Notre Dame All-American Benjamin Morrison Confident & Locked in on Faith Entering 2024

Benjamin Morrison hasn’t faced much adversity during his first two years in South Bend. The All-American cornerback has been productive on the field by tallying 47 tackles and nine interceptions in just 25 games for the Blue and Gold. 

The Notre Dame star then had a setback in the spring as he underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder in March, which caused him to miss 11 practices. Now, the bright side is Morrison didn’t necessarily need those practices, but the concern was about his long-term health and if he would be ready for Texas A&M. 

Morrison didn’t get too down as he leaned on his faith and is now more than ready for the season-opener. 

“I just think over time,” Morrison said of when he knew he was 100 percent. “It's a constant battle gaining your confidence back. I think I’ve got to put my trust in God and I think I've been healthy for a while now.” 

Now, Notre Dame and Marcus Freeman aren’t being overly aggressive with Morrison as his value is being on the field for 12 Saturdays compared to reps in fall camp. 

“Obviously there has been, just because I had shoulder surgery four months ago,” Morrison said of his restrictions over camp. “At the end of the day, you'll see me out there playing. What I'm doing is I'm just following protocol. That's the biggest thing I can do.

“I'm not going to push it too early if I don't have to. I'm just following protocol and whatever they let me do or what they don't let me do. I trust them. I know I'll be ready.” 

Morrison might not be able to do everything, but he’s found a way to help the team off the practice field. The Arizona native has made it a point to share knowledge on Notre Dame’s younger players, including players on both sides of the ball. 

Defensive backs coach Mike Mickens has noticed Morrison’s impact and believes Notre Dame will benefit from it. 

“They soak up the knowledge,” explained Mickens. “They’re around each other every day. He’s a mentor for them. We have an older group, so that’s a good thing for these young guys. Some of the guys in that room have played a lot of ball. They’re soaking up the knowledge, understanding how to practice and understanding how to take notes in meetings. It’s been a pleasure.” 

The injury may have been a blessing in disguise, as Morrison was also forced to find ways to improve his game off the field. 

One of those ideas was to connect with his uncle, Gill Byrd, a Chargers Hall of Famer, to gain a mental advantage and see what he could improve on. 

“He really just transformed my mind a little bit, being able to grow as a DB because I really thought this would be a setback for myself,” Morrison said. “But it wasn't. I think this propelled me. I know more now. I understand more. We would watch film four days out of the week for an hour, every single night. And that was the biggest thing — how can I learn from my mistakes?  I watched every single rep I had last year, from the first game to the last bowl game vs. Oregon State, good and bad plays.

“I've never been more confident than I am right now because I'm seeing the game differently. I have two years on my belt, so I know I could play football. But how do I take this thing to the next level?” 

Notre Dame’s receiver room has felt Morrison raise his game during practice. Senior receiver Jayden Thomas has seen a lot of Morrison over the last few years and has come to appreciate the daily competition. 

“I love it,” stated Thomas. “I get to go against the best cornerback in the country - not only him but the best safeties and defensive line in the country. Our whole defense is the best in the country. We love it. It’s competitive.

“It’s nice to go against a guy like BMo to get better and better every day.” 

Morrison has been grounded since the day he arrived on campus, so he doesn't necessarily love the preseason hype and attention that has come over the last few weeks. 

Yet, Morrison can’t hide from it. It’s going to be there and Morrison plan to rely on his faith to keep him focused on the right path. 

“Last year, I was named on some of that stuff, and postseason, I wasn’t on anything. That just shows that stuff doesn’t really matter. Just put your head down and work. You have to understand that stuff comes. I’m happy with the growth I’ve made from my sophomore to junior year because I understand at the end of the day, I’m a follower of Christ and that stuff doesn’t really matter. 

“I know who I am and I know I’m going to serve God out there with my play. I kind of got away from that a little bit last year, so I’m excited to get back on the field and give him all the glory and see what happens.” 

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