UTSA Offers Gilmer Receiver LaMarcus Morton

LaMarcus Morton was part of a big recruiting day that featured five regional players picking up new college football scholarship opportunities even before school let out Tuesday.

Gilmer's leading receiver from last season reported through his personal Twitter account UTSA is his latest opportunity. The Roadrunners are the seventh FBS program invested in the junior.

Morton (6-2, 175) recorded 589 yards and seven touchdowns during his junior campaign. He led a pack of 10 Gilmer players with at least 100 yards and a group of 17 players that caught at least one pass on the way to a Class 4A Division II state semifinals appearance.

Gilmer enjoyed roughly half of a 31-game winning streak during the 2015 season. It dated back to Week 1 of the 2014 campaign, highlighted by a Class 4A Division II state championship.

Morton holds other FBS offers from Arkansas State, Indiana, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, Texas Tech and Tulsa.

UTSA has been a very active participant within East Texas while working toward its 2017 recruiting class. In addition to Morton, the program wants three other local receivers plus John Tyler quarterback Bryson Smith and Nacogdoches defensive back Josh Thompson.

The Roadrunners' 2016 season will be their seventh of competition and the first without inaugural head coach Larry Coker.

Coker resigned following a 3-9 campaign in 2015.

UTSA has won enough games to achieve bowl eligibility twice in its five years as an FBS program. It played as an FCS team for its first season. Unfortunately, the 2013 squad was not picked for a bowl game and the 2011 team could not participate in a postseason game due to its provisional status.

New head coach Frank Wilson will lead the charge toward a first bowl appearance. He most recently served as LSU's running backs coach, running game coordinator and held the title of associate head coach under Les Miles.

Wilson also gained experience on the college level with stints at Mississippi, Southern Miss and Tennessee following a successful early career as a Louisiana high school head coach.

Morton was not the only Gilmer player to hear good news Tuesday. Safety Kollin Hurt picked up his very first offer from Louisiana-Monroe during the active day.

Gladewater athlete Austin Hawley (ULM), Arp athlete Kayce Medlock (Stephen F. Austin) and John Tyler receiver Damion Miller (Missouri) also earned new offers Tuesday.

Morton, like all high school football prospects currently in their junior year, will become eligible to sign with any program that offers him in February.

2017 East Texas Football Players With Division I FBS Offers

• Judah Bell, Tyler Bishop Gorman, WR, 6-3, 180 — offers from Bowling Green, Coastal Carolina, Houston, Kansas, Memphis, Navy, North Texas, SMU, ULL, UTSA (10)
• Noah Bush, Athens, LB, 6-2, 225 — offer from Army (1)
• Lagaryonn Carson, Liberty-Eylau, DE, 6-4, 261 — committed to Texas; additional offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Baylor, North Texas, Oklahoma, TCU, Tennessee, Texas A&M (9)
• Trestan Ebner, Henderson, WR, 5-11, 180 — offers from Arkansas, Houston, Kansas, Illinois, Indiana, North Texas, Ole Miss, SMU, Syracuse, UTSA, TCU, Tulsa (12)
• Montrell Estell, Hooks, WR/DB, 6-2, 180 — offers from Alabama, Arizona State, Arkansas, Baylor, Kansas, Notre Dame, SMU, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas State, Texas Tech, Tulane (12)
• Octavius Evans, Center, WR, 6-2, 186 — offers from Louisiana Tech, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Texas State, ULL (6)
• Austin Hawley, Gladewater, 6-1, 206 — offer from ULM (1)
• Kollin Hurt, Gilmer, S, 6-3, 175 — offer from ULM (1)
• Jordan Johnson, Hooks, ATH, 6-0, 195 — committed to Air Force (1)
• Kayce Medlock, Arp, ATH, 5-9, 186 — offers from Army, Colorado, SMU, Tulane, ULL (5)
• Damion Miller, John Tyler, WR, 6-1, 189 — committed to Texas; additional offers from Baylor, Houston, Kansas, Mizzou, North Texas, Oklahoma State; Ole Miss; SMU, Texas A&M, Texas Tech (11)
• LaMarcus Morton, Gilmer, WR, 6-2, 175 — offer from Arkansas State, Indiana, Texas Tech, Tulsa, ULL, ULM, UTSA (7)
• Javontavius Mosley, John Tyler, CB, 6-1, 170 — offers from Arkansas State, Houston, North Texas, SMU, Texas State, ULL, ULM, UTSA (8)
• Dhailon Phillips, Lufkin, WR, 6-3, 195 — offer from Texas State (1)
• Kordell Rodgers, Lufkin, QB/ATH, 5-10, 165 — offer from Texas State (1)
• Bryson Smith, John Tyler, QB/ATH, 6-0, 170 — offers from Arkansas State, Bowling Green, Houston, New Mexico, North Texas, Purdue, SMU, Texas State, Tulane, ULL, ULM, UTSA (12)
• Major Tennison, Bullard, TE, 6-6, 248 — committed to Texas; additional offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, SMU, Texas Tech (11)
• Josh Thompson, Nacogdoches, CB, 6-0, 180 — offered by Louisiana Tech, Minnesota, Ohio, SMU, Texas State, Tulane, ULM, UTSA, Washington State, Wyoming (10)
• Traveion Webster, Longview, S, 6-0, 197 — offered by ULM (1)