Why Alec Morris went under the radar

Harry · December 29, 2015

I found this post on another site and wanted to share. "The skinny on Alec Morris. Why he went under the radar and other info.

Allen High School is a 5A school in Texas that graduates classes of over 1200 kids, the talent pool is deep. He might have started as a sophomore, except the senior was a D1 commit to TCU so Alec played JV to get the reps. Allen High School also has a very balanced game, so Alec isn't the focus of our offense every play. We have a running back that that is a D1 commit, and his highlights are also impressive. Several of these highly rated quarterbacks are all the offense most teams have, which gives them lots of publicity.

Alec has also never been to a football camp until the summer before his junior year, whereas most kids start camping in 8th grade to build a following. He went to both Nike Football Training Camp/Elite 11 stops in Texas, at TCU in Fort Worth and Univ. of Houston. Both of these camps had the biggest names in the state and some out of state, and Alec took the top honor of MVP at both camps. The area invitation for Elite 11 finals in San Diego actually went to a kid that Alec bested at TCU. I was at both of these camps and I can honestly say that he looked like a college kid playing with high schoolers.

I also know people that were at the June workout Alec had with Alabama coaches, and they most definately tested all aspects of his ability. He threw privately for about 45 minutes with coaches Groh and McElwain, then coach Saban came out to watch. In that time they tested different drops and accuracy to different route points, with power and touch. After that was over they tested strength and stamina by having him throw for distance from his knees. Alec measured at 53.5 yards, which coaches said was a new camp record that had been standing for a couple of years at 51 yards. Alec has a very strong arm, but it's hard to tell from the video because his style is smooth and effortless. I can tell you that the Alabama coaches had difficulty handling some of his hard out routes. While here he measured 6'4", 230lbs and ran a 4.7-40 yard dash. Some other great tidbits are that Alec is a highly competitive natural athlete that just turned 17 about 2 weeks ago, so he is still developing. He is also an excellent student, of good character and no drama. Alec is an excellent addition to the Alabama family and I think everyone will see they gained when they thought they lost on QB's."

read more: http://www.tidefans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=141522

TheReal_jayD · December 29, 2015

19 minutes ago, Harry said:

I found this post on another site and wanted to share. "The skinny on Alec Morris. Why he went under the radar and other info.

Allen High School is a 5A school in Texas that graduates classes of over 1200 kids, the talent pool is deep. He might have started as a sophomore, except the senior was a D1 commit to TCU so Alec played JV to get the reps. Allen High School also has a very balanced game, so Alec isn't the focus of our offense every play. We have a running back that that is a D1 commit, and his highlights are also impressive. Several of these highly rated quarterbacks are all the offense most teams have, which gives them lots of publicity.

Alec has also never been to a football camp until the summer before his junior year, whereas most kids start camping in 8th grade to build a following. He went to both Nike Football Training Camp/Elite 11 stops in Texas, at TCU in Fort Worth and Univ. of Houston. Both of these camps had the biggest names in the state and some out of state, and Alec took the top honor of MVP at both camps. The area invitation for Elite 11 finals in San Diego actually went to a kid that Alec bested at TCU. I was at both of these camps and I can honestly say that he looked like a college kid playing with high schoolers.

I also know people that were at the June workout Alec had with Alabama coaches, and they most definately tested all aspects of his ability. He threw privately for about 45 minutes with coaches Groh and McElwain, then coach Saban came out to watch. In that time they tested different drops and accuracy to different route points, with power and touch. After that was over they tested strength and stamina by having him throw for distance from his knees. Alec measured at 53.5 yards, which coaches said was a new camp record that had been standing for a couple of years at 51 yards. Alec has a very strong arm, but it's hard to tell from the video because his style is smooth and effortless. I can tell you that the Alabama coaches had difficulty handling some of his hard out routes. While here he measured 6'4", 230lbs and ran a 4.7-40 yard dash. Some other great tidbits are that Alec is a highly competitive natural athlete that just turned 17 about 2 weeks ago, so he is still developing. He is also an excellent student, of good character and no drama. Alec is an excellent addition to the Alabama family and I think everyone will see they gained when they thought they lost on QB's."

read more: http://www.tidefans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=141522

Good find

BillySee58 · December 29, 2015

He's a good pickup. I don't think we have to make excuses for the kid or make him out to be more than he is. He started at Allen as a junior and had plenty of coaches see him yet not offer.

I don't think he flew under the radar, but that doesn't mean he's not a good pickup. Most teams only get one QB a class, so QBs generally have less offers than other positions like OL or DE where teams pickup a lot each class.

He'll be a legit CUSA level QB this year and give us time to groom a young QB. That's what just what we need.

MEANGREENCOACH2 · December 29, 2015

Wait.... we got a him?

just kidding another dumb post by me!

UNT90 · January 1, 2016

No QB at Allen HS "flies under the radar."

Look, that's obviously written by a coach at a time when he is attempting to solicit greater offers for Alec. Nothing wrong with that. But there was a reason a lot coaches watched him at those camps and didn't offer. I think we could learn a lot more if we knew those coach's reasons.

Glad he is here, and I echo Billy's sentiments in this thread, but let's not try and fool ourselves yet again.

Haven't we set ourselves up for disappointment enough (Dajon, that kid from Colorado, Smith this year)?

The good thing for Alec is that after the last 2 years around here, it's a very low bar to be considered successful and there is zero competition for the job, so Alec is coming into the best situation possible for his success. Smart.

Edited January 1, 2016 by UNT90

GOMG2013 · January 2, 2016

4 hours ago, UNT90 said:

No QB at Allen HS "flies under the radar."

Look, that's obviously written by a coach at a time when he is attempting to solicit greater offers for Alec. Nothing wrong with that. But there was a reason a lot coaches watched him at those camps and didn't offer. I think we could learn a lot more if we knew those coach's reasons.

We cant base much on hid offers because he committed early in the process. March of his Jr year he committed early to wake forest. He flipped to Bama in August. Don't know if he would have received more offers had he opened up his recruitment. What's the chances of flipping a Bama commit?

UNT90 · January 2, 2016

7 hours ago, GOMG2013 said:

We cant base much on hid offers because he committed early in the process. March of his Jr year he committed early to wake forest. He flipped to Bama in August. Don't know if he would have received more offers had he opened up his recruitment. What's the chances of flipping a Bama commit?

If he was everything that coach in Harry's post said he was, it wouldn't matter if he committed as a high school freshman. Schools would have been all over him with offers.

You know that.

buff64 · January 2, 2016

Allen is a 6A school.

BillySee58 · January 2, 2016

22 minutes ago, buff64 said:

Allen is a 6A school.

Not when Morris went there or when that post was written.

GOMG2013 · January 2, 2016

10 hours ago, UNT90 said:

If he was everything that coach in Harry's post said he was, it wouldn't matter if he committed as a high school freshman. Schools would have been all over him with offers.

You know that.

Nick Saban offered him a scholarship. If he would have stayed uncommitted he would have gotten more offers. Maybe not from top schools, but he could have pulled in more offers just by having Wake and Bama offer. Probably could have had his pick of any cusa school.

UNT90 · January 2, 2016

3 minutes ago, GOMG2013 said:

Nick Saban offered him a scholarship. If he would have stayed uncommitted he would have gotten more offers. Maybe not from top schools, but he could have pulled in more offers just by having Wake and Bama offer. Probably could have had his pick of any cusa school.

Yet none offered, so...

This is just a stupid conversation. We have all seen offer lists from major recruits that have numerous CUSA offers, along with offers from the big boys. Keep lying to yourselves if you want to, but he is a 3 star recruit that is transferring because he couldn't crack the 2 deep in 4 years at Alabama.

And there is nothing wrong with that, because he is probably the best QB on the team the moment he steps on campus.

GOMG2013 · January 2, 2016

6 minutes ago, UNT90 said:

Yet none offered, so...

This is just a stupid conversation.

You are correct.

TheReal_jayD · January 2, 2016

Serious question. Has UNT ever had a QB on their roster that had been offered a scholarship by Nick Saban?

GOMG2013 · January 2, 2016

16 minutes ago, TheReal_jayD said:

Edited January 2, 2016 by GOMG2013

BillySee58 · January 3, 2016

6 hours ago, TheReal_jayD said:

Serious question. Has UNT ever had a QB on their roster that had been offered a scholarship by Nick Saban?

We have a tight end on our roster who was offered to play QB by Dabo Swinney, Jimbo Fisher, Butch Jones, and Gus Mahlzahn.

Withers940 · January 5, 2016

On 1/3/2016 at 9:38 PM, BillySee58 said:

We have a tight end on our roster who was offered to play QB by Dabo Swinney, Jimbo Fisher, Butch Jones, and Gus Mahlzahn.

BOOOOM goes the dynamite. Billy, I believe you need a job at ESPN as a recruiting analyst

adman · January 5, 2016

So we won't know what Alec Morris will do until he does it, if and when he gets here. But to say there is something inherently flawed with him because he only had 3 offers - Us, Wake Forest and Bama - I guess also means there is something wrong with this guy Shawn Jennings: https://rivals.yahoo.com/alabama/football/recruiting/player-Shawn-Jennings-162656

He, like Alec, is a Rivals 3 star recruit. He's ranked #39 in the nation at his position, safety. Alec was ranked 30 at QB.

Bama, Auburn and Memphis were the only three, per Rivals, to offer. Does that mean he sucks? Time will tell just like it will with Alec.

Does Nick Saban have busts? Sure. No one hits 100% of the time. But if he's offering I'm excited. And a Nick Saban bust at Alabama more than likely will be at least average at any non power school and Im good with that for now.

The one thing I do know about Alec Morris is that more than a handful of non-North Texas fans have approached me and said: "Dude! You're getting a Bama QB?! Holy cow things are looking up at NT." If people who have no real interest in NT football other than knowing I have an interest are stoked and talking about it, imagine pitching that news to a kid who we may want to catch those passes or snap him the ball." This is, at least until signing day, a really big deal.

Judge slowly for sure BUT let's not poo poo this just because.

Harry · January 5, 2016

11 minutes ago, adman said:

Bama, Auburn and Memphis were the only three, per Rivals, to offer. Does that mean he sucks?

It appears that he was a late bloomer, did not start until his junior year, did not participate in the elite camps etc. When he finally did get into the spotlight, he dominated and got the direct attention of Nick Saban. Kid has talent, there is no doubt. He just happens to be on the best team in college football.

GMG24 · January 5, 2016

On January 3, 2016 at 9:38 PM, BillySee58 said:

We have a tight end on our roster who was offered to play QB by Dabo Swinney, Jimbo Fisher, Butch Jones, and Gus Mahlzahn.

That was as a Soph right??

BillySee58 · January 5, 2016

1 hour ago, GMG24 said:

That was as a Soph right??

Yeah, I think most were spring and summer heading into junior season

meangreendork · January 5, 2016

On 1/2/2016 at 3:03 PM, TheReal_jayD said:

Serious question. Has UNT ever had a QB on their roster that had been offered a scholarship by Nick Saban?

Pretty sure that Nick Saban knows more about choosing a QB than everyone on this board combined. Morris is a high probability success - he's a transfer backup from a high-caliber P5 school, not a transfer who was a backup at a G5 program.

TheReal_jayD · January 5, 2016

2 minutes ago, meangreendork said:

Pretty sure that Nick Saban knows more about choosing a QB than everyone on this board combined. Morris is a high probability success - he's a transfer backup from a high-caliber P5 school, not a transfer who was a backup at a G5 program.

My thoughts exactly