The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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10 THE WOLVERINE ❱ APRIL 2024 ❱ INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS Between head coach Juwan Howard missing time early in the season after undergoing Sept. 15 heart surgery, sophomore guard Dug McDaniel being suspended for six road games due to academics, and strength and condition- ing coach Jon Sanderson resigning in early March, the 2023-24 season was unique and a roller-coaster ride. This ride, though, was filled with many more lows than highs, with the Maize and Blue going on just two winning streaks the entire year — for three games to begin the season (UNC Asheville, Youngstown State, St. John's) and two in mid-December (Iowa, Eastern Michigan). The Wolverines' campaign mercifully came to a close with a loss to Penn State in the first round of the Big Ten Tourna- ment March 13, with Michigan finishing 8-24 overall and 3-17 in the Big Ten regular season. Twelve of its 17 Big Ten setbacks came by double digits. The Wolverines ended the year on a nine-game losing streak, the program's longest since a 10-game skid in 2004-05, and they finished last in the confer- ence standings for the first time since 1966-67. Michigan was tied for second in the country with 23 NCAA Tournament wins during a 10-year stretch from 2013-22, but now it's failed to make the Big Dance in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2007-08. By most every metric, this was one of the worst seasons in Michigan bas- ketball history. The team's 24 losses are the most the program has had in a campaign, with the previous high being 22 in 2007-08. Its eight victories are the fewest in a season since a 7-20 finish in 1981-82 — 42 years ago. The Wolverines' .250 win- ning percentage is their lowest mark since 1960-61 (.250) and third-lowest of all time. Here's a look at Michigan's seasons with a winning percentage of less than .300. — Clayton Sayfie Michigan receiver Semaj Morgan is not one to shy away from the big stage. He exudes so much confidence that some would call him "brash," in fact, and he's more than happy to talk about his per- sonal expectations. Morgan caught 22 passes for 204 yards in 2023 as a true freshman on a national championship team and had an 87-yard punt return in the Big Ten Championship Game win over Iowa. He talked about his first year and more when we caught up with him for this one-on-one. The Wolverine: Was your first year what you expected, and what did receiv- ers coach Ron Bellamy tell you about your role as a freshman? Semaj Morgan: "Dream come true — there was nowhere I'd rather be. Coach Bell told me I was going to have to work, compete for a spot. Nothing's going to come easy, everybody … we're compet- ing. But I'm winning." The Wolverine: Could you have en- visioned playing this big a role on a team playing for a national title, and why? Morgan: "As an early enrollee, I did have high expectations for myself. I wanted to be playing. I worked hard, re- ally wanted to do that, made sure every day when I was at practice that I prac- ticed as hard as I could. I went over things I wasn't as good at, like the playbook, making sure I was doing the smart things that would get me on the field. "Early, they told me, 'You're out there and you make plays, but sometimes you get confused on what we're doing.' I said, 'All right, good.' I got in my playbook … they said, 'You're a ton better now, and we're seeing it. Now you can get in the games a little more.'" The Wolverine: What do you feel your strength was when you arrived? Morgan: "I feel like I was beyond pol- ished, with great route detail. I was going against [Michigan corner] Will [John- son], and I had already been going against Will [in the past]. Will got the best of me already; I got the best of him sometimes. "But Mike Sainristil — that's some- body I really had to study. A few times going against him, he was right there with me. I like getting separation on my routes. Mike, he was somebody I had to study." The Wolverine: What goes into being a good punt returner? Morgan: "Just at practice, when I'm catching punts, I make sure I try to do everything right. Technically, I make sure I'm detailed, really good on my detail. … We are real big on special teams, and if I'm on special teams, I want to help it instead of hurt it. "I just want to make sure I do every- thing right, because my teammates, they're going to go 100 percent for me, so I've got to make sure I go 100 for them." The Wolverine: How have you ad- justed to your role personally and the spotlight that comes with it? Morgan: "I'm myself, really. Thank God for who I am, my parents, everybody I grew up around. I just try to be myself … try to play football, and after I'm trying to play football, I just turn. That's it." — Chris Balas Morgan caught 22 passes for 204 yards in 2023 as a true freshman, and he had an 87-yard punt return in the Big Ten Championship Game win over Iowa. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL ❱ Sitting Down With Michigan Sophomore Receiver Semaj Morgan Overall Winning Big Ten Big Ten Season Record Percentage Record Finish 1959-60 4-20 .167 1-13 10th of 10 1960-61 6-18 .250 2-12 10th of 10 2023-24 8-24 .250 3-17 14th of 14 1981-82 7-20 .259 6-12 T-7th of 10 1952-53 6-26 .273 3-15 T-9th of 10 1961-62 7-17 .292 5-9 8th of 10 MICHIGAN BASKETBALL ENDURES MOST LOSSES IN PROGRAM HISTORY