Keith Morgan knows he is ahead of his time.
After filling in for the suspended P.J. Mahone, the sophomore safety finds himself among the team’s leading tacklers after making six starts through the team’s first nine games.
Morgan never dreamed he would be in that company for at least a couple more years.
‘Not this year,’ Morgan said. ‘It was kind of one of my long term goals for when I’m a senior. But I never expected it to be happening my sophomore year.’
But that all changed Sept. 15, when Morgan’s number was called after Mahone was suspended indefinitely. Morgan made the most of the newfound opportunity, recording nine tackles and an interception in his first start against Marshall.
‘Keith’s a good player, and he’s going to be a very good player here,’ said Dave Clawson, BG’s coach. ‘He kind of got thrown in there and we asked him to do a lot. At times he did well and, at times, like any football player, he had some breakdowns.’
In total, Morgan has 58 tackles this season, an interception and a fumble recovery, good marks for someone who had played in just eight games before the season.
‘The challenge at first is getting used to it, coming from not playing a whole lot last year, to starting this year,’ Morgan said. ‘I have a little bit more weight on my shoulders to do as much as I can to help the team out.’
That weight will be lessened for the remainder of the season, as Mahone has been reinstated to the team and was given a start in a 30-29 win against Buffalo, but Morgan is expected to be a starting safety for the next two seasons.
‘I’m really glad we have Keith Morgan on our team for two more years,’ Clawson said. ‘He’s going to be a really good safety in this league.’
Morgan – who said the extra playing time this season will help him a lot in the next two seasons – carried Clawson’s decision to reinstate Mahone with class, taking it in stride and accepting his diminished role for the rest of the season.
A true team player, Morgan is more worried about making sure his contributions will help create team success, no matter how big or small they may be.
‘I take [playing time] as it comes – whatever helps the team win games,’ Morgan said. ‘If we can win out, that’s all that really matters to me.’
The Falcons (4-5, 3-2 Mid-American Conference) have three more games on the schedule and the teams they face – Miami, Akron and Toledo – have a combined season record of 7-21 (4-12 MAC), so Morgan’s wish may come true.
And it’s not irrational to think he will do his part to make sure the team continues winning for the next two seasons.’
