In 1949 and 1950, Decatur won 25 consecutive games and two state championships. Decatur's best player was Larry Morris, the 1950 Class AA back of the year. Class AA was the highest classification at the time.
Morris, a fullback and linebacker, might've been the best player in Georgia history to that time. He's remains on the short list today.
Known as the Brahma Bull, Morris was an All-American at Georgia Tech, a captain of the football and baseball teams. He was a first-round draft pick and All-Pro linebacker with the Chicago Bears. He was MVP of the 1963 NFL championship game after he recorded two sacks and an interception.
That victory gave Morris an NFL title to go along with his college national title (1952) and two high school state titles. Morris was named to the NFL's all-decade team for the 1960s as one of five linebackers. Others included Dick Butkus and Ray Nitschke.
Morris passed away in 2012. He had suffered for many years with chronic traumatic encephalopathy and was one of the first NFL greats to have his dementia linked to his football career. He was 79.
Morris is among GHSF Daily's choices for the best players in the history of current Region 6-AAAAA schools.
So is his son Shan, a first-team all-state running back in 1984 at Riverwood. Shan Morris would become a three-year starting safety at Auburn, known like his dad for his punishing tackles.
*Banneker: Greg Blue (2000)
*Carver (Atlanta): Otis Grant (1978)
*Decatur: Larry Morris (1950)
*Grady: Damian Swann (2010)
*Jackson (Atlanta): Lorenzo Mauldin (2010)
*Lithia Springs: Henry Love (1987)
*North Springs: Ben Logue (1981)
*Riverwood: Shan Morris (1984)
Best player in school history series
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