Early morning starts keep football on minds of Langston’s players

LANGSTON — Langston football is getting an early start to the season. Not with its season opener. With its practice time.

The Lions have been practicing at 4:30 a.m. each day.

“Try our best to beat the heat,” said Langston coach Quinton Morgan. That will do it.

Our state-college preview series continues today with Langston, where Morgan is sold on the early morning practices.

“I think it works great, because the very first thing on their mind when they wake up is football,” Morgan said. “They have the rest of the day to attack academically.

“It also made our kids go to bed at night. Can’t be up all night playing PlayStation, then get up at 3:30-4 o’clock in the morning, ready for practice.”

The pre-dawn routine should serve Langston well on road trips, starting with Saturday, when the Lions open the season at 3 p.m. at Panhandle State. It’s a 276-mile drive from Langston to Goodwell.

“Doesn’t take much to flip the switch,” Morgan said. “Working them out, very first thing, flip it into as it was traveling on the road. Prepares their business for their football.”

Langston has become a consistent winner in the NAIA. From 2015-19, its season records were 7-3, 7-2, 10-1, 9-2, 8-2. The 2020 season was canceled, of course, but Langston played five games in the spring, going 2-3.

Morgan said the Lions were completely shut down in the autumn and took little weightlifting or conditioning into the spring schedule.

Still, “I enjoyed it,” he said. “It gave me a great evaluation of my incoming freshmen. See how they could compete. It was like having a spring camp, only we got the opportunity to play live games.”

Morgan said the Lions will be led by quarterback Larry Harrington, the older brother of OU defensive back Justin Harrington; tailback Ger’Kerry Jackson; wide receiver Trevon Billington; safeties Malcolm Johnson and Dorian Williams; and preseason All-American linebacker Devin Dourisseau.

Morgan is excited. He sees the vaunted Langston band practicing and students inquiring about the team and an energy around campus.

“Just that atmosphere that it’s almost that we’re back to normal,” Morgan said.

KEITH MOODY/ARIZONA CHRISTIAN Langston running back Markel Scott tries to keep his balance during the Lions’ game last spring at Arizona Christian. After Langston canceled all sports last fall, the football team played for the first time in 462 days. The Lions open this fall season on Saturday at Panhandle State.