'Sniper' Jake Moody calmly nails record six field goals in place-kicking debut

Ann Arbor — Freshman kicker Jake Moody earned the nickname “sniper” from quarterback Shea Patterson after Moody booted a Michigan-record six field goals in the Wolverines’ victory over Indiana.

Moody, who has handled kickoffs for Michigan this season, got the call when kicker Quinn Nordin was too ill to play.

He made kicks of: 32, 30, 31, 33, 23 and 29 yards in fourth-ranked Michigan’s 31-20 victory over the Hoosiers in the final home game of the season at Michigan Stadium. Four Michigan kickers had made five field goals in a game, most recently, Nordin, who achieved that mark last season against Air Force.

“It was an incredible experience,” Moody said. “The guys out there made it really easy for me, the snaps and the holds by Camaron Cheeseman and Will Hart. They made it really easy for me to just go out there and do my job.”

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Michigan made eight trips to the red zone and scored seven times. The Wolverines and had only one touchdown, a 2-yard run from Karan Higdon. Nick Eubanks also scored on a 41-yard pass from Patterson.

The rest of the time it was the Moody Show.

“To have a freshman like this kick the way he did was amazing,” Patterson said.

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said he was impressed with how cool Moody was in his debut.

“What a performance,” Harbaugh said. “Talk about 139 years of Michigan football and to set a record, six field goals, great job. He learned pregame that he had to get ready. He was good. No facial expression change, no body language change.

“He just went about his business of getting ready. Same when he was in there kicking. He was making them and no expression. Cool customer. Good thing for a kicker. And Will Hart had a couple really good holds. Cam Cheeseman was — that whole battery was working good. Every single field goal was big today.”

Moody had not attempted a field goal in a game since last season at Northville High.

“It felt great,” Moody said. “I’ve been practicing all season. Quinn’s been a great role model for me. He’s taught me what to do when you get out there to get your mind right before you kick.”

He didn’t have much time to think about his debut.

“I found out in the locker room right before we ran out on the field,” he said. “Quinn wasn’t feeling too well, and he said it was going to be a game-time decision and he decided it would be best for me to go out there.”

Harbaugh was asked if this means Moody will be the kicker next week at Ohio State.

“We’ll see this week,” Harbaugh said.

achengelis@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @chengelis