Lewis, Peppers Lead Big Ten Defensive Yearly Honors
11/30/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 30, 2015
ROSEMONT, Ill. -- The Big Ten Conference announced its annual defense and special teams award winners Monday night (Nov. 30) during a live show on the Big Ten Network, with 11 players from the 19th-ranked University of Michigan football team earning conference recognition.
Jabrill Peppers earned individual honors when he was named the Thompson-Randel El Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Peppers becomes the fifth Wolverine to earn conference freshman of the year honors, joining Charles Woodson (1995), Anthony Thomas (1997), Steve Breaston (2003) and Mike Hart (2004).
Peppers and Jourdan Lewis earned first-team honors by both the coaches and the media as defensive backs. It is the first time since 1997 that Michigan has had at least two secondary players named first team all-conference in the secondary; Charles Woodson, Marcus Ray and Andre Weathers were named by the coaches to the first team. Peppers earned second-team return specialist honors by the coaches, and he and Lewis earned honorable mention by the media for their return skills.
Joining Lewis and Peppers with all-conference honors are Kenny Allen (media) and Chris Wormley (coaches), who were named third teamers. Joe Bolden, Ryan Glasgow, Willie Henry, Royce Jenkins-Stone, Desmond Morgan, Blake O'Neill and Jarrod Wilson each earned honorable mention.
Peppers, who is also a finalist for the Paul Hornung Award -- which is presented annually to the most versatile player in the FBS -- played a vital role in all three phases of the game this season, starting on both defense and special teams while also contributing on offense as the regular season progressed. In 12 games, Peppers played a combined 986 snaps this season, with 50 coming on offense, 765 on defense and 171 on special teams.
Starting primarily at cornerback, Peppers has helped anchor the defense that ranks third in the country in pass defense and fourth in total defense by racking up 45 total tackles, 5.5 tackles-for-loss and 10 pass breakups. The total tackles list fifth on the team while the 10 passes defended rank second on the team and 15th in single-season school history.
On special teams, Peppers has returned all 17 punts on the season for 194 yards, an average of 11.4 yards per return. Peppers has returned eight kickoffs for 223 yards, an average of 27.9 yards per return, on a unit that ranks second in the FBS with 28.41 yards per kick return.
Despite not being a full-time offensive player, Peppers has added eight catches for 79 yards with 18 rushes for 72 yards and two touchdowns to his stat sheet. All told, Peppers has gained 568 all-purpose yards on the season, an average of 47.3 yards per game, a figure that ranks fifth on the team.
Lewis set a single-season school record with 21 pass breakups in 2015, besting the previous mark of 18 held by Marlin Jackson (2002) and Leon Hall (2006). He now has 31 PBUs in his career, which lists fourth in school history. Hall is the all-time leader with 43 PBUs in his career.
Aiding in the 21 PBUs this season are two interceptions, returned for 46 yards. His second interception of the season resulted in a 37-yard return for a touchdown against Northwestern (Oct. 10), which was the third consecutive shutout for the Wolverine defense.
Starting with the Rutgers game (Nov. 7), Lewis began returning kicks and finished the regular season with 15 kickoff returns, a team high. Lewis totaled 378 yards on those returns for an average of 25.2 yards per return. His long of 55 came late in the fourth quarter in a win at Penn State (Nov. 21), which helped set up an insurance touchdown to ensure the win over the Nittany Lions.
Wormley was named a third-team selection by the coaches and honorable mention by the media. The senior has appeared in all 12 games with 10 starts and leads the team with 12.0 tackles-for-loss while adding 5.5 sacks. Wormley finished the regular season with 39 total tackles and forced one fumble. The Toledo, Ohio, native now has 79 tackles and 21.5 TFL in his Michigan career.
Allen was named to the third team by the media and honorable mention by the coaches. In his first year as the team's kicker, he is 16-of-20 on field goals with a long of 47. His 80-percent field goal percentage currently ranks in a tie for eighth in single-season school history with Ali Haji-Sheikh (1982) and Mike Gillette (1987), while his 16 makes list in a tie for ninth most in a season in school history. He has converted all 41 of his PAT attempts.
Also on special teams, O'Neill was named honorable mention by both the coaches and media. O'Neill has punted the ball 53 times for an average of 43.1 yards per punt. His long of 80 against Michigan State is the longest punt in the FBS this season and is the second longest in school history behind Monte Robbins' 82 yard boot at Hawaii in 1986. On the season, O'Neill had 23 punts downed inside the opponent's 20-yard line with only four touchbacks.
Bolden was named honorable mention by both the coaches and media. As a co-captain in his senior campaign, Bolden leads the team with 76 tackles while adding six tackles-for-loss and a fumble recovery from his linebacker position. In four years on the Michigan defense, Bolden has 263 total tackles with 18 TFL and five sacks.
Morgan was also named honorable mention by both the coaches and the media. The senior linebacker from Holland, Michigan, is second on the team with 67 tackles and has also added a sack, interception and three pass breakups. Morgan has 296 tackles, 16 TFL and 3.5 sacks in his Wolverine career.
Henry (coaches and media) and Jenkins-Stone (media) each earned honorable mention accolades. Each has contributed on the defensive line with 34 and 36 tackles respectively. Henry's 10 TFL and 6.5 sacks each list second on the team, while Jenkins-Stone has added five TFL and two sacks of his own while also forcing a fumble.
Despite being limited to just nine games as a result of an injury, Glasgow was named honorable mention by both the coaches and media. Glasgow had 25 tackles, five tackles-for-loss and a sack prior to his injury. In games that he played, opponents managed just 726 net rushing yards, an average of 80.6 yards per game.
Wilson, who was named honorable mention by the coaches, has started every game at safety for the Wolverines in 2015 and is third on the team with 59 tackles. He has also added a sack and interception on the season. The senior has 167 total tackles in his career with seven pass breakups and three interceptions.
• Complete List of Award Winners 
Communications Contacts: Dave Ablauf, Chad Shepard
