 |
| Will Hagerup |
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 225 lbs.
High school: Milwauke (WI) Whitefish Bay
Position: Punter
Class: Junior
Jersey number: #45
Last year: I ranked Hagerup #14 and said he would be the starting punter. He punted 29 times for 1,043 yards (36.0 yards per punt) and downed 5 inside the 20-yard line.
Hagerup was suspended for the first three games of last season because of off-the-field issues. His off-the-field issues carried over into on-the-field issues, however, because he only averaged 36.0 yards a punt as a sophomore after averaging 43.6 as a freshman in 2010. Minor fluctuations might be expected from a punter, but not a 7.6-yard drop.
Based on his first two seasons, all we can really count on is that Hagerup will get suspended. He went from being the best underclassman punter in the league and the nation's 28th-best punter (by average distance) in 2010 to somewhere around the 95th-best punter in the country as a sophomore, so I don't know what to expect out of his leg for 2012. However it turns out for him, he has a capable backup punter in sophomore Matt Wile (41.7 yards per punt last season), so if Hagerup can't get the job done, hopefully the coaches will insert someone who can.
Prediction: Starting punter unless he sucks again
I look forward to your revisit of this prediction in next year's countdown.
ReplyDeleteIt should go without saying that punting, coverage is a vital part of our coaches game. It always will be in the B1G. How far will go with a guy who seemingly has other things on his mind? Academics (I understand he is very smart), girls, etc. He would make a great interview if the coaches made him available IMO.
ReplyDeleteHarsh man. The guy has had off-field issues (yes, they seemed to bleed onto the field) but he's a pretty special talent. There's a decent chance he's an impact player for this team, especially if Denard can produce enough reliability to convince Borges to flip to the long jump-ball portion of the playbook less often. But yeah, if not, Wile is a serviceable replacement. Losing Haugerup won't be a killer, but if he plays up to his talent he takes Michigan up from a team with average punting to excellent punting.
ReplyDeleteAs punting is an area of the game that is being valued higher in recent years (NFL salaries for punters have gone way up) due to the influence of statistical analysis, I'd say that Haguerup could make a significant impact.
Changing my user name as a special favor to the dude who keeps thinking I'm Lakwanda
I have no doubt that he could make a significant impact. But he's either been very good (as a freshman) or subpar (as a sophomore). I don't know if the team can count on him at this point, and we have several options at punter/kicker.
DeleteI'm disappointed that you changed your user name...although it will take less time to type out when someone's arguing with you, so there's that.
It's the little things in life...
DeleteWell, if the off-field stuff explains the on-field problems, Haugerup should be back to kicking like his freshman year. He was supposedly the top punter in the country as a recruit - and those are my expectations for him. If he lives up to that he's in the top 30 players on the team, value-wise.
DeleteWow, Lank...the double standard is back again. You have high expectations for Hagerup because he was the top punter in the nation, but zero expectations for Shane Morris because he could get hurt or suck despite being one of the top 2 QBs in the country? I must say, your opinions on individual players are wildly unpredictable.
Delete@BB
DeleteGenerally speaking, recruiting rankings establish a level of talent. Hagerup showed up on campus and produced. He's also, you know, actually enrolled at University of Michigan and on the football team. I'm not going to bank on any 16/17 year old kid to do anything without a Plan B.
Lanko (formerly Lakwanda)....brilliant move on your part with the new username. This new username gives you instant credibility and reverses your gender and opinions/rants from being an annoying female that releases her anger on TTB, to a savvy male who's quite perspicacious when it comes to Michigan football and recruiting. This is a new day and era, and I will never have to endure the feeble minded rants of Lakwonda again. This is a monumental move for society as a whole, transcending the dawn of a new age.
ReplyDeleteI always try to keep my female friends happy.
Delete