Best guesses on who handles returns?
Obviously we will miss Peppers on defense and on special teams, but we also lose a couple of his primary backups/co-returners, like Chesson and Jourdan Lewis. Who would you like to see back there in the spring and against Florida? Is there an open competition or do you think there's a favorite?
I'd love to see Evans, Isaac, McDoom and a couple of the freshmen at least get a look in spring.
January 10th, 2017 at 5:22 PM ^
Evans.
January 10th, 2017 at 5:22 PM ^
Ty Isaac isn't returning kicks or punts.
January 10th, 2017 at 6:00 PM ^
Is he even returning to Michigan?
January 10th, 2017 at 6:54 PM ^
No time to watch when we on the on the clock. #2017 pic.twitter.com/OXhFTzCSML
— Ty Isaac (@TyIsaac) January 10, 2017
January 10th, 2017 at 7:08 PM ^
Or perhaps he was wondering why he should train if he's not going to play
January 10th, 2017 at 7:48 PM ^
That's clearly some kind of marijuana gas mask. He gone and so is his draft stock.
January 10th, 2017 at 8:14 PM ^
Seriously clark?
January 11th, 2017 at 9:31 AM ^
in his Batman Bane voice.
January 10th, 2017 at 5:22 PM ^
Say what?
January 10th, 2017 at 5:22 PM ^
Evans is a pretty good guess, McDoom is too.
January 10th, 2017 at 5:55 PM ^
Both good guesses. Ambry Thomas prob gets a shot too. Punt return more important than kicks in my opinion (though very different) - catching kicks isn't for everyone, it's tough to bat near perfect and make right calls and still break some. Peppers made great decisions and was supremely confident back there, it'll be tough to match - of all he did on the field, he prob made fielding punts look the easiest.
It's huge to have guys capable of housing kicks but it's just as key they're great decision makers and consistently safely field kicks to help win field position. Not sure who else had experience in high school but maybe people-jones, Nate Johnson, etc
January 10th, 2017 at 6:52 PM ^
faster than Bry...
January 10th, 2017 at 7:17 PM ^
I hope it's thomas
January 10th, 2017 at 7:51 PM ^
Are you sure? I remember a clip in Ambry's or DPJ's highlight video where Ambry chases him down from behind.
January 11th, 2017 at 8:48 AM ^
This is accurate. Ambry Thomas was probably 10+ yards behind him and caught up to Peoples-Jones. Ambry Thomas is the fastest football player in the state of Michigan, at least as far as what I've seen.
January 11th, 2017 at 10:29 AM ^
DPJ was MUCH faster at 100m.
DPJ = 10.93
Ambry Thomas = 11.52
11.52 is not terribly fast for a sprinter.
January 11th, 2017 at 11:24 AM ^
That's great if we're talking about track, but we're not. Look at highlight beginning at 5:07:
January 11th, 2017 at 11:55 AM ^
Relatively speaking, how tired were they from the game up to this point. If DPJ was running a lot of long routes he could have been very more tired. Also, it is easier, psychologically, to catch someone than it is to hold a lead, even in track.
I understand there are other factors that make "football fast" different from "track fast" but they are mostly in the ability to accelerate, start stop start, and change direction. There is also the ability to run carrying (wearing) the extra weight of footbal gear. But not fast in track should never equal fast in football.
January 11th, 2017 at 2:43 PM ^
I mean, look, we're never going to answer that first question. How tired were they? That seems like a poor attempt at making an excuse. If we're taking guesses, Thomas played both ways for King, while Peoples-Jones just played safety occasionally for Cass Tech. Based on that, I would guess Thomas was more tired. But maybe he didn't get much sleep last night. Maybe Peoples-Jones drank more Gatorade and still got caught.
Bottom line: We have video of Donovan Peoples-Jones getting caught from behind by Ambry Thomas, and Thomas started off several yards behind.
January 10th, 2017 at 5:24 PM ^
I think you will see Thomas, McDoom, and maybe Hudson and Crawford.
January 10th, 2017 at 5:24 PM ^
Anyone else want to see mcdoom be a returner? Plus an epic chant every time he goes back to receieve
January 10th, 2017 at 5:32 PM ^
He seems like a natural choice.
January 10th, 2017 at 5:34 PM ^
if McDoom isn't especially featured against Florida for recruiting purposes, the way they made sure to get Peppers extra touches against Rutgers.
January 10th, 2017 at 6:02 PM ^
Don't think they are comparable at all. The Florida game is gonna to be a tight one, probably. You play the best players. You don't throw a guy you're less confident in out on a PR so that some kids in another state might see it.
At no time was Peppers playing at Rutgers a situation where Harbaugh wasn't fielding his best players.
If McDoom wins the job, he'I'll play. If not, he won't.
January 10th, 2017 at 5:24 PM ^
I'd like to see what he could do
January 11th, 2017 at 9:36 AM ^
will be spending the 2nd half of the Florida game in handcuffs after flat out murdering a couple people from his safety position.
Not sure he has the hands for returning anyway.
January 10th, 2017 at 5:27 PM ^
Haha, seriously. I thought we weren't even sure if he was coming back?
January 10th, 2017 at 7:16 PM ^
Isaac is our big back and needs to live that role this fall.
January 10th, 2017 at 5:26 PM ^
Probably a better fit on kicks, rather than punts, but I'd be open to be proven incorrect if he gets a shot.
January 10th, 2017 at 5:26 PM ^
Taro Tsujimoto
Google him.
seriously.
January 10th, 2017 at 8:48 PM ^
Looks like he could help Red B more.
January 10th, 2017 at 5:28 PM ^
O'Maury Samuels
January 10th, 2017 at 5:28 PM ^
One of the fast guys.
January 10th, 2017 at 5:34 PM ^
Excellent point. Although, watching Mike Onwenu return a kickoff would be worth watching as well.
January 10th, 2017 at 6:11 PM ^
Just tell him there's a crisp, refreshing bowl of grapes at the other endzone. Touchdown.
January 10th, 2017 at 9:45 PM ^
Joey Julius running head on at/into Onwenu would be priceless.
January 10th, 2017 at 5:31 PM ^
DOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!
January 10th, 2017 at 5:31 PM ^
McDoom.
January 10th, 2017 at 5:33 PM ^
Ambry Thomas is my vote
January 10th, 2017 at 5:46 PM ^
to say the same thing. He's not redshirting but probably won't start and looks dynamite with the ball in his hands.
January 10th, 2017 at 5:35 PM ^
Whichever fast guy has the surest hands for punts and whoever has the greatest burst for straight-line speed for kicks.
January 10th, 2017 at 5:35 PM ^
Hated the use in 2015 of Lewis as a returner. Always thought any upside was not worth the wear and tear and potential injury to an all-american corner.
January 10th, 2017 at 6:19 PM ^
So you didn't like Peppers returning? Or Breaston? Or Desmond? I can go on.
January 10th, 2017 at 7:19 PM ^
put the most dynamic guy back there. if it's a full time starter, so be it. just one example, Clemson won a lot of games because of CJ Spiller's returns while he was their feature player on offense. Miami '09 is the most prominent one.
January 10th, 2017 at 6:28 PM ^
I agree, but only because of the thought that Jourdan wasn't a dynamic playmaker on special teams like Peppers. His upside as a returner wasn't worth the risk as other guys wouldn't have been much of a step down from him.
Man I'm going to miss Peppers. His abilities were worth the risk of injury in every fashion. Not just because he was fun to watch, but because he was excellent at saving field position even on fair catches.
January 10th, 2017 at 6:31 PM ^
He wasn't Jabril, but I think he was better than anyone we've had a lot of years.
January 10th, 2017 at 5:37 PM ^
Evans, McDoom, Kinnel, and any number of other dudes who are fast.