Michigan Placekickers A Major Concern for Rodriguez

The Michigan Wolverines have a unusual problem to deal with this off season that not many teams really think too much about.  Who will be their placekicker this season?  Normally this is not a position that many people think about their team in need of, but with Michigan's tendency as of late being in close games this is a major concern for Coach Rodriguez and his staff.  It was thought last year that true freshman Brendan Gibbons would assume the position but he was beat out by walk-on fifth year senior Jason Olesnavage.  Olesnavage finished the season 11-for-15 on field goals and hit 42 of 43 extra points.  With Olesnavage now graduated, Michigan is left without a kicker who has made a FG during a game.  It would be assumed that with Gibbons the only scholarship placekicker on the team that he would now be the go to guy, but Rodriguez is ready just yet to make him the teams permanent placekicker. 

Coach Rodriguez was quoted after the spring game saying "I couldn't tell you who our starting kicker is, it may change in 15 minutes. I don't know if that's going to be resolved until the fall. Brendan Gibbons has a strong leg, but he's been back and forth."  Michigan's other placekicker candidates are redshirt freshman Kris Pauloski and junior Scott Schrimscher.  With all three being uneven in practice so far, Coach Rodriguez has alot of thinking to do when deciding which guy to go with.  None of them have been consistent by any means and someone needs to step up and take the reigns and prove he deserves the spot.  Many were also concerned by the dismal performance in the punting area at the Spring Game, but its expected that when true freshman Will Hagerup arrives for August camp that he will take over as the teams punter.  Hopefully before the season starts this pressing issue will be resolved or Michigan may run into problems during close games.