Ben van Ooyen
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Jabril Peppers for Heisman? Are You Kidding Me?
Ben van Ooyen via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
If you are like me, you are sick and tired of hearing about Jabril Peppers and him being a Heisman candidate. Sure he plays on both sides of the ball and is a dynamic play-maker with the ball in his hands, but what really has he done? Is he worthy of all the hype that surrounds him? Is he the next Charles Woodson? My simple answer to these questions is no. Let’s delve into this shall we?
Peppers has been decorated early in his career, earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year and Freshman All-American in 2015. He also earned First Team All-Big Ten and was a Second-team All-American last season. But do the stats back up those awards?
In Peppers freshman season he played in only three games, notching only eight total tackles and returning one punt for six yards. He was then injured against Appalachian State and was granted a redshirt for the rest of the season. He played in 12 games his redshirt freshman year notching 45 tackles, 5.5 tackles for a loss on defense. He also returned 17 punts for and 11.4 yard average, and eight kickoffs for a 27.9 average. He also played on offense, having 18 rushes for 72 yards and eight receptions for 79 yards. He had two touchdowns on the season.
This season through six games, Peppers has 35 total tackles, with eight being tackles for a loss along with two quarterback sacks. He has also returned 14 punts for a 17.8 average with one touchdown and three kickoffs for a 31.7 yard average. On offense he was basically not utilized until this past week against Rutgers, but now has five rushes for 98 yards and two touchdowns to his name.
With those numbers above he is ranked 5th in ESPN’s Heisman voting and 4th in CBS’s. Is he even the most valuable player on his own team? I would say no, that Jake Butt, Jehu Chesson and even Amari Darboh might be more valuable to the Wolverines than Peppers. The Michigan defense is good, and take away Peppers I still think they would be good. Take away those three offensive weapons and Michigan would struggle in the Big Ten, unless they are playing Rutgers.
Sure Peppers brings a different dynamic to the offense but you know when he is in the game that the ball is probably going to be going his way or at least attempted. He is used as a decoy as well because teams think that he can expose them, while letting Wilton Speight find Darboh or Chesson deep down the sidelines. On defense he is able to make the plays he does because Michigan blitzes on what seems like every play. He is bound to be in the backfield making tackles for a loss when the whole team is selling out for the sack. He has not been challenged this year except for one game against Wisconsin and what was his stat line that game? He had two punt returns for 19 yards, one kickoff return for 14 yards and three total tackles. No sacks, no tackles for a loss, no interceptions (he doesn’t have one in his entire college career). Sure he can show out against Rutgers and Colorado and Hawaii, but when the real money is on the line against teams that have a pulse how will he fair? Against Ohio State last year he accounted for 55 yards of offense, and made five tackles, and was a non-factor in the Buckeyes 42-13 drubbing of the Wolverines. Against Michigan State last year he had 35 yards of offense and made two tackles.
Until Peppers proves that he can become a big game player, he doesn’t deserve to be in the discussion for the Heisman. Charles Woodson played both ways for the Wolverines and won a National Championship. Chris Gamble played both ways for the Buckeyes and also won a National Championship. What has Jabril Peppers won? A Citrus Bowl in which he didn’t even play.
The post Jabril Peppers for Heisman? Are You Kidding Me? appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
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Ben van Ooyen via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
If you are like me, you are sick and tired of hearing about Jabril Peppers and him being a Heisman candidate. Sure he plays on both sides of the ball and is a dynamic play-maker with the ball in his hands, but what really has he done? Is he worthy of all the hype that surrounds him? Is he the next Charles Woodson? My simple answer to these questions is no. Let’s delve into this shall we?
Peppers has been decorated early in his career, earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year and Freshman All-American in 2015. He also earned First Team All-Big Ten and was a Second-team All-American last season. But do the stats back up those awards?
In Peppers freshman season he played in only three games, notching only eight total tackles and returning one punt for six yards. He was then injured against Appalachian State and was granted a redshirt for the rest of the season. He played in 12 games his redshirt freshman year notching 45 tackles, 5.5 tackles for a loss on defense. He also returned 17 punts for and 11.4 yard average, and eight kickoffs for a 27.9 average. He also played on offense, having 18 rushes for 72 yards and eight receptions for 79 yards. He had two touchdowns on the season.
This season through six games, Peppers has 35 total tackles, with eight being tackles for a loss along with two quarterback sacks. He has also returned 14 punts for a 17.8 average with one touchdown and three kickoffs for a 31.7 yard average. On offense he was basically not utilized until this past week against Rutgers, but now has five rushes for 98 yards and two touchdowns to his name.
With those numbers above he is ranked 5th in ESPN’s Heisman voting and 4th in CBS’s. Is he even the most valuable player on his own team? I would say no, that Jake Butt, Jehu Chesson and even Amari Darboh might be more valuable to the Wolverines than Peppers. The Michigan defense is good, and take away Peppers I still think they would be good. Take away those three offensive weapons and Michigan would struggle in the Big Ten, unless they are playing Rutgers.
Sure Peppers brings a different dynamic to the offense but you know when he is in the game that the ball is probably going to be going his way or at least attempted. He is used as a decoy as well because teams think that he can expose them, while letting Wilton Speight find Darboh or Chesson deep down the sidelines. On defense he is able to make the plays he does because Michigan blitzes on what seems like every play. He is bound to be in the backfield making tackles for a loss when the whole team is selling out for the sack. He has not been challenged this year except for one game against Wisconsin and what was his stat line that game? He had two punt returns for 19 yards, one kickoff return for 14 yards and three total tackles. No sacks, no tackles for a loss, no interceptions (he doesn’t have one in his entire college career). Sure he can show out against Rutgers and Colorado and Hawaii, but when the real money is on the line against teams that have a pulse how will he fair? Against Ohio State last year he accounted for 55 yards of offense, and made five tackles, and was a non-factor in the Buckeyes 42-13 drubbing of the Wolverines. Against Michigan State last year he had 35 yards of offense and made two tackles.
Until Peppers proves that he can become a big game player, he doesn’t deserve to be in the discussion for the Heisman. Charles Woodson played both ways for the Wolverines and won a National Championship. Chris Gamble played both ways for the Buckeyes and also won a National Championship. What has Jabril Peppers won? A Citrus Bowl in which he didn’t even play.
The post Jabril Peppers for Heisman? Are You Kidding Me? appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
Continue reading...