Peppers getting time at linebacker
247 is reporting that Jabrill Peppers is taking reps at linebacker, in an attempt to possibly shore up weaknesses in that group.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja…
February 29th, 2016 at 3:21 PM ^
February 29th, 2016 at 3:54 PM ^
And I'd be very concerned with Michigan is playing a 4-3 Under/One-gap 3-4 with Peppers as an ILB. The other LB type to the weak side is the WDE/JACK spot that is a DE/OLB type, which is not a Peppers type.
You can have undersized ILB next to a bigger ILB in the scheme, but this would be taking undersized to an extreme.
February 29th, 2016 at 3:21 PM ^
February 29th, 2016 at 3:36 PM ^
Opponents formations and our alignment in response.
But we might just call the defense a 4-2-5 and cover everything.
February 29th, 2016 at 3:26 PM ^
February 29th, 2016 at 3:32 PM ^
Just a few letters. If we got stuck in Nickel and a team went from 3 wide w/ the Y in the slot, to a pro set with the Y in tight, Peppers would go from a slot/nickel corner position to a WILL position on the field. His duties will still be the same and his body will still be a genetic anomaly. The difference will only be a few lateral yards on the field. It's just a way to keep Peppers on the field at all times and not have to change a WILL out for Clark or Stribling every time the offense changes personel.
Plus, Coach Brown likes his linebackers small, fast, and vicious, so if Pep is 6'1 210 nowadays, he's honestly not far off from being a quintessential Don Brown linebacker.
February 29th, 2016 at 10:02 PM ^
pep is NOT 6'1"
February 29th, 2016 at 3:23 PM ^
That's my feeling as well considering the depth at LB vs DB. I'm sure the 4th best out of Hill, Thomas, Lewis, and Clark is still better than the 3rd best at LB. So it helps to get your best 11 on the field. My only question is if you have the same player at NB and WLB, then what is the difference between those personel packages.
February 29th, 2016 at 3:28 PM ^
I would say peppers lining up in the box vs 21 personnel would be 4-3 and peppers lining up in the slot over a slot receiver vs 11 personnel would be nickel.
February 29th, 2016 at 3:25 PM ^
On topic: Loving the football posts today!
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February 29th, 2016 at 3:33 PM ^
His face is quite punchable
February 29th, 2016 at 3:24 PM ^
Is there any spot this guy can't play? Hell, line him up at OL and see what happens.
One of my favorite players to watch last year and can't wait *Bart Scott voice* to see what he can do this year.
February 29th, 2016 at 3:24 PM ^
February 29th, 2016 at 3:33 PM ^
It is easier to avoid traffic/blocks in space. Much harder in the box where the ability to stand up and shed blocks becomes paramount. But Peppers is probably really good at that too.
February 29th, 2016 at 3:24 PM ^
February 29th, 2016 at 3:27 PM ^
So, are our other linebackers that bad?
February 29th, 2016 at 3:43 PM ^
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February 29th, 2016 at 3:32 PM ^
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February 29th, 2016 at 3:27 PM ^
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February 29th, 2016 at 3:32 PM ^
I heard that Player A put on 10lbs and that's good.
I also heard that Player B lost 10lbs and that's good too.
#springball
February 29th, 2016 at 4:11 PM ^
Player C didn't change weight at all.
And that's good too.
February 29th, 2016 at 9:38 PM ^
Player C took off 10 pounds of fat and added 10 pounds of muscle.
February 29th, 2016 at 4:49 PM ^
Sam Webb's twitter feed is pure gold if anyone is looking for more tidbits from todays practice.
February 29th, 2016 at 5:51 PM ^
February 29th, 2016 at 3:36 PM ^
He tends to defy traditional nomenclature. How about...
- HY = Hybrid Back (most serious)
- AB = All Back / Any Back
- WB = Wild Back
- EB = Every Back
- SD = Screen Destroyer Back
- PB = Predator Back
- MB = Murder Back
- VR = Velociraptor Back
- MV = Murderous Velociraptor Back (most accurate)
February 29th, 2016 at 4:19 PM ^
How about the almost extinct Slobber-Knocker-Backer?
February 29th, 2016 at 6:49 PM ^
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February 29th, 2016 at 9:03 PM ^
upvoted for your user name
February 29th, 2016 at 9:40 PM ^
because he covers the rest.
February 29th, 2016 at 3:36 PM ^
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February 29th, 2016 at 3:45 PM ^
February 29th, 2016 at 3:47 PM ^
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February 29th, 2016 at 3:48 PM ^
Absent garbage time, extreme fatigue, or (I hesitate to even speak the words) injury, I forsee Peppers playing every defensive snap this season. So the question really is whether you'd rather see Delano Hill or (OLB LINEBACKER HERE) on the field on 2nd down and short yardage.
February 29th, 2016 at 3:49 PM ^
With Peppers in there (and perhaps other members of the secondary), it really wouldn't surprise me to see Michigan D going "46" on the defense every once in awhile. Usually you want LBs that can play secondary... but if you have secondary that can play LB, well, same difference.
Remember, Harbaugh began his pro career as a Bear, after all.
46 is weak against a quick passing game with a quick release QB, but we shouldn't see a lot of teams with that this season.
February 29th, 2016 at 9:50 PM ^
Taco-Hurst-Glasgow-Mone-Gary-Wormley
Lewis-Thomas-Hill-Clark
Peppers
(makes calls to mortician)
February 29th, 2016 at 4:00 PM ^
February 29th, 2016 at 5:49 PM ^
February 29th, 2016 at 4:04 PM ^
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February 29th, 2016 at 7:04 PM ^
February 29th, 2016 at 4:09 PM ^
February 29th, 2016 at 4:11 PM ^
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February 29th, 2016 at 4:48 PM ^
and getting after the QB a few times a game. Coach Brown will probably have a few different blitz packages that allow Jabrill to run free into the backfield and blow up a play. Once that's done effectively, he can be used a decoy as well. The defense was great last season, with the obvious exceptions, but at times not very aggressive. I am of the belief that more blitzing = more turnovers.
I remember reading a story about coach Brown sending James Ihedigbo on a lot of blitzes from the safety position (Freep article, no link) and getting a bunch of sacks. I anticipate a similar output from Peppers this year. Would be nice to see McCray get healthy and contribute as well.
But man, it's nice to see some new football clips again!
February 29th, 2016 at 9:54 PM ^
I'd love to see him back, but only if it's in his (safety first) self-interest.
I don't know much about rotator cuffs, but I use mine every day.
February 29th, 2016 at 4:29 PM ^
We're getting closer to being able to tell how a team of 11 Peppers would perform. Next step is to get Gary on campus and start moving him around so we will be able to more definitiverly answer the age old a team of 11 Peppers v. a team of 11 Garys question.
February 29th, 2016 at 4:37 PM ^
February 29th, 2016 at 4:57 PM ^
Dhani Jones and Ian Gold played LB for UofM in the late 90s. Both were fast but on the small side (especially Gold). They were very successful at the college level (so was UofM at that time) and both also played in the NFL. I was negged pretty badly by Magnus for suggesting that Jabrill Peppers be used in a similar fashion. Seems like someone on UofM's staff is a little more imaginative than some of the posters on here.
February 29th, 2016 at 7:03 PM ^
Yeah Gold was just about the same size as Peppers is now. He was a human missile much like Jabrill. Gold only got up to about 220 or so during his NFL career, 7 years with the Broncos at LB.
Larry Foote was also a smallish LB when he played for us he was only a bit bigger than Peppers if at all his freshman and sophomore years.
Don't feel bad... Magnus flat out told me that Peppers wouldn't play linebacker.
Most noteably, WILL in an under front (similar to Ross early in his career). Peppers is playing a significantly different role than that, he is not an ILB. He may be playing at the LB level, but it's more a hybrid type, similar to Stevie Brown or 3-3-5 down safeties. Peppers won't be playing much true in-the-box LB this year at his position.