MAYO, Fla. — Lafayette High senior Eli Morgan has found a home to play college football. The 6-foot-1, 250-pound center signed with Huntingdon College (Montgomery, Alabama) on Tuesday.

“It’s a very big day,” Morgan said at the signing inside the LHS gymnasium. “This is the day everything gets recognized— that you put in the work. I went down there (Huntington College) on a visit and the coaches were really good to me. It all fell into place and worked out.”

A three-year starter, Morgan was part of 20 wins in his time with the Hornets. After a tough 2015 season in which Lafayette finished 3-7, Morgan helped the Hornets get back to their winning tradition in his final two years.  

“You have your ups and downs,” Morgan said. “My sophomore year we didn’t have a very good season. The next year we had a winning season to turn it around. We were committed. We did everything we had to do to get back on track and continue the legacy we have here.

“All the coaching staff has helped me tremendously. Coach (Mark) Beach came in my junior year. He worked with us on our feet, in the weight room. That was a key thing to me getting better at my position.”

It was no surprise that Morgan received several college offers. He was reliable in the exchanges of a fast-paced, shotgun offense. As a senior, he earned all-state honors, stepping up to lead an inexperienced offensive line. Morgan was the only lineman who had started multiple games heading into the 2017 season.    

“He had several good options, some in-state and some up north,” LHS head coach Joey Pearson said of Morgan. “We’re excited for Eli to have this opportunity and keep track of him these next few years. He’s a very devoted player and a good student — that’s what opened up the doors for him — a combination of his athletic ability and academic achievement.”