Football: Presley is focused on leading by example for Carson

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

All eyes were on Morrell Presley on the first official day of practice at Carson last week, with good reason. The senior tight end is one of the top players in the Southland, and he could end up being the difference for the Colts in their bid to challenge Birmingham and Crenshaw for the City Section title this season.

‘Yeah, it was nice to see him back out on the field,’’ Carson Coach Mike Christensen said of the 6-foot-4, 215-pounder, who has already orally committed to play for USC, joining the likes of Matt Barkley, Vontaze Burfict, Patrick Hall and Randall Carroll to form one of the top recruiting classes in the country.

‘Here’s the thing about Morrell: He’s got a bright future ahead of him, but still comes in to camp and works just as hard as anyone else, maybe harder,’’ Christensen added. ‘His work ethic is unmatched. It’s great for the younger kids we have around here to see a player like him getting after things from Day 1. That’s a leader.’’

Presley’s determination and willingness to approach things so seriously, so early, most likely stems from the fact that the Colts play some tough games early on. They open up against Mater Dei in early September and three weeks later face Long Beach Poly. Beyond that, the traditionally tough Marine League begins.

‘Morrell is key for us,’’ Christensen said. ‘He’s a big part of our offense. Teams have to plan especially for him because he’s so big and fast. His upside is phenomenal. He is not a player you can disregard and that opens up things for his teammates. With Morrell around, we think we have a chance to be there at the end.’’

-- Sean Ceglinsky