Michigan looking to build depth, will play more freshmen against Eastern Michigan

Even before Jonas Mouton was suspended, Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez wanted to play some of his young defensive players more Saturday against Eastern Michigan.

“Our plan, whether it’s this game or the last game or the next game, is to get more guys ready to contribute,” Rodriguez said. “In the kind of season you have with 12 games and no open dates, you’re going to need a lot more players ready because of the injury factor.”

Thin everywhere on defense, Michigan (2-0) has substituted sparingly in its back seven through two games this year.

Sophomore J.B. Fitzgerald is the only backup linebacker to play a defensive snap, and J.T. Floyd, Jordan Kovacs and Jared Van Slyke have played some in the secondary.

Rodriguez said Friday in a video posted on Michigan’s athletic department Web site that Fitzgerald, redshirt freshman Brandon Smith and walk-on Kevin Leach will play in place of Mouton, who had started 13 straight games.

True freshmen William Campbell, Brandin Hawthorne and Vladimir Emilien also should play on defense for the first time this year Saturday, and Denard Robinson, Je’Ron Stokes and Vincent Smith likely will have a bigger role on offense.

Campbell, the highest-rated recruit in Michigan’s 2009 class according to Rivals.com, has played only on special teams this year. Cornerback J.T. Turner, Michigan’s No. 2 recruit, has not played at all.

Rodriguez said Campbell is “getting closer” to cracking the rotation at defensive tackle. Turner, who arrived late to camp while awaiting an eligibility ruling from the NCAA Clearinghouse, may end up redshirting.

Robinson, starting quarterback Tate Forcier and defensive end Craig Roh are the only true freshmen playing significant minutes so far.

“There’s just so much for a true freshman” to learn, Rodriguez said. “Craig Roh’s an exception, Tate’s an exception, but very rarely do you have a true freshman get significant time, and if you’re playing too many of them like maybe we are last year and this year and maybe next year, who knows? Then you’ve got to bear with it.”

Barring injury, it’s unlikely any of the true freshmen backups - besides Robinson - will play enough going forward to seriously impact Michigan’s bowl chances.

Still, Saturday’s game against undermanned EMU (0-2) is the last chance to find out where the freshmen are before Big Ten play begins next week against Indiana.

“Our plan is to play more people,” Rodriguez said. “Offensively we have, defensively not as much, but that’ll probably change the next few weeks. We hope.”

Dave Birkett covers University of Michigan football for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by phone at 734-623-2552 or by e-mail at davidbirkett@annarbor.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.