Toledo Blade: Article by Joe Vardon

UM, Illinois have kicking game woes

By JOE VARDON
BLADE SPORTS WRITER

ANN ARBOR - Say today's Michigan-Illinois showdown was a presidential debate, with operatives from both sides arbitrarily hammering out the details before the candidates took their places.

An Illini rep offers: "Why don't we forget kickoffs?"

The Wolverines' chief negotiator: "Deal."

Illinois guy: "We'll both start each possession after a score at, say, our own 35-yard lines?"

Michigan man: "I'd have settled for the 30."

If only the Dems and GOP had it that easy.

The Wolverines are 103rd of 119 bowl subdivision teams in kickoff returns, averaging just 17.9 yards per return overall with some costly fumbles the last two games.

"The return game is atrocious," UM coach Rich Rodriguez said, speaking of his team's troubling tendencies on both kickoff and punt returns. The Wolverines are even worse returning punts, ranked in a tie for 111th with 3.5 yards per return.

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