PLAY OF THE GAME: Crum TD pass to Morgan

Wyoming receiver Donate Morgan

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

Early in the fourth quarter, things were getting a little antsy on the Wyoming sidelines and in the stands.

The Cowboys, expected to debut some flash with a new quarterback in Dax Crum and a new offensive coordinator in Bob Cole, had only been so-so in what was proving to be a surprising battle with Ohio.

So surprising was the Bobcats up by six. After some early success, the Wyoming offense needed something sustained and get back into the end zone.

That finally happened thanks to some heads up play by both Crum and wide receiver Donate Morgan.

Wyoming had moved from its own 16-yard line to the Ohio 23 on 12 plays, mainly on the ground with strong running by seniors Devin Moore and Wynel Seldon.

Crum, however, found Morgan, who was also starting his first Division I game for the Cowboys, down the left sideline and perfectly hit him on the run for a 23-yard touchdown pass.

After the extra point, the Cowboys had their first lead of the game at 21-20 and they held on for the victory by the same score.

“It was a great ball by Dax,” Morgan said. “At first, it was supposed to be a spin route, but I saw that I had beat him, so I went deep and was praying that he would get me the ball on time, and he did. We scored and that won the game for us. That was a great job by our quarterback.”

It’s a play that doesn’t always have the same results. It all depends on the receiver’s ability to run and the defender’s ability to stay with him.

“On that particular play, if he gets up on that corner, he is just supposed to convert it and go,” Crum said. Originally, I was looking to the Y side and I came back and I saw that he had gotten by the corner and I just let it fly.”

It’s not only Morgan’s job to try to get past his defender, but to let Crum know that he is open.

“When they press on cover two, we are always told to go deep and if we get past them, just throw our hands up,” Morgan said. “I threw my hand up because I got past him and it was a touch.”