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[MSFOOTBALL]

Hello to all of the City football fans!!! Michigan City Wolves kick off their season this Friday night at Ames field with a scrimmage against New Prairie High School at 7:00 pm. Please come out and support your home team and get a preview of how the team looks. We are excited about this upcoming season and want you to be too. We have 26 Seniors returning this year which are all very experienced. This will be Coach Mike Karpinski's third season with the Wolves and the old wives tale states that "third times a charm." May this season be the Wolves lucky charm and be their best season ever!!! Go Wolves!!!

[Southsider2k12]

I didn't realize that Washington lost their stud QB to a transfer and had gotten whipped 42-6 last week by Concord.

[taxthedeer]

I didn't realize that Washington lost their stud QB to a transfer and had gotten whipped 42-6 last week by Concord.

http://articles.southbendtribune.com/2013-...-daigien-morgan

High school football: D-I prospect Morgan transfers from Washington to Riley.

March 14, 2013|By AL LESAR | South Bend Tribune

SOUTH BEND — Whether it was a belated Christmas gift or an early Valentine’s present didn’t matter.

All that was important was that Brian Stultz finally found out how the other half of the high school football coaching world feels.

Prospective Division I football players normally don’t transfer into Riley High School.

The door usually swings the other way.

On Feb. 7, the door finally swung Riley’s way — and in walked Daigien Morgan.

The 6-foot, 185-pound Morgan, who was the quarterback during Washington’s run to the Class 4-A state championship game two years ago, introduced himself to Riley athletic director Walt Ballard and Stultz, asking for an opportunity with the Wildcats.

Once they got over the initial shock, they both welcomed Morgan with open arms.

“I wouldn’t have known Daigien from Adam,” said Ballard.

Likewise, Stultz had never met Morgan before he walked through the athletic office door.

The last Stultz saw of Morgan was the back of his jersey after he scooped up a fumble and returned it 95 yards late in the fourth quarter to turn what appeared to be a Riley sectional victory into a stunning Washington recovery.

“Once I found out who he was, the first thing I told him was that I hated him,” said Ballard, able to laugh about the tough defeat now. “Daigien is such a good kid. Everyone here felt he was coming for the right reason.”

Morgan, through his mother, declined an interview for this story. All involved said leaving Washington was a tough decision.

According to South Bend Community School Corp., athletic director Kirby Whitacre, Morgan’s mother’s economic situation improved to the point where she could relocate to a neighborhood within walking distance of Riley.

“The transfer process was followed,” Whitacre said. “There was an authenticated change of address.

“The young man and his family moved for a better living situation. Sports was a secondary consideration, if it was any consideration at all.”

As long as there was a verified change of address, the IHSAA has no mandate for an athletic release from Washington.

It’s not like Morgan is coming to an offense better suited for his talents.

At Washington, Morgan had flourished in the wide-open spread attack used by coach Antwon Jones two years ago, and Jay Johnson last year. He piled up big passing numbers — 316-of-575, 5,563 yards and 58 touchdowns, with 28 interceptions — over those two seasons.

“Our offense has been based on the run,” said Stultz, who has ridden the legs of Mike Anderson and Thomas Capers into battle recently.

Needless to say, the playbook might take some tinkering.

After an 11-4 record during the journey to Indianapolis, Washington was 3-9 last year. Riley was 1-9. However, if it weren’t for Morgan’s fumble return, the Wildcats could have survived. Two weeks down the road, the Panthers took Mishawaka to the limit before the Cavemen emerged with the sectional title. That spurred Mishawaka to a berth in the Class 4-A state championship game a few weeks later.

“We aren’t that far away,” said Ballard. “I believe we have a great program. But if a young man comes here for athletics, that’s a mistake. If he comes here to be made a better person, that’s the right decision.”

According to Ballard, academics aren’t an issue for Morgan. A solid student, he has blended in from Washington’s trimester schedule to Riley’s semester.

Athletically, he spent one week in football conditioning, then began track practice. He is expected to run sprints and compete in the high jump this spring.

Morgan has had a good deal of interest from NCAA Division I schools. Despite his gaudy offensive numbers, Stultz said his best shot at big-time college football could be in the defensive secondary.

Stultz said Morgan has his own schedule of exposure events he will attend this summer to help in the recruiting process.

Staff writer Al Lesar:
alesar@sbtinfo.com
574-235-6318