West Point Student, Football Star Ryan Morgan Killed in Motorcycle Crash

Ryan Morgan, a student at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, was killed Sunday night in a motorcycle crash in his home town, Ramona, California, local authorities there report.

Morgan, 21, died of injuries suffered when he lost control of his motorcycle and was ejected from the vehicle at about 7:40 p.m. Sunday, according to the Ramona County Medical Examiner’s Office.

“He was airlifted by Mercy Air Helicopter to Palomar Medical Center (in Escondido),” said the office. “Despite aggressive surgical resuscitative efforts, he succumbed to his injuries and his death was pronounced in the operating room.”

He was the son of Rheynard and Julie Morgan, according to a West Point player profile.

Morgan rushed for 1,622 yards and 17 touchdowns as a senior in 2009, when Ramona went 8-3.

“He rushed for 2,734 yards in his three-year career despite missing five games as a junior with a broken toe,” according to a North County Times story.

Morgan told the paper in 2010 that the Cadets wanted him to play running back.

“It’s a pitch-out offense, and they said they would pitch it to me on the outside,” the paper quoted Morgan as saying. “They told me I’m good at making people miss, and that’s what I'm going to try to do.”

Morgan also was the Valley League champion in the 400 meters and the runner-up in the 200 as a junior, with best times of 48.13 and 22.13 in the long sprints, plus 10.95 in the 100-meter dash.