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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Twice now, Michigan has lined up for a punt, the offense having stalled, and twice it’s managed to move the chains, thanks to second-year player Michael Barrett.
The Valdosta (GA) high school quarterback has now converted on fourth down using both his arm and his legs, with a 25-yard pass in Week Two against Army to freshman phenom Daxton Hill, and a 14-yard scamper in the last game at Maryland, to keep a drive going which ended in a Michigan touchdown.
So, why has he been so effective on that front?
His special teams coordinator Chris Partridge broke down Barrett’s skill set and ability on Wednesday, noting that when the Wolverines find themselves in a particular situation, they’re comfortable putting the ball in Barrett’s hands.
“He’s a former quarterback, Georgia state player of the year at quarterback,” Partridge said. “Recruited to be a P.P. (punter protector) here – I’m just kidding! I tell him that all the time!
“The bottom line, with fakes for us, they have to present it to us and we’ve gotta play complementary football, right? We’re not gonna get all carried away and doing crazy stuff. But if they present the opportunity and our team presents the opportunity, within playing complementary football on offense and defense, we want to be able take advantage of that opportunity. We’ve gotten two opportunities to do that, and Michael Barrett has executed them, because he’s comfortable with the ball in his hands.”
The Barrett-to-Hill play was decided when Army decided to not cover the flank, leaving Hill wide open for a potential pass and an easy first down and more. Two weeks ago, the situation presented itself for him to run up the middle and he took it.
Quarterbacks coach Ben McDaniels doesn’t have a lot of experience working with Barrett, as his offensive presence lasted momentarily when he first arrived on campus in 2018, billed as an ‘offensive weapon.’ But, soon after, he was moved to defense, where he’s become a backup VIPER.
Still, he’s finding a way to make an impact where he can, and the coaching staff feels like he is a capable playmaker in that regard.
“It’s awesome – he’s a great kid,” McDaniels said. “He’s worn a lot of hats in our building. It’s really neat to see him be an integral part of what we’re doing. On special teams, on defense – spent some time on offense early in his career. He’s a great kid that represents us well.”
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