Once the final whistle sounded and the No. 12 Michigan football team secured its three-point victory over Minnesota, one player in particular led the triumphant charge toward the student section. With the Little Brown Jug in tow, it was none other than junior kicker Dominic Zvada.
Gallivanting around while flaunting the storied rivalry trophy, Zvada had lots to celebrate on Saturday. Not only did the Wolverines hang on for the contested win, but Zvada reached a personal milestone, too.
In just Week 5, he became the first player in Michigan history to make at least four field goals of 50-plus yards in a single season.
“That dude, he’s a monster,” Wolverines coach Sherrone Moore said. “As soon as we cross the 50, it feels like we’re in range. He’ll just say, ‘I’m good. I’m good.’ I’m like, ‘Bro, we’re trying to score a touchdown.’ He’s like, ‘I’m good though. Just letting you know I’m good.’ ”
It was about halfway through the third quarter when Zvada’s 53-yard field goal etched his name in the Michigan football history books. The kick — into the wind — extended the Wolverines’ lead to 24-3.
Though Moore and Michigan would always rather put the ball in the end zone than through the uprights — even when Zvada assures Moore that he’s good — Zvada provides an almost automatic three points once the Wolverines cross midfield. And against the Golden Gophers, those three points were much-needed.
“He’s been a great help for us, just because as an offense, we understand that to get points on the board, you don’t gotta get super, super close to the end zone,” junior wide receiver Tyler Morris said. “So when there are situations where we’re just like, ‘You know what, we just need points. It doesn’t have to be a touchdown, but we need to extend the lead in some way.’ We understand that he’s gonna help us, and he’s confident. So we’re definitely all confident in him.”
Late in the first quarter, on Minnesota’s second drive, Gophers kicker Dragan Kesich missed a 55-yarder with the wind at his back. Zvada, on the other hand, stayed perfect on the day after nailing another field goal toward the end of the fourth quarter, this time from 35 yards out.
With 34 total points to his name, Zvada is Michigan’s second-leading scorer through five weeks, behind only graduate running back Kalel Mullings.
A transfer from Arkansas State in his first season with the Wolverines, Zvada was essentially an unknown commodity heading into Week 1. But for his teammates and coaches, it’s not surprising that he’s found so much early success. Moore said it took about a week to realize that Zvada was something special.
“We see it every day in practice, he’s kicking 50-, 60-yarders just casually,” junior defensive lineman Mason Graham said. “I know Coach Moore always enjoys it. It’s pretty cool, just relying on a guy, kind of like Jake Moody was, (he) kind of compares to him. (We) just know we’re gonna get those three points at the end of the day when (Zvada’s) kicking it.”
Smiling from ear to ear as he brandished the Jug, Zvada has already started building his legacy as a first-year Wolverine. He’s now a program record-holder, and on Saturday, he was the difference.
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