Michigan linebacker Jonas Mouton suspended for Saturday's game against Eastern Michigan
Rich Rodriguez didn't see it, but the Big Ten did.
The conference suspended Michigan linebacker Jonas Mouton for Saturday's game against Eastern Michigan after replays appeared to show him punch a Notre Dame player on the field last week.
“The actions of Jonas Mouton during the Notre Dame game are unacceptable,” Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany said in a statement Friday. "Mouton's behavior has no place in the sport of football or the Big Ten Conference.”
Mouton struck Notre Dame center Eric Olsen under the chin as he rose from a block early in the second quarter of last week's 38-34 victory. Rodriguez said Wednesday he didn't see a punch on film and had no plans to punish Mouton. (video of Rodriguez's response here)
No penalty was called on the play.
"The little bit I saw, the clip I saw, the guys got tangled up together and Jonas was trying to free himself," Rodriguez said. "I mean, there was a whole lot of officials out there. I’m sure if there was infraction they would have called it.”
Michigan declined comment Friday. Rodriguez, on a video posted on the athletic department's official Web site, said J.B. Fitzgerald, Kevin Leach and Brandon Smith will "get more time at linebacker" in Mouton's place.
The Big Ten also publicly reprimanded Mouton on Friday.
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