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Shemy Schembechler issues apology statement following social media controversy

Paul Harvey

By Paul Harvey

Published:

Shemy Schembechler’s brief stint on staff at Michigan ignited a wave of controversy due to a wave of social media likes connected to Schembechler’s accounts. The “liked” section of Schembechler’s Twitter featured numerous tweets with racially insensitive content, including some tweets related to slavery and Jim Crow segregation laws.

The son of legendary head coach Bo Schembechler, Shemy was hired as Michigan’s assistant director of recruiting under Jim Harbaugh on May 17. He resigned just days after being hired by the Wolverines.

Late Sunday night, Schembechler issued an apology statement through a PR firm. He admitted it was wrong to like the numerous posts on social media while seeking forgiveness for his actions.

“Any words or philosophies that in any way seek to underplay the immeasurable suffering and long-term economic and social inequities that hundreds of years of slavery and the ‘Jim Crow’ era caused for Black Americans is wrong,” part of Schembechler’s statement reads. “I was wrong. We must never sanitize morally unsanitary, historical behaviors that have hindered the Black community, or any other community. There are no historical silver linings for the experience of our brothers and sisters…

“My sincerest apologies, again and profusely, to anyone I have offended, to the great institution that is the University of Michigan, and to the broader athletic community I have been honored to dedicate my life’s work with the integrity and decency inspired by my family over the decades.”

Paul Harvey

Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.