Westover’s Denarrius Morgan signs with Eastern Arizona

ALBANY — Westover High School football coach Octavia Jones said coaches can teach fundamentals and techniques.

But they can’t teach speed.

Senior wide receiver/defensive back Denarrius Morgan has been blessed with quickness, which helped him earn a scholarship offer from Eastern Arizona. Morgan signed a letter-of-intent in the Westover auditorium Monday afternoon.

Morgan has been timed a 4.4 in the 40-yard dash. He said his signing came about because of hard-work and dedication.

“A few years ago, I wasn’t very disciplined grade-wise and on the field,” he said. “It took some time for me to get my act together.”

When Morgan got serious, things fell into place.

The also runs track & field. Jones said he couldn’t help but notice Morgan’s talent as a track standout. The coach later figured that with his speed, he could be just as dangerous catching passes on the football field.

“He came out and played for us and made the most of it,” Jones said. “Clearly, the ceiling is still high for him and he has some more learning to do. He has done a lot here in a few years and we feel like Eastern Arizona is getting a special player.”

Morgan was named to the Region 1-AAAA team and was a first-team all-area selection by The Albany Herald. Jones said he was impressed with Morgan’s play on special teams in 2015.

He made just as much of an impact on defense as he did offense as a starter last fall.

“He blocked some punts and had some interceptions for us,” Jones said. “He did a lot of different things for us.”

Morgan said he got looks from several schools, including some Division I programs. Eastern Arizona remains one of the top junior college football programs in the country, and Morgan said he expects to compete for playing time.

“Hopefully, I can use this as a stepping stone to get the the next level,” he said. “And achieve my dream.”