Morgan Kane Class: Senior Hometown: Ottawa, Ontario High School: Merivale High School Height / Weight: 6-1 / 220 Position: Running Back Birthdate: 03/30/1976 Experience: 3VL

Explosive and gifted running back who enters his senior season as a key weapon in the Demon Deacon arsenal … has lettered as a member of the Wake Forest offensive backfield the past three years, serving as a starter throughout most of his career … will enter August preseason camp as a likely first-stringer again, although at a new location … was switched to fullback during the offseason, a move geared to put even more speed and big play potential into the Deacon lineup … will definitely provide versatility at that position with his ability to catch the ball as well as run with it … also could return to the more standard tailback slot if needed … only unfortunate aspect of the changeover was the fact that he was unable to practice there during the spring season … missed all contact work during the offseason after undergoing surgery to repair torn ligaments in his left wrist … should be back to full speed by the fall … and when we say speed, we mean speed … has been clocked at 4.4 in the 40 during his career … still has the power to run inside, though, and is one of the program's most impressive all-around athletes … ranks fourth on the team in the broad jump (10'4") and is fifth in the squat exercise (615 lbs) … could well have rated high in other categories but was slowed during the offseason by the wrist injury … redshirted during his initial year at WFU (1995) … now prepares for his senior campaign as the 18th leading rusher in school history with 1,389 total yards … three times has cracked the 100-yard mark in a single game, all three of those coming away from home, including twice at Clemson's famed Death Valley … hopes to add some more outings such as those to his resume this fall.

1998: The Deacs' leading rusher for the season despite being slowed the second half of the schedule with some physical problems … started six times and played in 10 of the 11 contests … began the season in very promising fashion, gaining 71 yards (on 16 carries) at Air Force and 94 yards (on 22 carries) in win over Navy … also scored on a two-yard plunge to give WFU the lead to stay against the Middies … took over the ACC lead in rushing in late-September after picking up 113 yards on a career-high 35 carries in win at Clemson … was averaging a most impressive 92.7 yards per game at that point … after a disappointing outing versus App State (16 yds gained), he returned to form against Duke, gaining 86 yards on just 11 attempts … that performance included a 48-yard run -- longest by any Deacon all season … productivity dropped considerably the latter portion of the season … sustained a severe neck strain against Virginia and missed the following date at NC State entirely … had caught three passes for 88 yards, including a 48-yarder, in the matchup with the Cavaliers … carried only five times in last two dates versus Florida State and Georgia Tech … did contribute four receptions for 40 yards at Tech … 421 of his 454 rushing yards for the season came in schedule's first six games.

1997: Started six times and played in all 11 games while sharing the top running back role with Herman Lewis … finished second to Lewis in rushing with 445 net yards and a 4.1 average per attempt … the 10th-leading rusher in the ACC for the year … top single game was an outstanding 146-yard performance (on only 17 carries) in win at Duke … averaged 8.6 yards per carry that afternoon with runs of 43, 37 and 20 yards, plus a one-yard touchdown carry … very productive at East Carolina, gaining 71 yards on the ground (16 tries) while catching eight passes for another 72 yards … scored on one-yard plunges versus both ECU and in the win over Northwestern … only TD reception came on a spectacular 30-yard pass from Brian Kuklick against Georgia Tech … fourth on the team in receiving for the year with 30 catches … longest reception was a 39-yarder in win over Maryland.

1996: Opened the season in fine style, carrying 12 times for 35 yards (all in the 2nd half) in win over App State, then picking up 43 yards on 14 attempts in victory over Northwestern … started for the first time at Georgia Tech … tremendous performance at Clemson where he gained 131 yards on 33 carries, the first time a Wake running back had topped the 100-yard mark versus the Tigers in 20 years … also caught three passes that day, then three more the following week against North Carolina, including a 15-yard touchdown toss from Brian Kuklick … second-best single game rushing effort was 72 yards (on 15 carries) versus Navy … did have 82 total yards against Florida State, but 80 of those came on one sudden burst through the middle of the Seminole defense … that play ranks as the fifth-longest run from scrimmage in Wake Forest history … started seven games overall.

BACKGROUND: The first Demon Deacon from Canada since offensive tackle Randy Halsall was a senior at Wake Forest in 1973 … says that his first association with WFU came in following the Demon Deacon hoops team of the early 90s led by All-American Rodney Rogers … excelled in both track and football while attending Merivale High … coached on the gridiron by Jim Kerruish … named MVP of his high school squad every year that he played varsity ball and was three times voted team captain … played in two city championship games at Merivale and was a member of the 1993 champion team there … competed in the 100 meters and relay events as a track athlete … majoring in sociology … age 23 (3/30/76).

CAREER STATISTICS

RUSHING   ATT   YDS    AVG.  TD  LG
1996      135   490    3.6   2   80
1997      109   445    4.1   3   43
1998      128   454    3.5   2   48
TOTALS    372   1389   3.7   7   80

MOST CARRIES
35 at Clemson, 9/26/98

MOST YARDS RUSHING
146 at Duke, 10/25/97

100-YARD GAMES
146 at Duke, 10/25/97 131 at Clemson, 9/28/96 113 at Clemson, 9/26/98

LONGEST RUN
80 yards (for TD) vs Florida State, 11/9/96

CAREER TD RUNS
6 yards vs Navy, 10/26/96 80 yards vs Florida State, 11/9/96 1 yard vs Northwestern, 9/6/97 1 yard vs East Carolina, 9/13/97 1 yard at Duke, 10/25/97 2 yards vs Navy, 9/10/98 1 yard vs North Carolina, 10/24/98

RECEIVING

        REC   YDS   AVG.  TD   LG
1996    16    106   6.6   1    26
1997    39    350   9.0   1    39
1998    18    180   10.0  0    48
TOTALS  73    636   8.7   2    48

MOST RECEPTIONS
8 at East Carolina, 9/13/97

MOST YARDS RECEIVING
72 at East Carolina, 9/13/97

LONGEST RECEPTION
48 yards vs Virginia, 10/31/98

TD RECEPTIONS
15 yards vs North Carolina, 10/5/96 30 yards vs Georgia Tech, 9/20/97