ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- One player that's been making a name for himself in Ann Arbor this spring is Cal Poly transfer Brady Norton. Thought to be a bit of project upon his commitment, Norton has been reportedly asserting himself and has been in the mix for a potential starting job.
But the California native didn't anticipate he'd end up wearing maize and blue at all. In fact, he shared that he actually rooted against the Wolverines in the national championship game.
Still, he's glad he ended up in Ann Arbor as he continues to acclimate to his newfound digs.
"I grew up a Notre Dame fan because of my dad," Norton said. "Honestly grew up not liking Michigan, I'm not going to lie. Grew up not really liking them. I definitely think they're probably the most hated team in the nation, no doubt, which is a good thing, I'm not going to lie. It's a great thing, but I knew a good amount, I knew how insane The Game was, no doubt."
There was some drama surrounding Norton's commitment back in mid-December.
Fresh off a Michigan football visit, Norton had just received an Ohio State offer, and it looked like his recruitment was picking up in a big way. However, the day that Norton got his offer from the Buckeyes, he was on campus visiting the Wolverines. So when he committed later that night, he crossed out the 'O' in the word 'committed,' slighting the Buckeyes' late attempt to get in on his recruitment. It turns out that there was more to the story, Norton says.
"They called me in the hotel room of my visit here to offer me," Norton said. "They texted me before Michigan did really. And then just kind of ghosted me out of the blue, and all of a sudden when Michigan offered me, they wanted me now, so I kind of thought that a little odd. Then I just came here and I was like, yeah, it's home. (Expletive deleted) those guys, I don't care.
"I took the offer obviously, but then once I kind of hung up, I was thinking about it and just committed here. I didn't say anything, but I'm just posting my Michigan commitment and don't got to talk to them ever again."
Of course, now Norton is looking forward to the opportunity to making everyone in Columbus pay for the late attempt to get him to be a Buckeye. The Wolverines host OSU at the end of the regular season in Ann Arbor, and though Norton had some choice words for the self-proclaimed Buckeye Nation, he doesn't necessarily feel the heat of the rivalry at this point.
"Yeah, a little bit," Norton said. "I don't have as much of the hatred and the rivalry in my blood as these guys who've played for the program for many years. I'm assuming once that week comes I'll definitely start feeling it, you know what I mean? But I don't really have that pure hatred blood quite yet, you know what I mean? I know it'll happen because The Game -- you know it's called The Game -- but I definitely will get that sooner or later."
Fans will get an opportunity to see Norton in action on Saturday in the annual spring game at The Big House.
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