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Michigan's Jabrill Peppers could give Penn State several headaches

It's difficult to talk about any aspect of the Michigan football team - offense, defense or special teams - and not talk about Jabrill Peppers.

It's difficult to talk about any aspect of the Michigan football team - offense, defense or special teams - and not talk about Jabrill Peppers.

That was the case last Saturday as the versatile Peppers helped spur the fourth-ranked Wolverines to a 45-28 victory over Colorado. He closed out the scoring with a 54-yard punt return for a touchdown. He led the defense with nine tackles, including 31/2 for losses and one sack. He rushed twice for 22 yards and piled up 204 all-purpose yards.

The 6-foot-1, 205-pound junior from East Orange, N.J., capped the weekend by being named special-teams player of the week and co-defensive player of the week by the Big Ten, the first player in conference history to win both weekly awards since the special-teams honor was added in 1994.

So when Penn State visits Michigan Stadium on Saturday for its Big Ten opener against the Wolverines, its players will have to find Peppers wherever he is lined up.

"The unique thing is all the positions that he can play," Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said Monday at his weekly news conference. "If you start counting them - safety, corner, nickel, outside linebacker, slot receiver, Wildcat quarterback, running back, kick returner, punt returner, gunner - hold up . . . that's 11 or 12 right there, and I know there's others he can do.

"Those are the things he's done already here. That being said, he's done them all well. Also, that being said, there's other positions he would really be good at. He's a special type of athlete, special type of football player. We're really happy for his success."

His defensive numbers are particularly mind-blowing. Peppers, who lines up at linebacker or defensive back on defense, leads the team with 28 total tackles, 19 unassisted tackles and 91/2 tackles for losses. His 21/2 sacks are tied for first on the Wolverines.

"One of my big things this year is, don't miss too many tackles because I missed a lot of them last year," he told the Big Ten Network after the Colorado win. "Our motto is, 'See the ball, go get the ball.' Everybody on our defense goes to the ball."

Then again, he could be more dangerous on special teams. Peppers, a former Penn State recruit, is third in the Football Bowl Subdivision in punt returns with a 21.6-yard average and his two kickoff returns this season have gone for 55 and 26 yards.

Of taking a punt to the house Saturday, he said, "I've come close so many times. To finally get one is like a weight lifted off my shoulders."

Penn State will feel the weight of dealing with Peppers on Saturday. Behind freshman Blake Gillikin, the Nittany Lions are netting almost 40 yards per punt, and they've allowed opponents an average of just one yard per return.

In addition to Peppers' touchdown, Michigan also scored on a blocked punt against Colorado. This season, the Wolverines have blocked three kicks - two field goals and a punt - and have deflected two other punts.

"I'm really proud of our guys," Harbaugh said about his special teams. "We hope to count on that weekly as a weapon. Now, you're not going to get 14 points a game, but they're really playing well - the cover teams, the return units."

Minnesota kickoff

The Big Ten announced that Penn State's game at Beaver Stadium against Minnesota on Oct. 1 will kick off at 3:30 p.m. and will be televised by the Big Ten Network.

jjuliano@phillynews.com

@joejulesinq