FAYETTEVILLE — University of Arkansas linebacker Grant Morgan was more comfortable at SEC Media Days in late July than some of the coaches.
The sixth-year senior from Greenwood has a way of simply being himself and fitting in, an attitude that helps him win over teammates and be completely at ease in front of dozens of media members.
“Something like this, it fits me, if y’all can’t tell,” Morgan told local reporters in a suite at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham in Birmingham, Ala. “It’s really fun because I don’t have to do any of the typing. I’m just talking.”
Morgan’s play did a lot of talking in the media coverage of the Razorbacks’ 3-7 covid-19 season last year.
Earning his first full-time starting job at inside linebacker, Morgan racked up 111 tackles in nine games to post an FBS-best 12.3 tackles per game. He also had 7.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 5 pass breakups and 1 interception, which he returned for a touchdown to clinch the Hogs’ 33-21 homecoming win over Ole Miss.
Morgan pulled down second-team All-America recognition by the American Football Coaches Association and Walter Camp. He was one of three finalists for the Burlsworth Trophy, which is named for former UA All-American Brandon Burlsworth and given to the best player in the nation who began his career as a walk on.
Morgan is so proud of his former walk-on status, it’s a symbol.
“My pinned Tweet on my Twitter [account] is to remember me as a walk-on, not an All-American,” Morgan said at media days. “I live my life like that. I live my life every day as a walk-on.
“I’m not a flashy guy. I’m not anybody who’s going to be big time and try to make TikToks and all that stuff. I go to work. I do my job. I focus on football.”
Morgan had plenty of good options after the the 2020 season after a minor knee injury that sidelined him for the finale against Alabama. He has an eye toward medical school, which is his career path when his playing days are over. He could have declared for the NFL Draft and been on some pro team’s camp roster right now.
Instead, he decided to return for a “super senior” season, his sixth on the Hill and second under Coach Sam Pittman with a new position coach in Michael Scherer.
Morgan was asked in Hoover what led to his decision to return.
“I wanted to do what was best for me, and I think this is the best for me,” Morgan said. “I want to play in the NFL as long as I can. I want to be the best at what I do, and this is the best opportunity for me to do it.”
Morgan said he received a draft grade of fifth-to-seventh round last winter.
“I decided I wanted to make more money, and if I were to go back, why not do it with this staff?” Morgan said. “With Pittman and the way he does things here, it’s just perfect for that.”
Morgan was asked a variation of the same question in the main media room earlier in the day and provided another dimension in his response.
He brought up a book he was reading called “Winning: The Unforgiving Race to Greatness,” by Tim Grover.
“You’re trying to win every single day and trying to win every single practice,” Morgan said. “Winning is everything. It’s exhausting.
“So that’s how I’m getting better. That’s how I’m trying to improve. I’m trying to win every single day. It’s not the little mantra like everyone says, ’Try to go 1-0.’ Everyone hears that and it goes out one ear.”
True senior Bumper Pool has run alongside Morgan at linebacker for several years now.
“Grant is the ultimate competitor,” Pool said. “He’s always someone that takes everything as a competition. If it’s in the weight room … literally, any argument he just wants to win.”
Morgan said his teammates will say he’s gotten more intense in workouts and is trying to lift more weight, run faster, lead with more clarity.
“I know how good we can be,” Morgan said. “I know how good I can be.
“You’ve got to find a way to set an edge. My edge this year is going to be knowledge and being able to push exactly how I did the past year, but I’ve got to adapt and change because the game’s changing, our defense is changing, everyone’s changing.”
Sophomore safety Jalen Catalon attested to Morgan’s edge in the off-season.
“I think he was born to be a leader,” Catalon said. “Every single time there’s something that needs to be said, it seems like he knows what to say to get us going. Just to have somebody like that, not only on the defense but as a middle linebacker, to run the defense, especially in the box, that’s someone you will love to have.”
Catalon said Morgan and other senior linebackers like Pool and Hayden Henry add great value to the defense and the roster.
“Those are key guys for our team, so I’m glad that he’s back because he runs it for sure in the box,” Catalon added. “Something’s going wrong, he’s there. He holds everybody accountable, especially on the defense, making sure everybody’s doing this, doing that, right here, right there.”
Said Pool, “I’m so happy for him. Glad he’s back with us this season. I think his leadership is going to be huge for us.”
Morgan said finishing as a runner-up to Pittsburgh’s Jimmy Morrissey for last year’s Burlsworth Trophy put another burr in his saddle.
“I didn’t win the Burlsworth. That set a big precedent in my head for what my goals are this year,” he said. “I wasn’t the best. Obviously, I won a lot of things that I could have been happy about, but that was the only one that stood out to me. I didn’t win that.
“So I think that motivates me more than anything. Even if I did win it, I would try to find another way to find motivation, but I think that’s purely enough for me.”