Brooklyn Hall is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Brophy College Preparatory for AZPreps365.com 

As Brophy junior cornerback Ben Morrison takes the field for another big night of football, he is overwhelmed by all that he has accomplished. From his very first tackle to his most recent full-ride offer from the reigning national champs, Morrison’s journey on and off the football field is one to remember.

Morrison grew up with a football in his hands at all times. Even when he was too young to participate, he would map out and mimic the plays he saw his older brother execute time and time again. He vividly remembers watching his dad and brother practice in their garage late at night and dreaming of the days that he could get in on the action. 

“I have always felt from a young age I was born to play football,” Morrison said. “Watching my dad throw the ball to my brother in the garage at night made me fall in love with the sport. Even though they weren’t throwing to me, I would emulate what my brother was doing. I would watch where he would put his hands, where he was looking, and even his stance.

"Just watching when I was young made me fall in love.”

As Morrison continued to grow up, his family continued to support him. His family has an extremely close connection to sports and the church. Those two aspects of Morrison’s home life have brought an immense amount of love and encouragement into his play.

Along with that encouragement, he had one of the best coaches a son could ask for: his dad. Morrison says that his dad is constantly teaching him about the game and pushing him to be his best.

The teachings and support Morrison received when he was younger have definitely paid off for him during his time at Brophy as cornerback. In the 10 games he played his sophomore year, Morrison totaled 32 solo tackles and 10 tackle assists with two interceptions, seven defended passes and one blocked punt. His talents grew, and this year, opponents also got a new look at what Morrison can do with the ball in his hands on kickoff returns. In just the first three games of the season, Morrison returned four kickoffs for a total of 141 yards.

Brophy head coach Jason Jewell described Morrison as a “do it all kinda guy.” He is an All-Region and returning all-conference player.

Along with those impressive stats, Morrison’s teammates say that he brings an amazing light and competitive nature to the team. He is well-educated when it comes to football and knows where the play is going before it even happens.

“Mid-game he will yell the play to me and tell me exactly where the ball is going and it’s always right,” Brophy junior Matthew Diaz said.

Morrison is known as a true leader and has stepped up this season in many different ways for the team.

“My favorite thing about sharing the field with Ben is his unselfishness in the way he helped me this year learn a new position. Even on the field, his communication with his teammates is something I strive for,” Diaz said.

Morrison’s impressive stats and team leadership caught the eyes of several college scouts and in November of 2019, he received his first offer from Iowa State University. Morrison says he remembers that day like it was yesterday.

“I was surprised but very happy,” Morrison said. He explained how honored he felt and how the offer motivated him to keep pushing throughout the rest of his high school career.

The offers did not stop there for Morrison. He currently has 14 athletic scholarship offers, two of which are full-rides, in Northwestern University and Louisiana State University. The future is still wide open for Morrison as he has not yet decided where he will continue his football journey after high school. 

“Each offer I’ve received has been very special to me for different reasons,” Morrison said. “When you receive an offer from the recent National Champions, or from your dream school, or even from a school you didn’t even know was looking at you, it’s amazing. Each one stands out, and I am so appreciative to God for allowing these schools to see enough in me to offer me a scholarship.”

Combining those scholarship offers, the support from his family, and his past performances, Morrison has a great platform to motivate him throughout his final seasons at Brophy. He brings a contagious energy to the crowd and every Friday night when he suits up to play; It gets that crowd even more excited to see what the future holds for this young athlete.