For much of the 2014 season, Morgan State coach Lee Hull had publicly expressed his faith in naming redshirt senior quarterback Robert Council as the opening-day starter. That’s why it wasn’t terribly easy for Hull to turn to redshirt junior Moses Skillon.
But Skillon proved Hull’s decision prescient as he passed for a season-high 289 yards, tossed two touchdowns, and ran nine yards for the game-winning score with 58 seconds left in Saturday’s 24-21 win over South Carolina State at Hughes Stadium.
Skillon also had his fair share of issues. He rushed for 42 yards, but many of his 17 carries resulted in losses that totaled 41 yards. He was also intercepted twice.
Skillon, who was making only his third start of the season for the Bears (6-5 overall and 5-2 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference), said Hull informed him on Friday that he would start against the Bulldogs (7-4, 5-2).
“He didn’t want to really put too much pressure on me, but I kind of figured that I would be the starter,” Skillon said. “I was just going through practice and preparation like I was the starter.”
Asked to describe the vote of confidence from Hull, Skillon said: “It means a lot. Coach is finding a leader’s ability in me, and that’s what I try to come out and do. I came out today and tried to lead this team to a win.”
Both Skillon and Council struggled in the team’s 45-0 loss at North Carolina A&T on Nov. 8. Council, who started after missing back-to-back games because of a groin injury, completed just 3 of 9 passes for 30 yards, tossed two interceptions that the Aggies converted into touchdowns, and ran for 57 yards on 10 carries.
Skillon connected on 5 of 14 throws for 88 yards, but he lost 4 yards on five rushing attempts and was stripped of the ball in the third quarter.
That left Hull with a bit of a dilemma.
“Like I said all year, I’m going to play – and it’s not just the quarterback, it’s anybody – who I feel gives us the best chance to win,” he said. “This week, based on the way the two guys played last week, Moses had a little better control and command of our offense, and with him able to throw and run, that makes our offense more dangerous.”
Hull acknowledged that going with Skillon over Council was a tough call.
“It was a difficult decision because Robert got us here,” Hull said of Council, who is 4-4 as a starter this fall. “We won all those games with him. But Robert understood and it made it easier. I talked to Robert about it, and he understood my decision. He’s a team player.”