Michigan Football: Jehu Chesson is Breakout Player of the Year
By Jay Meade
Michigan football had a rejuvenating 2015 season, and it was in large part thanks to Jehu Chesson.
Michigan had a great season, given that most people thought it would only go about 7-5 at best. A 10-win season, and promising looks into the future, put Michigan into position to be a legitimate threat next year.
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I’m sure many fans would say that this year was a breakout year for Jabrill Peppers, and it kind of was, but I’m setting my sights on another player. My choice for Michigan’s breakout player is the Bo Schembechler Most Valuable Player award winner: Jehu Chesson. I believe that Chesson wasn’t just the MVP, but he was the most improved player for the Wolverines this year. He also sounds like one of the best teammates on the roster.
“It’s really important to really acknowledge those who support you, who are in your corner,” Chesson told the Michigan Daily. “Without a quarterback — I mean, it sounds so cliché, but literally — without the decisions Jake (Rudock) makes throughout the game to throw me the ball, the O-line holding it up, or the defense giving them a three-and-out, making them punt, and allowing me and the offense to come out on the field and basically increase our stats, if you will.
“It’s all made possible by your teammates and your coaches, so I’m really thankful for them.”
That’s a class act young man. He didn’t load all of the credit on himself, he put it all on the team.
Rudock got off to a really slow start, but really came into his own and showed he could be a prospect for the next level. Chesson also pointed to the defense, which was the better side of the ball. Chesson doesn’t make a lot of wild accusations about not touching the ball enough in losses, or blaming the quarterback or play calling; he just does what he does on the field to the best of his ability. If he has a bad game, he knows he had a bad game. This year wasn’t quite that simple, though.
Last season, Devin Gardner’s final season, Chesson played in only eight games. In those games he had 14 receptions for 154 yards, averaging only 11 yards a catch. That’s it.
He was practically a nobody. In 2015 he amassed 50 receptions for 764 yards, averaging 15.3 yards and 9 touchdowns. That is a significant improvement, but that’s not all he did. He also ran the ball eight times for 155 yards and 2 touchdowns. That’s a total of 58 plays from scrimmage for 919 yards, averaging 15.8 yards a play, and 11 total touchdowns.
And don’t forget about his kickoff return for a score against Northwestern.
This is the stat line that got him the MVP. Put the two together—his stats and humility—and that’s why I see him as the breakout player for the 2015 season.
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Chesson was the leading receiver, with Amara Darboh coming in a fairly close second. He even snagged 1st team All-Big Ten honors for 2015. Chesson has a great character, and his play complements that. Chesson will be returning next year for his fifth season, where I’m sure he will be looking to make himself a household name and a must-have for the 2017 NFL Draft.