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It’s a safe bet that Florida fans know all about first-year Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh and the intensity and enthusiasm he’s brought to his alma mater.
But the Wolverines have no shortage of good players, either, and they are the ones who could make the difference when the Gators and Big Blue meet in Orlando on Jan. 1 in the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl.
Here are five Michigan players Florida fans need to know.
1. TE Jake Butt: The sure-handed junior was a first-team All-Big Ten selection and a semifinalist for the John Mackey Award that annually goes to the nation’s best tight end after registering 48 catches for 620 yards and three touchdowns.
2. SS Jabrill Peppers: The versatile sophomore earned first-team All-Big Ten accolades and second-team All-American honors from Sports Illustrated after registering 45 tackles, 5.5 stops for loss and 10 pass breakups. Peppers, who also earned second-team all-conference honors as a kick returner, contributed on offense as well with 18 rushes for 72 yards and two touchdowns and eight catches for 79 yards.
3. CB Jourdan Lewis: Lewis, a junior, earned first-team All-American honors from Sports Illustrated and first-team all-conference recognition after tallying a school-record 21 pass breakups and two interceptions – including for a touchdown – this season. Lewis also averaged 25.2 yards per kick return, including a long of 55 against Penn State.
4. WR Jehu Chesson: The senior was voted the team MVP after registering a 11 touchdowns (eight receiving, 2 rushing, 1 return) and setting new career highs in receptions (45), receiving yards (646) and receiving touchdowns. All eight of his receiving touchdowns came during Big Ten play, doubling the total of the next Big Ten player in Penn State’s Chris Godwin.
5. QB Jake Rudock: The fifth-year senior saved his best football for the final month of the season, completing better than 67 percent of his pass attempts in November for 11 touchdowns and just two interceptions. He did so while averaging 324 passing yards per game over that same span. For the season. Rudock has completed 64 percent of his attempts (229 of 358) for 2,739 yards and 17 touchdowns with nine interceptions.
John Hollis is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers Georgia and Florida.
