Elijah Morris

Position:
Defensive Line
Height:
6-2
Weight:
280
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Fayetteville
High School:
Terry Sanford
Major:
University Studies

Career Notes: Five-year letterman (2020-24) who played in 53 career games making 45 starts … Recorded 118 career tackles (54 solo) … Registered 19.0 TFLs (-82 yards) with 10.5 sacks (-69 yards) … Credited with 12 quarterback hurries … Recorded at least one tackle in 46 of 53 games (multiple 37 times) … Established career-highs in tackles (8) at Georgia State in 2020 … Registered personal-best two sacks against Temple (2021) and two TFLs versus Temple (2021) and Appalachian State (2024) … Credited with three pass breakups, one forced fumble and four fumble recoveries … Since 2022, logged 1,350 total snaps (1,274 defense, 76 special teams) … Helped ECU to three bowl appearances since 2021 (Military Bow/’21, win vs. Coastal in Birmingham Bowl’22, win vs. NC State in Military Bowl/’24).

2024: Started all 13 games where he tallied 33 tackles (15 solo) earning his fifth varsity letter … Closed out career having started 16 consecutive games dating back to 2023 … Logged 522 total snaps (496 defense, 26 special teams) … Booked at least one tackle in all 13 contests (multiple 11 times) … Registered season-high six stops at Old Dominion … Over final eight games of the season, tallied 20 tackles including four against NC State in the Go Bowling Military contest … Recorded 6.5 TFLs for minus 23 yards that included four sacks for minus 18 yards … Tallied sacks against Old Dominion (-8 yards), Appalachian State (no yards), Liberty (-3 yards) and Temple (-7 yards) … Added TFLs against ODU (0.5/-2 yards), Appalachian State (1.0/-1 yard) and Florida Atlantic (0.5/no yards) … Lone forced fumble was against Appalachian State … Credited with quarterback hurries versus Tulsa and NC State … Member of a defensive unit that stood among the NCAA FBS leaders in red zone defense (13th/74.5 pct), tackles for loss (14th/7.2 pg), turnovers gained (27th/22) and 4th down conversion percentage defense (29th/45.7 percent) … One of 22 players that received the Captain’s Award … Seven-time gameday captain … Named Fourth Team All-AAC by Athlon Sports ... Earned Watch List inclusion to the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy, Allstate AFCA Good Works Team^® and Burlsworth Trophy.

2023: Appeared in eight games making four starts for the Pirates … Entered season having started 21 consecutive games which was extended following start at Michigan before suffering an injury … Logged 316 total snaps (295 defense, 21 special teams) … Recorded 21 tackles (10 solo) which included 5.0 TFLs for minus 17 yards … Credited with 1.5 sacks (-12 yards) with a quarterback hurry and a forced fumble … Registered a season-high five tackles (two solo) against Charlotte … Added four stops (two solo) at No. 2 Michigan … Credited with TFLs against Michigan (1.0/-1 yard), Charlotte (1.5/-4 yards), UTSA (0.5/-2 yards), Florida Atlantic (1.0/-10 yards) and Navy (1.0/no yards) … Tallied at least one stop in all eight contests (multiple six times) … Registered sacks against UTSA (0.5/-2 yards) and Florida Atlantic (1.0/-10 yards) … Had a QBU against Charlotte and recovered a fumble at Navy.

2022: Started all 13 games for the Pirates on the defensive line … Logged 512 total snaps (483 defense, 29 special teams) … Booked 23 total tackles (seven solo) … Registered 3.0 TFLs (-22 yards) with 2.5 sacks (-22 yards) … Credited with a pair of quarterback hurries and three pass breakups … Recorded TFLs against Old Dominion (0.5/-2 yards), Campbell (0.5/-11 yards), Memphis (1.0/-5 yards), Cincinnati (1.0/-4 yards) … Booked at least one tackle in 10 of 13 contests (multiple eight times) … Credited with sacks against Old Dominion (0.5/-2 yards), Campbell (0.5/-11 yards), Memphis (1.0/-5 yards), Cincinnati (0.5/-4 yards) … Recorded pass breakups against Campbell and Temple (two) … Credited with QBHs against NC State and Tulane … Booked a season-high four tackles against Campbell (two solo).

2021: Started nine of 11 games during second year with the program … Booked 25 stops (11 solo) with 4.0 TFLs (-19 yards) which included 2.5 sacks (-16 yards) … Registered at least one tackle in 10 contests (multiple eight times) … Tied for the team lead in quarterback hurries (five) with Jeremy Lewis … Credited with sacks against Houston (0.5/-6 yards) and Temple (2.0/-10 yards) … Also had TFLs against Appalachian State (0.5/-1 yard) and Navy (1.0/-2 yards) … Booked season-high five tackles at Navy (one solo) … Twenty-four of 25 stops came on rushing plays.

2020: Enjoyed an accelerated climb up the defensive depth chart after arrival on campus (as a true freshman walk-on) … Played in all nine contests and earned a starting assignment in the last seven outings – South Florida, Navy, Tulsa, Tulane, Cincinnati, Temple and SMU … Finished preseason camp as Hozey Haji-Badri’s top backup before winning top job prior to road matchup against the Bulls … Credited with 16 tackles (11 solo) … Stood first in the American Athletic Conference and third nationally with three fumble recoveries (all coming in first-half action vs. South Florida, Navy, Temple) … Also logged a pair of quarterback pressures in tilts against the Midshipmen and Green Wave … Netted at least one stop in five games and registered multiple hits on four occasions … Tallied a career-best eight tackles (5 solo) at Georgia State before collecting three against Navy and two each vs. Tulsa and Cincinnati … Had a single stop at Temple … Of 16 overall tackles, 14 came on rushing plays (87.5 percent) … Officially awarded a full scholarship following the Pirates’ 28-3 victory over the Owls at Lincoln Financial Field.

High School: A three-year letterman at Terry Sanford where he amassed 183 career tackles, 7.0 sacks and three forced fumbles … Earned All-Patriot Athletic Conference (4-A/3-A) honors after tallying 107 stops for the Bulldogs as a senior.

Personal: Son of Annie and Nelson Morris … Earned undergraduate degree in December of 2024 in university studies with a minor in communications.