College Football

Michigan's Peppers named Big Ten Defensive Player of Year

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 9:43 p.m. ET

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ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) Michigan linebacker Jabrill Peppers received three postseason awards from the Big Ten Conference on Tuesday, including Defensive Player of the Year.

Peppers is the first Michigan player to the conference's top defensive player since Larry Foote in 2006. The junior, who was also named Linebacker of the Year and Return Specialist of the Year, recorded 72 tackles (including 16 for loss) and four sacks.

Wisconsin's Paul Chryst and Penn State's James Franklin, who oppose each other in Saturday's Big Ten Championship game, split the coaching honors.

Chryst, who led the Badgers to a 10-2 record and a West Division title, was honored by the conference's coaches. Franklin led the Nittany Lions to a 10-2 mark and a share of the East Division as he earned coaching honors from the media.

Also honored were Ohio State's Tyquan Lewis (Defensive Lineman of the Year), Michigan's Jourdan Lewis (Defensive Back of the Year) and Minnesota's Emmit Carpenter (Kicker of the Year).

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