The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2026 ■ 47 WHERE ARE THEY NOW? terceptions and 10 passes defended dur- ing his five seasons with the Wolfpack, seemingly putting himself in position to contend for a roster spot somewhere. But the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of NC State's pro day, and teams didn't conduct their usual rookie mini-camps that spring, depriv- ing Morehead of a prime opportunity to prove himself. Instead of pursing an NFL career, he entered the workforce, driving trucks to earn a living. "I didn't want to be that guy who was chasing a dream that probably wasn't go- ing to come true because of what was go- ing on in the world," Morehead said. He continued to work out, though, and it paid off when he ended up on the radar of Keith Flynn, developmental pit crew director for Hendrick Motorsports. Flynn makes periodic recruiting treks through the Carolinas. When he reached out to Henry Trevathan, the Pack's di- rector of high school relations, to see if NC State had anyone who could work on a pit crew, Trevethan recommended Morehead. Head coach Dave Doeren also put in a good word, as did strength and conditioning coach Dantonio "Thunder" Burnette. Morehead attended a one-day com- bine and did well, earning an invita- tion to a three-day training camp in the Charlotte area. He did well there, too, and ended up being one of a handful of Hendrick signees. "His coaches kept saying that they re- cruited better athletes, but those athletes could never beat Jarius out because of his preparation, extra work in the film room and his ability to manage the de- fense," Flynn said. "All of those attri- butes turned into exactly the same thing here at Hendrick." Morehead wasn't sure what to expect when he took the job. He was new to the sport, but he understood from his time at NC State that the key to success was to put in the work. "I have a competitive mindset," More- head said. "When I came in, I didn't know anything about NASCAR, so I took it as a chip on my shoulder: I need to learn this, need to learn that, and I want to be the best that I can be as a teammate, player and pit guy. I just wanted to be that guy they can call on for anything." Leading The Way Morehead was brought aboard as a tire carrier, which earned him a spot on a car in each of NASCAR's top three circuits: Rajah Caruth's No. 71 in the trucks, Nick Sanchez's No. 48 in the Xfinity Series and Carson Hocevar's No. 77 in the Cup Series. Having gained experience, he's now captain of a five- man crew, overseeing the action on each day of a busy and hectic weekend. The traits that Flynn identified in Morehead as a football player have easily transferred to NASCAR. "Jarius is a leader," Flynn said. "He takes charge of the whole group and holds them to a very high standard. He holds himself to a high standard. … He's the dream athlete to have on your team." Morehead has embraced being the go- to part of the pit crew. He carries himself the way a coach would, finding ways to motivate his teammates while also look- ing to improve on every pit stop during each race. "You can't be scared to fail," Morehead said. "I tell my guys all the time, 'If you're not failing, you're not trying.' You can't succeed unless you fail in life. If you mess up on pit road, that's OK. We've got a next stop, and we're going to learn from it." Morehead's approach has been ben- eficial for his team, which also features former NC State defensive back Rod Cox as the rear tire changer. They set the NAS- CAR Cup Series record for the fastest pit stop in history with an 8.29-second time on Hocevar's No. 77 at Miami Homestead International Speedway last year. "You have to enjoy the competition on pit road," Morehead said. "You want to be the organization that's beating everyone on pit road. When you finish a stop and the other guys are still doing theirs, it's a beautiful feeling." The rush of adrenaline when the car enters the pit box, especially under a green flag, isn't one that Morehead ever thought he would feel, but he has come to relish it. Morehead's NFL career never ma- terialized, but his life as a professional athlete has continued. The chance that arose shortly after the pandemic was one that he will never take for granted. "I never heard about NASCAR, I never pitted a car," Morehead said. "I didn't know anything about cars. But when I got done with football, I was asking God for another opportunity. I just wanted an opportunity. It might be walking in a blind door, not knowing what it was going to be." ■ JARIUS MOREHEAD FOOTBALL (2015-19) Age: 28 Living: Charlotte, N.C. Occupation: Hendrick Motorsports pit crew member Did you know? Morehead made the first start of his college career in the Pack's 10-3 victory over Notre Dame on Oct. 8, 2016. A redshirt freshman at the time, he had a 25-yard interception return versus the Irish, the third-longest play of the game. Recruited by Hendrick Motorsports, Morehead serves as the captain of a five-man pit crew. PHOTO COURTESY SPIRE MOTORSPORTS " You have to enjoy the competition on pit road. … When you finish a stop and the other guys are still doing theirs, it's a beautiful feeling." Morehead