A pair of twins with local ties verbally committed to continue their football careers at Georgia Tech.
Seniors Brad and Scott Morgan of Etowah High School in Woodstock, Ga., will play their football for the Yellow Jackets, the ACC runner-up this season.
The Morgan twins are the sons of 1975 Burrell graduate Gregg Morgan.
With Georgia Tech in the same ACC Division as Pitt, it means the Morgans likely will be making at least two visits to Pittsburgh during their careers.
This past season, Etowah made it to the Georgia State Class 6-A quarterfinals for the first time. The Eagles finished with a 12-3 record.
Both Morgans sorted through a number of collegiate offers before deciding on Georgia Tech as somewhat of a package deal.
“We wanted to go to college together,” Scott said. “We could have gone several places, but we wanted to go as a package.”
“It's a very good college, and it means a lot to be close by and get a good education,” Brad said.
Virginia Tech, East Carolina, Louisville, Purdue and Minnesota were among the schools that recruited the Morgans.
Scott is 6-foot-4, 275 pounds and plays defensive tackle, though he lined up as a fullback for Etowah on short-yardage situations.
Brad is a 6-4, 270-pound right guard.
Despite Georgia Tech's reputation as a superb engineering school, the Morgans will pursue degrees in business administration.
They made their official recruiting visit to Georgia Tech this weekend and can sign with coach Paul Johnson's team Feb. 4.
“The coaches were outstanding, and they make you feel special any time you go there,” Scott said. “I feel I also bonded well with the players.”
The campus is located just outside of downtown Atlanta but is not regarded as part the city because a major highway separates the two areas.
“The campus is not what you would call inner city,” Brad said. “I think it's a great atmosphere.”
The Morgan twins come from a long football lineage.
Gregg Morgan played football at Burrell under coach Frank Solomond and assistants George Geyer and John Tomicek. Tomicek still is on the staff.
John Morgan, grandfather of the twins, played at Arnold from 1941-43 under coach Alex Tannas. After graduation, John Morgan boxed at Penn State for the club and varsity teams.
A great uncle, Donald Morgan, played for Arnold in the late 1940s and recently visited Woodstock for an Etowah game. Donald Morgan also played for Youngstown State.
A maternal uncle, Dennis Gaydos, played quarterback for Har-Brack in the late 1950s.
The twins won't be the last football Morgan we will be hearing from. A younger brother, 6-3, 265-pound Matthew, is a freshman at Etowah and played backup this season at center and right tackle.
George Guido is a Valley News Dispatch scholastic sports correspondent. His column appears Wednesdays.
