Schembechler on Twitter behavior: ‘I was wrong’

Glenn “Shemy” Schembechler, son of longtime Michigan coach Bo Schembechler, issued an apology Sunday night for offensive actions on social media that led to his resignation from the football program Saturday evening.

Schembechler, 53, stepped down just three days after he was hired as Michigan’s assistant director of football recruiting. His statement conceded that he engaged in “flippant behavior on Twitter,” which included numerous offensive and insensitive posts, including several suggesting slavery and Jim Crow had the positive effect of strengthening Black individuals and families.

“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,” Schembechler said in the statement, which was issued through a public relations firm based in Arizona. “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.”

His Twitter account, @shemyscout, was deactivated Saturday. Schembechler had been a longtime NFL scout, most recently with the Las Vegas Raiders until February. He also scouted for Washington, Chicago and Kansas City. Schembechler spent more than a decade working for Washington’s organization.

On May 17, Schembechler tweeted: “I’m beyond honored to return home to @UMichFootball! #GoBlue always and forever!”

On May 20, Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel and coach Jim Harbaugh issued a shared statement announcing Schembechler’s resignation.

“We are aware of some comments and likes on social media that have caused concern and pain for individuals in our community,” it read. “Michigan Athletics is fully committed to a place where our coaches, staff and student-athletes feel welcome and where we fully support the University’s and Athletic Department’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.”