Blocking a focus for Semaj Morgan as he looks to become 'complete receiver'
Three of Michigan's top four wide receivers from the national championship-winning 2023 squad are now in the NFL. Roman Wilson, who accounted for half of the team's receiving touchdowns last season, is with the Pittsburgh Steelers; Cornelius Johnson is reunited with Jim Harbaugh in Los Angeles; and A.J. Barner is in Seattle with the Seahawks.
Colston Loveland is the Wolverines' only returning pass catcher who eclipsed 250 receiving yards in 2023.
Donovan Edwards has shown flashes in the passing game, Tyler Morris scored a gigantic touchdown in the second quarter of the Rose Bowl and Semaj Morgan has flashed with the ball in his hands, but Michigan's receiving corps is the most unproven position group on the roster other than quarterback.
Michigan has a known commodity in Loveland, but wide receivers like Morris, Morgan and Fred Moore will be asked to increase their production significantly in 2024.
Morgan met with the media on Monday morning to discuss his bigger role, which he says begins with blocking.
"I feel like you're not a complete receiver until you can consistently be in the game and block," Morgan said. "And receiving isn't just about getting open and catching the ball. That's really the main part about it; that's the description of the position, but a complete receiver blocks just like a lineman. Being at Michigan, it really just gives you that will factor to really want to do something for your team."
Morgan, who's listed at just 5-foot-10 and 174 pounds — the lightest player on Michigan's roster — is dedicated to perfecting his technique as it relates to blocking.
"I wouldn't feel right if I got the ball and Colston [Loveland] was blocking for me, and I scored, and he got the ball the next drive, and I miss a block and he doesn't score. That wouldn't be good."
"I feel like becoming a complete receiver really happened to me at Michigan. And it started with blocking. No block, no rock. That's what coach Bell [Ron Bellamy] always says. And I want the ball, so being a complete receiver to me means learning how to block, because a lot of receivers forget about that, but it's really important."
Last season, Morgan hauled in 22 passes for 204 yards and two touchdowns as a receiver, and he also ran the ball four times for 67 yards and two scores. Blocking doesn't show up in the stat sheet, but Morgan clearly did enough of it to earn the trust of the coaching staff and warrant being on the field.
Morgan, now a true sophomore, will look to enhance his abilities as a receiver, but he's fully aware his job description begins with blocking.
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