SAN ANTONIO - When Semaj Bridgeman arrived on day two of All-American Bowl practices, it had already been two weeks since he signed his NLI and officially became a member of Jim Harbaugh's Michigan football team.
Although Bridgeman had been committed to the Wolverine's since July 1, the act of putting the pen to paper and making things official marked the end of a long recruiting process and brought a sense of relief to the four-star linebacker out of Pennsylvania.
"I mean, it was pretty sweet," Bridgeman said. "A lot of weight off my shoulders. Just knowing that I'm going to a university that is sturdy with academics and on the field also."
Michigan's reputation on the field and in the classroom weren't the only pieces that factored into Bridgeman's decision.
"I mean the decision came down to the relationships with the coaches," Bridgeman said. "The relationship they have with my parents, the academics they provide for you on and off the field and life after football."
Of course, this was prior to the recent developments swirling around the Michigan football program.
Yahoo Sports reported that Michigan is under NCAA investigation "for numerous potential rules violations." Those include an alleged Level I violation by Harbaugh for failing to cooperate with investigators, sources told Yahoo Sports.
This all coincides with rampant rumors that Harbaugh will be bolting for the NFL.
"It comes up every year," Bridgeman said of Harbaugh-to-NFL talk. "So I don't really think anything of it. I hope he doesn't leave, but if he does, we're just going put in the work ourselves. Grind it out."
