Long-time Michigan commit has not wavered despite changes in Ann Arbor
Erik Swenson is still a full year away from being able to play his first game for Michigan football, but MLive.com reports he's already forged a unique relationship with the program.
And all he did was resist changing his mind as turmoil swirled around his future home.
"I've never played a single down of football at Michigan, but I've had some guys say I'm a true Michigan man, which is kind of cool," Swenson told the site. "To me, it's a little far fetched. I haven't even put on the uniform, but it's cool to hear. I've got a lot of respect for the school and the program and I get more and more excited every day to play there."
Swenson committed not only before Jim Harbaugh became the new head coach of the Wolverines in December 2014 but long before. A four-star offensive tackle from Illinois, he promised to be a Wolverine in November 2013 -- more than a year before Brady Hoke was fired.
"Once Coach Hoke got let go, I got asked every single day who was coming in, and I had no idea," Swenson said. "I steered away from social media, I tried to keep to myself. It wasn't easy. It was a bit of a journey."
Attention came not only from fans but also recruiters representing schools such as Ohio State, Michigan State and Alabama.
They were wasting their time.
"Coaches are going to leave left and right, it happens," Swenson said. "Even if (Coach) Harbaugh said tomorrow he's leaving, I'd stay committed. You commit to the school, not the coach, even if the coach is a huge part of it."