Flip Watch: Daune Morris

Kentucky got out the spatula in the 2024 high school recruiting cycle multiple times. The Wildcats flipped both Jacob Smith and Jerod Smith II from Michigan, Jason Patterson from Cincinnati, and Cam Dooley from Missouri. Recent history tells us to expect a flip or two in the 2025 recruiting cycle one could be coming at tailback following the decommitment of Isaiah West after a recent visit to Ohio State.

Paducah (Ky.) Tilghman safety Martels Carter told KSR to keep an eye on high three-star tailback Daune Morris following his commitment to Kentucky on Saturday afternoon. The top-500 recruit appears to be keeping his options open.

“He’s out of Chatanooga and is committed to USC right now,” Carter told KSR’s Jacob Polacheck. “That’s the main guy who I’m trying to get.”

“If you ask me, he’s the best running back in 2025. If you put on the film and watch him, he’s electrifying. His vision is beautiful. What more do you need? He knows how to read blocks, has explosiveness, and speed, and the film speaks for itself. You can put it at slot and he can do the same thing, dominate.”

The Murfeesboro (Tenn.) Oakland prospect is the No. 14 overall player in Tennessee and committed to USC on April 7. However, this recruitment is still wide open. Auburn has locked in an official visit (June 14-16) with the tailback recruit. USC is also scheduled to get an official visit in June. Could Kentucky get one locked in?

Mississippi State and South Carolina have issued scholarship offers to Daune Morris this month proving that this recruitment might not be over. Kentucky appeared in Morris’ top-10 back on April 5 prior to his commitment to USC. The Wildcats offered Morris during his sophomore season in 2022 and hosted the prospect for an unofficial visit for the Week 2 game win over Eastern Kentucky back in September.

The Wildcats have top-200 tailback Marquise Davis in the fold but are looking at other tailback options with only five scholarship players on the roster in 2024 with both Demie Sumo-Karngbaye and Chip Trayanum entering the year as redshirt seniors. Duane Morris is now a prospect to monitor closely over the next few months.

Will the relationship with Martels Carter help Kentucky get out the spatula? Stay tuned.