It's safe to call Bernard Morris a battler.

He battled for a scholarship, then for playing time and finally battled to win a starting job -- and to keep it -- when the coaches opened up the competition in 2007 fall drills. He's also had to overcome nagging turf toe the last three years.

Because of his impressive athletic ability, scouts have been preparing Morris for a potential position switch at the next level. Some believe he can transition to wide receiver and others have stated a desire to use his strong-looking frame and excellent foot speed at strong safety. But Morris is optimistic his performance at the East-West Shrine Game, Hula Bowl, NFL Combine and Marshall's Pro Day convinced those teams that he has the ability to remain at and strive at being a quarterback.

At Jones High School, Morris lettered in football, basketball and baseball. He was named the team's best offensive back and best offensive player as a senior. That year, he threw for 1,179 yards with 14 touchdowns. In basketball, he averaged nine points and 10 rebounds per game, helping the team to a 29-6 record and a Class 3A state runnerup finish.

Morris wasn't offered a scholarship and instead accepted an invitation to enroll at Marshall as a walk-on. After redshirting in 2003, he earned a scholarship and appeared briefly in three games during the 2004 campaign at both quarterback and split end. He gained 21 yards on five carries and attempted just one pass while seeing action vs. Ohio State, Georgia and Ohio University.

He was suspended in October in his first season with the varsity after being arrested for battery after an altercation at a nightclub near Huntington. Morris was charged, though police failed to prove that he caused injury. Rather than undergo a trial, Morris decided to plead no contest and accept a year probation.

Morris returned to the Herd in 2005, starting six of nine games in which he played. A left big toe injury (turf toe) vs. Southern Mississippi sidelined him for two contests, as the injury would come back to haunt him over the next two seasons. He finished the year with 114-of-216 passes (52.8%) for 1,121 yards, six touchdowns and six interceptions. He also gained 256 yards with four scores on 75 carries (3.4-yard average), good for second on the squad, but also turned the ball over three times on five fumbles and was sacked 13 times for losses of 80 yards.

In 2006, a right ankle sprain vs. Tulane sidelined Morris vs. East Carolina. Even though he started 11 games, he was relieved in six of those contests, as he continued to battle with his turf toe injury. He gained 1,347 yards with eight touchdowns and 12 interceptions on 116-of-188 attempts (61.7%). He carried 82 times for 324 yards (4.0-yard average) and a pair of scores. Turnovers became a problem, as he lost the ball five times on nine fumbles and lost 84 yards on 14 sacks.

Morris again suffered a turf toe injury in the 2007 season, leaving the West Virginia game twice. He missed the next starting assignment, but put together a banner second half of the season. He hit on 253-of-398 passes (63.6%) for a career-high 3,149 yards, 17 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Despite playing behind a struggling offensive line -- Marshall allowed 34 sacks for minus-168 yards -- Morris reduced his turnover rate, fumbling four times but losing just one. For the third year in a row, he finished second on the team with 130 carries for 488 yards (3.8-yard average) and four scores.

In 35 games at Marshall, Morris started 28 contests. He ranks seventh in school history with 483 pass completions, eighth with 803 attempts, 5,617 yards passing and 28 interceptions. He placed 10th on the school career list with 31 touchdown tosses and sixth with a 60.15 completion percentage. He became the first quarterback in school annals to rush for over 1,000 yards in a career, carrying 292 times for 1,089 yards (3.7-yard average) and 10 scores. He caught two passes for losses of five total yards, recorded a solo tackle and placed sixth in Thundering Herd annals with 6,705 yards in total offense.

Positives: Has a lean frame with adequate muscle mass, but added more than 10 pounds of bulk prior to 2007, allowing him to absorb punishment better … Very quick open-field runner with the body control and change-of-direction agility to elude at the second level and is a valid threat to run with the ball, forcing defenses to account for him on every play … Shows good body control and the ability to start and stop very quickly … Has good foot quickness and the ability to accelerate with burst in the open field … Has the initial quickness to gain a step on most defenders … Carries the ball in good position and has a quick, snappy overhead release … Gets the ball through the throwing arc and is accurate in the short-to-intermediate passing game … Needs to improve touch on the ball when dumping off, but has good mobility in the pocket, sensing pressure well to sidestep pass rushers to escape … Above-average balance, he can smoothly drop back from center in his pass setup … Eludes the rush with fluid agility and has shown better decision making, as he now steps up in the pocket to absorb punishment rather than making a costly throw into coverage … Excels getting outside the pocket and throwing on the run … His ability to run with the ball causes opponents to defend the entire field … As a downfield runner, he shows good vision to see holes opening … Shows good burst to gain separation from defenders and is able to stop short … Has good elusiveness and makes sharp cuts in the open field … Puts decent zip behind his short tosses, threading the needle on slants … When given time to set his feet, has improved somewhat in leading his receivers into the pass on his long outs … Displayed a better feel for reading defenses as a senior than he did earlier in his career … Knows how to lay the ball away from defenders on his deep tosses and shows improving zip on his post patterns … Confident on the field and improvisation is one of his stronger suits … Has made good strides in anticipating coverage, throwing to receivers away from defenders.

Negatives: Improved field vision and decision making as a senior but is not the most instinctive passer and might struggle with a complex offense … Struggles with his instincts and needs to continue working on improving his touch … Tries to vary velocity, but tends to lose his accuracy in the process … Has good size struggles to locate his passing windows when the pocket breaks down … Wants to be a quarterback, and he does excel in a few areas, but hasn't been able to put it all together despite a decent senior season (does possess an NFL throwing arm) … Questionable ability to play with pain, struggling for three seasons to compensate for a nagging turf toe … Until his senior year, had always been involved in a quarterback battle, making it difficult for him to become a team leader … Shows quickness but only adequate ability to run the ball with toughness downfield, as he shies away from contact and lacks the overall strength to break tackles … Needs to refine his footwork as he loses accuracy throwing off his back foot … Has had ball-security issues (lost the ball nine times on 18 fumbles the last three years) … Needs to read defenses better and get a better feel for backside pressure (sacked 34 times in 2007) … Might struggle in a classic pro system, as he has had things simplified for him playing in Marshall's spread offense … Has a pro-caliber arm, but gets too confident and will force more than a fair share of his throws into tight, questionable areas (did show better poise and decision making in the second half of 2007) … Has improved his decision-making process, but is still inconsistent reading defenses … If he fails at quarterback, he might have to move to another position, but has been reluctant to embrace that idea … Has a 2004 off-field issue that needs further clarification.

Compares To: J.P. LOSMAN-Buffalo … Both are tremendous athletes who have been wildly inconsistent making decisions and reading defenses. Durability issues are a concern with Morris, who has battled turf toe problems the last three years. There is no questioning Morris' arm strength, but despite good speed, he isn't a great open-field runner who shies away from contact. By playing in a spread offense, the game -- with quick reads and limited options -- was simplified for him. He improved as a senior, but his touch on short throws is lacking. Because of his athletic ability, look for him to move to wide receiver or safety unless a team thinks he can develop as a long-term prospect at quarterback.

2005: Suffered turf toe (left big toe) vs. Southern Mississippi (11/08), missing the team's final two games vs. East Carolina (11/19) and Memphis (11/26).

2006: Suffered left turf toe vs. Alabama-Birmingham (10/21) that forced him to the sidelines. The injury would also see him get relieved after starting each of his next six games … His right ankle sprain suffered vs. Tulane (11/04) forced him to miss the East Carolina (11/11) clash.

2007: Twice left the West Virginia game (9/08) game with a turf toe injury, which would bother him throughout the first half of the season (missed several practices while wearing a protective boot to speed up recovery) and force him to sit out the first half of the next game vs. New Hampshire.

Campus: 4.61 in the 40-yard dash … 1.59 10-yard dash … 2.63 20-yard dash … 29-inch vertical jump … 9'5" broad jump … Bench pressed 225 pounds 20 times … 360-pound bench press … 500-pound squat … 290-power clean … 33 1/8-inch arm length … 9 ¾-inch hands … Right-handed … Wears contacts … 17/35 Wonderlic score.

Combine: 4.68 in the 40-yard dash … 1.68 10-yard dash … 2.81 20-yard dash … 24 ½-inch vertical jump … 9'1" broad jump … Bench pressed 225 pounds 18 times.

Attended Jones (Orlando, Fla.) High School, playing football for head coach Birto Benjamin … Lettered in football, basketball and baseball … Named the team's best offensive back and best offensive player as a senior … That year, he threw for 1,179 yards with 14 touchdowns … In basketball, he averaged nine points and 10 rebounds per game, helping the team to a 29-6 record and a Class 3A state runner-up finish.

Sports Marketing and Management major … Son of Marcia Morris … Born Bernard Raphael Morris on 5/29/85 … Resides in Orlando, Florida.