It’s rare that a team is three days out for its opener and still doesn’t know its starting kicker. For Jim Harbaugh’s Michigan Wolverines, though, this is a luxury, not a predicament.

Then-redshirt sophomore Quinn Nordin gave way to true freshman Jake Moody last year, and Moody responded by making 10 of 11 field goals. The two have been neck-and-neck since spring, and special teams coordinator Chris Partridge wasn’t in position to name one a starter for Saturday’s game with Middle Tennessee State.

“That’s ongoing. It’s awesome when you’ve got two guys that are phenomenal and duking it out,” Partridge said Wednesday.

“We’re just keeping it rolling. They’ve both been really good through spring, though camp. I don’t think we’re pressed to make an immediate decision. I think we just let those guys keep kicking, keep working.”

Partridge added to the intrigue when asked when they’d make a decision on a starter.

“Maybe we don’t have to,” he said, raising an eyebrow. “Maybe we just play them both. I don’t know. We’ll see. We’ll discuss that.

“Both have had great attitudes, and it’s easy right now. They’re getting equal kicks in practice. That’s what it would be like anyway with a one or two; we get them reps. We’ll kind of sit down as a staff with Coach [Harbaugh] and see what we want to do.”

Both are great kickers, among the best in the country coming out of high school, and both have great leg strength. The’ve each taken the competition very seriously this fall, Partridge added, and want to be great.

“They’re similar in the regard that they both can kick pretty deep field goals, and they both can be really, really accurate, too,” he said. “They’re not really separated by much. I think we have maybe the best kicker room in the country when you put both of them together.

“It’s really good; it’s fun. It’s exciting to coach them.”

He’d love to see them both play, he added. And give Nordin credit. In a day and age in which many guys bolt if they lose their starting jobs, he stayed to fight and put himself in position to win the job back, at least part time.

“Quinn’s been awesome. He’s had a heck of an offseason,” Partridge said. “He’s the hardest guy when it comes to his work ethic in the weight room and all that. He’s been a good leader in the room. He’s doing what he should do and what you expect a guy to do, even though it’s not common nowadays. Most guys will run.

“But back in the day, there was no running. You man up and you fight through and be a good teammate, try to get that job back, and that’s what he’s done.”

Junior Ambry Thomas’ battle with colitis has opened the door for others to get a look at kick return, and several have stepped up.

“Going into football camp you had 66 spots on special teams that people are fighting for in all phases,” Partridge said. “We have a lot of them ironed out and ready to rock. There are still some open. Returner is one I would say is open for the most part, and again, you don’t have to use one guy if you have some really good guys.

“I like [sophomore wideout] Ronnie Bell, [freshman receiver] Mikey Sainristil, [freshman receiver] Giles Jackson, [redshirt freshman linebacker] Mike Barrett, [rookie safety] Daxton Hill, [redshirt freshman running back] Christian Turner. All those guys are rotating back there and doing a really good job. Ambry Thomas is now coming back at some point and will get in the mix there. There are a bunch of guys that could help us there.”

Junior wideout Donovan Peoples-Jones will remain the punt returner.

“He’s done it for two years. Mikey, Ronnie Bell are working back there, and Lavert Hill,” Partridge said. “Those four are the guys working as punt returners.”

• Redshirt junior Will Hart has solidified his hold as the starting punter and continues to impress.

"He's a really dialed in guy, strong leg," Partridge said. "His recruiting was funny; he was going to Colgate. I was like, 'Holy … this guy can really kick it.' He came, had a learning curve early. We directionally punt those guys. It’s not easy to come in here from high school and just be a really good punter.

"How did he get there? He just worked, trusted in the coaching, worked through it. His ability was there, and when he figured out exactly how to do it and what we were asking, he took off."

• Redshirt junior long snapper Camaron Cheeseman has continued to progress and will likely keep his job for another year.

"He practices hard, has really continued to take the next step as a long snapper," Partridge sad. "He's continued to get stronger and more fit. He’s a three-year starter coming back, so he's taken a leadership role there.

"… We’re excited. He’s a really good player for us."

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