Unfamiliarity can lead to uncertainty.
Jakelyn Morgan committed to Arizona during Kevin Sumlinโs tenure. When that era of UA football came to a rock-bottom close in December, Morgan โ a cornerback โ was initially unsure about his future in Tucson.
Morgan pondered his future, but ultimately stayed committed to the Wildcatsโ 2021 recruiting class. The three-star prospect from Tyler, Texas, said steady communication with new head coach Jedd Fisch, defensive coordinator Don Brown and cornerbacks coach DeWayne Walker made the difference.
โI waited, but once I got to know them and their character, I loved the school and the culture, and Iโm 100% confident they can coach me and turn me into a man and a great player and get me to my goal, which is the NFL,โ he said. โThatโs where Iโm trying to go and Iโm very grateful for that.โ
The Star talked to Morgan about his decision to commit, his conversations with Arizonaโs coaches, and why he plans to major in film and television in college.
What were the conversations like between yourself and the coaching staff?
A: โThey have everything that I like in a coach. They donโt beat around it. Theyโre straight forward, and they said they liked the way I play. I just liked everything they were telling me. They said they like track guys and Iโm very passionate about running track. They said they were going to bring the best out of me. Even though the other coaching staff isnโt there anymore, (the new staff) is still going to love me and I respect them for that.โ
How much did not visiting Tucson and the UA campus because of the pandemic affect your decision?
A: โThat part kind of had me hesitant, but after hearing what the coaches were telling me โฆ we were on Zoom calls and they showed me the campus through there, and Iโm pretty confident in the school and what it brings.โ
How would you describe yourself as a football player?
A: โA very humble person, but very confident. If youโre not like that, then itโll bring you down as a DB. A while back, I was always thinking about covering instead of tackling, but my high school coach snapped me out of that, because as a defensive player you got to tackle and not just cover. He taught me that, and thatโs been huge in my development.โ
What makes you want to study film and television at the UA?
A: โIโm always watching videos, things on YouTube, (ESPNโs) 30 for 30s. That stuff made me just want to do that type of stuff. I just developed a passion for it over time and Iโm always watching TV and stuff like that. Ever since my freshman year of high school, Iโve just been loving it.โ
Is there a specific platform that inspired you to pursue film?
A: โThereโs another thing called โOvertime.โ They inspired me to make videos like that and show sports in a cinematic way. That inspired me a lot and I watch โOvertimeโ a lot. Itโs more of a YouTube channel, but I like it very much.โ
What TV shows did you watch growing up?
A: โI was always into action movies, but the top TV shows I liked always had something to do with football and basketball. When the NFL started making top-100s (countdown shows), that brought me in. Ever since my first year playing football, I just always watched it. To this day, I still watch it when it comes out every summer.โ
What about movies?
A: โIโve always been more into action movies like โTransformersโ (and) โGodzilla,โ and I just stay with movies like those.โ
Are you a fan of Marvel or DC Comics?
A: โOh yeah! My favorite Marvel character is The Incredible Hulk. When I was watching โ(Avengers:) Infinity Warโ and โ(Avengers:) Endgame,โ it made me have a love for all of the Marvel characters. My favorite Marvel movie was โEndgame,โ and there will never be another movie like it.โ
Why the Hulk?
A: The first Avengers movie with the CGI caught my eye, but the first โHulkโ movie in 2003 or 2004 made me love him. If you asked my dad (Johnny), I watch that movie all the time and probably saw it like 10 times in a row because thatโs how much I loved it. As soon as that first movie came out, I was hooked.โ
Were you that little kid who wore the enormous foam Hulk hands?
A: โOh yes. Yes I did. โฆ Iโve been going at my pops to order me some Hulk football gloves.โ
What are your five favorite movies of all time?
A: โโNinja Turtles,โ โMadagascar,โ โTransformers,โ โHulkโ and โEndgame.โโ
Once you get a degree in film and television, whatโs your endgame?
A: โI would definitely be a producer and help out with the production for movies. I have a pretty good imagination and I just think the producing side is where I would fit.โ
If you were to tell Arizona fans what the Wildcats are getting out of you, what would you say?
A: โI would say theyโre getting a humble person, a locked-in person, a person who wants to be great and knows there always is room for improvement and Iโm going to give them everything I got.โ
