The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1523593
W I D E R E C E I V E R S 60 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2024 FOOTBALL PREVIEW POSITION COACH Ron Bellamy is in his fourth year coaching at his alma mater, where he played wide receiver from 1999-2002. This will be his third season leading the wide receiving corps and first as offensive pass game coordinator. The Maize and Blue had two wide receivers se- lected in the NFL Draft (Roman Wilson, third round, and Cornelius Johnson, seventh) for the first time since Amara Darboh (third) and Jehu Chesson (fourth) went off the board in 2017. In 2023, Wilson ranked 11th in the Big Ten with 52.6 receiving yards per game, while Johnson slotted 22nd with 40.3. Wilson, a second-team All-Big Ten honoree, posted 12 touchdown receptions, which checked in second in the league and tied for ninth nationally. Bellamy previously worked at West Bloomfield (Mich.) High School from 2010-20, winning a state championship in 2020 to cap off his career with the Lakers. He helped 165 players earn scholarships, including 50 at the FBS level. Prior to his coaching career, Bellamy played in 36 career games at Michigan, hauling in 67 recep- tions for 888 yards and 9 touchdowns. He spent five seasons in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins (2003-04), Baltimore Ravens (2005) and Detroit Li- ons (2007-08). RETURNING PLAYERS KENDRICK BELL • WR So. • Kansas City, Mo. Ht.: 6-2 • Wt.: 180 • Caught 2 passes for 53 yards, including a 42-yard touchdown in the 2024 spring game. • Did not see game action as a freshman in 2023, maintaining his redshirt. • Switched from quarterback to wide receiver after enrolling at U-M. • First-team Class 6 all-state as a senior and named most outstanding high school player in the Kansas City area. • Completed 224 of 339 passes for 3,228 yards and 35 touchdowns, while also rushing for 670 yards and 10 TDs during his senior season at Park Hill High. • Brother of former U-M wide receiver Ronnie Bell, a second-year pro with the San Francisco 49ers. • On3 three-star recruit ranked No. 25 among quar- terbacks and as the 12th-best player in Missouri in the 2023 class. FREDRICK MOORE • WR So. • St. Louis Ht.: 6-1 • Wt.: 180 • Had a breakout performance in the 2024 spring game, with 2 receptions for 76 yards, includ- ing a 48-yard touchdown catch and 1 rush for 5 yards. • As a freshman in 2023, recorded 4 receptions for 32 yards in 13 games. • A January 2023 enrollee. • Attended Cardinal Ritter College Prep. • Recorded 67 receptions for 1,504 yards and 24 touchdowns as a prep senior in 2022. • Caught 8 passes for 157 yards and 2 touchdowns and intercepted a pass on defense in state title game; scored 5 touchdowns in state semifinal win. • 2022 Offensive Player of the Year and first-team all-state selection in Missouri. • Rated a three-star recruit, No. 81 wideout nation- ally and the 13th-best prospect in Missouri in the On3 Industry Ranking. SEMAJ MORGAN • WR So. • West Bloomfield, Mich. Ht.: 5-10 • Wt.: 176 • Saw time in 15 outings as a freshman, catching 22 recep- tions for 204 yards with 2 touch- downs and notching 4 rushes for 67 yards and a pair of scores. • Named honorable mention All-Big Ten as a re- turn man, bringing back 12 kicks for 186 yards and 3 punts for 101 yards. • Enrolled in winter 2023. • Helped lead West Bloomfield to a 29-5 record in his three years as a varsity player. • Caught 43 passes for 733 yards with 14 touch- downs in 2022, also threw for 5 touchdowns and no picks, and had 3 carries for 192 yards with a 92-yard touchdown run. • Two-way player who recorded multiple pick sixes and 1 fumble recovery touchdown his senior year. • Caught 61 passes for 1,015 yards and 13 touch- downs during his junior season. • U.S. Army All-American game participant. • All-state selection and Dream Team selection by the Detroit Free Press. • Rated a three-star prospect, the No. 76 wideout in the land and the 12th-best player in the state of Michigan per the On3 Industry Ranking. Year GP/GS Rec. Yds. Avg. TD 2023 15/0 22 204 9.3 2 TYLER MORRIS • WR Jr. • Bolingbrook, Ill. Ht.: 5-11 • Wt.: 185 • Played in all 15 outings in 2023, starting four games. Re- corded 13 grabs for 197 yards and 1 touchdown, a 38-yard catch-and-run in the win over Alabama in the Rose Bowl. • Appeared in eight games as a freshman in 2022, catching 3 passes for 25 yards. • Enrolled at U-M in January 2022. SCHOLARSHIP PLAYERS No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. 12 Kendrick Bell WR 6-2 180 So. — C.J. Charleston WR 6-0 190 Gr. — Channing Goodwin WR 6-1 185 Fr. 3 Fredrick Moore WR 6-1 180 So. 0 Semaj Morgan WR 5-10 176 So. 8 Tyler Morris WR 5-11 185 Jr. 81 Peyton O'Leary WR 6-3 200 Sr. — I'Marion Stewart WR 5-11 180 Fr. 1 Amorion Walker WR 6-3 180 Jr. Receivers coach and offensive pass game coordinator Ron Bellamy is one of two U-M position coaches who played college football for the Wolverines (offensive line coach Grant Newsome is the other). PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN