The biggest concern with the Michigan football team after six games has been its kicker.
After missing four of his previous five field-goal attempts, Kenny Allen had to earn his starting job back the week leading up to the Rutgers game. He did that but only got a chance to kick extra points because of game flow.
Now the competition is open again, with the Illinois game looming Saturday.
"I don't think it's ever going to be settled here," U-M special teams/linebackers coach Chris Partridge said. "We're always going to compete and challenge those guys, and they know they have to perform at a high level or there's going to be someone ready to perform. We're still competing, and they're on equal reps."
It was settled last year when Allen was 18-for-22. But he has missed four of eight this season.
Partridge had mixed feelings about watching U-M score 11 touchdowns against Rutgers. He would like to see Allen kick against a live rush.
"Of course I'd like to get a try there in a game to have that pressure," Partridge said. "We've got to do our best in practice to be ready for the game when it comes. Of course there's nothing like live game reps."
After weeks of examination, U-M's coaches are convinced that Allen's struggles were technical, not mental. Coach Jim Harbaugh said that Allen was moving a tenth of a second too fast.
Some of that may be attributable to Allen's multiple roles as placekicker, punter and kickoff specialist.
"It's extremely difficult to do all three," Partridge said. "You don't see it often, you don't see someone do it excellent often. It's something he's learning. Even though he's a fifth-year senior, he's never done that before. So he's learning, just like any other player has to learn.
"To adjust his (leg) swing to whatever kick he's doing, that's the learning curve that we're hitting."
Walk-on Ryan Tice has been pushing Allen all season on field goals and relieved him after two misses in the Wisconsin game, but Tice missed his only attempt.
Highly rated freshman Quinn Nordin traveled to Rutgers but did not kick. Partridge said Nordin is "kicking, kicking well, excited about him."
