af2 alum Donovan Morgan named AFL Rookie of the Year

Thursday July 3, 2008

Former Tulsa Talons receiver honored for ultra-successful first AFL season
 
CHICAGO – The arenafootball2 league (af2) announced today that former Tulsa Talons standout and current Chicago Rush WR DONOVAN MORGAN (6-2, 200, LA – Lafayette) was selected as the 2008 AFL Rookie of the Year as voted by AFL head coaches, fans, players and the Arena Football League Writers Association (AFLWA). Morgan played two af2 seasons (2005, 2007) in Tulsa before breaking onto the AFL scene this year.
 
Morgan, who won Rookie of the Month honors in June and was voted to the All-Rookie team last week, led all rookies in receptions (113), receiving yards (1,300), yards from scrimmage (1,336) and first downs (78). He also led the Rush in those categories in addition to sharing the team lead in total touchdowns (25; 24 – receiving, 1 – rushing) with long-time League standout DAMIAN HARRELL. Morgan’s play helped pace Chicago to an 11-5 regular season record, a Central Division title and a bye in the first round of the 2008 AFL playoffs. Last year in just six games with the Talons, Morgan caught 48 passes for 512 yards and 13 TDs before leaving to play with the Buffalo Bills. In 2005, the New Orleans, La. native was named the af2 Rookie of the Year after catching 121 passes for 1,687 yards and 54 touchdowns with Tulsa before signing with the Houston Texans and seeing action in three games. 
 
Other Rookie of the Year candidates this season included: Georgia WR TIGER JONES, Grand Rapids WR/DB CHRIS MARTIN, New Orleans LB NORMAN LEJEUNE and New York DB LEVY BROWN. Jones, Martin and Brown began their Arena Football careers in the af2 as well.
 
Morgan joins BRETT DIETZ (af2 Louisville), CHARLES FREDERICK (af2 Spokane) and TROY BERGERON (af2 Columbus) as former af2 players who went on to earn AFL Rookie of the Year honors. Dietz and Frederick were co-winners in 2007 while Bergeron won the award in 2005.
 
The 2008 AFL playoffs continue this weekend with four Divisional Round matchups broadcast nationally and in high definition on ESPN and ESPN2. The full weekend schedule in located below.
 
DIVISIONAL
Saturday, July 5
#5 Colorado Crush (7-10) at #2 San Jose SaberCats (11-5), 3 p.m. ET (ESPN HD, ESPN360.com)
#6 New York Dragons (9-8) at #1 Philadelphia Soul (13-3), 7 p.m. ET (ESPN HD, ESPN360.com)
Sunday, July 6
#6 Grand Rapids Rampage (7-10) at #1 Chicago Rush (11-5), 3 p.m. ET (ESPN HD, ESPN360.com)
Monday, July 7
#4 Cleveland Gladiators (10-7) at #2 Georgia Force (10-6), 8 p.m. ET (ESPN2 HD, ESPN360.com)
 
About af2
In Week 15 of its ninth season with a 29-team membership, af2 serves as a vehicle to bring Arena Football to small-to-midsize cities and as a developmental league with an unmatched history of sending players, coaches and officials to major professional football leagues each year. af2 operates under the same Mission Statement and Fans’ Bill of Rights as the Arena Football League, which is in the midst of its 22nd season. Log on to www.af2.com for more information.