Morgan Ready To Make Run At All-Time Tackles Record
Sept. 28, 2000
Coral Gables, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) –
Senior linebacker Dan Morgan, with 437 career tackles, is closing in on the University of Miami’s career total tackles record of 490 held by former All-American linebacker George Mira, Jr. (1984-87).
Morgan, who enters the Rutgers contest 53 tackles shy of the all-time mark, currently is tied for the national lead with 14.33 tackles per contest on the 2000 season. The Coral Springs resident and graduate of Taravella High School, who also places atop the BIG EAST standings, has 43 total tackles over three games.
With his team-high 16 total tackles in UM’s 47-10 victory over West Virginia in Morgantown on September 23, Morgan moved out of fourth place and head of Micheal Barrow (423) into third place.
All-time Tackles
1. George Mira, Jr. (1984-87) 4902. Scott Nicolas (1978-80) 4563. Dan Morgan (1997-) 4374. Micheal Barrow (1989-92) 4235. Darrin Smith (1989-92) 4016. Ray Lewis (1993-95) 3887. Rod Carter (1985-88) 3618. James Burgess (1993-96) 3439. Ted Hendricks (1966-68) 32710. Rick Liddell (1972-74) 321
To start the season, Morgan totaled seven tackles in one quarter in the home opening 61-14 win over McNeese State at the Orange Bowl.
In the Hurricanes next contest across the nation at Washington, Morgan once again led the game with 20 total tackles against the Huskies.
Along with his record-setting tackles pace, Morgan is also on cue to record the most starts by a Miami linebacker. He enters the Rutgers game having started 34 career games. The record for career starts by a linebacker is 36 by Rod Holder (1985-88). Morgan jumped into the starting line-up in the third week of his freshman season and hasn’t looked back. Additionally, all 34 starts have been consecutive, which is a UM record.
Morgan was one of 38 players selected to the 2000 Mike Fox/Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List to start the 2000 season. Last year, Morgan was a semifinalist for the Nagurski award. Of the 38 players selected Morgan was the lone BIG EAST candidate.
Additionally, Morgan has been selected to the 2000 Butkus Award Watch List, presented by the Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando, Inc. The award, given to the top linebacker in the nation, has a preseason watch list of 70 candidates. Morgan, along with Virginia’s Byron Thweatt, is a three-time candidate for the Award. Only North Carolina’s Brandon Spoon (four times) has been on the watch list more times.
Check out the Hurricanes’ on-line store to purchase an official Dan Morgan #44 jersey.
Morgan Game-by-Game Career Tackles
2000@West Virginia 16@Washington 20McNeese State 7
1999Temple 15Syracuse 16Rutgers 10@Virginia Tech 14@Pittsburgh 11West Virginia 15@Boston College 15@Florida State 3@East Carolina 12Penn State 14FAMU 2vs. Ohio State 12
1998UCLA 19@Syracuse 6Pittsburgh 5@Temple 11Boston College 13@West Virginia 13Florida State 12@Rutgers 17Virginia Tech 16@Cincinnati 19E. Tennessee St. 19
1997Syracuse 19Rutgers 16@Virginia Tech 21Arkansas State 5Temple 9@Boston College 13@Florida State 11West Virginia 4@Pittsburgh 1*Arizona State 1*@Baylor 5*
* did not start
