High school football: Powell's Bryan Morales relishes special teams role

Adjustments are what Bryan Morales knows best.

Attending schools in six different districts in East Tennessee can teach a young guy some difficult lessons.

When it comes to making quick changes on the football field, that experience has made it no big deal.

At 5-foot-11 and 150 pounds, Morales is hardly a star at Powell. But coach Matt Lowe said that, if he could, he’d fill his roster with guys just like Morales and take his chances.

“I’d love to have 50, 60, 70 guys just like him,” Lowe said. “He’s a perfect example of what a high school football player should be.

“There’s no ego with Bryan. He just shows up every day and works.”

Reading people   

As the Panthers prepare for their season opener Thursday, Aug. 22, at home against Greeneville, Morales is settling into a leadership role for the first time in his life. The senior, in his second year at Powell, no longer is the new guy at school. He understands the system. He has the respect of his teammates.

“If I see someone not giving 100 percent, I’ll talk to them about it,” Morales said. “I want to be the person who will be there for someone who is down.

“By adjusting to new schools, I’ve learned how to read people: Classmates, teachers, coaches. That helps in football.”

Morales, who said he owns a 3.75 GPA, said his family situation necessitated the moves. He spent three years in Norris, attending Anderson County High School as a freshman and sophomore, before moving to Powell for his junior year.

“I didn’t play football until my freshman year,” Morales said. “I really never even thought about playing until I was in eighth grade. I had to wait until my freshman year.”

Morales tried to develop his game on both sides of the ball at Anderson County – receiver on offense, safety on defense.

That changed before the season started at Powell.

“We found out he couldn’t catch the ball,” Lowe said with a laugh. “That’s when we made him a defensive player.”

Nothing for granted   

Morales won’t be pigeon-holed into a role as a backup in the Panther secondary. He will have his opportunity to shine on special teams.

“You don’t find many guys who really embrace being on special teams,” Lowe said. “Bryan is one of those guys. He has a chance to be our special teams captain.

“For those 12-18 plays a game (kickoff coverage, kickoff return, punt coverage, punt return), he throws everything at you. He’s a guy you can count on.”

“I love the adrenaline you get when you hit someone,” Morales said. “On special teams, when you rush down the field and make a tackle, that can set the tone for the rest of the game.”

Special teams duty can be viewed by some as punishment. For Morales, it’s all about opportunity.

“I’ve learned not to take anything for granted,” Morales said. “Every play, go all-out. You have to be focused on where the ball is all the time.”

The Panthers are coming off a convoluted 2018 season. They were 8-2 on the field, but were forced to forfeit six games because of paperwork problems on a transfer.

“A lot of guys were disappointed last year, but we just wanted to play football,” Morales said. “Everything that happened just gave us stronger motivation for this season.”