HOG FUTURES DREW MORGAN

Incoming receiver cites competitive nature

Greenwood's Drew Morgan runs for a touchdown in the first quarter of the 6A state championship football game Saturday, Dec. 1, 2012 at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.
Greenwood's Drew Morgan runs for a touchdown in the first quarter of the 6A state championship football game Saturday, Dec. 1, 2012 at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.

FAYETTEVILLE - Arkansas freshman receiver Drew Morgan grew up watching college football in Kansas and dreamed of playing major college football on television.

That dream looks like it could become a reality this season after Coach Bret Bielema recently said Morgan would be one of several newcomers expected to contribute for the Razorbacks this season.

Morgan, from Greenwood, attributes much of his success to an intense competitive nature that goes back to when he was a child.

“Even in the back yard, I would throw the football around,” said Morgan, who chose the Razorbacks over Auburn and Arkansas State. “I would be so competitive even my little sister, when she was like 3, I would still run her over.”

Morgan At a Glance

CLASS Freshman

HEIGHT/WEIGHT 6-0, 184 pounds

POSITION Receiver

HOMETOWN Greenwood

NOTEWORTHY Rated a three-star prospect by recruiting analyst Tom Lemming. ... Had 83 receptions for 1,134 yards and 14 touchdowns and 82 carries for 764 yards and 19 touchdowns as a high school senior. ... Had 77 receptions for 1,344 yards, 23 touchdowns, 76 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 4 1/2 sacks and 4 interceptions as a junior. ... Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Offensive Player of the Year in 2012. Also named the Little Rock Touchdown Club Class 6A Player of the Year and the Landers Award winner.

Morgan, 6-0, 184 pounds, rarely left the field as a senior at Greenwood High School, finishing the season with 83 receptions for 1,134 yards and 14 touchdowns and rushing 82 times for 764 yards and 19 touchdowns. Defensively, he racked up 73 tackles, including 18 for loss, 2 1/2 sacks, 1 quarterback hurry, 3 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles, 1 recovered fumble and 2 pass breakups while playing safety and outside linebacker.

Morgan was named the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s Offensive Player of the Year as a senior after seeing time at wide receiver, tailback, quarterback and kick returner.

“He has the ability to change direction, break on the ball, make plays,” said Greenwood Coach Rick Jones, who has led the Bulldogs to 38 consecutive victories. “The crazy thing is whatever position we played him, offense or defense or kicking game, he’s made plays.

“That’s just really hard to do. You don’t coach that kind of stuff. If you have a guy like that, you just put him in position so he can do it.”

Morgan said he is ready to start a new chapter in his life in Fayetteville and credits his coaches and teammates at Greenwood for helping him along the way.

“I had a great little paragraph in Greenwood, Arkansas, but it’s time to get into the book and start writing again,” said Morgan, who has been timed at 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash. “I honestly can’t be more blessed than I have. Without my teammates and my coaches, I definitely couldn’t be where I am now.”

Morgan also has shown an ability to adapt to his surroundings. Morgan said he has moved 17 times and has lived in Texas and Missouri in addition to Arkansas and Kansas. He arrived in Arkansas after completing the eighth grade.

“I guess it makes me who I am as far as my character and personality,” Morgan said. “I’m not shy about talking to anybody. I’ll go up to anybody and say, ‘Hey, what’s up’. I know people come and go. We’re all brothers and sisters in the end.”

Morgan orally committed to Arkansas State last summer and appeared headed to Jonesboro, but all that changed after Tim Horton, then an assistant coach at Arkansas, saw him lead Greenwood to the Class 6A state title against Pine Bluff.

Morgan was named the MVP of the championship game, and two days later Horton extended a scholarship offer that Morgan accepted.

Morgan had realized his dream of playing for the Razorbacks and in one of the nation’s top conferences, but there was some uncertainty the next day when Bielema was announced as Arkansas’ new coach.

“It did float in my head, ‘My gosh, will the new coaching staff like me?’ ” Morgan said. “I gave it time.”

Any doubts about whether Bielema wanted Morgan to be a part of his program were erased when Morgan received a call a few days later and was told that he was still wanted in Fayetteville.

“It came down to, hey, I’m a Razorback. I’m an in-state recruit,” Morgan said. “They don’t want me to go anywhere else. I don’t want to go anywhere else, either.”

Morgan turned down a late offer from Auburn after Gus Malzahn was hired as the Tigers head coach and Horton joined him as an assistant.

Morgan said it was Bielema’s attitude with his players that sold him.

“He treats everyone the same,” Morgan said. “He’s like a brother. He treats his players, not like dogs or not like athletes, he treats them like they’re his son. He’s going to give them respect, and he’s also going to coach them the way they want to be coached.”

Morgan became familiar with receivers coach Michael Smith while living in Kansas. Smith was a record-setting receiver and a longtime assistant for Kansas State, and he said he is excited to get to work with Morgan.

“He’s definitely added depth,” Smith said. “He’s a kid that is conscientious, another that I’m trying to get to learn the offense as fast as possible because Coach Bielema says he wants to play, and that’s my goal.”

Jones said Morgan will benefit from his confidence.

“I think the guys that play at that level, you have to have a certain level of confidence,” Jones said. “Some people can call it words that might not be as complementary, but you just have to have that belief in yourself that you can do it.”

Sports, Pages 17 on 08/15/2013

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