Sul Ross State University

News Release for Nov. 19, 2008

LOBO QUARTERBACK PUNTS, PASSES, RUNS AND JUGGLES WORKLOAD

by Jason Hennington, News Writer

Sul Ross State University Lobo quarterback Monte Morales, Marfa, added "juggle" to his on-field regimen of "punt, pass and run."

Morales, who returned to the football field for the first time in three years, passed for 1,162 yards and five touchdowns, ran for 102 and four scores while punting for a 39.8-yard average as the Lobos finished 3-7 this season. In addition, he juggled a full class schedule and daily practice and games with night work at the High Frontier near Fort Davis.

High Frontier is a residential school for teenagers who are experiencing a wide range of emotional, behavioral and educational problems. Morales works from 10 p.m.-6 a.m. at High Frontier Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, but still manages to attend his classes and the afternoon practices. He divided time between class, work and football each week, but admitted it can be a tricky juggling act. "I usually get home and sleep from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., three days out of the week," he said.

With football games on Saturdays, Morales managed a day off before the game to try and catch up on rest before playing. He believes the extra day is good because he needs the rest, and admits he has been affected by his busy schedule, even on game day.

"At times it has affected me, but not the game," Morales said.

Morales feels he needs to be at practice to make sure he performs well during the game, and his coaches understand his fatigue is due to his schedule and work ethic.

"The coaches understand that I'm tired all the time, but I understand that I need to be here at practice," he said. "If you don't practice good, you don't play good."

His season statistics indicated that Morales did practice well. Doubling as quarterback and punter did not bother Morales, mainly because he played numerous positions in high school, including offense and defense.

"I like being on the field," he said. "I played at a small school so I'm used to it."

"As a punter, we have used him (Morales) to improve our field position," said head coach Wayne Schroeder.

Although it is rare to find a quarterback and punter in one player, Schroeder feels he has not utilized Morales' versatility enough.

"We haven't exploited that like we could have," he said. "Monte has taken on a lot of responsibility with a very young offensive unit," he said. "Seven of the 11 starters are all freshmen. That puts a lot of responsibility on his back to make that unit successful."

Morales was happy to take responsibility, and feels that he must lead by example to make everyone else work just as hard.

"It's hard in practice, but in the game I always bust my butt," he said. "I make mistakes, but I always bust my butt."

As most quarterbacks, Morales has to deal with critics, and must take responsibility as a leader.

"Like every quarterback, he gets more credit than he deserves when you're winning, and gets blamed when you're losing," Schroeder said.

This would affect most young quarterbacks, but according to Schroeder, Morales does a good job of dealing with it.

"Monte is handling that as well as expected," he said. "He shows a lot of maturity. He takes the ups and downs very personally. He takes the accolades humbly and takes losses hard."

"It (being the quarterback) has its ups and downs," Morales said. "Sometimes it's hard to handle the crowd, but I get over it. People have their own opinions."

Following graduation from Marfa High School, Morales attended Tabor College, Hillsboro, Kan. He played the 2005 season at Hillsboro, then returned to Marfa to be closer to his two children.

"My boys are the main reason I came back," he said. To be closer to them, and there was a new coach at Kansas."

Morales, a psychology major who hopes to work in criminal psychology or forensics, chose to sit out the 2007 football season to focus more on school. In the spring of 2008 he decided he wanted to play again.

"I missed the game," he said. "I figured I could come here and play."

Morales feels his biggest advantage to coming to Sul Ross is that his biggest supporters, his grandparents, get to see him play.

"My grandparents are my biggest supporters," he said. "They come to every game and get to see me play, but when I was in Kansas they never got to come watch me play."

Schroeder believed Morales was a worthy successor to former Lobo quarterback Austin Davidson.

"He came to Sul Ross in the spring of 2008 and we recognized his size and speed," Schroeder said. "We went into the season knowing he could do the job."

After such a long hiatus from the playing field, Morales explained that he can feel every hit now.

"I haven't played in two years and I feel it," he laughed. "I feel like I'm old. It seems like the hits last longer now."

THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY NOV. 24-30 FOR STUDENTS/FACULTY; NOV. 26-30 FOR STAFF

Sul Ross State University will observe the Thanksgiving holiday during the week of Nov. 24-30.

Student/faculty holidays will begin Monday, Nov. 24. Offices will close at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 25.

Offices will reopen and classes will resume at 8 a.m. Monday, Dec. 1.

SUL ROSS' FREED TO PERFORM COMPOSITIONS AT COLLEGE MUSIC SOCIETY PROGRAM

Dr. Donald Callen Freed, Sul Ross State University associate professor of Music, will perform his original compositions at the College Music Society March program, scheduled March 13-15, 2009 at the University of Oklahoma, Norman.

Freed, who will be accompanied by Prof. Catherine Herbener of Concordia University, Seward, Neb., will perform selections from "Desert Heat and Winter Snow, Set II, Five Art Songs."

For more information, contact Freed, (432) 837-8216 or dfreed@sulross.edu.

"PECOS BILL AND THE GHOST STAMPEDE" PUBLIC PERFORMANCE NOV. 20 AT MARSHALL

The Sul Ross Children's Theatre Project (SRCTP) is presenting its third installment of family entertainment with encore performances of "Pecos Bill and the Ghost Stampede." An evening performance will be presented Thursday, Nov. 20, 8:15 p.m. in Marshall Auditorium on the Sul Ross State University campus.

Admission is $6.50 for adults, $4.50 for seniors and students and $3 for children 12 and under. All tickets are half-price with a canned food. Sul Ross students, faculty and staff are admitted for free with a current Sul Ross ID and a canned food item.

SRCTP is an outreach program designed to engage and enlighten school-aged children from around the region. By continuing an exchange with elementary, middle and high schools, the program allows children ages 5-18 to attend week-day matinees of children's theatre productions at Sul Ross while providing a service component and helping hand to our community.

SRCTP was implemented in November, 2006 with Sul Ross' production of "Narnia," a musical version of "The Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe." Last year, children were bused in to attend two performances of "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown," and this year's showcase production, "Pecos Bill and the Ghost Stampede." Admission for these children continues to be a canned food item to be donated to the West Texas Food bank in time for Thanksgiving. The SRCTP matinees are sold out with students attending from Midland, Fort Stockton, Marfa, Valentine, Fort Davis, Kermit, San Vicente ISD, Crane, Big Lake Marathon, and Alpine.

For more information regarding the SRCTP or the evening performance of "Pecos Bill and the Ghost Stampede," contact the Fine Arts and Communication Department, (432) 837-8218.

WELCH FOUNDATION AWARDS $60,000 GRANT TO SUL ROSS CHEMISTRY DEPARTMENT

The Welch Foundation of Houston has awarded a three-year, $60,000 Chemistry Departmental Research Grant to Sul Ross State University.

The grant award will fund six undergraduate scholarships per year. Two scholarships will be awarded in each of the second summer sessions, fall and spring semesters. In addition, the grant provides faculty stipends for summer research, equipment and travel.The grant will fund research from June 1, 2009 through May 31, 2012. Under terms of the grant, Sul Ross will supply a progress report by July 31 each year.

"We are grateful for the continuing support the Welch Foundation provides for chemistry students and programs at Sul Ross," noted President R. Vic Morgan in a letter to Norbert Dittrich, president of The Welch Foundation.

"These grant funds have a significant impact on our students in chemistry, empowering them to utilize the principles of scientific research in their studies," the letter continued.

For more information, contact Dr. David Rohr, (432) 837-8167 or drohr@sulross.edu.

STUDENT RECITAL NOV. 20, GUEST ARTIST NOV. 21 AT SUL ROSS

The Sul Ross State University Music Department will hold a student recital Thursday, Nov. 20, 7:30 p.m. in the Studio Theatre, Francois Fine Arts Building.

On Friday, Nov. 21, pianist Seth Montfort, from the San Francisco, Calif. area, will perform two recitals. Montfort will give a lecture recital at 10 a.m. in Francois Fine Arts Building, Room 200. At 7:30 p.m., he will perform a solo recital in Marshall Auditorium, featuring the music of Chopin, Liszt, Gershwin, Villa-Lobos and others.

There is no admission charge and the public is invited.