The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/558143
INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS Sitting Down With Fifth-Year Senior Linebacker Desmond Morgan Desmond Morgan might be one of only two Wol- verines in school history — former tight end/wide receiver Devin Funchess (2012-14) is the other — that has worn three different jersey numbers during his career. Originally No. 48, Morgan switched to No. 44 in 2012 to honor "Michigan Football Legend" Gerald Ford. With Ford's No. 44 being retired this season, Morgan will don No. 3 in his senior campaign. The Holland, Mich., native is back for a fifth year after playing in only one game in 2014 and receiving a redshirt. The Wolverine: What is it like to wear No. 3? Morgan: "It's a throwback from high school. I like the single digit. It feels a bit different. My big thing was they took all the Legend Jerseys and put them in retirement so I knew I had to pick a different one. This is the number I wore my senior year in high school, and I liked it then so I went back to it." The Wolverine: What did it mean to you to have worn No. 44 for three seasons? Morgan: "I enjoyed it. One of the coolest parts for me was learning the history part of it — who wore it before you and what the number embodied. But num- bers are retired for a reason. For me, it was a coach's decision and I didn't care either way." The Wolverine: How does it feel to have been granted a medical redshirt and a chance to play one more year? Morgan: "It's an awesome opportunity. Every time I step on the field, every day, it's a reminder I was afforded this opportunity to play one more year and I'm going to try to take advantage of it as best that I can." The Wolverine: What can we expect from the defense this fall after seeing a watered-down version in the spring game? Morgan: "That was definitely by design, and any team around the nation would say the same thing. Numbers don't tell the whole story but we're coming into the year saying it's a new year, with new guys, new coaches and a new defense, and we're eager to prove what we can do. We're hungry, we're aggressive and we're going to play fast." — Michael Spath Morgan, who redshirted last year, has made 229 tackles in 37 games (31 starts) during his U-M career. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL