Michigan football doesn’t really do “quiet seasons.” Every fall in Ann Arbor comes loaded with noise, whether it’s the 100,000 voices shaking the Big House or the outside chatter about where the Wolverines stack up in the Big Ten race. But amidst all the hype over their freshman QB, there’s a star punter whose journey quietly adds something bigger than records, proving that sometimes the most meaningful plays happen off the stat sheet.
That punter is redshirt junior Hudson Hollenbeck, and his season comes with more meaning than most. His journey has been different from what five-star punters usually see, especially when they are among the top 10 in their position in their class. The Tennessee native’s route to Ann Arbor came via Mississippi State. In his first two years, Hollenback hardly saw any action. Besides being a holder. All that changed in Michigan’s bowl game against Alabama.
However, away from the field, Hudson’s journey involves a personal loss—right when he was about to start his CFB career at Mississippi State. He lost his mother, Gina, to lung cancer in 2022. Now, Hudson Hollenback has launched the “Punting Away Cancer” initiative in honor of his late mother, partnering with the University of Michigan Health Rogel Cancer Center. For every punt of 50-plus yards and every time he pins an opponent inside the 20, he’ll donate money toward cancer research.
“I know everyone says that about their mom, but I don’t really know how to articulate it any other way,” Hudson said, as per 247sports. “That’s truly what she was. She always looked at the positives. She was known to kill people with kindness. … I owe her everything I have, honestly.”
Even throughout her battle with stage-4 ALK-positive lung cancer, Gina never let go of optimism. She lived by a simple quote: Two men sat behind prison bars. One saw the mud on the ground, while the other saw the stars in the sky. What will your outlook on life be? Mud or stars?
Before Hudson Hollenbeck made his Michigan debut in the 2024 ReliaQuest Bowl against Alabama, he wrote “mud or stars?” on his pads. This season, fans may spot it on his wrist as a constant reminder of her spirit. “It’s really cool to say I play for this team. I’m so thankful that I’m in this position. But I want to do something bigger than myself,” he said. “I want to use my platform for the greater good. And that’s my goal.”
Hudson’s journey goes beyond the words on his wristbands or the quotes his mom lived by. What really matters is how he translates that into action on the field. And he’s already started to do just that. In his first real run with Michigan, his punts weren’t just long; they were timely, sharp, and full of purpose, setting the tone for what he hopes to build this season.
What Hudson Hollenbeck brings to the field
Hollenbeck’s Michigan debut already showed flashes of potential: six punts for 277 yards, averaging 46.2 per boot, with a long of 69 yards and two downed inside the 20 against Alabama. But the numbers tell only part of the story. For Hudson, every punt is an extension of his mom’s legacy, a way to funnel his talent toward something larger than football.
“For however many years I get to spend here, the next couple of seasons, I don’t want it to be about me. I love my team. I love my family. And that always comes first for me,” he said. So when the Wolverines send out their punter this fall, it’s not just about flipping the field. It’s about remembering Gina, honoring her fight, and using every booming kick as a step toward hope.
Hudson’s journey shows how football can carry more than just competition. Every time he steps out to punt, it’s not only about giving Michigan better field position. It’s about carrying his mom’s spirit with him, her optimism, her fight, and the perspective she passed down. For him, the game is bigger than points or stats. And when the ball hangs in the air, it carries a piece of that purpose too.
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