By Jordan Hansen
Michigan “linebacker” Jabrill Peppers might be the most versatile player in the entire Division-1 college-football landscape.
A kick and punt returner who also spends time running the ball doesn’t exactly raise eyebrows. That in addition to those duties he has 3.5 sacks, 6 quarterback hurries, and 13.5 total tackles for loss, however, does.
“He’s as good as we’ve seen,” Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said. “He’s a really dynamic return guy, but he plays great on defense, and he’s a threat offensively, too, so he’s a tremendous football player.”
That might be an understatement. He starts at linebacker, but at 6-1, 205 he can play pretty much any position. Though Peppers doesn’t have any interceptions or pass deflections this year, he’s quick enough to stay with wide receivers, and big enough to stop running backs in there tracks.
Michigan loves to use him as a pass-rusher as well, and he fits right in with the team’s aggressive defense. He doesn’t shy away from contact and lives in opponent’s backfields.
In fact, Ferentz specifically brought up how strange it was that a player could be so versatile and still be a linebacker.
“[Peppers is] such an unusual combination, especially where he plays on defense. He’s down in the box,” Ferentz said. “I’ve never seen anybody who did that and then returned kicks and punts and looked like a corner or safety back there.”
The Wolverines bringing him in on offense is more of an extra wrinkle in their expansive playbook more than a regular feature. He only has 17 carries on the season, though he is averaging nearly 9 yards per rush. Normally, when he comes into the game, he lines up in a Wildcat formation and takes off with the ball.
However, there have been moments where Michigan has split him out, as well. He has 3 receptions on the season, and it wouldn’t be a shocker to see him on an end-around-type play.
When he is lined up in the Wildcat, there’s usually a read-option involved, which has been tough for the Hawkeyes to defend over the years.
It’s going to be a lot for Iowa to handle, on both sides of the ball. Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard, however, is confident the team can deal with him.
“It doesn’t matter who it is or where he lines up,” Beathard said. “We’re going to run our offense, run our stuff and not run away from any specific player. Even though he is a talented player … we’re going to try to get our offense going.
Basically, what Beathard is saying is that Iowa has no plans to shift what it wants to do based on the specific talents of another player. Now, obviously, this is just in reference to him on defense and if he’s on the field on offense, Iowa will probably key in on him.
To be fair, there are so many weapons on Michigan’s team that trying to play away from one will just put the offense in the jaws of another. That’s just how good the Wolverines are this year.
If he does get aggressive, look for a few screens. Iowa might try to use the Wolverines’ aggressiveness against them. How well it works remains to be seen.
One thing, however, will happen. Peppers will be a factor in this game, and it’s not going to be easy for the Hawkeyes to stop him.
“He’s a dynamic player. Everyone knows that, everyone knows him,” Iowa defensive end Parker Hesse said. “It’s going to be a lot of swarming to the ball and getting all 11 hats there.”