UM's Hoke will bench 2 in opener

Michigan football players Frank Clark, left, and Fitzgerald Toussaint. Enlarge

ANN ARBOR -- Michigan football coach Brady Hoke announced Friday that running back Fitzgerald Toussaint and defensive end Frank Clark will not play in today's season opener against No. 2 Alabama in the Cowboys Classic in Arlington, Texas.

In a statement released by the Michigan athletic department, Hoke said Toussaint, a running back, and Clark, a defensive end, have each been suspended for one game.

"The decision was not easy, but I feel it is in the best interest of this program and for these kids, and those always will be my priorities," Hoke said. "We have choices every day, and you have to be accountable to this program, your teammates, your family, and the University of Michigan."

The suspensions stem from legal issues each player faces. Toussaint was arrested July 21 for operating a vehicle while intoxicated, and pled guilty on Tuesday to a misdemeanor charge of operating a vehicle while visibly impaired. He has a sentencing hearing set for Oct. 23. Clark is scheduled to appear in court Sept. 11 on a second-degree home invasion charge.

"These are real lives, and I think too often many people forget that," Hoke said. "It's not always just about football, or a football decision. It's about teaching life lessons, and if this helps these kids or someone else make a right decision later, then we've won."

Toussaint was listed as Michigan's starting running back on the depth chart, but his suspension means that Thomas Rawls will be the Wolverines' top back against the Crimson Tide.

In 10 games in 2011, Rawls ran for 79 yards on 13 carries.

Contact Rachel Lenzi at: rlenzi@theblade.com, 419-724-6510, or on Twitter @RLenziBlade.