Not that it would have made much difference Saturday, but freshman kicker Jacob Baggett doinked a 26-yard field goal off the left goal post four minutes into the second quarter against Michigan State, keeping the Michigan football team off the scoreboard until a touchdown in the game’s closing minutes.
One missed field goal out of a true freshman isn’t usually a big deal, but this is far from the start of the Wolverines’ kicking woes. In the two games prior to the contest with the Spartans, sophomore kicker Trey Butkowski missed 4-of-6 field goal attempts, which led to the desperate switch to starting Baggett against the Spartans.
Just as Baggett’s kick reverberated around the entire stadium Saturday, so did reminders of Michigan’s widespread special teams problem. With more urgency than ever to get the unit under control and points back on the Wolverines’ scoreboard, special teams coordinator Kerry Coombs is again reopening the kicking competition…