Southridge High School in Oregon’s Metro League is no stranger to talented athletes. Year after year the Skyhawks compete deep into the playoffs with great athletes. Guys who are multi-sport athletes who work as hard as anybody if not more so. The grind is palpable. You can feel it and it shows up in the win column in almost all sports.
Jordan Morgan lands his first Pac 12 Offer as Arizona Makes their move.
A star athlete for the Skyhawks this next season is Jordan Morgan. The 6’2″- 197 lb pure athlete has always been talented and so much so that sometimes it seemed people just expected him to go on to college; like it would be automatic. As a Junior he did a lot of things for the Skyhawks. He was featured on special teams, at Safety, and in a variety of positions on offense.
When he caught the ball last season he did big things with it. And while many analysts feel he might fit better at the Safety spot he loves to have that football in his hands.
For 4 season now Jordan has worked in school to maintain very good grades. He has worked to train himself to be as fast and as powerful as he can be and he has made sure to attend the right sort of events to get his name out there. Along with his Mom, Holly Kraft Morgan, he has traveled far and wide to compete and to stand out. Together they have listened and formulated a plan and they have executed in it. Team Morgan if you will is in it to win it.
The goal? Get to college on a full ride.
Was he one of the best in his class every year? Yes.
Did offers fall from the sky? No sir. And at times he had his doubts. Doubt we have spoken about privately and yet he has worked the plan. Everyday in every way he has flat out worked it out.
His first offer came in from San Jose State a while back. The plan was paying off. He visited a host of other schools. Far away in Arizona and in Texas too he traveled to Junior Days and Visitations. He went and met the coaches and pressed the flesh. Old school methods matched with great Hudl Film and the technical presence of the sharpest of prospects.
Over Spring break week he traveled to ASU for Junior Day after arranging it all with their staff who have been courting him over FB and text messaging. It was a great trip and ASU is a top school for Jordan and has been for some time. The weather, the campus and team, the scenery and academic offerings. This visit part of that Morgan plan to expose himself to the best teams and coaches he could.
The ASU trip was coming to the end but Sky Harbor Airport was not his destination. That would be a waste. Because the plan is to visit as many schools as you can when your on a trip like that so where else could he head to but Tuscon. A phone call and message the week leading up to the ASU Camp had been made and the Wildcats were ready when he hit campus.
“I had a great trip there to Arizona. I immediately knew they would be a top choice if an offer could come my way. I loved both Arizona schools as it turned out so I was so glad we went to see both schools and took advantage of that opportunity,” said Jordan by phone as we spoke.
The plan paid off big tonight. A goal, no a milestone if you will, for Jordan Morgan was reached when he was asked to call Coach Rich Rodriguez today.
“I called Coach Rodriguez and we talked for a bit about the visit and that he had enjoyed meeting me and that they loved my film. And he pretty much just offered me a scholarship,” said Jordan smiling so much the words were floating on air.
What was it that made “Rich-Rod” pull the trigger on this kid from the rainy Pacific NW?
“He said he liked my work ethic. That he can see I work hard at all I do. He liked the way I strive to make big plays every down and he said my Character and the way I interacted with the team at visitation really made a difference to him.”
They want him to play Wide Receiver as well which is a great for Morgan and all the way around this was just “big”. is he satisfied? Will he relax and be able to let off the grind a little?
“Oh no way. I think I have so much more improvement to make and to become better it is going to be hard. To get an offer is great and that was a big goal. But to play and to get on the field in college I am going to have work harder and harder.”
The plan is still there. Stay on the grind and keep working.
He ran a 3.97 shuttle at a recent combine, and is winning the 100, Long Jump and 4 x 100 relays often while he is in Track. The big rangy kid is only going to get better.
Best thing about the Wildcats?
“Coach Rodriguez is probably one of the coolest people I have ever met. He is upbeat and his whole vibe just makes you want to play for him. He was great,” said Morgan who felt Coach was the right blend of mentor, teacher, and a players coach.
“OSU and ASU along with Arizona are good choices for me and PSU and SJSU are still recruiting me. So I need to see who else offers and give all of this some thought for sure.”
It was great speaking with Jordan who said he loved Arizona. His plan worked and he and his Mom have taken control of the process and are really doing a great job. Win, lose, or draw the plan was to give him a shot and put him in a position to be seen and meet these coaches.
This plan they are executing is a perfect example of what must be done to win at the recruiting game and he is winning it now with a Pac 12 offer. And I can not close without saying hello to all the great football moms who are out there in the Pacific NW doing some of these same things. Never before have we seen the Moms coming out in force like this and taking charge of the process. Nothing like a little teamwork to get the job done. Look for a story on this trend soon!
Shout out to all of them and to Jordan too.
