Michigan football: Jim Harbaugh reveals starters at kicker and punter, in defensive front seven

Michigan Wolverines football‘s special teams unit will have a new look in 2023. This spring, the Maize and Blue became the second college program in 40 years to have a kicker (Jake Moody, third round) and punter (Brad Robbins, sixth) selected in the same NFL Draft.

After spring ball, head coach Jim Harbaugh and Co. brought in Louisville graduate transfer James Turner — a Saline, Mich., native — who’s established himself as Michigan’s starting place kicker to begin the season. Junior Tommy Doman, meanwhile, has settled in at punter after handling place kicks in the spring. He’s also working at holder for Turner.

Harbaugh noted that the special teams operation — headed up by coordinator Jay Harbaugh — won’t be completely fresh. Mainstays like graduate cover man Caden Kolesar and graduate long snapper William Wagner have recovered from knee injuries and are good to go.

“A lot of great core players from the special teams are back. The kickers and punters — James Turner is going to do the kicking, field goals,” Harbaugh said on the ‘Inside Michigan Football’ radio show. “Tommy Doman is going to be the punter. Will Wagner is going to be the snapper, and that’s the group going in. We’ll see who eventually who is going to be the kickoff guy. Could be Tommy Doman, could be [sophomore Mississippi State transfer] Hudson Hollenbeck.

“Experienced snappers back — Will Wagner, Greg Tarr. It’s an operation, the whole field goal unit.”

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Turner has big shoes to fill, replacing Moody, arguably Michigan’s best kicker in history, but he has a track record of being reliable. At Louisville, he made 47 of his 59 career field goal attempts, including 20 of 22 last season. Turner is 32-of-33 from inside 40 yards and 46-of-53 from inside 50 (he’s 1-of-6 from 50 yards and out).

“James Turner is talented,” the Michigan coach continued. “He can put it through the uprights if he gets a good snap, gets a good hold. He’s extremely accurate — that’s what we’ve learned watching him play college football. But throughout this entire offseason and camp, he’s been really accurate.”

Doman, too, has impressed as a punter.

“Tommy Doman, he’s got the leg,” Harbaugh said. “We thought Brad Robbins could kick some bombs, and then you watch Tommy bomb ‘em, it’s incredible. When you watch the young punters, it’s all about the rhythm, it’s all about the timing for them. They’ve gotta be in that good rhythm. But when it’s there, it’s a pro leg all the way.”

Jim Harbaugh breaks down Michigan front seven

On the radio show, host Jon Jansen said he believes Michigan may have one of its best all time defensive lines. Harbaugh pushed back, not wanting to “anoint them yet,” but loves the potential of the group.

“They sure have the ability and license to go out and do it. I’m super excited about them,” Harbaugh said.

“When you look inside at the nose tackle position — [sophomores] Kenneth Grant, Mason Graham, [graduate] Cam Goode, those three, [freshman] Trey Pierce has really come on. [Senior] Reece Atteberry has moved over to defense; he’s doing a heck-of-a-good-job.”

Grant said one week after Atteberry moved over from offensive line that his Michigan teammate was impressing. Harbaugh likes what he’s seen.

“That’s another case where that was player-driven,” Harbaugh revealed of the move. “Reece [said], ‘Coach, I played defensive line in high school. I see some of the depth where it is on the offensive line’ … he wants to contribute, he wants to get on the field, he wants to play. And it’s just been daily, how good he’s doing for [defensive line coach] Mike Elston, picking everything up immediately. One meeting, and then, hey, you’re going to go play defensive line today at practice, and he just picks it up like a sponge. So that’s been good.”

At EDGE, Michigan is still searching for full-time starters, but four Wolverines are at the top of the rotation no matter who opens the games.

“Four starting EDGEs — ’Michigan Method’ engaged, rotation, whatever you want to call it,” Harbaugh said. “[Senior] Jaylen Harrell, [senior] Braiden McGregor, [junior] Josaiah Stewart, [sophomore] Derrick Moore, [or] Moore, McGregor, Stewart, Harrell. It’s good. They really complement each other’s’ style really well, and they fit perfect. [Michigan defensive coordinator] Jesse [Minter] has done a tremendous job of fitting their skill sets into the schemes. It’s really good.”

Michigan has a top three at linebacker, but the two starters from last season appear to be on top of the depth chart, followed by sophomore Ernest Hausmann, a highly-touted Nebraska transfer.

“Linebacker, we’re deeper,” Harbaugh said. “[Junior] Junior Colson, [graduate] Mike Barrett back — both are starters. Mike Barrett has had a heck of a camp. You could probably tell that after he was voted captain. Really good. Ernest Hausmann, and [junior] Jaydon Hood has really come on. Jaydon Hood has come to the fore, and he’s playing really good football.

“You feel deeper there. [Sophomore] Micah Pollard — outstanding. [Junior] Christian Boivin, not only a good linebacker but a great special teams player, a real core guy for us. And then you’ve got some young players, as well, and Joey V [graduate Joey Velazquez] — love Joey V, a great special teams player and hopefully he’s gonna have a big year.”

Michigan ranked seventh nationally by allowing only 16.1 points per game last season and has the chance to make a strong first impression in the season-opener against East Carolina Saturday at The Big House.