Let's talk Semaj Morgan.

Thank god Bama's center was having a worse day.

A year ago he had wrapped his high school career and last night he was put in high pressure situations against Nick Saban's Alabama. The young man has skills and is going to be a great one. Like many have noted, I can't recall a true freshman receiver playing as much as he has for a Michigan team. I noted several times last night where he turned up in big spots on the field instead of other more experienced players. I bet you he'll ball out next Monday! 

Don’t forget the Tyler Morris touchdown. Walked, err Ran a tightrope. 

one of 2 things happened on that fumbled punt...

1 - Semaj lost it in the sun, and by the time he found the ball again he had to do something, and fair catching it was an after thought...

2 - Semaj was trying to make a play... 

i'm leaning towards number 2...

as for number 1 was surprised that none of the DB's or WR's were wearing tinted visors like the guys did in 97, considering that at some point in time they were going to looking directly into the sun in the first half... 

I'm old enough to remember a young Ronnie Bell making a few mistakes too. 

It speaks volumes that the coaching staff continued to play him after a few miscues. And he had some nice plays as well. I agree with OP that he will be fantastic.

I remember all the worry pre-season that Michigan had no WR depth. Board members suggested Edwards would play exclusively at WR. Meanwhile, in the biggest game ever it was Semaj and Tyler Morris getting significant run.

Next year we will have some proven commodities on offense once again.

Time to win the natty and reload.

As much as I like Semaj, I think we should be talking about Tyler Morris’s progression. Very much a Ronnie Bell 2.0. Quick, sure-handed and runs great routes. He was very much open on the ill-fated flea flicker and with Roman Wilson leaving, should be a big part of the offense moving forward. 

Morgan is electric no doubt, but can’t have the punt muffs and dropped passes in the big games. I’m more concerned with Cornelius Johnson becoming completely an after thought after his big game against OSU last year. For whatever reason, he hasn’t been stretching the field like he’s been known for and with one game left, I have to wonder what his future will be after his time at UM. 

He is going to be a star, and he just got thrown in the fire.  Made some awesome plays, made some "pull out hair" ones as well.  This dude is going into next season very well battle tested and nothing will phase him after yesterday.  

He's a damn good football player

Morgan got caught up in his brain after the muff, over-compensating on the later punts. How much confidence is there in Morris?

theres likely no one more relieved than morgan that michigan overcame various mental lapses to pull out the win.  both teams, who are typically two of the more fundamentally sound programs, played very sloppy ball.

plenty of guys have struggles under the bright lights or play up and down, not just frosh but all ages.  morgan has been a promising player this year who no doubt contributes to many future wins.

learn from it, bounce back, become a battle tested champion

He'll get better, because virtually every Michigan player in this era does. Excited to see what he does next year and beyond

He has some Breaston in him

I think the lights were too bright for Jake Thaw...yikes!

It's a tough situation for the kid and his coaches after the punt fumble. If you stick him on the end of the bench for succumbing to his nerves, you may wreck him forever. If you put him back out there and he fails again, you may wreck him forever. They decided to show him they trusted him, and... it was a mixed bag.

I don't put much blame on him for the 3rd down "drop" on the slant. To me, that one was on JJ for putting too much pace on it. Semaj wasn't the only one with a case of the nerves yesterday.

He's got heart, and plenty of ability. One to watch in the future for sure.

I think he had a big return in the works if he didn't drop that punt.  That 3rd and 8 was a huge play in the game and fortunately, we are not on here today talking about that play in a different context.  

He's really impressive for a Freshman.  

He played like a true freshman… this team has great leaders who will let him know he still has their trust … I tend to put responsibility on the coaches who kept changing punt returners all year long … no one had a chance to establish themselves!!! 

I put some of this on the coaches - I can't remember what show I saw or heard.... but they were talking about him dropping the ball a ton in warm ups ... and they saw it coming. I want to say it was Tebow and Friends on the SEC network?

Anyway - that's on coaching. Then putting the already non-sure footed Thaw back there with the game on the line?

I told my wife before that last play... nobody should be ANYWHERE NEAR that ball. Peppers, Breaston, Henning. Nobody else. Then thaw almost blew the whole thing. He's had a history of this shit.... 

The good news is that despite ST being a complete disaster all around yesterday, we won. I hope I never see that kinda stuff again... or at least not until after Jan 9.

Can we not put a WR back there? Do we have no sure handed guys? A guy like Ronnie bell would be the perfect guy.

Semaj's drops were entirely due to the light glittering off his mouth guard and into his eyes.

Thaw almost became a household name for all the wrong reasons.

Would have been a Bill Buckner level gaffe had the ball gone a yard deeper and been a safety or Bama recovered the fumble.

Yikes, that was close to ultimate Bpone

Let’s talk about the decision to even field the last punt with Thaw!  Why even have ANYONE touch that???  Can you imagine the somber sh!tty mood we’d be in if that won Bama the game?  
 

the only decision is who to have play free safety as a punt returner should a fake be on.  Otherwise get the hell away from that.  

Special Teams on a whole was bad yesterday.

He's in the puppy stage like Mitch McGary was when he came in. He's going to be a player, but his enthusiasm and his paws are a little too big and he trips over himself every once in a while. 

Let him grow into himself as a player and he'll be really fun to watch.

Yesterday was you might say up and down for Semaj to say the least. He is responsible for at least 7 points maybe 10. He had a terrible drop on 3rd down late in the game,BUT there is no denying the staff trust him and loves this guy! This KID is only a freshman and you can already see he is going to be special. I can't remember a freshman wr the staff was so confident in they don't think twice about putting him out on the biggest stage. 

Yes he made some mistakes yesterday, some really bad, but this kid is going to be so much fun the next few years and even next week. It's easy to knock him for yesterday, but we all will be singing his praises for a long time around here soon

Wow, replace "Semaj" with "Jalen" (Milroe) and you've got what is probably being posted on Alabama boards right now.

Good thing for us we weren't forced to rely on Semaj all game like Alabama was with Milroe.

I love Semaj but he was atrocious yesterday. I hope he's furious and uses it to fuel himself to work his ass off and become the stud he can be.

I mean, special teams as a whole was confoundingly bad yesterday.  In seriously uncharacteristic ways.  From the punt returners to the long snapper to both kickers.  I'm willing to chalk it up to some weird fluke until further notice.

awesome smile and knows how to wear a baseball hat.   The more years he plays at M the better. 

Blake Corum had a fumble and only 13 yards against Georgia two years ago. You can bounce back from bad games.