National Signing Day is just hours away, and Doug Marrone still has a few recruiting battles outstanding. But one of those carries a bit more significance than the rest. New York City DB Wayne Morgan has been on SU’s radar for a long a time, and tomorrow Morgan will either commit to Syracuse or Connecticut at 4p.
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“Light’s Out” says he likes the old school approach of both Doug Marrone and Paul Pasqualoni, but this is a battle The Dougie absolutely cannot afford to lose. Since Marrone‚Äôs arrival, Orange Nation has kept a keen eye on whether Syracuse could keep prime time recruits in New York to stay at home and play for the Orange. ¬†Morgan may not have the national profile of Ishaq Williams or Chad Kelly, but he is a difference maker. The defensive back from Brooklyn is listed as the number three prospect out of New York State by ESPNU.
It‚Äôs one thing to lose Williams to Notre Dame, or even Kelly to Clemson, but to lose Morgan to Coach P and UConn would be devastating. Syracuse’s success in the tri-state area has eroded at the same time Rutgers influence grew in New Jersey. But with¬†Crazy Eyes Schiano leaving the Scarlet Knights vulnerable,¬†Marrone has an opportunity to take control of that coveted New York pipeline for the Orange once again.
UConn presumably also sees an opportunity to increase its share of the New York market with Schiano gone. Coach P‚Äôs presence in Storrs has arguably turned the Huskies into SU’s biggest football rival. That rivalry extends to recruiting as well. ¬†The New York City recruiting wars will go a long way to determine the futures of Syracuse, UConn, and Rutgers. Morgan‚Äôs recruitment is the first post-Schiano battle of this war, and could set the tone for recruiting clashes down the line. ¬†
While scouting services debate whether Morgan will play corner or safety in college, there‚Äôs no denying he‚Äôs the type of explosive athlete the Orange need. According to Scout.com he stands at 5‚Äô11″, 191 lbs. with a 75-inch wingspan, a 35-inch vertical leap, and a 10.8 100-meter dash.
Losing an in-state athlete like that who has talked glowingly about playing at SU with his dawg Brandon Reddish would be damaging for Marrone. But losing him to Coach P and UConn would really hurt. This is different than Ishaq, Kelly or Jarron Jones. In those cases the Orange was the huge underdog battling national powers like Notre Dame and Clemson. This time SU is the favorite, The Fizz’s own DVM has given Marrone a 70% chance of landing Morgan. 
Syracuse football recruiting will get a jolt from both the move to the ACC and Schiano’s departure from Rutgers, but losing Morgan at the eleventh hour to UConn would stunt some of that momentum. Marrone has the much coveted New York City recruiting victory within his grasp, and if he can hold off Coach P for one more day, he may get a firmer grip on the New York area for years to come.
Posted: Steve Neikam
13 responses to ““Light’s Out” for UConn? Why Wayne Morgan is Syracuse’s Priority Tomorrow”
He’s ours. Mark it down
Any idea when some of the other undecided targets will be announcing tomorrow. Thanks for the coverage guys!
Great article but based on a UConn tweet from this afternoon, it sounds like it’s over 90% likely he will make the right choice and be wearing Orange in the fall. SU is so desperate in the secondary they can tell him he has a shot at starting and it wouldn’t necessarily be untrue. SU has to win this one. We can’t be losing players to Coach P who was fired in part due to recruiting. This would simultaneously hurt Rutgers’ recent grip over the NYC area, and be a setback to UConn. If SU can get the upper hand on UConn in New York, they might start getting some of the Connecticut kids that we used to get. Things on the whole are looking good for SU. Tomorrow could be one of the best signing days for SU in years. In fact, if all the commits sign with SU and Morgan commits too, this would be SU’s best class since the late 90s. They get Caroo and a couple of the other kids, this could be the best signing class since the McNabb/Harrison era (at least it would appear to be so on paper).
Why would anyone chose UCONN over SU. Morgan this a no brainer. SU is on the rise and your a New Yorker. You and Reddish will become shut down corners. My guess is we get this kid and he comes in and starts next year.
We just got a great DE from JUCO in Calif. Morgan is ours and will play with his HS Buddie
I know Wayne will choose Orange. If we could steal Pinnix-Odrick from Rutgirls, I’ll be a happy camper!
I can’t see the hype about Morgan. Yes he’s a NYS kind of kid, but his talent is in question. So why so important. Losing Jones from Rochester was much more hurtful!!
SO me and Wayne are Biddies!? Come on Fizz, we are not biddies we are DAWGS!
Dawgs buddies or other we need you to play well
and we need him to play good too one of u will probably start in Phillips place
Markus Brewster JUCO AA is now with SU……stud! Not a UTR recruit all you fans keep crying about……Go SU! “Lights out” would make for an amazing haul at this point……SU has pledged the JUCO ranks! I love it
Shawn, as much as I would like for pinnix-odrick to come to SU, I think at this point we already have 24 recruits, and have room for maybe 1-2 more. Considering the amount of D-lineman we have in this class, I would prefer to have Morgan and Leonte Caroo as our last recruits. Also, Josh Glanton may take up a spot as well. Hopefully, if Tashon Whitehurst decides to go to USF then Glanton can take his spot and the numbers crunch wont matter.
Whitehurst is better than Glanton but who’s caroo?
Caroo’s nobody special….just the top “wr” in N.J.and the possible gamebreaker the “Cuse” are going too need if there going to take the next step and thwart Rutger’s north Jersey recruiting dominance!