As good as Golson
QB-WR combination thrilled fans
Small town stars lighting it up at SAGU
WAXAHACHIE, Texas -- When it comes to friends, these guys have taken their alliance to the gridiron from junior high all the way through college.
Southwestern Assemblies of God University football players Reid Golson and Nic Morphew have shared athletic successes over the years, much of it on the football field.
One is as elusive as quicksilver, the latter makes catches like a bear does rainbow trout.
They both call Grandview, Texas their home. It is a town of 1,561 about the same distance south of Ft. Worth along I-35 West as Waxahachie is below Dallas on I-35 East.
Golson, 5’11, 180-pound junior, has played quarterback for three seasons in college, the past two for the Lions. One of his favorite targets was Morphew, a 5’10, 180-lb senior wide receiver.
The duo played a season together at Howard Payne University (Brownwood, Tx) before transferring to SAGU for the past two years.
Golson has one campaign remaining, but he will not have his reliable buddy to look for on designed or broken plays.
The twosome hooked up for three touchdowns over their two autumns in purple. They also made a number of connections in the clutch against their former team.
Trailing after the Yellow Jackets scored on a Lions turnover with just over a minute to play in a 2011 game played at Midlothian Stadium, Golson came off the bench to rally the team.
He engineered a seven play, 63-yard drive that included 17 and 16-yard passes to Morphew and a 20-yarder to Sean Haynes (Katy, Tx / Univ. of Houston, Taylor HS).
Golson finished the drive with a three-yard, misdirection run around right end for a 21-15 victory.
Then, this season, SAGU overcame a 17-10 halftime deficit with another comeback over Howard Payne.
Golson went to his safety valve, the dependable Morphew again. In a huge moment the coagulants came together on a busted play for a 38-yard gain during a fourth quarter scoring drive resulting in a 27-17 triumph.
Beating their previous team meant much more to them than their Lions teammates.
Of their three touchdown hook-ups, fans will recall two from this season.
Golson hit Morphew with a looping laser from 23-yards out on a post-pattern (above right) that gave the Lions a 17-16 third quarter lead over Austin College (Tx).
The other was a 34-yard strike during a 41-0 homecoming win over Haskell University (Ks). It provided the Jungle Kings with a 28-0 advantage to begin the third quarter.
The dyad, which was featured during halftime by SAGU Sports Live late this season, has also enjoyed playing basketball in junior high school as well as many outdoor activities including hunting.
During the season their hunting was generally limited to joining teammates at Buffalo Wild Wings. There they would hunt for good games on the tube.
While they are great friends, they do not complete each other’s sentences. Morphew, though, has an uncanny ability to complete Golson’s passes.
During their senior year for the Grandview Zebras, they celebrated an unbeaten season. They took a 13-0 record into the fourth
round of the state playoffs before losing.
“The whole experience was awesome,” Reid recalled. “I suffered a torn ACL injury during the playoffs, but nothing could take away from that year.”
“Nic and I had a chemistry that many never share,” he continued. “We have hooked up on numerous broken plays, like when the pocket breaks down or am I forced to scramble. We make big plays when that happens!”
Like a fourth-and-one during their high school homecoming game.
“We went with a hard count to draw the defense offside,” he recalled. “But they didn’t jump (offsides), so we went deep!”
“Nic got past the coverage and we connected on an 80-yard touchdown. It was a huge turning point in the game.”
Morphew, whom he describes as a ‘go-to receiver,’ “knows how I play and he knows where to go (on the field to get open),”
Golson explained. “I feel comfortable giving him a chance to catch the ball in any given situation.”
Lions have won 4 in three of past 5 years
Transferring to SAGU was a perfect fit for him. “Honestly, it’s a great place to play and I love the school,” he says.
While some athletes go to larger schools only to watch their playing careers and their dreams die while riding the bench, “I have the opportunity to go out every day and play football on the college level.”
“It sounds cliché but there are a lot of people out there that don't have the chance to do it. I just want to make the most out of my college career and win every day that's given to me.”
For the second season in a row, SAGU posted a 4-6 record this season. Three were narrow setbacks in which they had the ball in the red zone with a chance to tie or win in the final minute.
In fact, the Lions have racked up four wins in three of the past five years and are on the verge of taking the next step.
SAGU expects to bring back an outstanding cast of linebackers and a talented secondary as well as a line anchored by D.J. Johnson (Springfield, Mo / Parkview HS). The kicking game will feature James Gish (Waxahachie, Tx / Waxahachie HS), who led the NAIA in field goals per game.
The offense will also return largely intact. Golson knows that Head Coach Jesse Godding is building something potentially very good.
"We are three or four games away from being a great team," the QB said. “And we came within a handful of plays this season from at least three more wins.”
“It gives me more motivation to win and to finish strong.”
Senior Swan Song in 2013
His senior season awaits.
Golson, who could stand to benefit from a stronger offensive line, rushed for 705 yards and passed for 1,867 yards and 12 TD’s.
His 257.2 yards per game ranked the bearded wonder at no. 18 in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). But what will he do without his sidekick, Morphew, who caught 11 passes this season for an average gain of 21 yards.
For starters, the Lions will return several standout performers at the skill positions, including their three leading receivers.
Wideout Jeremy McDonald (San Antonio, Tx / Cornerstone Christian) led the team with 40 catches and picked up 18.6 yards per reception. Coincidentally, the Lions top five receivers all had last names that began with the letter ‘M.’
As for the Grandview connection, it doesn’t disappear entirely!
Also returning will be sophomore WR Austin Martinez (Grandview, Tx / Grandview HS) and his brother, runningback Landry Martinez (Godley, Tx / Godley HS). Austin snared 18 passes for almost 15 yards per.
“They are two of the most competitive players I know,” quipped Golson.
Landry rushed for 217 yards in four games after missing most of the season with an injury. Plus, Cade Leuschner (Waco, Tx / Robinson HS) will be back as well. He had 274 yards on the ground.
WR’s Trevor McKinley (Arlington, Tx / Seguin HS) and Dylan Moore (Denton, Tx / Guyer HS) along with TE Caleb Shelly (Cold Spring, Tx / Lamar Univ., Cold Spring HS) return, meaning the offense could make plenty of noise in 2013.
McKinley caught 29 balls in 2012 and teamed with McDonald as dangerous kick return men.
Sounds like Golson’s quiver will be full and the Lions could be in for more big plays and a season on the positive side of .500.
Whatever happens this fall, it won’t be an accident.
“My QB coach in high school, Casey Walraven, instilled a hard work ethic in me,” Golson added. “I’ve carried it ever since.”
“He said that ‘with great sacrifice comes great reward.’ It taught me to give 100% all the time. I know whatever I do will pay off in the long run.”
Anyone who has seen Golson play ball knows he is quite capable of doing just that. Making long runs.”
Contact: Mark “Link” Warde, SAGU Sports Information Director, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or at 469-658-2847.
Reid Golson Bio
Birthdate: September 28, 1990 (22)
Family: Parents – Neil, Susan Trichell. Brother – Justin Golson (25).
Major: Criminal Justice.
Minor: Psychology.
Future: After maximizing in football in the USA, Canada or oversees, a career in law enforcement and coaching.
