Michigan Football: Harbaugh Says Kicking Game Improving

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh opened up the kicking competition after last week’s disappointment against Wisconsin in which his kickers missed three field goals. The result has been positive.

“It’s been good. It’s been an improvement week for us in that area, has been competition there,” Harbugh said this morning on WXYT 97.1. “We haven’t determined who is going to kick yet in the game. That competition will rage on. We’re looking for somebody to put their iron jock on and kick the ball through the uprights … our guys are competing.”

Harbaugh insisted it wasn’t a confidence issue, but technique. Fifth-year senior Kenny Allen missed from 31 and 43 yards last week, while Ryan Tice was wide right from 40.

“You’re always talking about it being a battery -- snap, hold and kick. Two out of those three have to be good enough to get the ball through the uprights,” Harbaugh said. “You want the snap over the spot, the holder to make a clean hold, the snap has laces where you don’t need it to be spun. It’s got to be a fluid like a pitcher and catcher in baseball.

“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.”