Special Teams Becoming Game-Changer
10/10/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 10, 2015
By John Kopko
Jehu Chesson didn't give Michigan fans much of a chance to settle into their seats when the return team took the field for the opening kickoff against Northwestern on Saturday (Oct. 10). Michigan Stadium was already buzzing from pre-game homecoming festivities when the Wildcats' Matt Micucci booted a high, end-over-end kick toward the Wolverine return men, kicking off what was supposed to be a low-scoring, defensive slugfest.
Not today.
Chesson drifted to his left as the ball floated his way and fielded it routinely, heels on the four-yard line. He started straight up field, then abruptly angled back toward the home sideline. By the time Chesson hit the 30-yard line, it was clear no one was going to catch him, and he used his speed to leave the Wildcats' coverage team in the dust as he raced down the Michigan sideline for a 96-yard touchdown.
In just 13 seconds, Michigan had taken the lead, 7-0, and was in the driver's seat. Chesson's return -- the first game-opening kickoff return touchdown for the Wolverines since current running backs coach Tyrone Wheatley took a kick 99 yards on Sept. 27, 1992 -- set the tone for a dominating Michigan performance on all sides of the ball that culminated in a 38-0 blowout win.
While much of the attention in recent weeks has been focused on the tremendous play of the Wolverines' defensive units, special teams has been a quiet x-factor. Just as graduate student quarterback Jake Rudock has settled into his role as a consistent, steady game-manager, consistent play from the special teams units made Northwestern's task of solving this tough Michigan defense that much harder.
Punter Blake O'Neill (left) and kicker Kenny Allen (right)
Offensive yards have been hard to find for opponents in the past three weeks, and graduate student punter Blake O'Neill and senior kicker Kenny Allen have been contributing factors. O'Neill downed three of his five punts inside the Wildcats' 20-yard line on Saturday, and Northwestern averaged just 19 return yards on Allen's kickoffs. As a result, the Wildcats' average starting field position was at their own 20, 24 yards less than the Wolverines' average starting field position at their own 44-yard line.
"I think (field position) is huge," Allen said. "When Blake pins someone deep inside their own end, they have to go 80 yards to score. It demoralizes teams. On kickoffs, if our guys get down there and they cover or we get a touchback, same thing. It's hard to go 80 yards on our defense."
When asked how he consistently is able to pin punts inside the opponent 20-yard line, O'Neill offered an easy explanation.
"It's something I've done growing up," he said. "It's pretty simple to place it down there for me. Granted, there were a couple I did get it inside the 10, but I am pretty dirty on myself if I don't get it inside the eight (yard line)."
Allen also showed off his field-goal range, nailing a career-long 47-yard kick, adding yet another weapon to the special teams' arsenal.
When it comes to returns, sophomore defensive back Jabrill Peppers has yet to take a punt for a touchdown -- though he has nearly broken one or two -- but his consistent hands and fearlessness in fair-catch situations has saved Michigan crucial yardage.
"I take it upon myself to give the offense the shortest field possible rather than letting a couple of balls bounce," Peppers said. "When Coach Baxter got here, he actually showed me how to judge a ball, and how it falls, and when it falls which way it's going to go. The ones that I let drop, I can kind of see which way the tail is going."
Every aspect of Peppers' return is carefully calculated in his head, even in the way he returns the ball to the officials. When he knows by the flight of the ball and the position of the coverage he won't be able to return it, Peppers calls for the fair catch, fields the ball and immediately sets the ball on the turf in the exact spot he caught it.
"I'm kind of just letting people know that I'm getting fed up that I can't return any of them," Peppers said. "I'm kind of doing the refs a favor too, saving their legs. I made a joke today. I told the ref, 'If you guys help me out, I'm going to help you out. When I fair catch it, make sure no one comes in too reckless, and I'll make sure you have the proper spot.'"
Jabrill Peppers (left) and special teams coordinator John Baxter (right)
With all eyes on the dominating play of the Michigan defense, the special teams units have become that much more of a weapon. They're keen to take away yardage, leaving opposing offenses with a long field and one of the top defenses in the country standing in their way of the end zone.
Just as Peppers won't receive much attention for the way he fair catches a football, the Wolverines' special teams units won't receive much attention if they continue to perform their jobs on a consistent basis.
So long as that translates to wins, that's just the way they like it.
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