Michigan’s Field Goal Struggles Put Trey Butkowski Under Growing Pressure

Michigan’s kicking problems are becoming harder to overlook, and Saturday’s game against Rutgers added another reason for concern. With two more missed field goals, Trey Butkowski’s recent struggles have put an uncomfortable spotlight on a position the Wolverines need to stabilize.

Those two misses against Rutgers continued a troubling stretch following Michigan’s 13-6 overtime loss to Indiana. Butkowski missed twice against the Hoosiers, leaving the Wolverines without points on two possessions in a game that remained within reach throughout regulation.

Against Indiana, his unsuccessful attempts came from 53 and 32 yards. The longer kick was a difficult assignment, but the shorter miss represented a scoring opportunity Michigan needed to finish. Butkowski later connected from 29 and 26 yards, with the latter sending the game into overtime. His afternoon included both costly misses and the kick that kept Michigan alive. 

That distinction matters when evaluating his performance. Butkowski has demonstrated he can respond after a mistake. However, Michigan needs dependable production across an entire game, especially when its offense struggles to turn possessions into touchdowns.

The Indiana loss illustrated that problem. Michigan managed only six points despite reaching the red zone four times. The offense deserves considerable responsibility for those stalled opportunities, but missed field goals compounded the difficulty. When touchdowns are scarce, converting available kicks becomes even more important. 

Saturday’s additional misses against Rutgers increase the urgency. Every unsuccessful attempt ends a possession without a reward, and repeated failures can complicate decisions about whether to kick, punt or pursue a fourth-down conversion.

Michigan also needs to evaluate the entire kicking operation. The snap, hold, protection and timing all contribute to the result. Without a detailed review of each attempt, assigning every problem to the kicker’s mechanics would be premature. Still, Butkowski’s responsibility is to produce the finish, and the recent results have fallen short.

His background provides a reason to believe improvement is possible. Before arriving at Michigan, Butkowski made 19 of 22 field goal attempts during his lone season at Pittsburgh. That record showed the accuracy the Wolverines hoped would translate to their special teams. 

For Michigan, the immediate priority should be identifying what has changed and correcting it. That means evaluating execution in practice, establishing a realistic kicking range and making decisions based on current consistency.

Butkowski does not need to solve Michigan’s offensive problems. He does need to help ensure productive possessions end with points when a field goal is the available outcome.

After two misses against Indiana and two more against Rutgers, Michigan has a recurring issue that demands attention. Restoring confidence will require successful kicks, and the Wolverines need that improvement quickly.