With all of the news coming off the wire concerning National Signing Day in college football, I found the following release from the MVSU Athletics Department to be a bit of a reality check. If nothing else, it proves that newly hired football coach Karl Morgan has his hands full.
As many high school football players found themselves signing National Letters of Intent on February 3, new Mississippi Valley State University head football coach Karl Morgan found himself surrounded by game film from both the collegiate and prep levels.
“The recruiting process is still moving forward,” said Morgan from behind his desk in the Devil’s Den. “Recruiting players and evaluation of last year’s team is currently our top priority.”
Morgan, hired as MVSU 15th head coach in January, has been holding down the fort for the MVSU football program since he stepped foot on the Itta Bena campus. While the endeavour has been an eventful one, he is still optimistic about the players who will be under his wing in 2010.
Although no players signed letters of intent for the upcoming season, Morgan continues to work with vigilance and hope as he develops his plan for the program.
“While we did not get any players to commit via NLIs (National Letters of Intent), we have had several players verbally commit to joining us in the upcoming season. We are just waiting on the paperwork to be completed and submitted.”
While Morgan has been adjusting himself to Mississippi Valley State, he has been constantly watching film – both on last year’s team and players who have submitted film to the program in hopes of joining the team in 2010.
“One thing I have been able to accomplish is watching a lot of film. We have some players on this team returning in the spring and the fall who can be vital performers for us next season. Also, there are a number of potential prospects who look good on film.”
Morgan stated that although the day was quiet, he asks that fans and supporters continue to stay with the program as a number of signees are expected to sign over the coming weeks.
If Mississippi Valley is ever going to turn its situation on the gridiron around, Morgan and his coaching staff will not be able to do it themselves. It will require unwavering support from MVSU alumni and fans. Support is something the Mississippi Valley State football program hasn’t seen in years, no, make that decades. If you ask the Valley faithful what went wrong with Valley football, they’d probably tell you that it was all Willie Totten’s fault. And to some degree they would have a valid argument. But the Valley folks have to take their share of the blame in turning what has become the absolute worst football program in the SWAC. The football program at MVSU is producing exactly what its supporters are investing in it…NOTHING! How ironic is it that MVSU managed to sign “zero” recruits on the official start of signing day?
However, if Governor Haley Barbour has his way there may not be a Mississippi Valley State University much longer. But that is another story.
This is so sad, MVSU supports you have got to step up and support your programs or you will lose them altogether, and I would really hate to see that happen!