Teldrick Morgan paused and smiled Tuesday afternoon when talking about the Maryland football team’s game against Purdue this weekend.
The wide receiver’s family will be in the crowd — something they couldn’t always manage while he played at New Mexico State. After he transferred to the Terps this summer, the Hanover native’s parents no longer have to make a cross-country flight.
“I love when my parents come to the game,” Morgan said. “It makes me perform well.”
In Morgan’s lone season in College Park, though, he hasn’t focused on statistics. He’s also worked on blocking and his footwork to contribute in a deep wide receiver rotation.
His next opportunity to do so during his homecoming season comes in Saturday’s homecoming game.
“It’s just [a] good atmosphere,” Morgan said. “Coming back home and being here and having homecoming so early in the season, it’s just exciting.”
In his two seasons at New Mexico State, Morgan started 19 of his 20 appearances and amassed 1,454 yards and 11 touchdowns on 20 catches. In 2014, he caught 75 passes for 903 yards and seven touchdowns to earn second-team All-Sun Belt honors.
Morgan hadn’t thought about switching schools or returning to the area he earned county-and state-level recognitions as a player at Meade High School, but during the Aggies’ 2016 spring practices, he evaluated his options.
After graduating that semester, he could transfer to another program without taking a redshirt year. He had one team in mind.
After New Mexico State released him from his scholarship, Morgan called his dad, who contacted Maryland wide receivers coach Chris Beatty, his former East Tennessee State teammate. The Terps were interested, and Morgan announced his decision at the end of June.
The 6-foot, 190-pound newcomer went right to work.
He was a frequent participant in the team’s summer workouts with strength and conditioning coach Rick Court and during the player-run summer practices.
“He was just working hard every single day,” left tackle Michael Dunn said. “You notice that type of stuff. When somebody’s really pushing themselves every single workout, people notice that.”
Morgan didn’t feel like he faced much of an adjustment period. He withstood the Terps’ hot practices during the preseason because he was used to New Mexico’s sweltering conditions.
Plus, he embraced coach DJ Durkin’s emphasis on competition. The first-year coach hesitates to name starters because he doesn’t want his players to be complacent.
“You get a bunch of guys, more than just 11 guys, that are helping or buying into what’s going on,” Durkin said. “Understanding they have a role, and they’re excited about going to play.”
Morgan, a reserve on this week’s depth chart, has adopted that mindset. He understands offensive coordinator Walt Bell, who the redshirt senior called a “young genius,” uses a cycle of receivers in his up-tempo scheme.
He’s been working with Beatty on drills before practice to improve his blocking fundamentals, hand placement and footwork. It’s complimented the receiving skills he flashed against UCF before the bye week.
Against the Knights, Morgan led the Terps with 64 yards, including a 51-yard bomb from quarterback Perry Hills to position the Terps for a field goal late in the second quarter. But as he looks forward to playing in front of his family in the Maryland Stadium crowd, Morgan said he doesn’t always have to be as flashy.
“It’s my first Big Ten game,” Morgan said. “I have to go out there and do the best that I can.”
