When Morgan State cornerback Carlvainsky Decius speaks, everyone listens.
It’s not because he’s loud. Rather, Decius is a man of few words. He prefers to work in the shadows. So when the senior cornerback has something to say, the message is received clearly.
“Nine times out of 10, people are going to turn their heads and be like, ‘Oh, Carl doesn’t normally speak. So when Carl speaks, it must be important,'” Decius said.
Morgan State football returns 18 starters to form an experienced nucleus after finishing 4-6 in 2023, but the secondary isn’t as veteran-laden. Fifteen of the 23 players in the group are underclassmen.
Defensive coordinator Antone’ Sewell said he’s counting on Decius to help fill the void — both in leadership and production — after the losses of safety Jordan Toles and cornerback Jae’Veyon Morton, who combined for 92 tackles and five interceptions in 2023.
“With those guys departing, [we’re] all going to need him to be more of a vocal guy,” Sewell said. “… [We’re] all going to need him to step up and lead some of [those] younger guys.”
Toles, who signed as an undrafted free agent with the Baltimore Ravens, paced Morgan State’s secondary the past two seasons. The LSU transfer was a first-team All-MEAC selection in 2023. Morton, a speedy 5-foot-9 cornerback, earned first-team honors each of the past two seasons as the Bears’ top cornerback.
Decius started 10 games last season, recording 39 tackles, two pass breakups and a forced fumble. The 6-foot, 190-pound senior will head up Morgan State’s secondary along with 2023 FCS Freshman All-American Ja’son Prevard.
Sewell described Decius as a steady, technically sound cornerback who prefers to stick within the confines of the defensive scheme.
“He’s one of those guys where you know where he’s going to be, you know what he’s going to do all the time. A willing tackler and … a really good teammate,” Sewell said. “I played free safety during my playing days, and he’s a guy who I would want to have alongside me at corner because I know where he’s going to be, know what he’s going to do and he makes your job easier.”
Playing it safe has its benefits and drawbacks. In the future, the defensive coordinator wants Decius to become more aggressive in the defensive backfield, taking more gambles and forcing more turnovers.
“I’m looking for him to make some more plays,” Sewell said. “[I’m looking] for him to utilize his great study habits and knowledge of the defense to his advantage, to be able to take a few chances and make some plays even when it looks like a play isn’t there to be made.”
Decius, who grew up in Prince George’s County and attended Parkdale High School, entered high school as a wide receiver. He didn’t get the college attention he hoped for after transitioning to cornerback, describing himself as a diamond in the rough rather than a hot commodity. Morgan State was the only program to offer a scholarship.
“I remember everybody telling me, ‘You got one [offer] so now here come the other ones,’ but the other ones didn’t come,” Decius said. “So I did get a little discouraged. I thought I was supposed to get more than I did.”
Sewell was coaching at his alma mater, Bowie State, when Decius was in high school. They met at a football camp entering his senior year but lost touch once Decius committed to Morgan State. Sewell recalled him as an athletic yet raw player.
They reunited when Decius was entering his second year at Morgan State. That’s when former Bowie State head coach Damon Wilson was hired to take over the same role for the Bears. Wilson brought along Sewell, who quickly took a liking to Decius. They even learned they had played for the same youth football team growing up.
Now entering his third season at Morgan State, Sewell lauded Decius’ strong work ethic. He recalled their near-daily chats the summer heading into his sophomore season in 2022 and his perfect attendance at team workouts this summer.
That didn’t always come naturally to Decius, though. Before he ever played a game with the Bears, he sat down for a talk with the previous coaching staff about his lack of engagement in team meetings.
“After that talk, that flipped the switch for me,” he said.
Decius sat out the first two games of his sophomore season for academic reasons, but he finished the 2022 campaign with 23 tackles, three pass breakups, a forced fumble and three interceptions. He had a 37-yard pick-six in a win against Delaware State and ended the year as a third-team All-MEAC selection by Phil Steele.
After similar success as a junior, Decius enters his final college campaign at the top of the depth chart and as a linchpin of Wilson’s talented team.
“People from the outside told me there are better opportunities out there, but I chose the coaching staff here to get me to where I want to get to,” Decius said. “Fast forward to where I am now, it’s just so much growth, and I have an opportunity to just take it to the next level.”
Photo Credit: Chris Thompkins
Issue 288: August/September 2024
Originally published Aug. 14, 2024