This past week, Her Campus at the University of Michigan had the chance to sit down with Jabrill Peppers, defensive back for Michigan Football.
Hometown: East Orange, New Jersey
Major: Political Science
Class Standing: Freshman
Her Campus: What made you decide to come to Michigan to play football? Do you have any regrets?
Jabrill Peppers: I have no regrets about coming to Michigan. I was originally going to go to Stanford because I value education, so I wanted the best combination of both [education and athletics]. But my grandmom got sick and she wanted to see me play, so if I had gone to Stanford, she wouldn’t have been able to see me play live. But at Michigan, we compete against Rutgers, which is in my home state, so it made the possibility of her seeing me play that much easier. Also, I was always a Michigan fan; I just didn’t want to be biased when it came to the recruitment process.
HC: What is your favorite part about the Michigan football program?
JP: My favorite part is probably the tradition. I’m just trying to be mentioned with some of the great players who have played here. Also, putting on that legendary helmet and playing in front of 115,000 people speaks for itself. Those are definitely the things I value the most.
HC: How do you feel about having Jim Harbaugh as the new head coach?
JP: I think it’s a great move. I think him coming back shows how much Michigan means to him. I actually asked him what made him come back and he said it was a decision from the heart since he grew up here, went to high school here, and played here. He wanted to see us go back to prominence. I’m definitely excited and I can’t wait to get moving in the right direction.
HC: How will your injury from last fall affect your playing for next season?
JP: It won’t affect my playing season too much. I’m more than one hundred percent right now; the trainers did a great job in the rehabilitation process. Also, the strength and conditioning coaches do a great job with injury prevention. So I’m feeling better than I’ve ever felt. I’ll be bigger, faster, stronger, smarter, and a better student of the game.
HC: What do you like to do in your free time off the field?
JP: I like to make music, like hip-hop and R&B. I like to shop and watch Netflix; my favorite show is Criminal Minds. We don’t really get too much free time, but that’s what I do when I can get a bit of time to myself.
HC: What will you do if you don’t become a professional player?
JP: Since I’m a Political Science major, I would like to be a lawyer or a congressman.
HC: Do you have any advice for high school players interested in playing football in college?
JP: Make sure that it’s something you really want to do, because it takes a lot of commitment and time away from you. It’s a struggle and constant grind all year long. So if your heart isn’t one hundred percent in it, then don’t come into it thinking you can half-ass your way through it, because it’ll definitely show up in your play and it will definitely take a toll on you.