Matt Wile Matt Wile ( born June 20 , 1992 ) is an American football placekicker and punter for the University of Michigan . After his senior year at Francis W . Parker School in San Diego , California , Wile played as a punter in the U . S . Army All - American Bowl in January 2011 . He is currently a starter for the 2012 Michigan Wolverines football team . Early years . Wile began kicking at age 8 . He attended Francis W . Parker School in San Diego , California , where he played high school football as a punter , placekicker , linebacker , and defensive end . As a senior in 2010 , he made 10 of his 13 field goal attempts , and 91 of his 101 kickoffs resulted in touchbacks . After his senior year , Wile played as a punter in the U . S . Army All - American Bowl . Michigan . Recruiting and commitment . After the team ' s placekickers converted only 4 of 14 field goal attempts in 2010 , signing a placekicker was one of the top priorities for the Michigan Wolverines football team . When Brady Hoke was named the team ' s new head coach in January 2011 , Wile became Hoke ' s top kicking target . Wile had multiple connections to Hoke and Michigan . His father , grandfather , great - grandfather and great - great - grandfather all attended the University of Michigan Medical School . Additionally , Wile ' s father , Dr . Peter Wile , was the team doctor for the San Diego State Aztecs football team , the team Hoke coached during the 2010 season . After Wile announced his commitment to Michigan in late January 2011 , his high school coach John Morrison joked about Wile ' s five generation legacy at Michigan : " Talk about a Michigan man . He ' s as close as possible . " Wile had a career - long 63 - yard field goal in high school and was Michigan ' s highest rated kicking prospect since Garrett Rivas in 2003 . 2011 season . Recruited principally as a placekicker , Wile was slated to handle kickoffs for the 2011 Michigan Wolverines football team . However , the team ' s regular punter , Will Hagerup , was given a four - game suspension for violation of team rules before the season started . As a result , Wile was given dual responsibility for kickoffs and punting as a true freshman . On picking up the addition duty , Wile said , " I hadn ' t really been practicing punting . When I got here , they asked me to start practicing . " When Michigan faced San Diego State in September 2011 , Wile ' s father ( who had been San Diego State ' s team doctor since 1986 ) told reporters that " blood is thicker than water , " and he would therefore be rooting for his son and the Wolverines in the game . Wile averaged 49 yards on four punts against San Diego State . During the 2011 season , Wile has handled all 79 kickoffs for the Wolverines , totaling 5 , 054 yards and an average of 64 . 0 yards per kickoff . He also handled 17 punts for 707 yards with an average of 41 . 6 yards and a long punt of 58 yards . He also made four solo tackles in 2011 . For the season , he earned 2011 Big Ten All - Freshman team recognition from both ESPN . com and BTN . com . 2012 season . Following spring practice in April 2012 , head coach Brady Hoke said Wile and Will Hagerup were " neck and neck " for the position as the starting punter . Through the first three games of the 2012 season , Wile had handled 18 of 19 kickoffs for Michigan , averaging 60 . 4 yards per kickoff and securing a touchback on 9 of 18 kickoffs .