Michigan under Rich Rodriguez has struggled with depth and transfers. Especially on defense. It doesn’t look to be getting much better.

Today’s announcement that redshirt freshman cornerback Justin Turner is leaving the Michigan football program shines an intense spotlight on one of U-M’s biggest concerns for this season — secondary depth.

Turner, from Massillon, Ohio, asked for and was granted his scholarship release Tuesday, according to U-M spokesman Dave Ablauf.

The 6-foot-2, 198-pound Turner, the top-ranked recruit in the 2009 state of Ohio class, was expected to compete at either safety or cornerback, depending on his skills or the need.

Turner was a 5-star recruit and he’s looking at his options now that he is free.

…Turner is looking over more than a half dozen offers from Division I colleges since he announced he would leave Michigan. Turner fell out of Rich Rodriguez’s good graces this summer because, reportedly, he missed some summer workouts.

That probably isn’t the end of the story and there is likely a Justin Turner side to this, too. Turner has not spoken publicly about it.

People close to him say Pitt and Cincinnati are the two schools most likely to attract Turner.

Now few programs in their right mind would turn down this kid. There is one red flag, however, relating to Turner.

It sounds like the 11 pounds Turner put on in the offseason were not the good variety, and that he was never in a position where he was physically ready to play because of sheer lack of desire.

Turner ended up redshirting in 2009 because of some delays because of academics.

You hope it was just a clash with Rodriguez and the coaches there. If it is a conditioning issue and Turner isn’t willing to put in the time, then he wastes his own talent. I don’t see how Pitt wouldn’t at least take a shot at him.

It isn’t quite the minimal risk that Josh Marks was (and failed), but it’s worth a scholarship spot for the potential.

A little odd by the end of last week. Deonte Gibson, a Cleveland-area DE had committed earlier and by Thursday/Friday two more DEs had made verbals to Pitt.

First Max Isska out of New Jersey picked Pitt over Rutgers.

The deciding factor in making a nonbinding commitment to play for the Panthers, who are picked to win the 2010 league championship in a Big East media poll, was that Issaka simply wanted to be farther from home.

“Believe me when I say it was so tough,” said Issaka, who announced his decision to become the fifth New Jersey player to commit to Pittsburgh’s 2011 recruiting class on Friday.

“Everybody wanted me to go to (Rutgers). I wanted to go there for a certain point. It was like back and forth. So I finally decided what I wanted to do was stop talking (to others) and just think for myself for one minute about where I want to go, where I can start new.”

Issaka (6-foot-3, 240 pounds) had several scholarship offers, including ones from Michigan State, Maryland, UConn, Central Florida, Duke and Temple. He was also being recruited by Miami, Michigan, Wisconsin, North Carolina and Cincinnati.

Issaka is a 3-star DE by both Rivals.com and Scout.com. Rivals.com also ranks him the 13th overall recruit from NJ. Issaka is something of a tweener, almost certainly will be redshirted. Depending on his development in the weight room could stay at DE or end up at linebacker (Insider subs).

Issaka is a prospect who could play defensive end in college or make the move to linebacker. He has solid size for both positions and which spot he plays will likely have to do with the scheme and needs of the program he attends.

After Issaka committed, another 3-star DE narrowed his choice down to Pitt or Iowa (Insider subs). Quinton Jefferson out of Woodland Hills made it known that he had eliminated schools like WVU, Wisconsin, BC and Cinci.

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