For Second Time, Morris Named Player of the Year

For the second straight year, senior wide receiver Carl Morris is the Ivy League’s Player of the Year, the league announced yesterday.

Morris becomes the first player in the last 25 years to bring home the honors in consecutive seasons—and only the third to accomplish that feat all-time.

“Obviously, I wasn’t surprised [by the selection],” said Harvard football coach Tim Murphy. “There’s no question that he’s the Ivy League’s best player.”

Morris shattered many of his own receiving records this year, catching 90 passes for 1,288 yards—topping last year’s school record-setting mark of 71 and 943. Morris also broke the school record for most catches in a game with 21 in the Crimson’s October win over Dartmouth.

Morris was the Crimson’s most consistent offensive weapon en route to a second-place finish in the Ivy League. In a year in which the Ivy League had no shortage of talented receivers—including Brown’s Chas Gessner and Rob Milanese of Penn—Morris was still the cream of the crop.

“It was just a great year,” said Morris, who found out about the award on Monday. “We did a lot of good things, maybe didn’t do everything we set out to, but we had a good season.”

Earlier this week, the Sports Network announced that Morris is one of 16 finalists for the Walter Payton Award, presented on Dec. 19 to the top player in Division I-AA football. Morris is currently second in the nation in receiving yards per game (128.8) and catches per game (9.0).

Morris said yesterday that his accomplishments over the past year have yet to fully sink in.

“It still hasn’t really hit me,” Morris said. “I’ve spoken with a lot of alumni, people who follow the team and pull for us in so many ways, and they’ve been very supportive.”

Morris has been invited to two major postseason exhibitions, the East-West Shrine Game and the Hula Bowl.

Whichever events Morris attends between now and the April 26 NFL Draft should help determine whether Morris can successfully follow Seattle Seahawk Isaiah Kacyvenski ’00 and Minnesota Viking Matt Birk ’98 from Soldier’s Field to the professional ranks.

Murphy, for his part, is confident.

“There isn’t a doubt in my mind that Carl Morris is the best Ivy League skill player I’ve seen since I’ve been here,” said Murphy, who has coached the Crimson since 1994. “It’s not going to be easy, and nothing’s a given, but I think he’s going to make it.”

Morris was the biggest name among a handful of Crimson honorees announced yesterday. Senior offensive linemen Jack Fadule and Jamil Soirano and junior linebacker Dante Balestracci were also named to the first team.

Fadule and Soriano anchored an offensive line that was the team’s biggest question heading into the season. The unit ended up being effective—Harvard led the Ivy League in total yardage, with no small thanks to its tackles.

“No one really expected the o-line to do as well as it did,” Fadule said. “It was the same last year. What that says is that [offensive line coach Jim Turner] is just doing a really great job.”

Soriano was one of the Crimson’s two unanimous First-Team selections.

“Jamil is someone who had improved tremendously every year he’s been here,” Murphy said. “He and Jack were the best tandem in the Ivy League. Neither kid gave up a sack all season. We’ve had great offensive linemen in the past like Birk, but to have two kids who play at that level is great.”

Professional scouts who had been drawn to Cambridge by Morris often walked away extremely impressed with Soriano, Murphy added.

“He’s just as big as a house and extremely athletic,” Fadule said. “But his biggest asset is that when he plays, he plays extremely confident. He thinks he can beat anyone out there, and he plays mean.”

Balestracci garnered First-Team recognition for the third straight year. The linebacker, who was named captain-elect earlier this week, has a chance to become the first four-time First Team selection.

“The team is in great hands,” Morris said. “They have a tremendous leader in Dante. Day in and day out, he’s the hardest worker out there. Everyone respects him.”

Balestracci is one of 16 finalists for the Buchanan Award, which is given to the top defensive player in Division I-AA.

Seniors Mike Armstrong and John Perry were Second-Team selections at defensive end and linebacker, respectively. Senior quarterback and captain Neil Rose and sophomore quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who split time under center this season, shared Honorable Mention distinction with senior strong safety Niall Murphy and junior defensive back Chris Raftery.

—Staff writer Martin S. Bell can be reached at msbell@fas.harvard.edu.