Morgan County is coming off one of the best seasons in program history, and Alex Corrias played a role in that success as a junior.
Now, with his senior season approaching, Corrias is preparing to take over as the Bulldogs’ starting running back after spending the past few seasons behind former Morgan County standout Christian Monfort.
The opportunity comes with plenty of responsibility, but Corrias has spent the offseason preparing for it, putting in work on the practice field and in the weight room.
“It felt good to be the first team to go 10-0 in a long time and have that kind of excitement around this team,” Corrias said. “I really enjoyed the season, and the Callaway game felt like the perfect ending for the players that I’ve played with for so long. I’ve worked hard in the weight room, gained about 20 pounds since last season, gotten faster, and feel like I’m in a much better place this year.”
Corrias hopes to help fill the void left by Monfort this fall, but he isn’t entering the season without experience at the position.
He said Monfort and the other older players he played behind taught him a lot during his time in the program.
“I’ve learned a lot from all those guys, and they were always a really big help to the younger kids on our team,” Corrias said. “Now I’m able to help coach up the younger guys by telling them where to go and what to do. It’s worked out really well because I’ve played with them for a long time, and it’s helped me find holes and create plays.”
That experience has also helped prepare Corrias for a bigger leadership role. With the season opener approaching, he wants to set the example for a younger Morgan County roster while making the most of his final season.
He credited assistant coach Jeff Snipes and offensive coordinator Brett Bell with helping him embrace that responsibility.
“Coach Snipes and Coach Bell have been a really big help because they’ve told me, ‘This is your team now. This is your year, and here’s what you have to do,’” Corrias said. “It’s really helped me figure out my place on the roster and as a leader. Last year, I was always trying to get in the game when I could, but this year it’s more like, ‘You have to go.’”
Corrias said one of his biggest goals this season is to improve in the areas where he struggled last year while becoming the best version of himself both on and off the field.
More than anything, though, he wants the Bulldogs to approach each game with the same mindset regardless of the opponent.
“We’re only playing one team this year that we faced last season, so this is completely new for us,” Corrias said. “At the end of the day, we don’t care who we’re playing. We’re just going to go out there, do our best and try to win every game.”
Morgan County will enter the season with high expectations after last year’s historic run, and Corrias said he appreciates the community’s support for the program.
He hopes the Bulldogs can give their supporters another season to remember.
“Coming off a big year like that, you don’t want to disappoint a lot of people because the people of Morgan County are our biggest supporters and get us through games,” Corrias said. “One thing about our team is that we play together. We’re not divided in any way, and we all have the same goal.”