Special Teams Key to Success against Central Florida
9/10/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 10, 2016
By Katie Conklin
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- It was a strong showing on all sides of the ball for the University of Michigan football team (No. 5 AP, No. 6 Coaches) in its 51-14 victory over Central Florida on Saturday (Sept. 10) at Michigan Stadium.
Junior quarterback Wilton Speight went 25-for-37 for 312 yards and four touchdowns. The defense -- led by junior linebacker/defensive back Jabrill Peppers (eight tackles) and freshman defensive end Rashan Gary (six tackles) -- was active in the air, allowing UCF a mere 56 passing yards.
But it was special teams that ignited the Wolverines' early success.
Upon winning the opening coin toss, UCF elected to receive, but its luck didn't last long. After forcing a punt, sophomore safety Tyree Kinnel exploded through the line and got a hand on the ball, resulting in only a 13-yard net. He must have seen a weakness on the protection, as he very nearly got a second block on the next punt attempt.
Later in the first quarter, senior defensive end Chris Wormley left no doubt, clubbing down a potential 50-yard field goal.
"We watched some film. Blocking those field goals was something I think we all thought that we could do," Wormley said. "The kicker kicked pretty low. We got good push, got our hands up. We made some plays."
Outside of the blocks, Peppers contributed in the return game, bringing a punt back 35 yards down to the UCF 12-yard line. Three plays later, Speight completed a 14-yard pass to senior tight end Jake Butt to extend the lead, 31-0.
But the special teams show wasn't over quite yet -- the kickoff team wanted a part. Early in the third quarter, UCF's Rashard Causey failed to catch the ball cleanly on a kickoff return, leading to a recovery by sophomore safety Jordan Glasgow. The turnover led to another field goal from fifth-year senior kicker/punter Kenny Allen, who was three-for-three on the afternoon. He also punted the ball three times.
Where each team began their drive was also a huge factor in the outcome of the game. Michigan's average starting field position was nearly at midfield (47-yard line), while the kick coverage unit and defense consistently pinned UCF back in their own end (23-yard line).
"You just don't ever want to concede points on the board, whether it's an extra point or a field goal," said J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Head Football Coach Jim Harbaugh. "Whether it's been an eight-, nine-play drive, or six or seven, the guys are tired, but they commit themselves to one final push, to keep points off the board. Our guys did an excellent job. Our special teams has really performed well."
Michigan will look for its third win of the young season next Saturday (Sept. 17) against Colorado at Michigan Stadium. And for now, the Wolverines are pleased.
"We took care of business," Harbaugh said. "There are more games to play."
