Wolverines Recognized at College Football Awards Show
12/8/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 8, 2016
ATLANTA, Ga. -- University of Michigan senior co-captain Jake Butt, senior cornerback Jourdan Lewis and junior/sophomore linebacker Jabrill Peppers represented the Wolverines at ESPN's Home Depot College Football Awards Show held Thursday (Dec. 10) at the College Football Hall of Fame.
Lewis was a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, which is presented to the nation's top defensive back by the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame. Unbeatable this season, Lewis locked down the opposition's top receiver. He has two interceptions and 12 total pass breakups in nine games of action. Lewis has been targeted only 37 times this season, allowing only 10 receptions for 107 yards, with 24 total yards coming after the catch. The Big Ten's Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year, Lewis also contributed 23 tackles and 3.5 TFLs.
Peppers was up for three awards this evening: the Walter Camp Player of the Year, the Maxwell Award and the Bednarik Award. The East Orange, New Jersey, native is second on the team in tackles with a career-best 72 stops. He leads U-M in tackles for loss (16), averaging 1.3 per game, and is a major reason why U-M is the only team in the nation averaging more than 9.0 TFLs per contest (9.6 average).
A dynamic, versatile force this season, lining up at 15 different positions for the Wolverines (five on offense, six on defense, four on special teams), Peppers has one interception in addition to four total touchdowns (three rushing, one punt return). He became the first player in Big Ten history to win three individual awards when he was named the conference's Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year, Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year and Rodgers-White Return Specialist of the Year.
This fall, Lewis and Peppers have helped direct a Michigan defense that leads the nation in pass defense, tackles for loss, and third down conversion percentage allowed. U-M ranks second nationally in six other categories.
During the Red Carpet Show prior to ESPN's College Football Awards Show, Butt was recognized as the John Mackey Award winner as the top tight end and Peppers was presented the Paul Hornung Award as the nation's most versatile player.
Fourth-year senior holder Garrett Moores was named the Mortell Holder of the Year. Moores perfected his craft as a holder, making perfect placements on 62 PATs and 21 field goal attempts this season. Moores was awarded a scholarship this fall by head coach Jim Harbaugh.
Here is my full acceptance speech for the 2016 Mortell Holder of the Year Award. Thank you to @SonnyEquipment for the great video work!〽️ pic.twitter.com/PRpnw07s7z
-- Garrett Moores (@gmoores11) December 9, 2016
In addition, Butt, Lewis and Peppers were named to the Walter Camp Football Foundation All-America team. Lewis earned second-team All-America honors from the WCFF last season.
Peppers will head to New York City for the 2016 Heisman Trophy ceremony on Saturday night (Dec. 10). ESPN will air the trophy ceremony starting at 8 p.m.
• All-America Honors
• 2016 Michigan Football Honors and Awards
