Although it was a small sample size, MJ Morris looked pretty good at quarterback for Dave Doeren's North Carolina State Wolfpack. The sophomore from Carrollton, Georgia went 3-1 as the starter after having taken over for an ineffective Brennan Armstrong. While he flourished in Robert Anae's system previously at Virginia, Armstrong has been a shell of himself in his first year playing for the Wolfpack.
News of Morris electing to redshirt the rest of 2023 was certainly shocking. Why would a quarterback willingly want to sit out the rest of a campaign if he has emerged as the clear and obvious starter? Well, it could be about one of two things. Morris may want to give himself another year of eligibility. He only appeared in the maximum of four games to keep a year intact. The other may be to transfer...
Morris was a four-star recruit in the 2022 recruiting class. He had 34 offers, including from places like Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU and Miami. However, if he were to transfer this upcoming offseason, it may not be to one of those Power Five programs of note. It might to be one of these other ones. Though some may not carry the cachet of others, these fits here seem to make sense.
If Morris were to transfer away from NC State after this season, here is where he could be leaning.
MJ Morris elects to redshirt: 3 transfer destinations for NC State QB
3. MJ Morris could reunite with Tim Beck on Coast Carolina Chanticleers
Morris may want to stay in the Power Five, but an interesting opportunity could await him in Conway, South Carolina. The most logical landing spot for him in the Group of Five would have to be the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers. Not only would he be reuniting with former NC State offensive coordinator Tim Beck, who is Coastal Carolina's head coach, but he could replace Grayson McCall.
McCall opting to return to Coastal Carolina after his former head coach Jamey Chadwell left for Liberty was strange to say the least. He initially dipped into the portal, but then returned. This has not helped elevate his NFL Draft stock out of the Group of Five, possibly because he is playing in a new offensive system under Beck. Morris knows this system, having been recruited to NC State by Beck.
It may seem like a lateral more, or even a backwards one, to go from NC State to Coastal. However, Beck may have been a bigger reason why Morris committed to NC State in the first place. Coastal Carolina may not be on the same level as NC State in the national pantheon, but the Chants are certainly a good enough football program to win big in the Sun Belt and make the expanded playoff.
If Chadwell can leave Coastal for Liberty, then Morris could leave NC State for Coastal a year later.
2. TCU OC Kendal Briles was MJ Morris' primary recruiter to Arkansas
It may not been working out for him right now, but I have hope for Kendal Briles as an up-and-coming offensive play-caller. He was outstanding as the Arkansas Razorbacks' offensive coordinator on Sam Pittman's staff for years. Arkansas has regressed with Briles and former defensive coordinator Barry Odom leaving for other jobs. Odom is killing it at UNLV, while Briles is adjusting to his new gig at TCU.
Not to say Morris can be what Max Duggan was for the Horned Frogs last year, but Chandler Morris certainly is not. So I would be in favor of replacing one Morris at quarterback for another. TCU is a program that can contend for College Football Playoff berths every few years or so, even in a four-team field. Once it expands to 12 and the Big 12 re-shuffles itself just a bit, it may be even more often.
I think in time that Briles partnering up with Sonny Dykes in Fort Worth will be massive for the TCU football program. Because the Horned Frogs are staying put in the Big 12, there is so much unclaimed territory to be had in that league with historical blue-bloods like Oklahoma and Texas leaving it. To me, I would have to really consider transferring from NC State to TCU if I were a quarterback like Morris.
TCU was an obvious pullback program this year after last, but we have not seen the last of the Frogs.
1. Florida State needs an heir apparent to Jordan Travis under center
I think the best place for a player of Morris' caliber to potentially go to would be to transfer in-conference in the ACC and go to Florida State. The Seminoles have emerged as the best program in the league over the last two years. Mike Norvell has that thing humming in Tallahassee. With starting quarterback Jordan Travis running out of eligibility, this would be a favorable landing spot for Morris.
His primary recruiter to Florida State was Seminoles offensive coordinator Alex Atkins. I would expect that he will be a very serious candidate to take over a Power Five program of his own this offseason, but he may return to Tallahassee for one more season anyway. For Morris, he played in the same ACC Atlantic division as Florida State during his first year in college at NC State. They know all about him.
When it comes to Morris, he will have plenty of opportunities available to him if he were to enter the transfer portal. Leaving North Carolina State would be a bold decision, but when have the Wolfpack ever sniffed going to the playoff? If he were to go to places like Florida State, TCU and even Coastal Carolina, those postseason opportunities may be more readily available to him than in Raleigh now.
To me, if Florida State wants Morris to come play for them, then he must be on his way to Tallahassee.