Daily Pilot Football Player of the Week: Morgan Craig

Barry Faulkner

To watch Morgan Craig drop his shoulder and pile drive an opposing

tackler into the turf while finishing a run, one would never suspect his

deepest motivation stems from fear.

For though the Newport Harbor High quarterback dreads no opponent, he

is downright phobic in his passion for progress.

“If you ever get cocky at this position, you’re toast,” said the

Sailors’ senior signal caller, who, last season, left himself a tough act

to follow this fall.

After completing 111 of 184 passes for 1,308 yards, with nine

touchdowns and a paltry five interceptions, to help his team reach the

CIF Southern Section Division VI title game, the 6-foot-1, 185-pounder

was awarded All-Newport-Mesa District honors.

But, approaching his second season at the controls of Coach Jeff

Brinkley’s offense, Craig realized there would be no resting on those

laurels.

“Even though I knew I’d be the starting guy, I knew I had to work

really hard,” Craig said. “I’ve seen guys have a good junior year, then

have a horrible senior year and I was afraid of

that happening to me. I still worry about it.”

Those fears had to subside a little after Craig’s performance in

Saturday’s 28-0 nonleague victory over Marina.

The Daily Pilot Player of the Week completed 12 of 14 passes for 135

yards, including touchdown tosses of 3, 19, 8 and 48 yards. He also

gained postgame praise from Brinkley for audiblizing out of a handful of

potentially bad plays.

“I had a good completion percentage (85.7%) and some good yardage,”

Craig said. “But stats are stats, so that’s not a big deal. I just want

our team to win.”

The Sailors have lost only twice in Craig’s 14 varsity starts, but a

7-7 season-opening tie against Orange Lutheran left the field general

with a sinking feeling.

“I knew I had to pick it up a little bit (in Week 2),” Craig said. “I

was pretty frustrated after the Orange Lutheran game (in which he

completed 8 of 17 for 59 yards).”

Said Brinkley, “I think (Craig) got back into his groove. He threw the

ball well and he checked off a few times. He has some experience from

last season, but he has a whole new cast of characters around him this

year, including a whole new receiving group.”

Craig said he is a more confident leader and the task of reading

defenses comes more naturally this season.

He also exhibited poise in the pocket against Marina, as well as the

ability to avoid what little pressure he received. His scrambling ability

bought time on his 48-yard touchdown connection with Adam Kerns against

Marina and Craig has rushed for 38 yards on 10 carries in two games.

“I love being able to run the ball, but I also want to have patience

(while dropping back) and rely on my offensive line. All our linemen have

really good feet and good experience and are coached up by Coach (Zach)

Biehl. Those guys care about me on and off the field and I appreciate

their friendship so much.”

When receivers are covered or protection breaks down, Craig doesn’t

hesitate to scramble.

“He has good speed, good lower-body strength and he’s a tough kid, so

he runs the ball well,” Brinkley said.

That toughness is apparent when he runs over defenders.

“He played linebacker as a younger guy, so he knows how to hit you,”

Brinkley said.

“I picked up a few things watching (Chris) Manderino (a physical

runner who played quarterback and tailback the last two seasons, before

moving on to UC Berkeley),” Craig said. “I know I’m not as good as he

was, but I’m comfortable in situations where I know I’m going to get hit.

It seems like defensive guys expect you to let them hit you and just take

it. But I like to lower my head when they’re not expecting it.”

Lower his head? Sure. But turn his head? No chance.

“I always have the fear of not doing well,” he said. “I still kick

myself all the time about little things I could do better.”