Michigan's Jabrill Peppers named Big Ten Freshman of the Year
Michigan's do-everything Jabrill Peppers is the Big Ten's Thompson-Randle El Freshman of the Year.
The award was announced Monday night during a release of the conference defensive player of the year award on the Big Ten Network. The offensive players will be announced Tuesday.
Peppers, a redshirt freshman, started every game this season at safety, and also returned kicks and punts, but during the second half of the season, he was used on offense, as well. He finished the Wolverines' 9-3 regular season with 72 rushing yards and two touchdowns, and eight catches for 79 yards.
He also had 45 tackles and 10 pass breakups, while returning 17 punts for a 19.4 average and eight kickoffs for a 27.9 average. Peppers had 417 total return yards.
He joined teammate Jourdan Lewis, a cornerback who set Michigan's single-season record with 21 pass breakups, on the Big Ten's first-team All-Defense teams voted on by coaches and media. Michigan State defensive end Shilique Calhoun was also named as the first-team All Defense squad.
It is unclear going forward if Peppers will remain a three-way player or if he will move to offense. Last week during the Big Ten conference call, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, a day after praising Peppers as a running back, said it is "realistic" to think he could become a primarily offensive play.
"He's such a good player," Harbaugh said during the conference call. "I can think of five different positions he'd be really good at in football. Could someone be the Willie Mays of football? Could somebody be the five-tool player, the five-position player? Maybe it will end up being Jabrill Peppers.
"Maybe we'll find his absolute best position as you go along, but it's interesting to think about and consider the possibilities. You've seen him this year, he's played corner he's played nickel, he's played safety, he's been a running back, he's been a quarterback, he's been a slot receiver, a wide receiver, he's been a punt return and a kick returner, eight positions right there."
Peppers had his first offensive snaps against Michigan State, the seventh game of the season.
He said last week before the Ohio State game he appreciated Harbaugh's commentary on his ability as a running back.
"Whatever's best for the team, that's my approach to it," Peppers said. "That's a great compliment coming from him. I just try to use my vision, use the blocks, use the scheme and let my instincts take over."
Peppers was asked if he could pick one position he'd most want to play.
"I can't answer that," he said.
He said he doesn't over-complicate his workload, all eight positions Harbaugh listed, by not overthinking.
"They alluded to using me in various ways but as far as many positions, I think of it as offensive skill positions and defensive skill positions," Peppers said. "Those are the only positions I know, whether it's running back or slot, they're all basically the same all in their own kind of way. I just think of it as offensive skill guy, defensive skill guy and special teams skill guy. That's how I look at it."
If Harbaugh decides Peppers is best utilized in three phases, that's fine with Peppers. He said he absolutely can handle the workload.
"I'm down for whatever helps the team," he said.
Peppers has often been compared to Charles Woodson, Michigan's Heisman Trophy winner who helped lead the Wolverines to an unbeaten season and national championship in 1997. Woodson was a cornerback who also played offense and special teams.
"He's fun to watch. He's doing it all," Woodson told The Detroit News last Friday. "People ask me about similarities between us, and I always feel like they're talking about style of play. When I think that, I think, 'Do they move like a certain player?' In that respect, we're totally different, two different styles, two different body types. But wanting to contribute in any way you can, on offense, defense, special teams and having the mindset that, 'I want to win ball games, put me where you need me coach,' that's where we're similar."
Woodson occasionally sends Peppers text messages.
"The games I've been able to watch, I'll see certain things and send him a text let him know I'm watching them and keeping tabs," Woodson said.
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
(Offensive awards will be announced Tuesday night.)
Dungy-Thompson Humanitarian Award: John Shinsky, Michigan State
Ford-Kinnick Leadership Award: Brian Griese, Michigan
Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year: Carl Nassib, Penn State
Thompson-Randle El Freshman of the Year: Jabrill Peppers, Michigan
Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year: Joey Bosa, Ohio State
Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year: Joe Schobert, Wisconsin
Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year: Desmond King, Iowa
Bakken-Andersen Kicker of the Year: Griffin Oakes, Indiana
Eddleman-Fields Punter of the Year: Sam Foltz, Nebraska
Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year: William Likely, Maryland
COACHES ALL-BIG TEN DEFENSE
First Team
DL - Yannick Ngakoue, Maryland
DL - Shilique Calhoun, Michigan State
DL - Joey Bosa, Ohio State
DL - Carl Nassib, Penn State.
LB - Anthony Walker Jr., Northwestern
LB - Joshua Perry, Ohio State
LB - Joe Schobert, Wisconsin.
DB - Desmond King, Iowa
DB - William Likely, Maryland
DB - Jourdan Lewis, Michigan
DB - Jabrill Peppers, Michigan
Second Team
DL - Malik McDowell, Michigan State
DL - Maliek Collins, Nebraska
DL - Dean Lowry, Northwestern
DL - Adolphus Washington, Ohio State.
LB - Josey Jewell, Iowa
LB - Darron Lee, Ohio State
LB - Raekwon McMillan, Ohio State.
DB - Nick VanHoose, Northwestern
DB - Vonn Bell, Ohio State
DB - Michael Caputo, Wisconsin
DB - Eli Apple, Ohio State.
Third Team
DL - Nate Meier, Iowa
DL - Chris Wormley, Michigan
DL - Austin Johnson, Penn State
DL - Anthony Zettel, Penn State
LB - Riley Bullough, Michigan State
LB - Darien Harris, Michigan State
LB - Vince Biegel, Wisconsin
DB - Jordan Lomax, Iowa
DB - Demetrious Cox, Michigan State
DB - Eric Murray, Minnesota
DB - Matthew Harris, Northwestern.
Special Teams
First Team
PK - Griffin Oakes, Indiana.
Punter - Sam Foltz, Nebraska.
Return specialist - William Likely, Maryland.
Second Team
PK - Marshall Koehn, Iowa.
Punter - Cameron Johnston, Ohio State.
Return specialist - Jabrill Peppers, Michigan.
Third Team
PK - Ryan Santoso, Minnesota.
Punter - Peter Mortell, Minnesota.
Return specialist - Janarion Grant, Rutgers.
MEDIA ALL-BIG TEN DEFENSE
First Team
DL -Yannick Ngakoue, Maryland
DL - Shilique Calhoun, Michigan State
DL - Joey Bosa, Ohio State
DL Carl Nassib, Penn State
LB - Anthony Walker Jr., Northwestern
LB - Raekwon McMillan, Ohio State
LB - Joe Schobert, Wisconsin
DB - Desmond King, Iowa
DB - Jourdan Lewis, Michigan
DB - Jabrill Peppers, Michigan
DB - Vonn Bell, Ohio State.
Second Team
DL - Malik McDowell, Michigan State
DL - Dean Lowry, Northwestern
DL - Adolphus Washington, Ohio State
DL - Austin Johnson, Penn State
LB - Josey Jewell, Iowa
LB - Riley Bullough, Michigan State
LB - Joshua Perry, Ohio State
DB - Clayton Fejedelem, Illinois
DB - William Likely, Maryland
DB - Nick VanHoose, Northwestern
DB - Michael Caputo, Wisconsin.
Third Team
DL - Nate Meier, Iowa
DL - Maliek Collins, Nebraska
DL - Deonte Gibson, Northwestern
DL - Anthony Zettel, Penn State
LB - Darron Lee, Ohio State
LB - Steve Longa, Rutgers
LB - Vince Biegel, Wisconsin
DB - Briean Boddy-Calhoun, Minnesota
DB - Eric Murray, Minnesota
DB - Nate Gerry, Nebraska
DB - Matthew Harris, Northwestern
Special Teams
First Team
PK - Griffin Oakes, Indiana
Punter - Sam Foltz, Nebraska
Return specialist - William Likely, Maryland
Second Team
PK - Drew Brown, Nebraska
Punter - Cameron Johnston, Ohio State
Return specialist - Janarion Grant, Rutgers
Third Team
PK - Kenny Allen, Michigan
Punter - Peter Mortell, Minnesota
Return specialist - Solomon Vault, Northwestern