Former IUP tailback Chris Morgan has signed a free agent contract with the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts and will participate in the team’s minicamp this weekend.

Morgan is the second IUP player to sign an NFL contract this spring.  Offensive tackle Jason Capizzi signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers shortly after the conclusion of the NFL Draft on April 29.

Morgan finished his IUP career as the second leading rusher in school history with 3,817 yards while also ranking second in rushing touchdowns with 34 and attempts with 680.  He is fourth in total touchdowns scored with 36.

As a senior in 2006, Morgan rushed for 1,318 yards and 14 touchdowns, ranking second in the PSAC and eighth in the nation in rushing and earning PSAC West Offensive Player of the Year accolades.  He was also an All-Northeast Region selection and a regional finalist for the Harlon Hill trophy.

His rushing total last year is the sixth highest single season mark in school history while his 1,276 yards in 2005 ranks eighth.  Morgan also holds the two highest single game rushing performances in IUP annals, gaining 286 yards vs. East Stroudsburg last September 16 after gaining 266 in a 2004 contest vs. Lock Haven.

Morgan began his IUP career at free safety, starting the first nine games of his true freshman season in 2003 at that position before an injury to tailback Mike Jemison moved Morgan to the offensive backfield.  The move became permanent after he rushed for 273 yards over the final two games that year, including 156 on only 14 carries vs. Bloomsburg.

He played in 40 of 41 games during his four-year career, including 28 starts at tailback.  In those 28 contests, he reached the 100-yard mark 22 times and had 10 games of more than 150 yards.

Morgan is a 2003 graduate of Woodland Hills High School in Pittsburgh where he rushed for 1,968 yards and 26 touchdowns his senior season and was named conference player of the year and to the all-state team.  He was a member of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Fabulous 22 team and helped lead Woodland Hills to WPIAL titles in 1999, 2001 and 2002.

Including Morgan and Capizzi, a total of five IUP players are currently under contract to NFL teams.  Offensive guard Leander Jordan joined the Falcons during the offseason and is in his eighth NFL season while wide receiver LeRon McCoy (Arizona Cardinals) and linebacker Kris Griffin (Kansas City Chiefs) are in their second years. 

Chris Villarrial retired following the 2006 season after playing along the offensive line for eight seasons with the Chicago Bears and the last three with the Buffalo Bills.

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