Oregon daily emerald., September 29, 2000, Page 19B, Image 34

Morris
continued from page 2B
Not an easy move considering
that the distance between Chester,
S.C., and Eugene is just a mere
2,888-and-a-half miles. According
to YahoolMaps, to drive the dis
tance, it would take 54 hours and
four minutes.
Yet, living in Eugene right now
are Morris’ parents, grandma, five of
his sisters and two of his brothers.
“It’s been a perfect support group
for me,” Morris said. “I’m more set
tled now with them around and am
spending time with them that I did
n’t have when I was in California.”
It’s no shocker that one of the ma
jor reasons that Morris chose Ore
gon over was the family feeling that
the Ducks possessed.
“The coaches and the players all
bond together like a big close-knit
family and that’s the kind of thing
that had a big impact on me and my
decision to play here,” Morris said.
Morris’ impact on the Ducks has
been immediate. Morris has rushed
for 473 yards in four games, includ
ing last week’s 139-yard perform
ance in the win over the Bruins. He’s
now the Pac-lO’s third-leading rush
er at 118.3 yards per game, and
quickly gaining attention.
“He is an exceptional tailback,”
said Washington head coach Rick
Neuheisal, who brings his No. 6
Huskies into Eugene on Saturday. “I
am not sure we can stop Morris. He
has the full compliment of
weapons. We just try to make sure
he doesn’t go crazy on us. ”
Morns isn t one to talk about the
other programs that contacted him,
but he was involved in a much-pub
licized recruiting battle that seemed
to be headlined by Southern Califor
nia. The Ducks’ sales pitch proved
successful, however, and helped
Morris steer away from going to
USC or perhaps a team in the South
eastern Conference.
“I didn’t really follow the Pac-10
at all last year because I was on the
verge of going back to South Caroli
na and onto a team in the SEC,” said
Monis, who hails from Chester, S.C.
“ But to me, Oregon had a better pro
gram, so here I am. ”
His presence is certainly letting
Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti
breathe a little easier. This past
spring, the depth at the tailback slot
was so weak that he tried to move
Jermaine Hanspard, a true corner
back, into the position.
The shoes that Morris will have to
fill are big, as Rueben Droughns —
now with the Detroit Lions —
rushed for 1,234 yards on the year,
even after missing some early games
due to a rib injury.
But Morris is more than capable
of replacing Droughns, who like
wise was a JC transfer. In Morris’
two years at Fresno, he set junior
college career records with 3,708
yards rushing, 593 carries and 4,487
all-purpose yards. He was held be
low 100 yards rushing just once in
20 regular season games for Fresno.
With such numbers to his credit
and with what Bellotti has seen so
far, the coach is convinced that Mor
ris is up to the challenge of filling
Droughns’ shoes.
“I’m very, very pleased with Mau
rice,” Bellotti said. “He can make a
normal run become a 50-or 60-yard
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run. He has that mindset that every
time he touches the ball, he’s going
to go. And that’s exciting.”
What makes Morris so effective is
his ability to cut through defenses
and change directions while keep
ing the same speed.
For example, during the season
opener against Nevada on Sept. 2:
Hand-off to Morris. Sprint. Cut
right. Sprint. Cut right. Gone. 66
yard touchdown.
The type of run that gets every
body excited — everybody, of
course, except Morris himself.
“I’m just out here working hard
every day,” Morris said after the that
game. “I've seen some improve
ment, but I still have to work harder
and get all the plays down. It’s like
catch-up for me because everyone
else has been in Division I for a few
years and I haven’t.”
It is surprising that he had to go to
a JC program after rushing for over
1,600 yards and 25 touchdowns as a
senior at Chester High School.
But Morris says it wasn’t what he
did on the field, but rather what he
did off of it that led him to Fresno
City College.
“It’s just that in high school I got
into a whole lot of knick-knack ins
and-outs that I should have avoid
ed,” Morris said. “But oh yes, I
learned a lot. I’d rather be a young
fool than an old fool any day.”
Some questioned his desire to
choose a school in a city where it
rains year-round and in a confer
ence that was dubbed as the “Pa
thetic-10.” But there were no doubts
in Morris’mind.
“Oh definitely not,” said Morris,
rather matter-of-factly as his voice
raised in volume. “Oregon is a pre
mier program. They have proven
themselves over the years. It’s just
that it might not get the recognition
that it deserves, but I mean, I expect
that to change.”
There’s that word again: “Expect.”
This time it was spoken by a man
whose own expectations of himself
seem to exceed everyone else’s.
And while it may not always be
evident, there is a certain internal
fire burning deep inside of him that
will never be seen in interviews, but
will continue to be on full display
every Saturday this fall.
“I never give success much
thought,” Morris said. “I just want
to come out here and be a part of the
team.”
“Cockiness” is certainly not in
Morris’ dictionary, but you better
believe that “confidence” is.
Erin Swanson-Davies Emerald
Maurice Morris fills the gap in Oregon’s running game left by Reuben Droughns, now of
the NFL’s Detroit Lions.
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