Walk-on Asher Morgan reflects on challenges

After a season of reflection, Philadelphia’s Asher Morgan got the chance to fulfill a lifelong dream of playing for the Mississippi State Bulldogs as a walk-on quarterback this year.

“I’ve been a State fan all my life and always loved the Dawgs. My brother and both my parents went there so this school has meant a lot to me,” he said. “I’m very blessed to play for my dream school.”

Morgan’s parents are Kirk and Dayna Morgan of Philadelphia, and he has three older siblings Betsy, Leslie, and Micah.

Undeterred by being a walk-on without a scholarship, Morgan approached his role with unwavering determination.

His football journey is a testament to perseverance, passion, and the pursuit of a dream in the face of challenges that began at the age of eight.

“I’ve been trucking ever since,” he said. “Football is the greatest team sport there is. It’s so complex when you get down to the x’s and o’s and strategies. It requires so much thought. It’s such a cool and unique game unlike anything else, and I’m blessed to play the quarterback position.”

Morgan graduated from Philadelphia High School in 2020 and earned an impressive array of accolades his senior year, including first team All-State, District Offensive MVP, Wendy’s Mississippi Giant of the Week, and recognition as a Meridian Star’s Premiere Preps Team Member. 

“I was very fortunate and honored that I was recognized with those awards, and to have a talented group around me,” he said. “I had Tulu, Calloway, and a bunch of other athletes, receivers, linemen, and a great defense. Those guys really set us up for success. I just had to get them the ball.”

His outstanding performance, throwing for 5,400 yards and 48 touchdowns in his last two seasons at Philadelphia, attracted attention from several college programs including Jacksonville State, Southeastern Louisiana, Samford, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Northwest, and East Central.

After opting to play at Samford University in Alabama, Morgan faced challenges due to playing behind a seasoned quarterback, and disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which added an extra year of eligibility along with earning a redshirt.

“Unfortunately, I didn’t get to play at all,” he said. “Those first couple years kind of hit you like a brick wall, because you don’t know what to expect in college football. It’s a lot tougher than you thought it’d be, so it really set the framework for the rest of my career. I had to learn quickly how to manage my time.”

Morgan is double majoring in accounting and finance and focuses on separating time between academics and responsibilities on the gridiron, allowing his best effort for each.

After two years at Samford, Morgan made the heartfelt decision to transfer to Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College for his redshirt freshman season.

“I really wanted to have a chance to compete,” Morgan said. “It didn’t work out the way I wanted to as far as playing time goes, but I met a lot of really cool guys and a lot of in-state guys. It was good to be back in my home state.”

At MGCC, Morgan completed eight of 15 passes for 83 yards and a touchdown and said his favorite memory from his time there was beating Jones Community College to win the team’s fourth straight MACCC South title.

“When stuff doesn’t go your way, you kind of have to sit back and reevaluate,” Morgan said. “I certainly wasn’t giving up, but I was ready for something different.”

About MSU, he said,  “Those guys didn’t recruit me, I reached out to them. “I was fortunate enough that they saw my film and asked me to come on.”

He added, “At first, I had a lot to prove. With not being known, you have to earn a lot of respect. I made a continual effort to give it my best all the time, to do my job right all the time, and to leave a good footprint behind for the coaches. That’s my motivation, to prove my ability, work ethic, and value to the team.”

Morgan said his playing style is more of a drop-back passer, but he also likes scrambling when the chance arises. He loves the air raid offense, and the current plays the team has been running recently, including RPO’s and running the ball more frequently.

“When things break down and you have to get outside the pocket, that’s always fun to me,” he said. “It brings out your creativity to see what you can do with your feet moving laterally. I’m a traditional drop-back passer that can do it all.”

Reflecting on his experience at State, Morgan emphasized the heightened caliber of players at that level, saying, “I’ve played with Tulu (Griffin) a long time from little league, and I’m now back with him at State,” he said. “There’s not a lot of guys like him, but when you’re in the SEC there’s a lot guys that have speed. There’s a second gear when they’re in the open field and they decide to outrun everybody. That second gear is the biggest difference between them and everybody else.”

Morgan acknowledged that he knew he wasn’t going to play much this past season, but said his job was to be a positive reinforcement to his teammates. 

“If I was ever needed in any situation, I give it my all one hundred percent,” he said. “For the guys that don’t get a lot of reps, you can either sit there with your arms crossed, or be vocal and be a leader. I tried to do the latter and tried to encourage the guys.”

The Bulldogs concluded the 2023 season with a 5-7 record, a result that wasn’t the outcome Morgan and his teammates had hoped and worked hard for throughout the year.

“We were shooting for a lot better than that, but we fell short,” he said. “It was crazy because a couple games we were just one or two plays away from winning. We lost a close one against South Carolina and other close ones down the road.”

Looking ahead, Morgan’s goal for next year, during his redshirt junior season, is to make a lasting impression with the new coaching staff, ascend the depth chart, embrace every opportunity to contribute on the field and continue to encourage his teammates when his number is called.