All-Arkansas football

Morgan Mr.Versatility

Drew Morgan had four games with at least 100 yards receiving and had 27 total touchdowns.
Drew Morgan had four games with at least 100 yards receiving and had 27 total touchdowns.

— After Drew Morgan had just caught a career-high 16 passes in late September against Little Rock Parkview, powering Greenwood to yet another victory, Joe Fred Young stopped a reporter and asked what he thought about the Bulldogs’ senior.

About two months later, after Morgan had just scored three touchdowns to power Greenwood to yet another state championship, the same reporter stopped Young and asked what he thought about Morgan.

“He’s the equal of any high school player I’ve seen, because he does everything,” Young said.

Young’s words are a trusted bridge between Arkansas high school football’s past and present. He won 194 games as a coach, the bulk coming at Fort Smith Northside, before retiring after the 1998 season. Young still roams the sidelines, but these days he’s watching son Chris coordinate Greenwood’s dynamic Spread offense.

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Drew Morgan (right) helped lead Greenwood to a third consecutive state championship while accounting for more than 2,000 all-purpose yards and 27 touchdowns.

The unquestioned cog this fall was Morgan, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Offensive Player of the Year after dominating opponents as a wide receiver, tailback, Wildcat quarterback and kick returner.

The elusive Morgan, 6-0, 170 pounds, accounted for more than 2,000 all-purpose yards as Greenwood finished 14-0, captured its third consecutive state championship (first as a member of Class 6A) and stretched its winning streak to 38 games, equaling the third longest in state history.

“I can’t think of any guy that has done as much as Drew has, in terms of being a receiver or a running back, DB, returner, I mean, just an overall football player,” Bulldogs Coach Rick Jones said. “To give an award to the best football player, or the most outstanding football player, whatever you want to call it, you would be hard pressed to find anybody more deserving.”







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Morgan caught 83 passes for 1,110 yards and 14 touchdowns, rushed 82 times for 764 yards and 19 touchdowns, returned 11 kickoffs for 344 yards and 1 touchdown and returned 1 punt 67 yards for a touchdown.

Morgan’s versatility was on display during a one-month stretch against Parkview, Little Rock Catholic, Fort Smith Southside and Conway.

After catching 16 passes against Parkview, Morgan set career highs for receiving yards (220) and receiving touchdowns (5) against Catholic, set career highs for rushing yards (214) and rushing touchdowns (6) against Southside and had 218 yards running and receiving against Conway.

“Drew Morgan could and did play about every position on the field and had success no matter the position or side of the ball he was on,” Conway Coach Clint Ashcraft said. “He’s a phenomenal high school football player.”

Morgan was named MVP of the Class 6A state championship game, starring on offense, defense and special teams in a 51-44 victory over Pine Bluff on Dec. 1, two days before he orally committed to the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Jones said Morgan was only about 70 percent physically because of a shoulder and hip problem, but he still rushed 9 times for 82 yards and 2 touchdowns, caught 4 passes for 87 yards and 1 touchdown, returned 3 kickoffs for 68 yards and, at safety, made 8 unassisted tackles and intercepted a pass.

Pine Bluff Coach Bobby Bolding said after the game he was fixated on his team’s defensive struggles and wasn’t aware who was making plays for Greenwood.

But he had a pretty good idea it was Morgan.

“I saw him on film, and he is a stud,” Bolding said.

And maybe, one iconic coaching figure added, the greatest player in Greenwood history.

“He’s the best I’ve seen in a long, long, long time,” Joe Fred Young said. “It will be a long time before another one comes through Greenwood like that, I can promise you.”

Sports, Pages 25 on 12/16/2012

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