Matt Morrison doesn’t know quite what to do with himself.
Sure, there’s the life-changing move to college, 1,500 miles away from Derry at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Daytona Beach, Fla.)
But, a year removed from leading Pinkerton Academy to it’s first football state title in a decade, Morrison is now adjusting to life without his lifelong passion.
“It’s really strange to be able to sleep in, instead of lifting at 6 a.m.,” he said. “It’s strange to be able to have formal dinners, instead of being at the field for 7-on-7s, and not having to try to put on as much weight as possible before the season starts. It feels, in a way, like I’m missing something without football, like a part of my life is gone.”
The 2024 Eagle-Tribune defensive Player of the Year has said goodbye to the gridiron, after making the decision to focus on track and field in college, as he pursues a career in the aviation field.
So, after a lifetime of falls consumed by football, Morrison is now facing his new reality.
“It was extremely hard to give up football because it has always been my favorite sport, and the most fun to play,” he said. “I 100% miss football, especially my teammates and the feeling of stepping onto the field on Friday night, ready to perform. I miss the thrill of running through a hole and trying to avoid everyone coming for me, essentially the adrenaline rush of running for my life.”
Playing football at Pinkerton, and winning a state title, was the culmination of a lifelong dream for Morrison, following in the footsteps of his dad, Eagle-Tribune All-Star and 1991 state champion Kevin Morrison.
A four-year varsity player, Matt delivered his masterpiece as a senior, rushing for 1,107 yards and scoring 18 touchdowns — despite missing three games due to a hand injury — leading the Astros to their first title since 2014.
“I considered playing football in college a little bit,” he said. “But I never committed to reaching out to coaches and trying to get recruited. I felt that with my injury history, the coursework required for my college major (aerospace engineering with a minor in business administration) and the amount of time required for football, I wouldn’t have been able to perform at the level I wanted.”
Instead, Morrison will focus on track, another sport where he became a breakout star with the Astros.
A two-time Eagle-Tribune All-Star in indoor track, he showed his unique versatility at the Division I Championship as a senior, taking second in the 55-meter (6.42) and 300-meter (35.29) for the second straight year, and adding a third in the 55-meter hurdles (7.66). He won the DI title in the hurdles as a junior (7.61).
“Track is the right sport for me at the college level because it allows me to focus on myself,” he said. “I get to go out every day and work out, knowing that my future and performance will be directly impacted by how I train. It’s me against myself, and I want to be the best that I can be. Track will also allow me to spend more time learning and connecting with clubs on campus and with other people.
“I find focusing on track exciting because it’s a sport where I get to test my athletic capabilities. I get to see how far I can push my body to perform the physically most demanding movement. It’s me against the clock, and like I said earlier, it is all up to me to perform and train. Success is on me and failure is on me. No excuses.”
Morrison will now dive into training, which starts next week, while working towards a career in either aerodynamics or jet propulsion.
“My goals are to have a healthy season in track, keep a 4.0 GPA,” he said, “and join at least two clubs at the school involving either robotics, flight design, or rocket propulsion.”
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