MJ Morris is living proof of the need to always be ready.
The freshman quarterback was expected to redshirt this season, and instead is being called upon to help keep NC State football on the winning track. Morris came alive in the second half last Thursday to rally NC State to a 22-21 victory over Virginia Tech. He went 20-of-29 passing for 265 yards and three touchdowns in the win, and will be the starting quarterback Saturday against Wake Forest.
Morris enters the big rivalry game with momentum and more awareness of what is needed to succeed at this level. Morris has been praised for being calm under duress.
“We have to execute because it doesn’t matter what we game plan or what we think can hurt them,” NC State offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tim Beck said. “It’s about creating one good play after another.
“He needs to develop in all areas yet. He’s still learning the college game.”
Morris said he’s getting recognized a little bit more around campus, which is another change.
“It has changed a little bit,” Morris said. “I try not to let it get to my head. My parents always taught me to be humble and stay level-headed the whole time.”
Morris is working on become more of a vocal leader and he’s always had good energy.
“I feel like playing the game, it help me see the defense better and see the field better,” Morris said.
Morris entered college with much fanfare. Rivals.com ranked him No. 238 overall in the class of 2022, and he was the No. 3 dual-threat quarterback nationally. The four-star prospect had picked NC State over Georgia Tech and Nebraska during the recruiting process.
“We knew it,” Beck said. “I felt like MJ would be a major contributor to our football team if something happened. We just had to make sure he’s ready.
“He’s a smart guy. He gets it and you just tell him once.”
Morris was able to learn from former South Florida tight ends coach Joey King while at Carrollton (Ga.) High. King had previously coached Trevor Lawrence at Cartersville (Ga.) High.
“Coach King, we became like that,” Morris said. “He helped put Trevor Lawrence into the NFL, so I tried to pick his brain every day. I’d get in at 6 a.m. and we’d watch film for about two hours. His offense wasn’t too much different from the one in high school.”
At the time, NC State was expected to have redshirt junior Devin Leary, and redshirt freshmen Aaron McLaughlin and Ben Finley on the depth chart. McLaughlin transferred Feb. 18, landing at Jacksonville State, and the Wolfpack added Charleston Southern graduate transfer Jack Chambers as a NIL walk-on. Finley fell to fourth string by last August.
Morris path to the starting lineup is completely unusual.
“I’m really proud of him,” Beck said. “He showed up in June and probably for four or six week, probably in the course of a week took two reps.”
Leary suffered a torn pectoral against Florida State on Oct. 8, ending his season prematurely. After Chambers faltered throwing the football in his three appearances, NC State turned to Morris, and cut him loose after falling behind 21-3 to the Hokies.
Beck also pointed out that it wouldn’t have been fair to Morris to play him extensively against Syracuse when he wasn’t ready, prior to the bye week.
“It was just more of doing what we had to do,” Beck said. “We threw it a lot more and just started playing. We caught fire a little bit and got momentum.”
Because Morris didn’t arrive until last summer, he’s still learning the ins and outs of being a college quarterback. Beck expects him to learn something new every single day. For instance, NC State needed to call a timeout to go over the “victory” formation.
“I was just so excited that we were up,” Morris said.
Morris didn’t pick out No. 16, but it shows the confidence in his abilities that he received the number that former NCSU star quarterback Russell Wilson wore. NC State honored No. 16 with a patch on the jersey.
“I was never No. 16 in high school,” Morris said. “I just thought it was a random number and then I looked up at the stadium, and it said ’16 Russell Wilson.’ I was like ‘Oh, snap.’ Then I saw the patch that said ‘Russell Wilson.’ It was really an honor to wear that jersey. I do like that number a lot now.”
Morris was also a star outfielder at Carrollton High, and has long hoped to play for the Wolfpack in that sport this spring, which is another similarity to Wilson.
“I really love baseball,” Morris said. “If I do get the opportunity, I am going to try it.”
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