championship for the Wolverines. 
 
He also went to my high school which is why I started following Michigan football and Ufer sealed the deal!  
 
Ali Haji-Shiek
Jay Feely
 

Eastern Wolverine

September 6th, 2017 at 9:52 AM ^

gives UM a considerable chance at points where other kickers wouldn't. That's an attribute that could lead to being top ten or possibly top five in Michigan history. Still too early to tell. His distance today is far more impressive than kickers of the (distant) past using rubber block tees.

MaizeMN

September 6th, 2017 at 9:55 AM ^

But I'll take the high percentage kicker over a cannon-legged kicker every time. That said, I'd take Ali Haji-Sheikh, Jay Feely, or Hayden Epstein. I may feel differently in 4 years though, ask me then.

hunterjoe

September 6th, 2017 at 9:56 AM ^

He's got the leg!  

 

He has the POTENTIAL to be one of (if not the) best in UM history.  But it's only one game.  Lets reserve judgement until at least mid-season, m-kay?