LB Morrison makes his call for the Gators

By Adam Silverstein
August 3, 2011

The good news continues to roll in for the Florida Gators on the recruiting front as head coach Will Muschamp gained his 16th commitment for the 2012 class Tuesday with four-star linebacker Antonio Morrison (Bolingbrook, IL) pledging to continue his football career in Gainesville, FL next year.

The No. 8-ranked inside linebacker according to Rivals, Morrison is also considered the seventh-best recruit coming out of Illinois in 2012.

“Coach Muschamp tells me every time I talk to him that I’m his number one guy at middle linebacker and that he needs me in this class,” he told Rivals back in June. “He tells me that I have the talent to come in and contribute early to the team. That means a lot to hear someone like him tell me that.”

Morrison chose Florida over Illinois but but was also pursued heavily by Alabama, Oregon and Tennessee.

Though he did not attend Friday Night Lights, Morrison visited the University of Florida campus this past weekend; his family came away impressed.

“I will commit as soon as I get the feeling that the school is the right fit,” he said in the same June interview. “I want to see the campus and facilities and see how the college life is at each school.”

Morrison, who was recruited primarily by Muschamp, also decided the Gators were the right team for him because of extra effort put in by defensive line coach Bryant Young. A native of Chicago Heights, IL, Young grew up 45 minutes away from where Morrison currently lives (both towns are suburbs of Chicago).

Though the player actually made his decision on Tuesday (it was posted on InsidetheGators.com‘s message board), he specifically requested those who were alerted of his choice to not report on it until he made an official announcement. That happened Wednesday evening on the Facebook page of the Bolingbrook Raiders.