Hand Trying To Flip Peppers
Nick Baumgardner @nickbaumgardner 6m
Jabrill Peppers tells Rivals that Da'Shawn Hand is trying to get him to "flip" but he thinks he's "going to go blue"
Nick Baumgardner @nickbaumgardner 6m
Peppers also said right now he only has a visit planned to Michigan. "It might stay that way and it may not."
EDIT: Peppers has added this
TouchTheBanner @TouchTheBanner 4m
Peppers says the pass rush (from Hand) will help him as a DB, but Countess has 6 picks and Taylor has 4. #Alabama corners have 3 total.
December 7th, 2013 at 10:35 AM ^
I hope Peppers comes here, I truly do. But if you are a kid with his talent level, serious NFL quality, I'm not sure why you wouldn't commit to several SEC programs over us. If you are thinking about Alabama, coaching is better, facilities are as good or better, the caliber of competition is better. Yeah, OK, our academics may be better but to suggest that peope who graduate from other schools don't get a quality education is crazy.
Send me to South America if you want, but if you watched Michigan football this season and last year's OSU and ND games and saw the offensive (on every level) play calling, you have to be asking yourself questions about certain people on our coaching staff, particularly if they are still here after the season concludes.
December 7th, 2013 at 10:38 AM ^
100% agreed
December 7th, 2013 at 10:45 AM ^
I'll grant you people who graduate from other schools get a quality education if you grant me that people from non-SEC conferences also get drafted to the NFL. Peppers will make it to the NFL, regardless of where he plays football. In addition, he would stand out much more in the B1G than he would in the SEC. It all comes down to what these kids' priorities are, and though we may question them, we will always be wrong.
December 7th, 2013 at 10:50 AM ^
It also all comes down to fit on a personal level. It comes down to immeasurables. It comes down to where Peppers feels he can find a home. For a kid with his talent, the rest is all background.
Like you said, where he goes has little impact on his ability to make it to the NFL - unless he is miserable where he goes. That's the biggest factor.
December 7th, 2013 at 11:56 AM ^
No argument that kids from other conferences than the SEC get drafted into the NFL. However, having said that, I believe Big Will Campbell said that had his coaches been Mattison et al. it would have made a big difference in his progression at Michigan. Why did Denard not improve in two years and why has Devin, in spite of Hoke's protestations to the contrary, looked so lost? Coaching is huge.
There are lots of variables that go into a kid's decision. If you are an athlete, it is in your DNA to compete and to win. It is the end all for a college athlete to win a national championship. Hopefully, things turn around, but how long has it been since we even won a conference championship?
I am really pissed off of late and I apologize for that. I think Michigan has what it takes to be an equal or better to OSU, but that won't happen unless they bring in the right people (Mattison excluded) and pay the money. I remember that OSU and many other schools spend way more on their football program than does Michigan. Time for DB to step up to the plate and do what is necessary to bring us back to where we were and can be again. In my heart of hearts, I have doubts as to whether my expectations will be realized with Hoke and no doubt that they won't occur with Borges.
So, PEppers, stay with us.....Brandon is a smart guy. He will pay what is necessary to coaches to make us winners.
December 7th, 2013 at 12:56 PM ^
I think we agree on more things than not. I simply don't agree with the SEC gives you a better chance of getting into the NFL logic. NFL scouts find the elite talent, regardless of where they play. A perfect example is Ziggy Ansah, who only played a couple years of college football at BYU. He was considered very raw, but was still drafted 5th overall. It just so happens that more of the elite players are going to the SEC right now.
December 7th, 2013 at 1:29 PM ^
Hoke is the 8th highest paid coach in the country. Hoke makes $4.1 mil and Meyer makes $4.6. Mattison is the 9th highest paid coordinator at $758K and Fickell is the 8th at $761K. Frustratingly I can't put my hands quickly on offensive coordinator pay as I'm trying to get out the door, but if I recall Borges is also a top 10 coordinator in terms of overall pay in the $700K range. So, I don't think money is the issue, unless you're saying our position coahces pay isn't high enough. That we'd have to look further into. But, Brandon got his guy based on his own criteria and I don't think money is the problem. Hoke chose his coordinators, position coaches, etc.
December 7th, 2013 at 4:21 PM ^
You nailed it. I think Borges just went up from 650K to 750K ( could be wrong). But UM head coach and coordinators are top 10 in the country in pay, so there is no excuse about Brandon not spending money. Facilities and money spent is not an issue at UM.
December 7th, 2013 at 10:37 AM ^
So, should I not get my hopes up for Tim Settle?
I think it's time for Mattison to come a little strong. Give the kid #2. Jabrill isn't hinting around about it for no reason.
December 7th, 2013 at 10:43 AM ^
The conventional wisdom is that individual losses don't affect recruiting, but it's clear that season-long disappointment is a different matter.
With respect to Peppers, those words are not those of somebody who's truly committed to Michigan. They're the words of somebody who's doing more than window-shopping.
December 7th, 2013 at 10:46 AM ^
for not being sold on coming to Michigan?
I surely do not blame him at all
I would love to get him to come here but after the debacles of 2012 and 2013......certainly can't blame him at all
December 7th, 2013 at 10:47 AM ^
December 7th, 2013 at 10:48 AM ^
He could go Pro playing at Michigan better than Bama I would guess.? He would start right off the bat & have tons of chances at making Espn highlight reel plays.
With how we looked against Ohio - dont count us out of championships in the near future.
December 7th, 2013 at 10:59 AM ^
This is a nothing story. A committ to one school is trying to get a committ from another school to flip. Shocking!
December 7th, 2013 at 11:04 AM ^
December 7th, 2013 at 11:13 AM ^
Backpedal.
I see "backpeddle" used way too frequently.
December 7th, 2013 at 11:05 AM ^
Why are people surprised by this? No kidding Hand is going to recruit his friend and #2 prospect in the country to Bama? Ho hum. JP is going to be playing for Michigan.
December 7th, 2013 at 11:07 AM ^
And I see Pepper's comments as someone just messing with the press and reporters. He knows he's coming here
December 7th, 2013 at 11:08 AM ^
December 7th, 2013 at 11:10 AM ^
I'm sure Peppers wants to win lots of games and everything, and obviously, the best program in the country over the past few years has been Alabama. But he's talked about the pass rush helping him out as a corner. Well, Countess made 6 picks this year, and Taylor made 4. At Alabama, Cyrus Jones has 2 and Deion Belue has 1; the rest of their 10 total picks were made by safeties and linebackers.
December 7th, 2013 at 11:20 AM ^
Bama gets to use money and "hostesses" to buy recruits, while schools like Michigan abide by the rules. This particular inequity is the second biggest reason why I would like to see players allowed to take money and other "benfits" from wherever they can get it, like any other student on scholarship can.
The biggest, of course, is that I feel the players deserve the money.
December 7th, 2013 at 11:22 AM ^
They also "win" a lot football games and even "win" national championships to help them sway recruits to their side. Unbelievable! They are way dirty
December 7th, 2013 at 11:56 AM ^
December 7th, 2013 at 11:56 AM ^
I believe you just fell into the whole chicken & egg conundrum. Why are they winning so much? Because they have great players. Why do they have so many great players? Because they win. Why do they win....?
December 7th, 2013 at 12:09 PM ^
came first because just a few years ago they weren't winning, and just a few years before that they were on probation. Memories are short, but Alabama had its own lost decade from 1997-2007.
December 7th, 2013 at 12:43 PM ^
They have a football history better than MIchigans in a region ripe with football talent and crazed fans. They hired a coach already proven at the college level to be a great coach and recruiter. Once they started winning it all fell into place.
Step back from your Michigan fandom. What looks more suspicious? Alabama reeling in all these recruits after winning 3 of the last 4 national titles or Michigan continuing to reel in top 10 class after top 10 class while winning more than 8 games precisely once in the last six seasons? Maybe we're paying people...
December 7th, 2013 at 1:09 PM ^
Bama just fired a coach for providing a player with an improper benefit - not a booster, a coach. Is that picture you posted a selfie?
December 7th, 2013 at 3:13 PM ^
Also, most Bama fans will proudly tell you they pay their players ("If you ain't cheatin', you ain't tryin'" is a common refrain), unlike Michigan fans, who seem to generally think that Michigan is not or at least should not be paying its players under the current system. There is a reason they have a reputation for it and we don't, even outside of Michigan circles. Based on that, yeah, I will say that it is more likely that Bama plays its recruits.
One thing I will say though is that, even if we don't pay the recruits money, we do use "hostesses" just like every SEC school, the only difference may be that ours our more unofficial (a certain sorority known to be accomodating to recruits, for example), whereas their's are asked to do it by people within the athletic department (they often ask female athletes to serve as "hostess," and generally use the athletes who are also in a sorority). I know this because a friend of mine was often asked to play "hostess" to for football recruits at an SEC school.
December 7th, 2013 at 11:20 AM ^
Nick Saban leaves for his next job? I'm a little tired of this whole "coaching situation being brought up as an excuse for indecision. I get it, they are 18 year old kids. It is time for us to take off the kid gloves and bare knuckle fight for our recruits. Saban has not come out with a statement, a la Brandon, regarding his status with Alabama.The time is now for us to start playing by the other guys' rules.
December 7th, 2013 at 11:38 AM ^
Why is Nick Saban leaving for a next job? There's literally zero reason he would and the speculation is beyond baseless.
His career trajectory has gone upward. MSU-->LSU to the NFL realized he couldn't hack it and back to college.
He's a god at Alabama, already brought back a once proud program to dominance and is 62 years old. I doubt he's trying to start over.
December 7th, 2013 at 12:07 PM ^
"to the NFL realized he couldn't hack it and back to college. "
Also, there is always a bit of truth in a rumor. Houston, Austin, tax beneficial state, etc. Alabama had only a few wins in his first year. The Big XII has a "easier way to the national championship game" per experts.
The writing is on the wall. Saban? He gone.
December 7th, 2013 at 12:08 PM ^
I don't think he leaves but with no real ties to Bama I could see it.
December 7th, 2013 at 2:23 PM ^
Off the top of my head, an incredibly high standard of winning a national title every year and go undefeated to keep the fans happy. Anything less is a failure. Imagine what would happen if he had a pretty darned good year by going 10-2? Fire Saban! I'm sorta joking here because if anyone is capable of keeping those on the outside from being a distraction it's Saban, but nonetheless he is still human...I think. It has to have an effect, even if less so than other mortal men.
December 7th, 2013 at 11:21 AM ^
December 7th, 2013 at 11:22 AM ^
December 7th, 2013 at 11:37 AM ^
December 7th, 2013 at 11:40 AM ^
Warmack and Kirkpatrick have been okay. Hightower also. Fluker not bad either.
December 7th, 2013 at 12:06 PM ^
December 7th, 2013 at 12:11 PM ^
He is putting in work for the Chargers.
December 7th, 2013 at 1:49 PM ^
Rolando McClain. How's Arenas doing, btw? Don't hear much about him.
December 7th, 2013 at 11:40 AM ^
December 7th, 2013 at 11:42 AM ^
Jabrill is Blue.
December 7th, 2013 at 11:44 AM ^
This. People have been trying to flip Jabrill for a while, you guys are naive if you think this isn't the case
December 7th, 2013 at 11:58 AM ^
I will wait till a bunch of guys flip their commits, a bunch of guys ask for transfers, or something else of note actually happens, before I go all crazy. Stinks we missed out on Hand, but the rest of this seems like normal recruiting drama.
Besides, maybe Hoke has like 8 commits from Alabama and Ohio that he has flipped and we just don't know yet. Maybe they were all at the Mone family table, and were just cropped out of the pic, which would explain all the protein.
December 7th, 2013 at 11:58 AM ^
it should be the other way around, yeah?
December 7th, 2013 at 12:00 PM ^
December 7th, 2013 at 12:06 PM ^
"Hand made a mistake going to Bama"
this is the type of comment that deserves to be immortalized on the internet
December 7th, 2013 at 12:08 PM ^
Oh yeah, 11-1 with that one loss on a last-second fluke play. Such a downslope.
December 7th, 2013 at 12:13 PM ^
/s
December 7th, 2013 at 12:16 PM ^
at the idea of Saban leaving 'Bama because he has it so good, he's an icon, he's Gawd Himself. But the idea of Saban leaving for a new gig does have its merits. Saban could quite simply become bored with Alabama and relish the challenge of another phoenix.