“You are back there because they have faith in you”: Jake Thaw’s journey from returner to receiver
Because it was a top-five matchup, there was little room for error and high stakes. Jake Thaw, a senior wide receiver, advanced beneath a high-arching punt and motioned for a fair catch. Thaw planted his feet and leaned in to make the catch as a flurry of red and white jerseys surrounded him.
Then something went wrong.
Zeke Berry, a sophomore defensive back, was involved in a blocking assignment when he slammed into Thaw, sending the return man sprawling to the ground as the ball was just starting to touch his hands. The Ohio State gunners frantically anticipated a loose ball.
A loose ball that never happened to materialize. Thaw remained unfazed as Buckeyes players circled in anticipation of a chance to capitalize on the Wolverines’ probable bad luck. Even after a hard hit with Berry, the ball remained secure in his grasp. It was a heart-stopping sequence, a potentially gut-wrenching moment, but more than anything, it was the kind of play that fosters trust.
That kind of play—among many others—was what gave Thaw permission to return a punt in the Rose Bowl. And not just any punt. One against the esteemed Alabama dynasty in a tie game with 54 seconds remaining in the clock.
Thaw stated to The Michigan Daily on Saturday, “It means everything.” “You are not back there because you are faster than DJ Turner,” said Ben Herbert, the strength and conditioning coach, to me earlier in the year. I am fully aware that you will not be running a 4.2 at the combine like DJ Turner. “You returned there because they have faith in you.”
It is difficult to find trust in any situation, be it on the baseball field or in a boardroom. It was therefore no coincidence that Jim Harbaugh and Michigan turned to Thaw in a time of dire need, having gone almost the entire Rose Bowl game without fielding a punt.
With a throw of the dice, though, the Wolverines did not turn to Thaw. The moment did not carry him. Instead, Thaw entered it with his own two feet. Whether it was a hard-fought fair catch against Ohio State, one of thousands of practice punt returns, or fighting through the animosity that only Happy Valley can offer, it made no difference.
Every step of the way, Thaw gained his trust.
Jake Thaw’s father, Mitch Thaw, told The Daily that it all comes down to planning. You do not need to worry if you are ready. You may feel anxious because it is a significant event, or for other reasons, but if you are ready, you will not need to worry at all. Because you are aware that you have made every effort to succeed before taking the field.
Long before a Monday afternoon in Pasadena, that preparation started. It actually arrived prior to Jake ever setting foot in Ann Arbor. Perhaps it began when Jake batted for the ball for the first time in T-ball, though that might be pushing it. Perhaps it began the year he caught his first varsity touchdown in his high school sophomore year.
Whatever the exact moment Jake began his preparations, one thing is certain: they never ended.
Jake flourished at Westport, Connecticut’s Staples High School, emerging as a leader both on and off the field. For Jake, getting ready does not stop in the editing room. It was more than just a matter of interpretation. For Jake, preparation and hard work came easily, whether it was completing homework during two-and-a-half-hour car rides to see his receiver coach in New Jersey or making all-state football and basketball teams.
Jake declared, “I want to challenge myself all the time.” “I enjoy setting myself up for failure. I enjoy a challenge, whether it be in football, academics, or anything else. My goal was to position myself to perform at the best level possible.
It is the same mindset that brought him to Ann Arbor and helps establish dependability.
And then, all of a sudden, after deciding on Michigan, the planning process had to start over. The location might have changed, but Jake stayed the same—always striving to earn the respect of teammates and coaches. Jake says he was “doing something a little extra every day,” but his work that had brought him to the Wolverines left more than just a mark.
So much so that by his junior season, Thaw had not only impressed but also earned playing time despite tearing his ACL in his second year. Nor was it merely in any peculiar role. In 2022, Jake received the ultimate token of confidence when he fielded a punt during his home debut against Hawaii.
Michigan special teams coordinator Jay Harbaugh stated on September 27 that “you really can not play him as a punt returner if you have a guy that you do not trust.” “ … The player’s judgment and clean ball-fielding skills are by far the most crucial factors.
Jake’s preparation became second nature. He was named academic all-Big Ten three times, and in 2023 he was named Special Teams Player of the Week twice. His special combination of hard work, talent, and analytical thinking won him more than just playing time—it also won him respect.
It was therefore no coincidence that Jake was present as the clock ran out on a Monday night in Pasadena as he prepared to field an Alabama punt with 54 seconds remaining in a tie game. It was the result of years of planning, arduous labor, and a trust-based reward.
Jake gestured for a fair catch while he was beneath a high-arching punt. Unfortunate things happened after that.
But Jake’s answer was anything but that.
