BBrown: Statement From Jabrill Peppers
I am still 100% committed to the University of Michigan and that is the place where I want to go to college. With the rumors about Coach Hoke possibly not being there I need to make sure that I have options and have seen other places in case the University of Michigan decides to go in a different direction. For the sake of my future I need to make sure I have other options. No need to look into it any further! Go Blue and beat TDS
November 26th, 2013 at 4:12 PM ^
That is all I have to say.
November 26th, 2013 at 4:17 PM ^
Getting lazy on your way out the door. Plus over half of the players on that team were Gary Moller' s recruits. Just the facts.
November 26th, 2013 at 4:19 PM ^
Would have never fired Moeller. He was a damn good football coach. In my humble opinion the best we have had since Bo retired.
November 26th, 2013 at 4:28 PM ^
Jesus Christ. Now we are bashing Carr? The guy who -- unlike Bo -- actually won a national title? I wasn't on this site then, however, I can only imagine the vile things you guys were saying about Carr from 03-07.
November 26th, 2013 at 5:37 PM ^
But I remember surfing on a dial up modem and hitting some of the online newspaper articles on Michigan. Not much content but the comments were all troll driven!
This site would have had a meltdown when the coaches on went for NU!
November 26th, 2013 at 5:37 PM ^
But I remember surfing on a dial up modem and hitting some of the online newspaper articles on Michigan. Not much content but the comments were all troll driven!
This site would have had a meltdown when the coaches on went for NU!
November 26th, 2013 at 5:38 PM ^
But I remember surfing on a dial up modem and hitting some of the online newspaper articles on Michigan. Not much content but the comments were all troll driven!
This site would have had a meltdown when the coaches on went for NU!
November 26th, 2013 at 11:30 PM ^
He also lost to Appalachian State. That was my first game as a U of M student. I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive him for that
November 26th, 2013 at 9:41 PM ^
...so I can sort of maybe see your point....
Well, no. I can't.
November 26th, 2013 at 4:08 PM ^
I've seen this happen. There's a certain breed of man that starts this. I would call it the High School Football Creeper. All towns have them and they are easy to spot when a star prospect comes on the scene. They have no affiliation or favorite team. They all look the same: baseball cap, sunglasses, goatee, hoodie under a windbreaker and pale jeans; age 45-60. They're generally friendly until you start talking to them and you realize they are insane. They think they know everything about football so they try to be a part of the process so they can feel important. And they are telling anybody who will listen, "I don't why he would go to Michigan when they're gonna fire that coach of theirs."
November 26th, 2013 at 6:06 PM ^
Or are you following me as I drive my 78 Camaro and listen to 8-tracks of Steely Dan?
November 26th, 2013 at 4:04 PM ^
Did we really need a second thread? Or is it so there would be one with your name on it?
November 26th, 2013 at 4:06 PM ^
Considering Brandon is this blogs resident guru on recruiting, I for one want to hear what he knows.
November 26th, 2013 at 4:10 PM ^
It was a publicly released statement. Not sure why it's being framed as some kind of scoop. But the name does look good there.
November 26th, 2013 at 4:15 PM ^
That Brandon is doing his job relaying the information to the people on this board?
November 26th, 2013 at 4:23 PM ^
November 26th, 2013 at 4:23 PM ^
November 26th, 2013 at 4:04 PM ^
He wants to play quality ball on a quality team and be coached up by a professional. Nothing more, nothing less. Of course he should look around if we can't manage it here. We are not managing it now. It's about results and how our program is trending.
November 26th, 2013 at 4:26 PM ^
November 26th, 2013 at 4:28 PM ^
He's got an opportunity to play in the NFL. Be realistic and again... put yourself in this kid's shoes. He gets to choose. You don't choose for him. It's about wins, losses and bowl games and getting coached up to play in the NFL.
November 26th, 2013 at 4:36 PM ^
But,thanks for outing yourself.
November 26th, 2013 at 4:40 PM ^
My roots are very deep for Michigan. But it is naive to think that this young man has the passion for Michigan football right now that we do. If he does come to UM, and I hope to god he does, he will be devoted like we are and forever. But until then it is natural for him to want to understand all the options.
November 26th, 2013 at 9:29 PM ^
November 26th, 2013 at 6:05 PM ^
November 26th, 2013 at 9:28 PM ^
November 26th, 2013 at 4:08 PM ^
Much respect for Pepper's statement. Straight to the point. Can't really fault him there.
November 26th, 2013 at 4:09 PM ^
November 26th, 2013 at 4:14 PM ^
And I think Hand would be here as well.
November 26th, 2013 at 4:50 PM ^
November 26th, 2013 at 4:10 PM ^
So Ace Williams caused this?
November 26th, 2013 at 4:11 PM ^
Classy statement with understandable motivation and I wish him the best.
November 26th, 2013 at 4:16 PM ^
Not a chance Hoke gets fired this off-season. He will be forced to make a few changes to the staff on the offensive side of the ball, but he's not getting richrod'ed.
November 26th, 2013 at 4:21 PM ^
November 26th, 2013 at 4:22 PM ^
1. Hoke will be given at least one more year. That's axiomatic.
2. Yet, Hoke has to give hope. At this point, firing Borges is the only way he can do this. Winning this weekend and the bowl game might save Borges, because it offers hope. Otherwise, Borges is gone.
3. Anyone blaming the fanbase for reacting to the team's embarassing play this year is just immature. Its really a dumb position. Nobody - Brandon, Hoke, Borges, Coleman - nobody expect fans to not complain. It's the very passion that gives rise to complaints that pays the program's bills and puts money in it's coffers. Passion is antipodal - it takes life just as much as it gives it.
November 26th, 2013 at 4:25 PM ^
You might be mistaking panic for passion.
November 26th, 2013 at 4:30 PM ^
This is what the madness surrounding the fanbase results in. Instability is what causes recruits to rethink everything. I'm as frustrated as everyone else, but the attacks on Hoke are over the top for me. This is his third year, and we have had nothing like Rich Rod level cratering. I want the offensive staff to be shaken up, but beyond that, I still believe in Hoke, which seems to be a minority view on the board of late.
We need to relax and give Hoke a litle more time. Patience is difficult, I get it, but I think that's what is required right now. Chill out; it's not like we didn't have seasons like this, record-wise, under LC, or Bo for that matter. The manner in which it has happened has been ugly, no arguments there. But we've been here before, and, in my opinion, we are nowhere near as low as we were during Rich Rod's first two years. Stability is important right now, and patience with Hoke is what is needed at this time.
November 26th, 2013 at 4:44 PM ^
I dont think the fanbase is what caused this. More than likely people in his ear, not to mention ESPN feeling the need to group Michigan's problems with Florida's problems for whatever reason.
Saw this coming from a mile away, though, and I'm sure others did, too. Put yourself in his shoes, why would you be confident coming here right now? All of the criticisms we've had for this program the past few weeks, you think recruits don't/think feel the same? They're thinking, "is this staff going to put me in the best position to succeed?", and right now, no recruit can feel confident about that. He's doing what he should do. Same reason Hand switched up...you can't blame these guys.
Bottomline, if Michigan finishes strong (highly unlikely, but not impossible), he stays. If they bomb against OSU & Bowl Game, he leaves.
November 26th, 2013 at 4:59 PM ^
That's correct, I made a mistake in saying the fanbase. I meant the negativity surrounding the program, of which we as fans have a very small role to play. In this technology-driven universe, I do think a site such as this can lead to media picking up on the sentiment of the fan base, and searching for negative stories/angles that way. I'm not saying it is the reason, but it has a small role in that.
As for our staff, for a defensive player, GMAT is as good as it gets aside from Saban, in my humble opinion. But the instability surrounding the coaching staff (just offensive staff?) and general feel of the prorgram right now is leading to all of this.
November 26th, 2013 at 7:30 PM ^
every weekend had nothing to do with it. This kid is a winner and wants no part of the dinosaur Michigan program.
November 26th, 2013 at 8:56 PM ^
November 26th, 2013 at 9:21 PM ^
November 26th, 2013 at 4:34 PM ^
Jabril was talking to Bo Scarborough (committed to Bama) when he said he was going to take some visits too. Well, maybe what happened is that Bo had a GREAT time (wink wink) at UCLA (TVH said that was school he was interested in visiting) and told Jabril to check it out and Jabril answered that way and now he is simply trying to soften the visit...As I have already said...Jabril is all BLUE!!!
November 26th, 2013 at 4:40 PM ^
Anytime you are performing as badly as Michigan and Hoke has been, you make yourself vunerable to rumors. I am certain that he and many other recruits are hearing them out there, and because of the poor performance recently, it gives them some possible validity rather or not there is any truth to them.
I think that is why Dave Brandon made the statement about our still having the opportunity to have a terrific season before the Iowa game. That statement was probably as much to reassure recruits that Hoke still has the backing of the Athletic Department and that his job is safe. Unless he plans to can him I imagine we will hear a similar statement after the Ohio State game. He will probably need to.
I can compare how rumors can stick to here to the JFK assassination. Even assuming there was only one lone gunman, Lee Oswald, with the assassination of Oswald, it just on those basic facts leaves open the possibility of a conspiracy. Because you had the assassination of the assassin, an undeniable fact, especially in a police station, it has left open all sorts of speculation about a plot that can be supported by the facts.
In the same way, when you have the basic facts of this poor performance, it leaves open all sorts of speculation regarding Hoke's job security.
November 26th, 2013 at 4:43 PM ^
November 26th, 2013 at 4:50 PM ^
November 26th, 2013 at 5:14 PM ^
November 26th, 2013 at 4:47 PM ^
November 26th, 2013 at 5:20 PM ^