Matt Wile

Matt Wile

Michigan Wolverines — No. 45
Placekicker, Punter	Freshman
Major: N/A
Date of birth: June 20, 1992
Height: 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	Weight: 208 lb (94 kg; 14 st 12 lb)
Career history
High school: Francis W. Parker School San Diego, California
College(s): University of Michigan (2011)
Career highlights and awards
*[[U.S. Army All-American Bowl]], 2011

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 2011 Michigan Wolverines football team.

Early years

Wile began kicking at age 8.^[1] He attended Francis W. Parker School in San Diego, California, where he played high school football as a punter, placekicker, linebacker, and defensive end.^[2] As a senior in 2010, he made 10 of his 13 field goal attempts, and 91 of his 101 kickoffs resulted in touchbacks.^[3] After his senior year, Wile played as a punter in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.^[4][5]

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.^[6][7] 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."^[2] 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.^[8]

2011 season

Recruited principally as a placekicker, Wile was slated to handle kickoffs for the 2011 Michigan Wolverines football team.^{[9][10][11][12]} However, the team's regular punter, Will Hagerup, was given a four-game suspension for violation of team rules before the season started.^[13] As a result, Wile was given dual responsibility for kickoffs and punting as a true freshman.^[14][15] 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."^[16]

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.^[17] Wile averaged 49 yards on four punts against San Diego State.^[18]

Through the first seven games of the 2011 season, Wile has handled all 44 kickoffs for the Wolverines, totaling 2,742 yard and an average of 62.3 yards per kickoff. He also handled 14 punts for 576 yards with an average of 41.1 yards and a long punt of 51 yards.^[19]

References

1. ^ Steve Brand (December 17, 2009). "Parker’s kicker puts opponents in a hole". San Diego Union-Tribune. http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2009/dec/17/parkers-kicker-puts-opponents-hole/. 
2. ^ ^{a b} Pete Bigelow (February 1, 2011). "Michigan football team finds a natural fit in kicking recruit Matt Wile". AnnArbor.com. http://annarbor.com/sports/um-football/michigan-football-team-finds-a-natural-fit-in-kicking-recruit-matt-wile/. Retrieved October 17, 2011. 
3. ^ "Matt Wile Bio". University of Michigan. http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/wile_matt00.html. Retrieved October 17, 2011. 
4. ^ "Matt Wile profile". U.S. Army All-America Bowl. http://www.usarmyallamericanbowl.com/view_player.php?id=9844. Retrieved October 17, 2011. 
5. ^ "Locals in U.S. Army All-American Bowl". San Diego Union Tribune. January 6, 2011. http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/jan/06/locals-us-army-all-american-bowl/. 
6. ^ Sam Webb (January 20, 2011). "Wolverines hope late push enough to land San Diego kicker". http://detnews.com/article/20110120/OPINION03/101200417/Wolverines-hope-late-push-enough-to-land-San-Diego-kicker. Retrieved October 17, 2011. 
7. ^ "Promising kicker follows his heart to Michigan". Detroit Free Press. January 25, 2011. http://www.freep.com/article/20110125/SPORTS06/101250429/Promising-kicker-follows-his-heart-Michigan. 
8. ^ Kyle Meinke (August 18, 2011). "Freshman Matt Wile's strong camp has him inching toward Michigan football history". AnnArbor.com. http://www.annarbor.com/sports/um-football/freshman-matt-wiles-strong-camp-has-him-in-position-to-make-michigan-football-history/. Retrieved October 17, 2011. 
9. ^ Kyle Meinke (August 19, 2011). "Freshman Matt Wile will handle kickoffs, Denard Robinson completing 70 percent of his passes and more notes". http://www.annarbor.com/sports/um-football/freshman-matt-wile-will-handle-kickoffs-denard-robinson-completing-70-percent-of-his-passes-more/. Retrieved October 17, 2011. 
10. ^ Ryan Autullo (August 21, 2011). "Wile has leg up on competition: UM freshman may handle all kicking duties to start season". Toledo Blade. http://www.toledoblade.com/Michigan/2011/08/21/Wile-a-leg-up-on-competition.html. 
11. ^ "Michigan's agony of the feet, Freshman Wile raises hope kicking game might improve". Kalamazoo Gazette. August 18, 2011. 
12. ^ Kyle Meinkie (August 1, 2011). "Freshman Matt Wile may be answer for Michigan football team's wobbly kicking game". AnnArbor.com. http://annarbor.com/sports/um-football/kicking-game-remains-a-concern-for-michigan-football-team-after-wobbly-2010-season/. Retrieved October 17, 2011. 
13. ^ Tim Rohan (August 7, 2011). "Stonum to redshirt in 2011; Hagerup suspended first four games". The Michigan Daily. http://www.michigandaily.com/blog/stonum-redshirt-2011-hagerup-suspended-first-four-games. 
14. ^ Larry Lage (August 24, 2011). "Michigan may ask Matt Wile to do it all". Associated Press. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700173179/Michigan-may-ask-Matt-Wile-to-do-it-all.html. Retrieved October 17, 2011. 
15. ^ "Matt Wile might be do-it-all kicker". ESPN.com. August 25, 2011. http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/6890921/matt-wile-michigan-wolverines-handle-kickoffs-fgs-punts. Retrieved October 17, 2011. 
16. ^ Michael Rothstein (September 23, 2011). "Freshman puts best foot forward: San Diego native Matt Wile pressed into punting duties while Hagerup suspended". ESPN.com (Wolverine Nation). http://espn.go.com/colleges/michigan/football/story/_/id/7007211/matt-wile-fills-punter-michigan-wolverines. Retrieved October 17, 2011. 
17. ^ Brent Schrotenboer (September 22, 2011). "SDSU doctor facing Michigan family drama". SignOnSanDiego.com. http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/sep/22/sdsu-doctor-faced-michigan-family-drama/. Retrieved October 17, 2011. 
18. ^ Mark Snyder (September 27, 2011). "With Hagerup back, punting job is up for grabs". Detroit Free Press. http://www.freep.com/article/20110927/SPORTS06/109270409/With-Hagerup-back-punting-job-up-grabs. 
19. ^ "Michigan Football Statistics (7-game Totals)". University of Michigan. http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/101511aab.html. Retrieved October 17, 2011. 

Persondata
Name	Wile, Matt
Alternative names
Short description	American football placekicker and punter
Date of birth	June 20, 1992
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death