The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1493247
MARCH 2023 THE WOLVERINE 31 P L AY E R BIOS out and getting what I want. There is still a lot I can do and accomplish." A big goal for Morgan was notching an offer from longtime favorite Michi- gan. When the Wolverines first hired Ron Bellamy away from West Bloomfield, it almost seemed like a guarantee that his much-coveted scholarship would be ar- riving soon. Bellamy, however, told Morgan to remain patient. He took the words of wisdom in stride, but that didn't stop him from going out and getting what he wanted. Morgan camped with Michigan in the summer going into his junior sea- son and earned an offer from the Wol- verines with yet another stellar perfor- mance. Morgan didn't wait very long to jump on the opportunity. He decided to stay home and committed to U-M around five and a half months later. "Growing up as a Michigan kid, it was a dream school for me," Morgan said. "I've never liked Michigan State. Get- ting to go to Michigan means everything — the history, the winged helmets and competing for national titles. "There have been a lot of great players that have come out of the program, and I feel like I can be one of the next greats." When Morgan initially committed to Michigan, Bellamy was in the middle of his first season coaching safeties for the Wolverines. Following some offseason staff movement, Bellamy took over the wide receiver group. It was almost like it was meant to be. Bellamy, who played wide receiver at Michigan, knows Morgan better than anyone. The pair won a state title at West Bloomfield when Morgan was a sopho- more. The coach and player have grown ex- tremely tight on and off the field. There is no better man to help Morgan achieve his goals than Bellamy. "I know we're going to get to work," Morgan said. "Coach Bell knows I have a fire in me. He knows how to light it and make the flame hotter. It's great to have someone there that knows me and gets me." Morgan will start off as a wide re- ceiver under Bellamy's guidance and could be an early impact player out of the slot. However, Morgan also has the versa- tility to follow in the same path as Mike Sainristil, a wide receiver turned defen- sive back in Ann Arbor. After all, Morgan was a Swiss army knife for West Bloomfield as a senior, playing everything from quarterback to wide receiver to nickel. And Morgan definitely flashed on the defensive side of the ball, recording a handful of high- light-reel interceptions throughout his final year of high school. "I've never been focused on one posi- tion," Morgan said. "My dad taught me to play every position early on. I had to learn to play football, not a position. "I think I'll move around a little bit. We'll have to see. I think they'll put me on the field wherever they need me." Wherever Morgan lines up, he's sure to bring his iconic swagger and "dog" men- tality. Even though he's arrived at Michi- gan as an early enrollee, that chip on his shoulder has only gotten bigger. The same Morgan that hopped in the car for all those cross-country rides is the same motivated Morgan the Wolverines are getting in Ann Arbor. "I'm always motivated," he said. "Even when I got recognition, I still wanted to keep on going. I feel like people out there still haven't realized who I really am. "I really don't care, but I do pay atten- tion to it. Rankings don't matter. At the end of the end of the day, I've cooked five- stars and zero-stars." ❏ Morgan and parents, Erika and Semaj, would drive to football camps all over the country to help further his development into a high-level prospect. PHOTO BY EJ HOLLAND 2023 Projection Morgan is a versatile wide receiver who can line up in the slot or on the outside. While he lacks elite track times, he is quick in short space and is an extremely reliable pass catcher who can make plays after the catch. He has experience returning kicks and punts and will likely get a crack at seeing the field on special teams. A jack-of-all-trades, Morgan may also end up in the secondary as a corner or nickel. There is a lot Michigan can do with him, and with his relentless attitude, it wouldn't be surprising to see him find the field as a true freshman. THEY SAID IT Curtis Blackwell II, director of Sound Mind Sound Body: "He's a fighter. He's going to scrap it out. He has a lot of pride. That's the type of guy you want on your side. He's going to win those rivalry games because he'll run through a brick wall for his coach. He's a program building block." Javid James, director of BeonWR: "When I'm training other guys, I'm exemplifying Semaj as what that should look like because he has worked to be very close to perfect as far as founda- tional principles — stance and start, releases, engaging a defender in a secondary release and slipping coverage versus avoiding. All those things and be- ing detailed have been his calling card."