Jabril Peppers is killing it.
December 29th, 2013 at 2:13 PM ^
I better not see Peppers on the field in a "limited" capacity next season given our uninspiring DB play this year.
December 29th, 2013 at 2:22 PM ^
Hell, I better not see him in a limited capacity given our uninspiring RB play too.
December 29th, 2013 at 2:24 PM ^
Completely agree. He is the number two player in the country for a reason and he needs to start.
December 29th, 2013 at 2:28 PM ^
I will be pretty pissed if he isn't getting most of the reps. Taylor was absolutely awful last night and Countess didn't look very good either.
December 29th, 2013 at 11:49 PM ^
Yes, because one bad game surely means our DBs are trash. Also, we all know that with an entire offseason and extra year of experience, they probably won't improve...
December 29th, 2013 at 3:02 PM ^
He'll be a true freshman next season. I have a lot of confidence that he'll be a great player but it may not happen in 2014. Don't have unrealistic expectations.
December 30th, 2013 at 9:17 AM ^
we should expect him to play like a freshman, bonehead mistakes and all -- but still, he should play. I hope he slots into the Nickle but I think with his upside there is a chance you see Taylor move to nickel and put him out in coverage. Countess played as a freshman and I think we can all agree that while he is a good corner, he did not have the hype or athleticism expected from Peppers.
I'm not the coach so I don't make the decisions, but I think you are wasting a year if you don't get this kid on the field on regular downs.
December 29th, 2013 at 5:05 PM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 2:13 PM ^
normally i'd take this sort of report worth a grain of salt, but i am so desperate for good news that this just made my morning!
December 29th, 2013 at 2:14 PM ^
over Hand's spot on the Alabama roster.
December 29th, 2013 at 2:14 PM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 2:26 PM ^
While I mostly agree, there is nothing wrong with posting something positive with the added enthusiasm for an incoming recruit. There haven't been enough postive posts on the board lately, so I will gladly welcome such things.
Also your avatar is hilarious.
December 29th, 2013 at 3:53 PM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 3:56 PM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 4:08 PM ^
I considered it positive because it's mostly about Peppers being a beast and his potential to benefit and contribute to the team next year.
December 29th, 2013 at 3:54 PM ^
December 30th, 2013 at 4:10 AM ^
Why would you state something as stupid as "I don't know why this kid loves Michigan so much"? Let me paraphrase your good news:
"Hey kids! I know you're all fat, out of shape and should be on a diet, but great news! I brought you a double cheeze pizza!"
December 29th, 2013 at 2:16 PM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 3:57 PM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 2:17 PM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 6:48 PM ^
I highly doubt it will be at RB. He'll be a slot who will have a few runs designed for him.
December 29th, 2013 at 2:19 PM ^
What is he killing? ugh I hope he doesn't get in trouble for it.
December 29th, 2013 at 2:20 PM ^
The OP is right. Cheese makes everything better. The second best recruit in Michigan isnt a kicker. I am sitting right now and probably will be until I have to take a leak. Who put the pickles on the top shelf? The coaches suck. Peppers doesnt suck. Hand doesnt suck but then again Peppers still doesnt suck. I like tomatoes. They will either turn this around or they won't but either way Dave Brandon will be there. Always there. Did I mention that cheese makes everything better?
December 29th, 2013 at 2:22 PM ^
You are putting a lot of confidence in a true freshmen.
December 29th, 2013 at 3:06 PM ^
Unfortunately, that is where this program is at right now.
December 29th, 2013 at 2:23 PM ^
Looking forward to seeing what Peppers can do in the Maize and Blue! Also already looking forward to next fall...
December 29th, 2013 at 2:24 PM ^
Who recruited this kid again?
December 29th, 2013 at 2:25 PM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 2:27 PM ^
You just got negged by Magnus. That must hurt at least a little.
December 29th, 2013 at 3:22 PM ^
using every opportunity they can get—whether it's within recruiting rules or not—to point out our apparent dedication to having our DBs play 8-10 yards off the receiver, regardless of down and distance, and whether you think you will have an opportunity to match Charles Woodson's career playing that kind of coverage? Or have Hoke & Co. already told you that once you set foot on the field that you'll be playing press coverage in most situations, rather than settling back in a soft zone for most of the game?
Edit: I couldn't care less about getting negged, but if you disagree with my point, what's your reasoning? Do you really think that rival coaches have stopped negative recruiting with JP?
December 29th, 2013 at 2:32 PM ^
I saw him get burned in a video on twitter so it's hard to say he's "killing it" Yeah the kid is good, but he will still be a true freshman. Why does everyone assume the best high school players will come in and dominate? It's not that easy.
December 29th, 2013 at 2:39 PM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 3:12 PM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 3:13 PM ^
REDSHIRT FRESHMEN ARE NOT FRESHMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
December 29th, 2013 at 10:39 PM ^
He took to twitter to defend himself. There's no pressing allowed in the game, so that's why he played that far off the ball. So yes, he got "burned" in the video, one time. But, had he been able to play press coverage, I'm sure it would have turned out a little differently. It's not his fault he has to play so far off the ball. He just does what the UA coaches tell him.
December 29th, 2013 at 2:43 PM ^
The kid may have great potential but it will take more than him to get this team to 9 wins given we have four tough road games next year. Brady and staff have shown very little ability to win outside the Big House or against decent teams. If we don't get quality play from the front four or the line backers, we could have Charles Woodson and it wouldn't turn things around... the absolute best thing for this team, besides more experience, is to have ZERO hype, no rankings, and a chip on their shoulder to prove something.
December 29th, 2013 at 2:53 PM ^
then maybe he's not all we thought he'd be. Taylor's had two years as a starter to look this bad. I'll take some burns on double moves for a guy who will be showing his talent by the end of 2014. I'm NOT saying this is Woodson 2.0, but Ty Law started as a true Frosh, got burned early but looked excellent near the end of the year.
December 29th, 2013 at 3:00 PM ^
As dominant as Derrick Green?
December 29th, 2013 at 3:04 PM ^
derrick green = kevin grady, part II? i really hope this year was just a symptom of terrible offensive line play, and that this rb can actually play. why do we only seem to get the underachieving 5 stars? big will campbell, anyone?
December 29th, 2013 at 3:12 PM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 4:07 PM ^
wow, i stand corrected. 1 carry for 5 yards. he's a world beater for sure.
look, i'm not closing the door on his career, just stating that he has been disappointing to this point. he almost always goes down after first contact, and he clearly failed to impress in practices enough to overtake a relatively ineffective starting rb. didn't help that he wasn't motivated enough to arrive to fall camp in shape.
i was hoping for more, especially when rb is the one skill position that a freshman can make a real impact.
like i said, hopefully an indictment of our oline and not his actual potential, but boy it is frustrating to watch rbs that are much lower in talent coming out of high school being much more solid contributors on teams with average olines.
December 29th, 2013 at 4:13 PM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 4:30 PM ^
saying he should be all Big10, but he should be on the field quite a bit and perform well.
December 29th, 2013 at 4:38 PM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 4:48 PM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 5:13 PM ^
Go Blue
December 29th, 2013 at 5:14 PM ^
yes, you are right. a bad oline is hard for a freshman rb to shine with. that's why i said i hope it is a reflection of the oline and not his true potential.
ask any football expert and they will tell you that running back is the one position that a talented true freshman can consistently contribute in. mike hart, marshall faulk, tj yeldon, adrian peterson, ron dayne, even crazy ass maurice clarett all excelled as true freshman. the one thing each of them had was decisiveness, an ability to hit a hole hard and fast, and an ability to keep their feet moving after contact so that they nearly always gained yards. the oline is responsible for the first few yards, the rb for yards after that. in limited action, i failed to see anything that promising from either derrick green or smith in this regard. granted, there were few holes to hit, thus the jury is still out. trust me, i want derrick green to be amazing, i just haven't seen evidence to support that he will be.
December 30th, 2013 at 2:46 PM ^
green couldve been anthony thomas 2.0 and dominated every session since setting foot on campus and hoke still wouldve found a way to trot out touissant for much of the season. if we all recall the logic was touissant was the best pass pro back on the team yet still failed to execute 90% his blocks. and if i recall articles at the time, it took several poor losses with worst rushing outputs in um history (ie 27 for 27 yds) as well as transfer rumors to shake up the RB lineup. hoke has this crazy loyalty and insane hard work / effort / physicalness complex where he appears to justify playing time not by expectation of production/ success during games but rather by who works hardest during each week. whether its walkons on kick coverage teams or guys like ryan glasgow "earning" snaps during practice only to get blown up every snap on saturday or the loyalty factor with guys like reynolds and jackson or touissant in some situations or even justive hayes all of a sudden becoming #1 RB.....if guys put out during the week and earn PT thats fine, as long as the coaches honestly believe they will provide best production possible at that position during game that week....if not then youre simply rewarding the guys who sweat the most during practice or play with most "physicality" yet do not offer your team the best compeitive advantage. hopefully the platoons will lesson on D in 2014 as mattison has now seen a full year of reps from tons of guys of somewhat equal ability, hopefully the cream rises to the top and is rewarded with majority of snaps. and hopefully hoke feels the heat and understands the most talented 22 need to play especially when this year has shown that everyone misses tackles or blocks or drops balls or whiffs blocks regardless of year or experience level