Nico Iamaleava second Vols’ quarterback from Long Beach: Randall Morris’ story signing with Johnny Majors
2023 quarterback prospect Nicholaus Iamaleava Jr. announced his commitment to Tennessee on March 21.
Iamaleava Jr. is set to play at Long Beach Polytechnic High School in Long Beach, California during his 2022 senior season.
The 6-foot-5, 195-pound quarterback will become the second student-athlete to play for the Vols from Long Beach, California.
Randall Morris signed with Tennessee and head coach Johnny Majors ahead of the 1980 season.
Majors recruited Morris’ brother who would choose Michigan State and Vols’ quarterback transfer Steve Alatorre from Cypress College. Majors’ recruitment at Cypress College led to Morris at Long Beach Polytechnic.
“The reason I went to Tennessee was that coach Majors went down to my school,” Morris told Vols Wire. “I was outside of the locker room waiting on him and we went inside. He turned on the projector and watched three plays on me and said I could turn the projector off. He said, ‘Randall, I’ll offer you a scholarship right now.’
“I took other visits seeing what they had to offer. When I went to Tennessee, I met Jimmy Streater who was very impressive to me because Tennessee was running the same offense I ran at Long Beach Poly. I thought I had a really good opportunity to play early. I graduated high school early and I was in spring training at Tennessee in my senior year of high school. I loved Tennessee, my four years went really fast.”
Randall Morris (12) of the Tennessee Volunteers against Pittsburgh in Knoxville, Tennessee on September 3, 1983. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Tennessee head coach Johnny Majors listens to a question from the media during a press conference during the Tennessee Picture Day at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. Aug. 16, 1980. © Robert Johnson / The Tennessean
Morris came to Tennessee as a quarterback, but played four seasons at running back.
He detailed Majors’ decision to change his position.
“I was a quarterback when I came to Tennessee,” Morris said. “Coach Majors recruited me as a quarterback. One day in practice, we were stretching, he said he needed to see me in his office after practice. When a coach says that to you, nothing good comes out of that. Then I started thinking about what have I done, what did I do? I couldn’t even practice because I was thinking about what coach Majors was going to say to me.
“I got to his office. He told me to have a seat. He said, ‘Son, do you want to play now — do you want to play as a freshman?’ I said yes, and I switched from quarterback to running back. I never even thought about playing running back. I asked can I switch to defensive back if you are going to switch me. He said ‘No, I am going to switch you to running back.’ I had a good week of practice at running back. The reason I had a good week of practice is because I was a quarterback and knew all the steps a running back takes.”
Morris played 11 games a freshman and appeared in 44 contests for Tennessee from 1980-83. He totaled 941 yards and seven touchdowns on 219 rushing attempts, while recording 239 yards and one touchdown on 36 receptions.
University of Tennessee football players Reggie White, left, and Willie Gault. Mandatory Credit: News Sentinel-USA TODAY NETWORK
When Morris arrived at Tennessee as an early enrollee freshman, defensive lineman Reggie White was the first person he met.
“Reggie was the first guy I met when I got there,” Morris said. “Reggie and I became great friends. I loved the guy, he was very funny. He was a great guy and a great teammate.”
