Jordan Morgan may never realize his dream of playing college soccer at Marshall University.
That probably ended with the automobile accident that nearly took his life.
But the former Woodrow Wilson standout midfielder is still involved with the sport he loves, as team manager for the Thundering Herd.
“I didn’t get to play, and I couldn’t practice. It was very tough watching them play,” Morgan said. “But I was with the team.”
Three years ago, he had an excellent junior season with Woodrow, giving notice he was a player to watch in the future.
“Jordan was an impact player,” Flying Eagles head coach Rockey Powell said. “He really stepped up his junior year, and we were really looking forward to him taking over as a senior.”
Fate wasn’t kind, however. Morgan received multiple injuries Jan. 5, 2011, in an accident on Rural Acres Drive.
He suffered a severe injury to the frontal lobe of his brain, and was in a coma for over a month.
Not surprisingly, Morgan remembers nothing about the accident.
“I don’t know what happened,” he said. “I’m still having problems with memory.”
Morgan also incurred other injuries, including severe trauma to an elbow.
“My head was the worst of it, but my arm was bad. My elbow was smashed,” he said.
He spent over a year in rehabilitation, including three months in a Georgia facility.
He was back at Woodrow for his senior year and then chose to continue his academics at Marshall.
“I’m feeling great. I have a brace for my arm and I’m lifting weights,” Morgan said. “I joke around with people and tell them I’m indestructible.”
Thundering Herd head coach Bob Gray was already familiar with Morgan, having coached him and his older brothers on the West Virginia Titans travel team.
“Jordan’s a wonderful kid, from a wonderful family,” Gray said. “We are thrilled he is a part of our program.
“He was out there every day helping with his daily soccer duties, making sure all the equipment was out there. He would also serve balls and do things to make the practices run smoothly.
“He’s very passionate about the sport of soccer, and this was a way to still be around.”
Although Morgan wasn’t a player in the fall, he was treated as a full-fledged member of the squad.
“I have an academic meeting with the coaches every Wednesday,” he said. “They’ve been very supportive.”
Gray added, “Jordan does everything the rest of our student-athletes do. He’s doing quite well for himself.
“It’s amazing. We didn’t know what was going to happen — whether he would live or not. He’s a remarkable young man.”
Hope springs eternal, and Morgan is thinking about attending Marshall’s open tryout in the spring.
“I’ll have to wait and see how it goes,” he said. “The talent is tremendous.”
Gray cautioned that walk-ons rarely succeed at a D-I school.
“We’ll give a certain period for players to try and make their mark,” he said. “But it’s difficult because of the amount of recruiting and kids we get here.”
— E-mail: dstillwell@register-herald.com
Today's Sports Front
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Woodrow Wilson graduate Jordan Morgan was injured in an automobile accident Jan. 5, 2011. He suffered a severe injury to the frontal lobe of his brain, and was in a coma for over a month. Chris Tilley
Morgan puts accident behind him
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