All-Star football: Decisions, decisions

Barry Faulkner

In solitary moments spent either reflecting on a distinguished high

school football career or anticipating the Alpine climb up the collegiate

depth chart as a walk-on quarterback at USC, Morgan Craig ponders his

decisions.

He said he sometimes replays split-second choices made in the heat of

battle during season-ending CIF Southern Section playoff losses his

junior and senior seasons. He wonders if changing direction during one

scramble, throwing to a different receiver, or, perhaps, releasing the

ball just a split second sooner, could have prevented him and his

teammates from watching Irvine celebrate a 14-0 victory in the 1999

Division VI title game, or watching La Mirada cavort off to last fall’s

Division VI final after a 13-10 come-from-behind overtime victory in the

semifinals.

But he also laments the decisions he was never given the opportunity

to make. These are the ones usually presented passers with 62% career

completion rates (237 of 383), who throw for nearly 3,000 yards, 32

touchdowns and only nine interceptions, while leading their team to 20

victories and a tie in 25 career starts. These are the options that

accompany boxes full of recruiting brochures and heartfelt handwritten

letters from college coaches, who are anxious to convey VIP treatment

during fun-filled campus visits, in hopes of courting a commitment to

accept scholarships worth as much as six figures.

Instead, Craig, an All-CIF honoree who was the MVP of the Daily

Pilot’s Newport-Mesa Dream Team and the Offensive Player of the Year in

the Sea View League, was left with a future at Division III Cal Lutheran,

until USC called with an invitation to walk on late in the spring.

“It was discouraging not to have any offers,” said Craig, who will get

a chance to show recruiters what they missed as a member of the South in

Friday’s Orange County All-Star Football Game, set to kick off at 7:15 at

Orange Coast College.

“Going into your senior year, people tell you if you have a good year,

the offers will come. But I never really got any. I was excited about

playing at Cal Lutheran, but when USC called, I decided that was an

opportunity I couldn’t pass up.”

The 6-foot-1, 185-pounder realizes the long odds stacked against him

as a Trojan. And he is not naive to the skill level he will need to

approach his, at least for now, unspoken expectations.

“I know this is Division I, which is another breed of human beings,”

he said. “And I know I’m very low on the totem pole. But I’m not going in

with a negative attitude. Just being on the team and getting a chance to

practice is definitely an honor.”

Craig earned his honors at Harbor, as much for his leadership as his

passing accuracy. He also carried 62 times for 415 rushing yards as a

senior, often punishing tacklers in the process.

His composure under pressure, his consistency and his competitiveness

were not lost on his teammates, or his coach, Jeff Brinkley.

“He may seem mellow during practice, but he’s definitely very intense

during games,” said former Sailor teammate Brian Gaeta, reunited with his

wing man as a South receiver. “We never went into a game questioning

whether Morgan would do his job. He was definitely a leader.”

Brinkley, a former quarterback who works closely with his signal

callers as the Sailors’ offensive coordinator, has been an outspoken

supporter.

“He’s definitely a winner,” Brinkley said. “In addition to winning

games for us throwing the ball, he won some in other ways, too. I

couldn’t have asked for more from his senior year.”

Craig said he has enjoyed his All-Star experience and has formed a

friendship with fellow South QB Colt Brennan out of Mater Dei.

But the offensive system utilized by South Coach Bob Johnson -- a

noted quarterback guru whose distinguished former pupils include sons Rob

(Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and Bret (UCLA and Michigan State and now his

dad’s offensive coordinator), Steve Stenstrom (Stanford and several NFL

teams) and current USC reserve and 2001 South QB Billy Hart -- requires

less throwing on the run, a tactic that highlighted Craig’s athleticism

at Harbor.

“I’m not that tall, so dropping back has been an adjustment,” Craig

said. “But I don’t mind it. The (offensive) concepts are not that

different (from those at Harbor).”

Craig hopes things could have been different, but is thankful to have

“played with such great teams at Newport.” He is also proud of his solid

place in Newport Harbor lore -- his career statistics in most categories

rank behind only Shane Foley (who went on to USC) and Josiah Fredriksen

in Harbor annals.

He looks forward to trying to help the South snap a two-game losing

streak and plans to take the time to enjoy the atmosphere.

“I’m going to try my hardest, but I want to have fun and enjoy it

more,” he said. “I will take the time to look up at the crowd.”