STARKVILLE — Bob Shoop had options when Jaquarius Landrews was the second starting Star, the nickel defensive back, to go down with injury, his coming against Louisiana Tech.
Mississippi State’s defensive coordinator could have easily chosen a baptism by fire for freshman Marcus Murphy at the same position. If MSU elected to shuffle at safety rather than Star, it put Stephen Adegoke on scholarship for this exact reason — depth — and his time could have been called.
Instead, it called on C.J. Morgan. The sophomore from Bossier City, Louisiana, was the answer when the No. 18 Bulldogs were down two defensive backs going into the final three weeks of the season. He did not disappoint.
“He earned it. He said thank you for giving him the opportunity, but I told him I didn’t give him anything, he earned it,” Shoop told The Dispatch.
Morgan ended the regular season with 16 tackles — 12 of them came in the final three games as a starter. He also tallied his second interception of the season in the Arkansas game, the particulars of that play showing his development in the new role. He gives MSU (8-4) yet another option in the secondary going into the 11 a.m. Dec. 1 (ESPN2) Outback Bowl against Iowa (8-4).
That interception against Arkansas came in a new coverage scheme, one that Morgan and Bulldog defensive backs drilled constantly throughout the week. Morgan quickly paired the coverage scheme with the Razorback formation, which gave him a tip as to what play was coming.
As soon as he could, Morgan darted for the sideline and beat the Razorback receiver to the ball.
“I wanted to run it back, of course, but shoot I was tired, it was a long drive,” Morgan said through a smile. “Just go down, celebrate the interception.”
Morgan also had a pivotal pass defended in the Egg Bowl: his pass breakup midway through the fourth quarter ended all hope of a Rebel comeback.
On those two snaps, Morgan made the two most significant plays of his college career to date. Even he will admit the list to compare them with is short, given his lack of prior playing time.
In many programs on the rise like MSU’s, players such as Morgan can be the victim. They are brought in when the program is recruiting at one level, just for that level to rise and the new recruits to be better than the old ones. Morgan never let that thought enter his mind.
“It can be very discouraging, you see great players come in over you, but you stay true to the process, work hard and wait your turn,” Morgan said. “When your number’s called, be ready.
“One thing (former MSU) Coach (Dan) Mullen taught us was mental toughness. Calling back to those things his staff taught us, mental toughness, knowing no matter what’s going on, give your best effort.”
One caveat to Morgan’s journey: he was not as ready for this exact opportunity as he could have been, because he had no reason to believe it would come this way.
Morgan had never played the strong safety position, the one he started at in the last three games, but the faith in him to do it came from everyone around him.
Shoop said he approached Johnathan Abram, the usual starter at strong safety, for his opinion of what MSU should do without Landrews. Abram volunteered himself to take Landrews’ spot and suggested Morgan take over at strong safety, assuring Shoop he would have Morgan ready.
Luckily for Morgan, there isn’t much mental strain in switching from free safety to strong safety.
“There wasn’t any secret formula we gave him or anything like that,” Shoop said. “He just paid attention in meetings to both free and strong safety. He’s a smart, tough football player and when his opportunity was ready to go, he took it.
“C.J. has the speed and the athletic ability to play against this level of competition, it was just a matter of him focusing, and he’s done that. Hopefully it’s a kickstart to a really good career.”
As if the opportunity to start against the top-ranked Crimson Tide and in the Egg Bowl were not enough, the future may be the most exciting part of Morgan’s season-ending stretch: it comes in his sophomore season, thus two years to shine after the senior safeties ahead of him depart.
He has an offseason to contemplate that and work to make it a reality. The sheer opportunity to play was far too good for him to think beyond it.
“It’s been something I’ve been waiting on since I set foot on this campus, something I worked hard for,” Morgan said. “I take pride in doing the little things right. I felt like if I practiced hard, I would be ready if I got a shot.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brett Hudson on Twitter @Brett_Hudson
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