Morrow football ready to take the next step behind leadership of quarterback Kris Clark

By Luke Strickland

MORROW — The Morrow High football program has been yearning for a spark during its recent run of disappointing seasons. The Mustangs may finally have what they’ve been looking for in rising junior quarterback Kristopher Clark.

Clark is a dual-threat option for the Mustangs. At nearly 6-foot, he’s tough to bring down in the running game and can keep passing plays alive to find receivers downfield. Clark started last season for Morrow in a 1-9 campaign. Despite the team’s overall record, he impressed head coach Jerome Weaks with his ability to command respect from his teammates.

“He’s definitely doing all the right things both on the field and in the classroom and around the school. He’s becoming the leader we’re going to need to take this thing to the next level,” Weaks said regarding Clark’s maturity.

 Weaks’ appointment before the 2016 season has seemingly changed the outlook of the program. There is a sense of optimism at Morrow heading into Weaks’ second season, and Clark has been at the forefront of the culture change.

“The whole vibe when he first came just changed it,” Clark said. “I felt like all of us just came together and figured out and put together the best strategy to figure out how we can win. It’s not a struggle now that coach Weaks is there. He’s on top of everything we have to do, so I just think that were ready on and off the field.”

Clark and the rest of Morrow’s upperclassmen have begun to take their jobs as leaders seriously. That starts in practice and in the weight room, where Clark said he has kept an eye on the program’s underclassmen, making sure that they are doing things the right way.

“I’ve been trying to make sure the upcoming ninth graders are doing what they are supposed to do so we can have a successful season, better than last year,” he said. “We’ve all been working real hard but just the fact that we all have to work together and come together as a family before we can start winning games.”

Weaks has laid the blueprint for a successful program in his first few seasons at Morrow, and Clark and the rest of the Mustangs are buying in. All that’s left to do is win games on the field, something that Clark is confident will happen in 2017.

“I just want to us work together and make sure we are doing whatever we can do to be successful,” he said. “The pieces that we have in place are there so that we can be successful and win.”