Another weekend of work by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football staff helped pay dividends as the Mocs landed their 12th commitment of the 2014 recruiting class Monday evening. And Bingo is his name-o.
The new pledge is receiver Devaughn Bingo Morton Jr. of Fairburn (Ga.) Langston Hughes High School. He goes by his middle name.
"I almost committed while I was on my official visit last weekend, but I wanted to come home and talk it over with my parents and make sure that's what I wanted to do," Morton said Monday night. "After thinking about it all day, I didn't see any reason to wait around anymore. I was real impressed with what a family-oriented atmosphere they have and the bond that the coaches have with the other players. I want to be a part of that."
The 6-foot-2, 195-pound Morton said he has gone by Bingo as long as he can remember because he thought it would make him more memorable.
"I thought it was a nickname, but then I found out that's his actual name and I told him that if he was going to bring that kind of attention to himself he had to live up to it," Langston Hughes coach Willie Cannon said. "He definitely lived up to it for us.
"UTC is getting a kid who has been a great role model and leader here, and you see his size you know he's ready to make the jump to that level and play early. He's very physical and has great hands and speed. He'll be a big-time playmaker for them."
Morton chose the Mocs over offers from Furman, Samford, Georgia Southern, Coastal Carolina, Georgia State, Arkansas State, UNC-Charlotte, Troy and Old Dominion.
Last year's region champion in the 200-meter dash, Morton is the third straight UTC commitment who is also a track star, and last season he averaged more than 14 yards per catch in totaling 608 receiving yards.
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293.