In 2014, Nyles Morgan entered his freshman campaign expecting to learn Brian Vangorder’s complex NFL-style defense from the sidelines behind high football IQ, and former walk-on Joe Schmidt.
That's not how things ended up going down.
Schmidt suffered a nasty ankle injury. As a result, Morgan, who was tabbed as the #34 overall recruit in the nation and coming off of a State Championship, was “thrown to the wolves,” so to speak. The then 6’1, 230 pound true freshman was quarterbacking a defense against tough competition and certainly had his share of misreads and blown assignments but Morgan certainly held his own and made his share of plays.