Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, August 13, 1993 TAG: 9308130147
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Doug Doughty Staff Writer
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Morris, disenchanted with his role at Penn State, left the Nittany Lions at the end of the 1992 regular season but was unable to obtain a release at that time. He would have been unable to receive a scholarship this year until Penn State released him.
"They [Penn State] never told me they were releasing me," Morris said. "The only way I found out was through Wake Forest. Virginia told Coach [John] Walker."
Walker, the principal at Jefferson Forest High School, coached Morris at Heritage and has served as his adviser in talks with Penn State and the NCAA.
"Without him, I was about ready to give up," Morris said.
Morris was an All-Group AAA selection for Heritage in 1991, when he rushed for 1,790 yards and 23 touchdowns. He was a backup fullback at Penn State, where he had 50 carries for 240 yards during the 1992 season.
The release not only frees Morris to talk with UVa and Wake Forest, but he will be able to enroll at one of those schools and receive a scholarship in the fall. He would have two years of eligibility, starting with the 1994 season.
"Time is ticking," Morris said. "What it's come down to is making a three- or four-month decision in a matter of two or three weeks."
Walker said he hopes Penn State will extend the release to more than the two schools, and he has advised Morris to prepare a list of schools that would interest him.
It is believed Morris likes North Carolina and Liberty.
"The last time I talked with anybody from Penn State was two months ago," Walker said. "At that time they were still trying to get him to come back there. Nobody has said why they picked Virginia and Wake Forest, but I think it's pretty obvious."
The head coaches at UVa and Wake Forest - George Welsh and Jim Caldwell, respectively - coached under Joe Paterno at Penn State.
A Virginia Tech official said that when the Hokies were contacted on Morris' behalf, they requested a release in writing and were turned down.
Paterno said during a news conference Thursday that he had informed Morris he would release him "to certain schools," but he would not divulge those schools.
"I'm not in position to call the shots," Morris said. "Whatever happens with the release, I'm sure it's still going to be conditional. There's no telling with Penn State. They may applaud or they may send the National Guard out after me."
Morris said he has plans to talk with Wake Forest and thinks he would have an interest in Virginia, although there has been no contact yet with the Cavaliers. UVa is awaiting word on Morris' academic status.
"I don't want to go too far from home," he said.
After spending most of nine months dickering with Penn State and the NCAA, Morris finds it almost mind-boggling that he could be enrolled at another school - maybe even practicing football - in another month.
"I wouldn't put my life on it, because you never know when you might get a different interpretation," he said. "I guess you could say I have my hopes under wraps. I definitely look at [the release] as a plus; by no means is it a negative."
by CNB