Tennessee emerging for instate athlete Daune Morris
Tennessee hosted Murfreesboro Oakland athlete Daune Morris on Monday and he is feeling the love from the Vols. At one point, he wasn’t sure he would end up in orange but after Tennessee hired De’Rail Sims to replace Jerry Mack, he started to feel a change.
“It was actually just like, ‘OK, well, maybe we could work something out with the home state,’” Morris said. “It was just a better chance of me being able to just look toward my home state.”
The two spent a solid amount of time together on Monday after Tennessee’s first practice for spring ball and their relationship continues to grow.
“I’ve been talking to Coach Sims a lot,” Morris said. “He’s actually been talking to me a lot, communicating, calling me every day, just making sure (I know) that I’m a high-value player with him. That’s just something that’s been good.
“We sat down, we broke down film, got a chance to just talk ball and just get to know each other better as a person. And that’s something he really wanted to just start or get going.”
This visit was all about being around the program and getting a feel for it.
“I got a chance to get around the coaches, get around the players, get around Coach Sims again,” Morris said. “That’s great, getting around him again, just him being a coach I met freshman year. It’s just something I got a chance to do again, and getting around this type of facility and coaches, great environment. And just being around great people, that’s something I really appreciated today.”
He also likes what coach Josh Heupel is building on Rocky Top.
“I mean, the people could change the environment so fast, and I feel like Coach Heupel’s on a great roll to just building this environment, building the people, foundation, the standard, so I feel like that’s something that’s great,” Morris said.
The dynamic playmaker had over 30 touchdowns last season. He is super special with the ball in his hands and offers versatility.
“The role that they want to see me as is just a versatile running back who can go out in slot positions, get motioned out and just be able to be versatile, get the ball in my hands,” Morris said.
Morris plans to be back in Knoxville for the Tennessee spring game in April.
