Jabrill Peppers = Swiss Army Knife for Wolverines

IOWA CITY — Jabrill Peppers is the ultimate football Swiss Army Knife.

Click. There's the Michigan junior blowing up a play with a tackle for loss. He has 13.5 of those and is second in the Big Ten. Click. Peppers is known for playing running back or wide receiver or slot receiver. Peppers has rushed 17 times for 150 yards this season, that's 8.82 yards per carry.

Throughout Saturday night's first half, Iowa put a lid on Peppers. On three touches (two rushes and a punt return), Peppers had just 22 total yards. On defense, he had three tackles and one QB hurry.

Through the first half, when Michigan held a 10-8 lead, it was clear the Wolverines were going to need more than one player to win against an Iowa team that was intent on showing life after a dismal effort last week at Penn State.

Still, players like this don't come through Kinnick Stadium very often.

Click. Peppers is No. 3 on the nation's No. 3 team in all-purpose yards with 592. He averages 14.4 yards on 41 touches. Click. Peppers leads the Big Ten in punt returns with a 17.1 average on 15 returns. Click, Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh isn't afraid to play him at quarterback. He's run the wildcat a handful of times this season.

Wait, how does that even work? Peppers is a 6-1, 205-pound strongside linebacker. He lines up as a wildcat QB, everyone knows he's going to run the ball, right?

Well, yeah.

'He's a great athlete, a dynamic player, everyone knows that,' Iowa defensive end Parker Hesse said. 'They're confident, the entire group. He's just like that. They're all confident guys.'

Click. Peppers is a blade. Click. Peppers is a corkscrew. Click. Peppers is a spoon.

Peppers has played 13 positions for the Wolverines. Here's the list: linebacker, free safety, strong safety, cornerback, nickel cornerback, quarterback, running back, wide receiver, slot receiver, punt returner, kick returner, gunner and something called 'hold up.'

He's a 6-1, 205-pound linebacker who returns punts. Wrap your head around that.

'The first thing that comes to mind is the return game,' Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said. 'He's really dynamic, and I think our staff feels we've faced some pretty good returners, Nebraska a couple years ago, Maryland. He's as good as we've seen. He's a really dynamic return guy ...'

Click.

' ... but he plays great on defense, and he's a threat offensively, too. He's a tremendous football player. That's such an unusual combination, especially where he plays on defense. He's down in the box. I've never seen anybody who did that and then returned kicks and punts and looked like a corner or safety back there.'

In one of Michigan's better victories this season, a 45-28 victory over Colorado, Peppers was named Big Ten special teams player of the week, gaining 204 all-purpose yards. He also earned B1G co-defensive player of the week with 3.5 tackles for loss including a sack.

'He's just a rare all-around athlete,' Iowa cornerback Desmond King said. 'Special teams, defense and offense, that's a leader for their team. Someone who can contribute anywhere on the field.'

Click. Peppers is a scissors. Click. Peppers is a fingernail clippers. Click. Peppers is an allen wrench.

'I think he's thrown the ball once,' linebacker Josey Jewell said. 'You've got to be responsible for everything that can happen. If their quarterback (Wilton Speight) is still in the game, you've got to have multiple guys on each guy and account for everything.'

l Comments: (319) 398-8256; marc.morehouse@thegazette.com