The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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52 THE WOLVERINE NOVEMBER 2021 FOOTBALL RECRUITING He's feeling confident in his knee during these drills. He's going to be good to go. I've been really impressed." The next step in the rehab process will be the aforementioned lateral movement and change-of-direction work. Prior to the injury, Morris was known as a tactical route runner with the ability to make big plays after the catch. With just around three months left be- fore Morris enrolls at Michigan, Taylor wants to make sure he is ready to roll as soon as he steps foot on campus. "We want him to get as strong as pos- sible," Taylor said. "We want to get him flexible, mobile, quick and fast. We want to get him prepped for winter condition- ing and spring ball. I honestly think he'll be ready. He's mentally tough and is a talented guy that works hard. When you have that combination, you're going to be successful." Morris could have easily put his head down — he had every reason to. Instead, he's been working harder than ever be- fore while maintaining a positive atti- tude. He has never felt sorry for himself and has attacked each day of rehab with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind. "We've been amazed at his maturity," Michael said. "We knew he would attack it. But he's stayed positive through this. There is a certain emotional maturity that goes along with that. Sometimes, I sit back, and I'm a little astonished that this is my 17-year-old. I'm very proud of how he's handled it." Along with his physical therapy and speed training, Morris has also been do- ing some of his own work in the back- yard. When asked if he's touched a foot- ball since the injury, the future Wolverine grinned and proceeded to talk about his new JUGS machine, which 'throws' per- fect passes to any precise spot. With his little sister loading the ma- chine, Morris has been able to catch hundreds — maybe even thousands — of footballs over the past few months. "We were going to go out for a com- mitment dinner, but my parents were like, 'How about we just get a JUGS ma- chine?' instead," he said. "I haven't been able to run routes or anything like that, but I have been in the backyard catching balls." JUGS machines can cost upwards of $4,000, but the expensive gift was well worth the price. At least, one parent thinks so. "That was his dad," Shirley quipped. Michael laughed and explained his rea- soning for going with the machine over some deep dish at Giordano's. "Prior to him getting injured, he had Boom [club 7-on-7] and other outlets for staying busy," he said. "We talked about what we could do to get him focused and keep him busy. The JUGS machine makes sense. It will help with his recovery but doesn't require a lot of movement. It will also help with his skill set — hands, catching the ball from different angles and things like that." While it may not look like it on the sur- face, the injury has been a bit of a blessing in disguise. Morris transferred to Plain- field (Ill.) East this offseason and has been serving as somewhat of a volunteer as- sistant, which allows him to work closely with his younger brother, Quinn. A freshman on varsity, Quinn is hav- ing a breakout season and quickly making a name for himself in recruiting circles. Tyler has been at several practices as well as every game this fall. While he certainly wishes he could be making plays on Fri- day night, big brother is embracing his situation. "As bad as it sounds, I can only focus on what I can control," he said. "It has been sad sometimes, but it's also been cool to be back at public school with kids I went to middle school with and to watch my brother play varsity football, which wouldn't have happened before. I've been going to his practices a lot and working with the receivers. I've been on the side- line giving him tips. It's been good to be able to do that." The transfer to Plainfield East will also allow Morris to finish up his high school classes in December and enroll early at Michigan, something that likely would have been impossible had he stayed at Nazareth Academy, which has restric- tions on early graduation. Morris is excited about the opportunity to get a head start on his college career in Ann Arbor and can't wait to get back on the field. "Just being able to relax a little bit and knowing for sure I can go early is big for me," he said. "It was something we were trying to figure out at Naz, but now that I can for sure is a big weight off my shoul- ders. "Now, I get an extra six months, where I can add weight to my body and get bigger, faster, stronger and learn the playbook. The biggest things are being physically and mentally ready before the season starts." Between the pandemic and the injury, he has played in only three football games since the end of his sophomore campaign. While he gets ready to embark on the next chapter of his life, Morris is more motivated than ever. When the time comes to take the field in The Big House for the first time, he will be ready. That's a guarantee. "I'm the type of person that likes to prove a point and work hard," Morris said. "Being apart from everything pushes me that much more. I'm going to want to be on the field more than everybody. I'm fo- cused on now, but in the future, it's going to be about winning Big Ten champion- ships and national championships, and doing what I can do to help the team." ❏ On The Web For regular reports on Michigan football recruiting plus videos of U-M commitments and targets visit TheWolverine.com. Morris has been ranked as the No. 14 wide receiver and No. 141 overall prospect nation- ally by Rivals.com. PHOTO BY EJ HOLLAND