When Brady Hoke confirmed that former 247Sports 5-star recruit Jabrill Peppers would redshirt this season it was another blow to Michigan’s already slim bowl chances. Peppers joins other starters in linebacker Desmond Morgan and running back Derrick Green on the shelf while Hoke tries to coax two more victories to make his team bowl-eligible.
Whatever happens over the next few games, Hoke will not be able to blame injuries for his team’s fate.
All teams struggle with lost starters and nagging ailments as the season progresses—but Michigan’s lack of depth and competent backups on offense are particularly glaring for a team that has consistently had top recruiting classes under Hoke.
Hoke shared his thoughts on Peppers’ potential impact on the team.
"We were very excited about what he brings from an attitude standpoint, his explosiveness, athleticism and the make-up speed—all the things that made him one of most recruited guys in this country,” said Hoke. “We lost a [starting] nickel or a safety.”
Peppers joins fellow defensive starter linebacker Morgan on the redshirt list.
There’s no doubt that Peppers and Morgan would have improved the defense—but the defense hasn’t been the top problem for Michigan.
The Wolverine defense has been competent (ranked ninth nationally) this season, while the offense (ranked 114th nationally) that has been truly awful.
Offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier was hired to fix an offense that ranked 87th last season but is struggling with the same problems that dogged his predecessor.
Quarterback Devin Gardner, in the words of NFL.com draft analyst Bucky Brooks, "continues to be a turnover machine in the pocket.” Only four teams in the nation have more interceptions than Michigan and only five have more total turnovers largely because of Gardner.
On most teams a quarterback with Gardner’s statistics would have been benched. A move that Hoke tried with disastrous results early in the season. Backup quarterback Shane Morris experienced an injury, later diagnosed as a concussion, that engulfed the program in a firestorm of controversy.
Even without the injury, Morris isn’t ready to challenge Gardner for the starting position.
As bad as Michigan's season has been, if Gardner had been lost because of an injury it could have been even worse. Hoke and his staff have not prepared a backup for what is arguably the most important position on the team.
Morris, like Gardner, struggled behind an offensive line that is only slightly better than last year. It’s baffling that Michigan has failed to develop a better offensive line by Hoke’s fourth season.
The offensive line’s poor development is the worst indictment of Hoke’s tenure. Everything begins up front and Michigan still isn’t very good in the trenches.
The loss of Green hurts the Michigan running attack but running back is the one position on offense that does have good depth. The emergence of Drake Johnson who entered the season deep in the running back rotation proves the point.
Michigan still hopes to make a bowl game and if that happens Hoke might save his job. David Brandon may be gone but as long as an interim athletic director remains in place it’s doubtful that Michigan will be quick to hire a new coach.
But if he can’t get Michigan into a bowl game or a permanent athletic director is named then that calculus changes significantly.
Hoke had better not try to use injuries as an excuse—despite some high profile players going down the argument just doesn’t hold up to scrutiny.
Phil Callihan is a featured writer for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotations obtained firsthand.
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