Freshman cornerback Benjamin Morrison, who finished tied for third in the country and led all Football Bowl Subdivision first-year players with six interceptions, was named to the Football Writers Association of America Freshman All-American Team on Thursday, January 12th.
Morrison’s six interceptions, which included a school-record-matching three against Boston College, are the most for a Notre Dame player since Manti Te’o picked off seven passes on his way to finishing second in the 2012 Heisman Trophy voting. The Phoenix, Arizona, native posted all six interceptions in the final six games of the season, starting his key role in Notre Dame’s 35-14 victory over No. 5 Clemson in November. Morrison’s first career interception set up the third Irish touchdown in the contest, then on the following drive Morrison intercepted another pass on the four-yard line and returned it 96 yards for a touchdown. That marked the first score of his career and the longest interception return for a touchdown at Notre Dame since Tom Zbikowski’s 80-yard effort against BYU in 2005.
Morrison was named the Walter Camp Defensive Player of the Week after his performance against Clemson, which included a career-high seven tackles and a key pass broken up on a third down play.
The three interceptions against Boston College, one which set up a touchdown and another that ended a BC scoring threat in the end zone, added Morrison’s name to the Notre Dame record books with 15 other players for the single-game record for interceptions (the most recent, current perennial all-pro safety Harrison Smith picked off three passes in the 2010 Sun Bowl vs. Miami FL).
The sixth interception of the season came in the 45-38 2022 Gator Bowl victory over No. 20 South Carolina when Morrison ended a Gamecock scoring threat at the end of the first half.
Among Morrison’s other honors this season, he was named the team’s defensive player of the game against Boston College and Clemson while also earning the Jim Thorpe National Player of the Week award after his three interceptions against BC. Morrison has earned freshman All-America honors from the FWAA, On3, College Football News and Pro Football Focus. He also earned true freshman All-American honors from ESPN, The Athletic and 247 Sports.
The FWAA began its Freshman All-America team in 2001. Sam Young (OL, 2006), Ian Williams (DL, 2007), Aaron Lynch (DL, 2011), KeiVarae Russell (DB, 2012), Nyles Morgan (LB, 2014), Justin Yoon…