Signee Spotlight: In-state WR Semaj Morgan bringing dog mentality to Michigan

Editor’s Note: This story originally ran in the Michigan recruiting edition of The Wolverine Magazine, which is available for purchase here.

Semaj Morgan and his parents hopped in their car and made the near-nine-hour drive from Detroit to Gatlinburg, Tenn., for a travel 7-on-7 tournament last winter.

After helping lead his team to the title, Morgan jumped right back in the car for a three-hour drive south to compete at the Under Armour Atlanta camp.

The three-star wide receiver from West Bloomfield (Mich.) High could have returned home on the team bus. Instead, he wanted to go against the very best in the Southeast, a part of the country that gets more exposure than the Midwest by a significant margin.

While the travel may seem daunting to some, weekends like these were considered normal by the Morgan family. Before the wide receiver had any offers, he attended any event he could find. And that really didn’t stop even after he committed to Michigan. Morgan has a chip on his shoulder the size of the Great Lakes.

“We really had to work to get to where we are,” Morgan said. “My family put in a lot of work. Some kids get offers because of where they are from or who they know. I had to get it out of the mud and become a diamond.

“My work ethic is so big and strong. I feel like nothing can stop me from going 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 Michigan. When the Wolverines first hired Ron Bellamy away from West Bloomfield, it almost seemed like a guarantee that his much-coveted scholarship would be arriving 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 season and earned an offer from the Wolverines with yet another stellar performance.

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. Getting 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 sophomore.

Bellamy and Morgan have grown extremely 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 receiver under Bellamy’s guidance and could be an early impact player out of the slot.

However, Morgan also has the versatility to follow in the same path as Mike Sainristil, a wide receiver turned defensive 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 highlight-reel interceptions throughout his final year of high school.

“I’ve never been focused on one position,” 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” mentality. Even though he’s arrived at Michigan 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 attention to it. Rankings don’t matter. At the end of the end of the day, I’ve cooked five-stars and zero-stars.”