Local recruits head ‘explosive, dynamic’ class
Morgan State football coach Ernest T. Jones stood before a congregation of media and alumni Wednesday and, with the passion of a preacher, trumpeted the biggest names of next fall’s recruits, to wit:
Jared Lewis, quarterback of Dunbar’s state Class 1A champions and a secondteam All Metro pick.
Tyler Holley, Perry Hall’s signal caller who passed for more than 1½ miles and 34 touchdowns last fall.
Jordan Cofield, a New Town speedster and the defending state 2A indoor track champion in the 55-meter dash. Local standouts, all. “We had to do better at keeping our own at home — and we did a pretty good job this year,” Morgan State athletic director Edward Scott said. “It’s a great day to be a Bear.”
On national signing day, at a school rich in football tradition but now mired in mediocrity, no one was more upbeat than Jones, 48, the interim head coach who replaced Fred Farrier in December. Farrier led the Bears for two years, going 3-8 as interim coach in 2016 and 1-10 as head coach last season, when Jones served as codefensive coordinator.
“It’s a new day, the rebirth of Bears New Morgan State football coach Ernest T. Jones trumpeted the newly signed players during a national signing day event at the Northeast Baltimore school’s campus. pride,” Jones said. “We understand what’s out there in front of us, but I have a plan to move us forward. We’re not thinking about what happened last year, or two years ago. We’re going to put a team out there that will give us an opportunity to win in the fourth quarter.”
The new recruits will fuel that fire, the coach said:
“This is an explosive, dynamic class of guys who are going to make an impact on the program right
Twenty strong, the incoming class includes four defensive backs, four wide receivers, three defensive linemen and two quarterbacks, running backs and offensive linemen. One linebacker, long snapper and punter-kicker — Nick O’Shea, an all-state booter from Detroit — round out the group. The ragged play of special teams cost Morgan State several games last year.
Six recruits are from both Maryland and Florida, three are from Virginia and two from Michigan. One each come from New York, Pennsylvania and New York.
It’s a solid group on which to build, the athletic director said.
“We’ve had five winning seasons in 44 years, and that’s not acceptable. Our fans deserve better,” said Scott, who celebrated the 15-month anniversary of his arrival at Morgan State on Wednesday. “We are going to get back to where we were.”
Jones made no bones about wanting to lead the charge.
“They say I’m interim, but I am the head coach and I plan to be here for a long time to come,” he said. What must he do to keep the job? “I don’t put win/ loss totals on any of my coaches,” Scott said. “But a .500 season is a great starting point for us. If we win half or our games and are making strides, I’ll be very pleased. But after that, I expect more. We’re not going to rest.”