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Michigan got some big news on Tuesday with ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg reporting that Rutgers filled its defensive coordinator position, thus signaling that linebackers coach Anthony Campanile is likely to return to Ann Arbor for a second season.
But, what about the personnel themselves?
According to The Wolverine Lounge‘s Brandon Justice, it looks like Michigan could be retaining two fifth-year players in 2020, and both are incredibly important to the success of their respective units.
First reported is kicker Quinn Nordin, the big-legged place kicker who booted the go-ahead score just before halftime against Alabama. With second-year kicker Jake Moody chomping at his heels all season, Justice reports that Nordin is going to finish out his intercollegiate eligibility in Ann Arbor, despite getting a solid NFL Draft grade.
Source tells me #Michigan K Quinn Nordin submitted and received his draft grade. Came back promising. Following his 57-yard boot in the bowl game, NFL became a more realistic option.
Ultimately, he has decided to come back for his senior season, I’m told.
— Brandon Justice (@BrandonBJustice) January 14, 2020
Perhaps even more importantly, however, given the (lack of) depth on the interior defensive line, Justice reports that senior defensive tackle and team captain Carlo Kemp will also be returning, per his sources.
Source confirms #Michigan DT Carlo Kemp will indeed return for a fifth year with the Wolverines. Not sure if this has been reported elsewhere.
— Brandon Justice (@BrandonBJustice) January 14, 2020
In order for Kemp to return, he would have to have an NCAA waiver, as he played in one game in his true freshman season, a mid-season romp over Rutgers in 2016. Given that NCAA rules at that time stated that a redshirt could only be received so long that a player did not participate in any games outside of the first four, Justice indicates that Kemp has gotten said waiver.
Kemp played in 12 games in 2019, but was unable to perform in the VRBO Citrus Bowl to finish out the season, despite dressing for the game and practicing all week. His return bolsters a thin unit, that hasn’t brought in many interior defensive line players as of late, and had former walk-on Jess Speight starting in his place against Alabama. In 2020, Michigan will then have Kemp, Speight, Michael Dwumfour and second-year players Chris Hinton and Mazi Smith available in the middle.