Michigan Football Game Photos– Michigan 32 MSU 23
How Can Jabrill Peppers Win the Heisman? History Shows the Way
If you told me before the season started for Michigan Football that star athlete, Jabrill Peppers could take home the 2016 Heisman Trophy, I would have probably slapped you and called you absolutely crazy.
Yes, I know that Peppers was on the Heisman Watch and he was one of the most versatile athletes in 2015 but, the odds are stacked against a pure “defensive” player taking home the trophy.
Ok, let’s think about it for a second. Nineteen of the previous twenty Heisman winners has either been won by a quarterback or a running back. Ironically, the last winner that wasn’t either of those happened to be Michigans’ very own, Charles Woodson.
But after looking back at the glory days of maize and blue, there is actually a strong correlation between the Redshirt Sophomore and Michigans’ first and last Heisman winners: Tom Harmon (1940) and recently retired, and no doubt about it, future NFL Hall of Famer Charles Woodson (1997).
Big Plays Like Woodson
One of the biggest upsets in Heisman history is said to be in 1997, when Charles Woodson out dueled the Tennessee Vols playing, future Omaha yelling quarterback, Peyton Manning. Before his sophomore year, Woodson would be asked by than Michigan coach Lloyd Carr if he would contemplate playing on offense while keeping his starting Cornerback position. Carr knew what kind of athlete that he had in Woodson like Harbaugh does with Peppers. Woodson would wrap up his second season as an offensive threat, with 13 receptions for 164 yards and a touchdown, 6 rushes for 152 yards and a touchdown. While on defense he would set Michigan record with pass breakups with 15. While leading Michigan through a perfect season, Woodson caught 11 passes for 231 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also rushed 9 times for 167 yards and 2 touchdowns. I would say that this sounds a bit familiar
What set Woodson apart from Manning, is that he always delivered big plays in big games. If it was a catch, rush, reception or even his presence, When the team needed a spark he would set the entire field on fire. For instance, one of his most iconic plays was his 1-handed interception on the sideline against Michigan State which he finished with two in that game. An even better example, when he single handedly beat Ohio State when he returned a 78-yard punt for a touchdown, made an interception in the end-zone, and had a 37-yard reception that led to Michigan’s only offensive touchdown of the game. Yes, Peyton Manning finished the year with a 11-2 record and throwing for 3,819 yards and 36 touchdowns but Charles Woodsons’ non-stop playmaking ability would fare to be too much and would eventually help Michigan earn a trip to the Rose Bowl which later earned a share of the national title after beating Washington State 21-16 and give Michigan its third Heisman winner in 6 years.
The Forgotten Renaissance Man
In 1940, when the world was at war, the late great Thomas Harmon became Michigans first ever Heisman Trophy Winner. The grid iron has certainly changed from 76 years ago. They wore leather for helmets for Pete’s sake. There wasn’t even facemask or even concussion protocols like they have today. The highlights that Peppers is putting on this season is absolutely ridiculous. But would you believe me if I told you in his final College football game, Harmon led the Wolverines to a 40–0 win over the notorious Ohio State, scoring three rushing touchdowns, two passing touchdowns, four extra points, intercepting three passes, and punting three times for an average of 50 yards? Did you get that? That kind of stuff sounds damn near impossible these days After three magnificent years, Harmon rushed for 2,134 yards, scored 33 touchdowns and kicked the same number of point-after-touchdown, and booted two field goals for 237 career points. Oh yeah, he also threw sixteen touchdown passes. He literally put the team on his back and made play after play. Just like Peppers.
If given the opportunity, Peppers has the skill set to replicate “Old 98”. For example, after only playing the first half, Peppers would rush 3 times for 74 yards and two touchdowns. Late in the 1st Quarter, he would dodge six missed tackles and house a 44-yard punt return. My ankles were hurting for Rutgers after witnessing the run into the end zone. However, the touchdown was called back after a block in the back penalty early into the play. On defense, he also recorded two tackles at Linebacker. Are you following the trend yet?
“I really don’t know how I did that,” Peppers said when asked about the return. “But it felt good.”
Heisman is NOT a Long Shot
Through Michigan first half of the season, Peppers has played 13 different positions. Accumulating 442 all-purpose yards. With an average of 19.6, Peppers has rushed the ball 5 times for 98 and 2 touchdowns. 37 tackles, 10 tackles for loss with 2.5 sacks and six quarterback hurries.
“If there’s a better player in the country I don’t know who it is,” Harbaugh concluded. “To be able to coach a guy like Jabrill Peppers is a real joy. There’s nothing he can’t do. It’s the darndest thing I’ve ever seen. My humble opinion is we are looking at a Heisman Trophy winner. ”
Jim Harbaugh would later come out in a press interview and said that his second rushing touchdown was actually intended to be a roll out pass from Jabrill. My initial thought to this was, “He can throw too?” I’m not sure how true it is, but apparently the kid can throw a football 65 yards. If he was to do that against Ohio State, they might as well give him the Heisman Trophy.
Even though he is putting up ridiculous numbers this year and making everyone mouths drop. Peppers thinks he has been playing below average.
“I don’t think I’ve been playing as well as people say I’ve been playing,” Peppers said on Tuesday, per the Detroit Free Press. “If I had to give myself a grade, I’d probably say C-minus. Definitely not where I want to be or where the team needs me to be.”
If he is grading himself that poorly, then I really don’t think we have seen everything that Peppers has to offer. He’s definitely no Woodson and there never will be another one like him. But Woodson never played linebacker and all of sudden wanted to throw for a touchdown. When it comes to the 2016 Heisman Trophy, one question still remains.
Seen this on IG.. Had to try it lol harder than I thought pic.twitter.com/ZvLZRjfLhM
— JP5 (@JabrillPeppers) August 6, 2016
How can Jabrill win the Heisman if he prominently plays defense? In a very short answer, take over November like Charles Woodson did, and lead Michigan Football team to a National Championship run. Let’s be honest, I don’t even think he has broken a sweat yet.
Go Blue!
The Tape, The Tape, The Tape – Michigan 41 Illinois 8– A Cornucopia of Manball
Michigan served notice to Illinois on the opening drive that there would be no rust or dawdling on Saturday. The offense marched the field in 10 plays for an opening touchdown and never looked back. The drive included three different quarterbacks, and oh yes, a formation that featured no less than five tight ends to serve as the perfect finale to an authoritative opening possession.
Have you ever seen a five Tight End formation? No, you haven’t. At least you hadn’t until Saturday. The play started off with the second appearance of Michigan’s new “train” formation this year:
Let’s go ahead and circle the tight ends:
Yep, that’s five: Asiasi, Butt, Hill, Jocz, and Wheatley Jr. All of the action of this play headed towards the bottom of the screen, save for Jake Butt. Tyrone Wheatley Jr ran a perfect rub route that left Jake Butt uncovered coming across the field.
Unlike Michigan State’s receivers against Maryland, Wheatley Jr did not engage in a block on the defensive player and avoided an offensive pass interference flag for a pick play.
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Michigan Football Game Photos– Michigan 41 Illinois 8
The Tape, The Tape, The Tape – Peppers On Offense
Six games down, six games to go in the regular season. As Michigan navigates into the meat of the conference schedule, I thought it would be interesting to track how the offensive staff has used Jabrill Peppers and what that may mean for match-ups down the road. In the short year and a half of Jim Harbaugh’s tenure it has been fascinating to watch him build off of a litany of different looks and motions to put his players in positions to succeed on the field. Additionally, with this staff it’s safe to say that certain formations, packages, and plays are put on film for a reason. We’re a far cry from the Diamond Formation frustrations of yore, thank goodness.
So, Peppers.
Jabrill’s first offensive touches last year occurred on the road against Minnesota. He finished the ’15 campaign with 18 carries for 72 yards and 2 touchdowns, 8 catches for 79 yards, and one incomplete pass attempt. It wasn’t much of a leap this offense to predict that he would have an increased role in the offense. Through the first half of 2016, his presence on offense indeed has increased, though a cursory glance at the box score does not tell the full story of his impact. To date, Peppers is credited with just 5 carries for 98 yards and 2 touchdowns through six games. This does not account for the eight snaps he has taken at QB or the times he has been on the field as a wideout both in motion and static as a decoy. We’ve seen him in a lot of different areas on offense and with the ball in several different spots on the field.
The defenses remaining on the schedule grade out thusly based on S&P+ advanced stats at Football Outsiders:
- Illinois: 70th overall, 122nd rushing, 88th passing
- Michigan State: 59th overall, 84th rushing, 102nd passing
- Maryland: 44th overall, 110th rushing, 24th passing
- Iowa: 34th overall, 83rd rushing, 36th passing
- Indiana: 30th overall, 27th rushing, 21st passing
- Ohio State: 7th overall, 30th rushing, 7th passing
The trend is a slow but steady uptick over the course of the final six games in the level of defense that Michigan will be facing. For the sake of reference, Wisconsin grades out at 5th overall, 7th in rushing, and 13th in passing defense. This all adds up to a scenario where I fully expect an increase in Jabrill’s snaps going forward, particularly at QB and RB where Harbaugh can dictate the matchups he wants to help even blockers vs tacklers. I would hazard a guess that this is also why you’ve seen Shane Morris in spot duty thus far out blocking, as well as why he played some at wideout in the spring game. Let’s take a look at some plays after the jump…
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