Cooper: Peppers and Co. infuse Michigan with top talent
January 1, 2016, 11:35 PM Last updated: Friday, January 1, 2016, 11:35 PM
By DARREN COOPER
LOCAL SPORTS COLUMNIST |
The Record
Print
SPECIAL TO THE RECORD
An injured Jabrill Peppers didn’t play for Michigan on Friday, but his presence was still felt.
ORLANDO, Fla. — Jabrill Peppers said he brought the juice, even if he didn’t bring his helmet.
The redshirt freshman safety at Michigan was a vocal and visible presence on the sidelines during Michigan’s 41-7 whipping of Florida on Friday in the Citrus Bowl. The former Paramus Catholic track and football star sat out the game with an unspecified hand injury.
“The timing of my injury was just wrong,” said Peppers on the field after the game. “It was just too much of a risk to reinjure it, so they made an executive decision to shut me down. I was ready to go, if things would have gotten out of hand, I was ready, but our guys took care of business.”
With Peppers joyously celebrating every big play, and there were many, the Wolverines were never in any trouble, leading, 17-7, at halftime. Michigan quarterback Jake Rudock threw for three touchdowns and Florida (10-4) did not cross midfield in the second half.
“I had to be up for the game and try to keep everyone up,” said Peppers. “I’m one of the guys they say brings the juice and I think the guys definitely fed off of that.”
The injury puts a slight tarnish on Peppers’ season that saw him win the Big Ten freshman of the year award and emerge as a valuable weapon on offense, defense and special teams for the revitalized powerhouse.
Under first-year coach Jim Harbaugh, the Wolverines finished 10-3, and have created a pipeline of talent from North Jersey to Ann Arbor. Peppers and former Paramus Catholic teammate Juwann Bushell-Beatty were first.
DePaul star running back Kareem Walker plays today in the same stadium of Michigan’s romp in the Under Armour All-America Game — featuring the
top high school players in the country.
He’s also headed to Michigan, while the nation’s top recruit, Paramus Catholic defensive lineman Rashan Gary also has the school on his short list.
“We are on the up and up,” said Peppers. “This win is just going to make us all the more hungry. We have a new defensive coordinator coming in; we have a great recruiting class coming in. We have set the foundation for sure.”
Peppers is most often compared to Michigan legend Charles Woodson, who won the Heisman Trophy in 1997 in his junior season, starring on offense, defense and special teams.
No one has put Peppers on a 2016 Heisman watch list yet, but his versatility and big-play ability on offense compared to Woodson’s in 1997. Peppers finished fifth on the team in total yards with 568 and scored two rushing touchdowns. Woodson, however, had seven interceptions, while Peppers is still looking for his first collegiate pick.
Of course, that could be explained by the fact that Peppers does not always line up in the secondary for the Wolverines. He also plays linebacker and is used on blitz packages.
Walker caused a brief stir among the Michigan media this week when he said Peppers would prefer to just focus on one position.
“You know, in terms of preparing for the next level that would be beneficial, but whatever the team needs me to do,” said Peppers. “I’m all about winning, so whatever the team needs that’s what I am going to do.”
While Peppers watched, former Paramus Catholic coach Chris Partridge was an active part of the Wolverines’ win. For the first time since joining the coaching staff, the Hackensack native wore a headset on the sidelines as the team’s linebackers coach.
That unit did its coach proud, helping limit the Gators’ offense to under 275 yards and only one score.
“It was like old times,” said Partridge, who won two Non-Public, Group 4 state titles at Paramus Catholic. “My juices were really flowing. It’s been a pleasure coaching these guys for a month.”
Partridge has been a big reason for the creation of the North Jersey pipeline to Michigan as the school’s director of recruiting, but he would clearly love to be a coach on staff. It’s not uncommon for college assistant coaches to also be responsible for recruiting an area of the country, so going forward perhaps Harbaugh will choose to keep Partridge as linebackers coach, while letting him concentrate on recruiting the Northeast.
“My future is whatever Jim Harbaugh thinks my future is,” said Partridge, with his mother, Bonnie, and father, Rick, nearby. “My number will be called and I know that, and for now I’m trying to be the best in the country in whatever role my team needs me, whatever I’m asked to do. My loyalty is with Jim Harbaugh — who I consider the best coach in the country — and my heart is with the University of Michigan. I’m just part of a team trying to do my part to help us win Big Ten and national championships.”
NJ2AA
Hargawd is definitely different Delance isn't over staff will still go after him hard to win over his momma
Drew @ttbthookem 1h1 hour ago
, and your running backs are way behind schools just in your own conference
