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Morris #16 running back in the country

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Morris #16 running back in the country

I didn't see this posted anywhere so I hope I'm not duplicating.

All I can say is Morris is just getting started. I predict if he stays injury free he will move up.


http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/fau-owls/sfl-102109faualfredmorris,0,991519.story


FAU running back Alfred Morris No. 16 in country

Topics
Howard Schnellenberger
Football
By Ted Hutton

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

8:51 p.m. EDT, October 20, 2009


Boca Raton - Owls' running back Alfred Morris says he does not pay attention to statistics.

If that's true, then he might now know he is leading the Sun Belt in rushing and is 16th in the country, averaging 104.8 yards per game.

"The only thing I am concerned about is the win column," said Morris, a 5-foot-111, 220-pound sophomore from Pensacola.

Morris is a big reason FAU (1-4, 1-1 Sun Belt) finally got a win, as he rushed for a career-high 147 yards and two touchdowns in the Owls 44-40 win over North Texas Saturday.

Morris scored the winning touchdown on a 1-yard plunge with 3:11 left in the game.

"He has demonstrated a knack for getting yards after contact," coach Howard Schnellenberger said. "He single-handedly turns a negative into a positive."

Morris redshirted his freshman year and played mainly on special teams last year and was being groomed to take over at fullback next year after Willie Rose graduated.

But in the spring injuries knocked out the top two tailbacks, and coaches decided to give Morris a shot, and he immediately grabbed the starting spot with his combination of power, speed and elusiveness.

He made the first start of his college career Sept. 5 at Nebraska in front of 85,719 Huskers fans and gained 95 yards.

Schnellenberger has called Morris the most "complete" runner FAU has ever had, and his number is being called frequently.

Last year Charles Pierre carried the ball 161 times in 13 games (12.3 per game), and Morris has had 111 carries in five (22.2).

Morris said learning to play fullback helped him make a smooth transition to tailback.

"I had to block for the tailback, so I knew the plays," Morris said.

And he said lining up a couple yards deeper in the backfield actually makes running easier.

"You have a better chance of seeing the play develop and it makes it easier to run and find the holes," Morris said.

Morris said he is finding it easier to run as he gets more experience.

"Each game is a learning process. The offensive line is really making it a lot easier. I am building a relationship with them," Morris said.

Nebraska ? 95 yards on 18 carries; 5.3 per run

South Carolina ? 80 yards on 22 carries; 3.6 per run

Louisiana-Monroe ? 125 yards on 23 carries; 5.3 per run

Wyoming ? 87 yards on 19 carries; 4.3 per run

North Texas ? 147 yards on 29 carries; 5.1 per run

Total: – 524 yards on 111 carries; 4.7 per run; 104.8 yards per game.









FAU - THE REAL SLEEPING GIANT
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Re: Morris #16 running back in the country

Morris is the real deal and should only get better. He's a prototype NFL type guy built in the likes of a Emmitt Smith, Thurman Thomas Jamal Lewis kind of RB. Not the fastest or biggest, but just gets the job done. Need more of him all over the field. In my opinion, he's the only bright spot on the team "so far" this year. Someone needs to inform the rest of the team that their's plenty of room for more.
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