Alfred Morris holds the FAU career records for rushing yardage and touchdowns. (NDM photo)
Answering the call
FAU tailback Alfred Morris will play fullback in Saturday's Senior Bowl.
Originally published on
1/25/2012
by
Chuck King
Alfred Morris was getting ready for bed on Tuesday night in Bradenton when he received an unexpected phone call from his agent.
The Senior Bowl was looking for a running back. Morris was their guy.
“It was good news to hear,” Morris said on Wednesday, shortly after arriving in Mobile, Ala. “I had a real early flight this morning.”
The South roster had an opening after Clemson's Chad Diehl had to pull out because of a concussion.
Morris, the Owls' all-time leading rusher, will fill his spot. That means Morris will be moving from tailback to fullback for the game, which will be played on Saturday at 4 p.m. and airs on the NFL Network.
“Even though I'm not playing tailback, I'll do it to get the opportunity to show my versatility,” Morris said.
The Senior Bowl is considered the most prestigious of the college all-star games because the NFL plays a major role in the game. The coaching staffs come from the NFL and front office personnel from all 32 NFL teams are expected to be in attendance.
It will be Morris' second collegiate all-star game in as many weekends. Last Saturday he rushed for 31 yards on nine carries to lead the East running backs in the East-West Shrine Game.
He wasn't all that happy about the totals, but Morris believes he elevated his draft status during the week of practices in St. Petersburg.
“I had some great practices,” Morris said. “I think I turned some new heads.”
Morris has some experience playing fullback. He started his FAU career at that spot, but injuries to Jeff Blanchard and Willie Floyd in the spring of 2009 prompted the Owls to give Morris a shot at tailback.
He never relinquished his role as the Owls' lead ball carrier. Morris rushed for an FAU single-season record 1,392 yards in 2009 and broke the 1,000 yard mark again in 2011. His 27 career rushing touchdowns are the most for an Owl.
Morris says most of the scouts he's talking to think he'll carry the ball at the next level.
“Everything I hear is tailback, but you never what is going to happen,” Morris said.