By Lily Zhao
<[email protected]>

Lily Zhao: How long have you played football?
Morgan Newton: I’ve played organized football since third grade.

LZ: How did you get involved in football?
MN: My dad (John Newton, Assistant Principal) signed me up, so I started playing. I’ve also watched it on TV, plus I’m good at playing it.

LZ: Why do you like playing football so much?
MN: I really like the friendships that you build. There’s also some great competition between all the different high schools because (Carmel) won the state title last year, so the competition’s really heavy. The ambiance of Friday nights at the football games is always cool as well.

LZ: Are you thinking about pursuing a professional career in football?
MN: I don’t know, but maybe if the opportunity presented itself, then I’d pursue (a career).

LZ: Are you looking at colleges?
MN: I really don’t have a particular college that I’m zoning in on. I’m just looking at all the colleges in the Big 10, Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and the Southeastern Conference (SEC).

LZ: What was it like winning the State championship last year?
MN: It was a lot of fun. It was nice (to win) because that’s what we were all working toward. This title symbolizes all the hard work that we put into the season. Winning is fun, so I think that everyone had a good time because the whole city (of Carmel) enjoyed it and our team enjoyed it too.

LZ: Is it difficult being a student-athlete at Carmel?
MN: Yes, I think being a student-athlete is a little underrated. Because being at Carmel, the work is tough. We play in one of the most competitive states football-wise and we play one of the toughest schedules. Balancing everything is tough.

LZ: Which styles of offense would you like to play in during college?
MN: Versatility is the key. I could play in a lot of different systems, or in some systems that are like pro-style offenses.

LZ: Which collegiate athlete would you compare yourself most to?
MN: (University of Florida quarterback Tim) Tebow because of his running style. I like to play physically like him. For throwing, I could play in a more pro-style offense. People compare me to Vince Young so that’s always nice.

LZ: What’s your favorite song to listen to during workouts?
MN: I just like to listen to the songs that everyone else listens to. I like Lil’ Wayne; he’s my favorite, but I like the albums “The Cool” by Lupe Fiasco and “Tha Carter III” by Lil’ Wayne.

LZ: Any advice to a student who wants to become just like you or to be a varsity football player?
MN: I would just say to work hard. Play as many sports that you can play because you never know where your niche will be.