University of Memphis Athletics
Photo by: Matthew Smith
Taking Home On The Road
Dec 18, 2016 | Football
Morley's defensive backfield position switch helps the Tigers roar.
*NOTE: This feature story on Tigers senior defensive back Chris Morley first appeared in the Nov. 25 Memphis Football GameDay Program vs. Houston.
Leaving home is never easy.
Senior defensive back Chris Morley took a leap of faith in coming from hundreds of miles away in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to go to college and play football at the University of Memphis.
Luckily, he didn't have to do it alone.
When Morley signed with Memphis in 2012, he did so with two other defensive backs from southeast Florida – Chauncey Lanier and Dion Witty. Witty came from Coral Springs and finished his four-year career in 2015, while Lanier is still with Morley in the Tigers' secondary.
Morley and Lanier played against each other in high school and later were teammates in the 2011 Miami Dolphins/UnderArmour Dade vs. Broward All-Star Game.
"We were on the same all-star team," said Morley. "I played corner at the time, and he was the corner on the other side. During that week, we talked about taking college visits together."
It wasn't just about having someone familiar coming with him to Memphis, there was also something about the former coaching staff that recruited Morley.
"Of all the coaches that recruited me, my family felt the chemistry with Memphis, and it felt like this was a better fit for me," Morley said.
All three Floridians felt the same way. Memphis was both the right fit, and a school they could continue to play together.
"We ended up making the decision together so, at least, I had my brother from another mother with me," said Morley.
Lanier agreed, "Chris committed first. He came to me and said that he wanted to do something special and be a part of turning something around. I was comfortable with that because I knew Chris well. We trusted each other, and we were going to stick together."
Morley and Lanier both redshirted their first season in 2012, while Witty played as a true freshman. The pair also roomed together, helping to grow the bond between them.
Morley's path to starting every game at safety as a senior wasn't an easy road. The former high school running back and quarterback started out as a cornerback for the Tigers before being asked to move to safety heading into his sophomore season.
"I loved playing corner and being on my own island, competing one-on-one," Morley said. "My sophomore year, I could have had a starting role, but I didn't fully accept the transition to safety. The following spring, I finally bought into playing safety, and my junior year I became a starter."
In 2015, Morley's "buy-in" to his new position paid big dividends for him and the Tigers. He played in all 13 games and started seven of those contests. Morley posted 46 tackles and one interception. All of his numbers were the best of his career to that point. The team also flourished with Morley on the field. The 2015 Tigers posted a 9-4 record and climbed as high as No. 13 in the national rankings.
This season has seen Morley make an even bigger jump, standing as one of the team's leading tacklers. The entire secondary also has improved in 2016, and five of the Tigers' seven-leading tacklers play alongside Morley in the defensive backfield.
Morley also has become a leader this season, and he leads the way he knows how. Other players, like fellow senior Arthur Maulet, may be the vocal leaders, but Morley leads by example.
"I'm not the 'rah-rah' guy, but when it's game time, I can get the guys going," Morley said. "I like to lead by example, by making plays, coming to practice and working hard every day."
The Tigers defense, led by the veteran secondary, has made solid strides this season. Memphis is one of the nation's top teams in passing efficiency defense and takeaways, and the Tigers also have done an exceptional job at turning those takeaways into points.
"I said at the beginning of the season that the secondary was the strength of this team," said Morley. "We knew after last year that we had to communicate and prepare. We have chemistry, and we know we have to make plays to lead us to victory."
The truth is, the Tigers' senior-laden defensive backfield might be the closest position group on the team.
"It's about being there for each other off the field, not just on the field. We feed off each other. It just takes one of us to start the fire and the rest of us feed off it," Morley said.
Lanier added, "Since we have been here, we have been brothers. We lift each other up, and it has just been an amazing journey. We are brothers until we die. We hang out every day. We don't leave each other's side."
Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., may be over 1,000 miles from Memphis, but Morley has always had a piece of home with him here.
Leaving home is never easy.
Senior defensive back Chris Morley took a leap of faith in coming from hundreds of miles away in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to go to college and play football at the University of Memphis.
Luckily, he didn't have to do it alone.
When Morley signed with Memphis in 2012, he did so with two other defensive backs from southeast Florida – Chauncey Lanier and Dion Witty. Witty came from Coral Springs and finished his four-year career in 2015, while Lanier is still with Morley in the Tigers' secondary.
Morley and Lanier played against each other in high school and later were teammates in the 2011 Miami Dolphins/UnderArmour Dade vs. Broward All-Star Game.
"We were on the same all-star team," said Morley. "I played corner at the time, and he was the corner on the other side. During that week, we talked about taking college visits together."
It wasn't just about having someone familiar coming with him to Memphis, there was also something about the former coaching staff that recruited Morley.
"Of all the coaches that recruited me, my family felt the chemistry with Memphis, and it felt like this was a better fit for me," Morley said.
All three Floridians felt the same way. Memphis was both the right fit, and a school they could continue to play together.
"We ended up making the decision together so, at least, I had my brother from another mother with me," said Morley.
Lanier agreed, "Chris committed first. He came to me and said that he wanted to do something special and be a part of turning something around. I was comfortable with that because I knew Chris well. We trusted each other, and we were going to stick together."
Morley and Lanier both redshirted their first season in 2012, while Witty played as a true freshman. The pair also roomed together, helping to grow the bond between them.
Morley's path to starting every game at safety as a senior wasn't an easy road. The former high school running back and quarterback started out as a cornerback for the Tigers before being asked to move to safety heading into his sophomore season.
"I loved playing corner and being on my own island, competing one-on-one," Morley said. "My sophomore year, I could have had a starting role, but I didn't fully accept the transition to safety. The following spring, I finally bought into playing safety, and my junior year I became a starter."
In 2015, Morley's "buy-in" to his new position paid big dividends for him and the Tigers. He played in all 13 games and started seven of those contests. Morley posted 46 tackles and one interception. All of his numbers were the best of his career to that point. The team also flourished with Morley on the field. The 2015 Tigers posted a 9-4 record and climbed as high as No. 13 in the national rankings.
This season has seen Morley make an even bigger jump, standing as one of the team's leading tacklers. The entire secondary also has improved in 2016, and five of the Tigers' seven-leading tacklers play alongside Morley in the defensive backfield.
Morley also has become a leader this season, and he leads the way he knows how. Other players, like fellow senior Arthur Maulet, may be the vocal leaders, but Morley leads by example.
"I'm not the 'rah-rah' guy, but when it's game time, I can get the guys going," Morley said. "I like to lead by example, by making plays, coming to practice and working hard every day."
The Tigers defense, led by the veteran secondary, has made solid strides this season. Memphis is one of the nation's top teams in passing efficiency defense and takeaways, and the Tigers also have done an exceptional job at turning those takeaways into points.
"I said at the beginning of the season that the secondary was the strength of this team," said Morley. "We knew after last year that we had to communicate and prepare. We have chemistry, and we know we have to make plays to lead us to victory."
The truth is, the Tigers' senior-laden defensive backfield might be the closest position group on the team.
"It's about being there for each other off the field, not just on the field. We feed off each other. It just takes one of us to start the fire and the rest of us feed off it," Morley said.
Lanier added, "Since we have been here, we have been brothers. We lift each other up, and it has just been an amazing journey. We are brothers until we die. We hang out every day. We don't leave each other's side."
Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., may be over 1,000 miles from Memphis, but Morley has always had a piece of home with him here.
Players Mentioned
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