CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Michigan’s Jabrill Peppers wasn’t sure what to expect when Don Brown took over at defensive coordinator last spring, but he had a clue.
As Peppers puts it, Brown’s numbers spoke for themselves.
From 2013-15, Boston College allowed just 15.3 points per game; which is just a shade more than Alabama (15.1) in that stretch. In 2016, Michigan allowed 12.5 points per game; second only to Alabama (11.8).
“It was our third defensive coordinator in three years, but when he first got here we knew he was a guy you could follow and a guy who could take control of the room,” Peppers told SN from the Bronko Nagurski Award ceremony in Charlotte on Monday. “He’s not going to be down on you with every bad play that you make. If you keep making bad plays; then that might be a little different.”
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Peppers made plays for Michigan, and that’s why he’s among the five Heisman Trophy finalists. Peppers had 72 tackles, 16 tackles for loss and four sacks. He also ranked third on the team with 751 all-purpose yards.
Those numbers also could speak for themselves, but there’s more to that story. The Wolverines maximized Peppers’ talents, and that’s part of the reason he’s one of the finalists. This candidacy is not a hoax or hype when you consider he did all that playing a new position for the first time under a third defensive coordinator.
Peppers moved to SAM linebacker — a key piece in Brown’s scheme — and thrived in that role. Peppers could’ve played just cornerback, slot cornerback or safety — positions he’ll see in the NFL — and thrived there, too. But he moved around because that’s what was asked.
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At first, Peppers wasn’t sure how that would work.
“It was a new role for me,” Peppers said. “I think as my development as a player I definitely needed that. Now I can say I played every position on the defense except for the d-line.”
Could he do that, too?
“I could try,” Peppers said with a laugh. “But I’ll leave that to the big uglies.”
Peppers’ matched what Brown’s blitz-heavy scheme needed, and that’s what the 6-1, 205-pound Peppers provided throughout the season. He had a knack for making the right play at the right time. Peppers said “playing free” in Brown’s scheme made the difference.
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“There are no robotic movements,” Peppers said. “As long as you’re playing within (Brown’s) scheme, then you’re free to do whatever you want to do. As a player you need that because you don’t want to feel like a robot out there. You want to be loose, and you want to be able to trust your instincts and make plays that way. He gave us the freedom to do that.”
Peppers is still a long-shot to win the Heisman Trophy. Louisville’s Lamar Jackson is the clear front-runner, but Peppers will still be the first defensive player to finish in the top five since Notre Dame’s Manti Te’o in 2012. A primarily-defensive player has not won the Heisman since Michigan’s Charles Woodson in 1997.
Of course, Michigan’s season didn’t quite end on the high note. The Wolverines lost 30-27 to Ohio State in double-overtime in the regular-season finale. Peppers was last seen shoving a Buckeyes’ fan on the field in the aftermath.
That loss kept them out of the Big Ten championship and College Football Playoff. Michigan (10-2) was still in the discussion on conference championship weekend but finished No. 6 in the final rankings.
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“We can’t blame the committee for the teams they chose, however I do feel like we are one of the best four teams,” Peppers said. “You can’t knock why they chose those teams.”
Michigan will play Florida State (9-3) on Dec. 30 in the Orange Bowl. Peppers’ is a candidate to move on the 2017 NFL Draft, but for now he said the focus is on this team.
That performance needs to speak for itself, too.
“We have one more game so we want to go out with a resounding statement,” Peppers said.
