ANN ARBOR -- Chris Partridge was warned before the 2017 season even began.
By three different people.
"Do not start a freshman at punt returner," they told Michigan's special-teams coordinator. "Don't do it."
But by the time fall camp had closed, the Wolverines were young and experienced across the board on special teams. As a result, Michigan turned to a first-year snapper (Camaron Cheeseman), first-year kicker (Quinn Nordin) and two first-year punters (Will Hart, then Brad Robbins).
At punt return, Peoples-Jones stood out.
"He was the best we had, and we had to live with it," Partridge told reporters on Sunday.