More Coaches Should Use Their Best Players Like Michigan Uses Jabrill Peppers
The first hint that Jim Harbaugh might play Jabrill Peppers on offense this season came in July, when the first-year Michigan head coach mentioned the idea of inserting the sophomore safety into the lineup when the Wolverines had the ball.
It made for a fun story and message board fodder, something to keep an eager fanbase occupied during an ensuing fall camp that offered limited media access.
The idea of Peppers, a 5-star talent, with the ball in his hands was certainly intriguing, and the 6'1", 205-pounder already figured to be Michigan's primary punt returner for the 2015 campaign.
But even the most optimistic of Maize and Blue faithful had to take the notoriously secretive Harbaugh's lineup suggestion with a grain of salt. Coaches often talk about getting the ball into the hands of their most skilled athletes but rarely take action when that player's primary position comes on the defensive side of the ball.
With one game left in the regular season and the Wolverines' Big Ten Championship hopes still alive, however, one could argue that Peppers has been Michigan's second-most valuable offensive player behind only emerging quarterback Jake Rudock.
Peppers didn't take his first offensive snaps of the season until the Wolverines' Oct. 17 date with Michigan State, lining up as a wide receiver and catching two passes for 35 yards in what was ultimately a stunning Spartans victory.
Over the course of the season, the New Jersey native's role on offense has evolved from wideout to Wildcat quarterback to running back—all while maintaining his spots as a starting safety and No. 1 punt returner.
"He's such good player. I can think of five different positions he could be really good at in football. Can somebody be the Willie Mays of football? Can somebody be the five-tool player, the five-position player?" Harbaugh asked rhetorically during Tuesday's Big Ten coaches teleconference.
"Maybe. Maybe that'll end up being Jabrill Peppers."
In five games as a part-time offensive player, Peppers' play would suggest that Harbaugh might be right.
Touching the ball in games against MSU, Minnesota, Rutgers, Indiana and Penn State, Peppers has tallied 97 yards of total offense (43 rushing, 54 receiving) and two touchdowns (both rushing) on 17 touches (11 rushes, six receptions). He also ranks fifth in the Big Ten with a punt return average of 11.4 yards.
Defensively, the Garden State product has recorded 40 tackles and defended 10 passes, serving as a key cog in a Wolverines defense that currently ranks second in the nation.
But the numbers—particularly on offense—don't tell the whole story of just how valuable Peppers has been to Harbaugh's first team in Ann Arbor.
Take for example this weekend, when Michigan went to Happy Valley to take on the Nittany Lions with both teams' Big Ten title hopes still alive.
With the Wolverines up 21-16 and taking over at the Penn State 40-yard line in the fourth quarter with a chance to put the game away, Harbaugh opted to run two plays for Peppers, with his five-yard rush setting up a one-yard rushing touchdown for starting running back De'Veon Smith.
Peppers' play may not have been anything spectacular, but it was telling that the Michigan coaching staff opted to trust him with the ball in his hands with the game on the line. Perhaps that—plus his apparent explosiveness—is why Harbaugh said he was considering transitioning Peppers to a full-time running back in the offseason.
"He’s a darn good running back," Harbaugh said on Monday. "[Next season] may get a little crazy. It may be one of the things we look at."
But before the Wolverines and Peppers can look ahead to 2016, they still have one game left in this year's regular season—Saturday's matchup with rival Ohio State.
If Michigan can beat the Buckeyes and Penn State goes on to beat Michigan State on Saturday, the Wolverines will be playing in the Big Ten Championship Game with a potential spot in the College Football Playoff on the line.
It'd take a lot of work and a little bit of luck, but if Michigan finds itself in that position, it's a safe bet that Peppers will be a big reason why.
As it currently stands, the second-year standout could be an All-Big Ten performer on defense and a strong candidate for the newly announced Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year trophy, per the Associated Press (h/t USA Today).
Might an All-Offense honor be on the horizon in Peppers' college career? Harbaugh isn't ruling it out.
"He'll find his absolute best position as you go along," Harbaugh said. "It's interesting to think about and consider the possibilities."
It certainly is.
Ben Axelrod is Bleacher Report's Big Ten lead writer. You can follow him on Twitter @BenAxelrod. Unless noted otherwise, all quotes were obtained firsthand. All statistics courtesy of cfbstats.com. Recruiting rankings courtesy of 247Sports.
