Semaj Morgan, perhaps more than anyone else on the Michigan football team’s roster, understands the burden of expectation.
The receiver was a true freshman, playing in his fourth ever collegiate football game for the Wolverines, when he caught his first touchdown. Then he caught another one three games later, before running in two more that season, one being a 44-yard dash against Purdue. All of that, coupled with an electric, juke-filled 87-yard punt return in the Big Ten Championship, built up significant hype around Morgan.
And after Roman Wilson’s departure to the NFL ahead of last season created a void in Michigan’s receiver room, that hype turned to hope. Morgan’s skill was apparent in flashes, and as a sophomore, he was anticipated to earn even more opportunities. Expectations were high.
On paper, his sophomore-season statline of 27 receptions for 139 yards and one touchdown isn’t too far off his production freshman year. But on the field, catching passes from a quarterback carousel and serving as one part of an offense that greatly struggled to throw the ball, his impact was negligible.
When asked to reflect on last season, Morgan didn’t dance around the topic.
“I just feel like our culture wasn’t that strong last year,” Morgan said April 11. “And this year is going to be stronger, for sure. Our culture is strong, competitive, blue collar. We won’t complain, we just always going to work. … Our culture is just based on hard work, just putting our head down, doing what we got to do.”
Morgan isn’t making excuses for himself. Over the offseason, he targeted speed and explosivity as two areas to work on. More “unsatisfied” than “unhappy” with his burst last year, Morgan knew there was room for improvement. He worked out with track coaches and focused on running drills to refine his form. It was, at first, an exposing practice.
“I really wasn’t running right, I never really ran the correct way,” Morgan said. “But I’m just learning how to get my mechanics right, get my feet together. So, I just can’t wait to see that part of my game, because it’s gonna be different.”
Morgan’s technique isn’t the only thing poised to improve this fall. Chip Lindsey, the new offensive coordinator who Morgan called a “football geek,” is expected to reinvigorate the passing game. Bryce Underwood, the freshman phenom who Morgan played with in the 7-on-7 circuit in high school, is expected to lead that passing game. Donaven McCulley, the 6-foot-5 graduate transfer from Indiana who Morgan said “reminds me of a taller version of myself,” is expected to contribute immediately as a top receiver.
That’s a lot of expectations. Morgan is happy to put himself on that list. And when asked if people are going to be surprised by Michigan’s retooled offense this season, Morgan was frank.
“I think they will, and they should be, to be honest with you,” Morgan said. “It might be a little different than tradition, but it’s gonna be great for us.”
For both himself and the receiver room, Morgan is expecting the unexpected.
It’s easy to fixate on Morgan’s freshman season, to pull up his highlights and rewatch his viral postgame interview after the 2023 Big Ten Championship. Back then, Morgan’s magnetism was hard to ignore, even amid a roster loaded with National Championship-level talent.
But now Morgan is a junior. Surrounded by a clump of reporters in Schembechler Hall, Morgan keeps his words honest and straight to the point — no sugarcoating, all business. There are still flashes of freshman-year Morgan, like when he can’t help but grin when asked what car best represents him, eventually landing on a gray Corvette Stingray.
Otherwise, though, Morgan is fully aware of the impact his production, or lack thereof, will have on this team and this season. He knows what’s expected of him. Maybe, a down year was exactly what he needed.
