Michigan football program will be selective with smaller 2011 recruiting class

The Michigan football team locked up the bulk of its 2010 recruiting class last spring and summer.

With far fewer scholarships to give away in 2011, Wolverines coach Rich Rodriguez said he won’t take as many early commitments this year.

“We really have to make sure we’re pretty selective in that group that’s coming because it’s not going to be as big as this group,” Rodriguez said.

Justin Turner

Michigan will have about 14 seniors on scholarship next year and, depending on defections, could have a few more spots in its 2011 class.

Already, the Wolverines have commitments from junior defensive backs Delonte Hollowell and Greg Brown, and Rodriguez said Michigan will once again focus its efforts on defense.

Michigan signed 27 players on Wednesday, 16 on defense, 10 on offense and punter Will Hagerup.

“Our defense last year, I think, had less than 25 scholarship players when normally the breakdown is somewhere between 38 and 40,” Rodriguez said. “We knew going in it was going to take us a couple of years to get caught up. We won’t get caught up totally balance-wise, numbers-wise, this year, but we will in another year.”

Of Michigan’s 16 defensive signees, nearly half - seven - are projected to play either cornerback or safety.

Rodriguez said he’s confident the Wolverines addressed their biggest need by adding depth in the secondary. Still, inexperience is a concern.

“We may have close to that number on defense, but how many of them are freshmen or redshirt freshmen?” Rodriguez said. “There are guys like Justin Turner that redshirted (last year) and some other guys that hopefully that redshirt year served well, and they can compete.

“But it’s going to be interesting for sure. It’s going to be a lot of competition and we’ll have a lot of nervous moments in August getting ready for the first game.”

More Justin Turner Defensive coordinator Greg Robinson said he saw “potential” out of Turner on the scout team last year, but added, “He’ll be the first to tell you he’s got to go out there and earn it, show what he can do.”

One of the top-ranked recruits in Michigan’s 2009 class, Turner redshirted after arriving late to campus last summer because of an NCAA Clearinghouse issue.

He’ll play cornerback this spring.

“It’s not that simple just to walk in and be a corner in college football when you show up the first of August,” Robinson said. “That was tough on him.”

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.