Men’s Soccer Star Reflects On His Career

Musa Morris has always done what he loves most: play soccer. 

Wherever he is, whether in the streets of Lagos, Nigeria, under the hot Arizona sun or on Liberty’s green fields, soccer has always been woven into Morris’ life. 

“Soccer was just something I did growing up,” Morris said. “In Nigeria, I grew up playing in the streets. Everywhere you go in Nigeria, you see either kids playing soccer or basketball. I wasn’t really tall, and I didn’t really have good handles, so soccer was the first sport that was easiest to stick with.”

Soccer served as Morris’ companion when he moved to Arizona from Nigeria, when he started his college career at Grand Canyon University and when he found his home at Liberty as a transfer player his junior year. Morris has been an impact player for the Flames as a senior this season, scoring five goals and providing one assist in seven games. 

However, Liberty was not Morris’ first choice when he put his name in the transfer portal. Morris said that the Flames’ program never crossed his mind because he had never been on the east coast of the U. S.

Things changed when Morris first stepped onto Liberty’s campus.

“Once I got to campus, it was just different,” Morris said. “I fell in love with the campus, fell in love with the people, fell in love with the coaching staff and the team. Once I got here, I just felt the presence of the Lord. That’s the aspect I love.”

Morris and the Liberty men’s soccer team have hit the ground running to start the spring season. The team stands at 5-1-1, including a 1-0 win over the previously undefeated High Point Panthers and a 1-0 win over the North Carolina Tar Heels for the first time in program history.

“Guys are bought in,” Morris said when asked what had contributed to the team’s strong start. “We have a good chemistry with the team, not just on the soccer field but off the soccer field too. Guys are bought in with each other. Guys love each other. Guys just want to work for each other.”

Along with being a big part of what happens on the field, Morris sees his position as a senior on the team as an opportunity to shape the younger players.

“Being a senior now, I enjoy it,” Morris said. “I feel proud, just from my process from coming in as a freshman to senior. Now I can use my position of being a senior and help the other guys who are in my situation (from) two or three years ago.”

Like most fall sport players, Morris had to wait to get back on the field when the ASUN conference postponed all fall sport competition because of the pandemic. Morris said that the team used the extra semester off to train and get better. Now the extra work is paying off on the field this spring.

Even though the time of the season has changed, Morris said that his goals for his final year as a Liberty Flame remain the same.

“Ultimately, (we’re) going to work hard in every game and pull out wins,” Morris said. “It’s about working toward our goals … to work together as a team and win the conference and get to the national tournament and win that as well. We have to stick together and continue working and grinding as a team.”

Morris will be back on the field with his team March 16 when the Flames host Lipscomb.

Sarah Tate is a Sports Reporter. Follow her on Instagram at @state2151.