For former North Surry linebacker Nik Morgan, the prospect of playing college football has always been a lifelong goal.

Originally headed to East Carolina as a non-sport student, Morgan said his deposit check was in the mail to Greenville when Methodist College contacted him with a proposition to join the football team.

After much deliberation, Morgan decided to go with his gut — and football won out.

“It’s always been a dream of mine, ever since I was a kid,” Morgan said of playing on the next level. “It was a dream just to come out and play high school football but as I’ve grown up college football has always been that thing I’ve been driven to go for. It’s an amazing feeling that I even get the chance to do this.”

Morgan played both ways much of his career for the Greyhounds but was mostly found on the defensive side his senior season, floating to different positions as need dictated.

North Surry coach Brian Hampton, who took over the Greyhounds last season, said he never questioned if Morgan could handle what was on his plate.

“Wherever we needed somebody that’s where we put Nik,” Hampton said. “He could have played any position on the field because he paid attention and learned everything. We didn’t use him as much on offense because we bounced him around a lot on defense but if he was not on the field on defense we were not going to stop anybody. We struggled anyway, but without him out there we had no chance.”

Morgan finished the year with 85 total tackles, 41 solo, two sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He also caught two touchdown passes and had 15 total catches for 150 yards.

While Hampton said Morgan is a natural athlete, as for his drive to stay focused and work towards his goals, Morgan said his coaches and family have been right there to encourage him to never give up.

“Coach (Mitch) Martin who was my coach the past three years always pushed me more and more each year to be better and to push myself harder as a person,” Morgan said. “With coach Hampton coming in this year and having to fill his shoes, he pushed me twice as hard. It’s just helped me grow up, especially this last year, and learn that I’ve got to work even harder to have a chance at the next level.”

Morgan admitted his career at North Surry didn’t end the way he hoped it would, but said he was proud of his fellow seniors and the rest of the team who stood fast in the face of adversity.

“All of us seniors have grown as a family,” Morgan said. “We lost a lot of them this year because of the coach change and it was hard for a lot of us to keep going, but there were nine of us who kept together and stayed strong through it all. We all grew up as a big family and even though this last year wasn’t that great, the past years it’s always been a blast to come out here and play.”

Hampton said without Morgan’s leadership in the locker room and on the field the season might have gone worse.

“With the year that we went through for our guys to stick together and keep fighting and play the best game we played the last game of the year says a lot about our leadership and Nik was a big part of that,” Hampton said.

Morgan was awarded the 2009 Charlie Atkins Award and Hampton said he couldn’t have thought of a more deserving player.

“I told him at the banquet when I gave him the award that he’s the kind of player every coach dreams of coaching because you know what you are going to get every time he steps on the field — you know you are going to get everything he’s got and he is going to do his job to the best of his ability. I’m tickled for him that he’s got an opportunity to go and get his education and play a little more football.”

Contact Thomas Smith at tsmith@mtairynews.com or 719-1920.