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Posted on Tue, Jul 28, 2009 : 11:43 a.m.

Rich Rodriguez: Depth in the Michigan secondary is a concern

By Dave Birkett

When Troy Woolfolk switched from cornerback to safety this spring, it helped alleviate one depth problem in Michigan's secondary - and helped create another.

Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez said Tuesday depth in the secondary remains one of his chief concerns heading into fall camp. Donovan Warren and Boubacar Cissoko are the projected starting cornerbacks, with Woolfolk and Michael Williams the potential safeties.

"The secondary is not nearly as deep as it needs to be, and certainly we’re going to address that in recruiting," Rodriguez said.

Several incoming recruits should play immediately in the secondary. Safety Vladimir Emilien was one of seven freshman on campus for spring drills, and highly-touted recruit J.T. Turner will begin his college career at cornerback.

“We'll start him at corner because there’s such a need there," Rodriguez said. "We have a need at safety, too, but normally if you have a guy, you try to put him at corner and if it doesn’t work there or if you need help you can move him into safety. So right now the plan with J.T. in camp is to work him at corner knowing that we probably could move him to safety as well."

Comments

friend12

Wed, Jul 29, 2009 : 10:51 a.m.

Couldn't be any worse than the corners we had the last couple of years (Trent, etc.). Hopefully these new guys are tall as well as fast. Teams like USC killed us with the 6'5+ receivers (our corners just barely over 6'). I haven't seen stats on them.

tater

Tue, Jul 28, 2009 : 1:22 p.m.

JT will help provide depth at both CB and safety; he is the "real deal." Can anybody say 9-3?

NoBowl4Blue

Tue, Jul 28, 2009 : 12:50 p.m.

Depth on "D" is a concern at every position. Can anybody say 3-9?