Morehouse Football: Spring Training

Morehouse Maroon Tigers

Spring training is underway and the Morehouse Maroon Tigers are currently gearing up for another successful season. The 2010 season was filled with great triumph as the Maroon Tigers finished the regular season with their highest ranking ever at No.5 with an 8-3 record, and made the Division II playoffs for the first time in school history.

A few players such as running back David Carter and offensive lineman Stacy Louis were superb. Carter led the SIAC in rushing with 122 ypg, 1347 on the year, and scored 10 touchdowns while Louis received multiple SIAC player of the week honors.

Head coach Rich Freeman looks forward to getting his players into the best shape physically and psychologically in order to duplicate the success. Though the Tigers will lose its leading defensive lineman, senior Derrin Nettles, the Tigers remain confident about their upside in 2011.

Sophomore quarterback Donnay Ragland is confident in his team, as he expounds on the Tigers work ethic during spring training:



NFL Draft prospect Derrin Nettles

“Yes, everyone is working hard and our goal is to get better on the small things. We already have a great team, now we have to be discipline and continue to play fast hard and smart, which is our team philosophy. We want to get better each day and build from last year’s success.”

The Compton, Ca native is excited to get back onto the field, and conveys that the coaching staff is doing a great job at developing the team psychologically. Players such as Elijah Anderson, Derek Hector, and Jarvis Canty are also contributing their leadership in order to keep the Tigers on the right track. They are giving it their all every time that they step onto the field.

At 6-foot-2 and weighing 180 pounds, Ragland is exhibiting his leadership by running the offense with confidence and putting his teammates on his shoulders in order to gain their trust. Ragland and junior quarterback Byran Ingram will compete for the starting quarterback position, but despite who gets the starting job, the two look forward to making quality contributions.

  

“Our goal is to win a championship, Ragland said. “We want to continue to build on the small things such as being discipline, getting stronger in the weight room, and listening to what the coaches are teaching us. If we work on the small things, we’ll be able to beat the big teams in our conference such as Tuskegee and Albany State.”

The Morehouse football team will hold its annual Maroon and White Spring Game, Saturday, April 9, at 3 p.m.