Jesuit is proud to announce Thomas “Tommy” Morel ’65 as the 2024 Legend of the Game for the highly anticipated Jesuit-Holy Cross Rivalry Game. A standout football player and business leader, Morel will be honored for his lifelong achievements both on and off the field. His story exemplifies Jesuit’s mission of developing men of faith and men for others who go on to lead in their professional and personal lives.

Born and raised in Gentilly, Morel attended St. Raphael School. Few students from his neighborhood commuted to Mid-City for high school in the early 1960s, but after being accepted he decided to attend Jesuit following in the footsteps of his older brother Harry Morel ’61, a standout athlete in his own right. As a boy, Morel watched Blue Jay legends such as Daniel “Rusty” Staub ’61 and Pat Screen ’61, future professional athletes, and dreamed of his own future on the gridiron. With a limited number of students making the same commute, Morel fortuitously found himself in a carpool with Staub and Screen each morning.

Morel remembers outstanding Jesuit teachers and coaches from Ray Coates ’44, who taught algebra and was himself named a Legend of the Game, to John Carusso, who served as the Jays’ quarterback coach. During his time at Jesuit, Morel was a four-sport athlete, playing varsity football, baseball, basketball, and track.

Morel’s football career took off during his junior year at Jesuit, where he played under coach Ken Tarzetti. He fondly recalls playing against Holy Cross for the state championship in front of a packed crowd at Tulane Stadium.

As a senior, he became known for his exceptional skills as a receiver, helping to revolutionize Jesuit’s offense with the spread formation that began to favor passing. By the 1964 season, the Blue Jays had begun shifting away from a single-wing formation with a strong back, paving the way for Morel to shine as a wide receiver. His talent earned him recruitment offers from top universities, eventually leading him to Louisiana State University.

In Baton Rouge, he broke school records as a three-year letterman, cementing his legacy as one of the best wide receivers in school history. With 82 career receptions overall, his 42 receptions in 1968 were the most of any receiver in a single season up to that point.

In the January 1968 Sugar Bowl, he sealed a Tiger victory with two critical receptions in the fourth quarter. The next season in the inaugural December 1968 Peach Bowl, he garnered 103 yards for the Tigers to contribute to an LSU win. Facing third down in that game with 19-to-go on the Florida State 37-yard-line, Morel caught a pass and juked out three defenders for a drive-sustaining first down. In response, LSU coach Charlie McClendon declared, “That Morel, in that last drive, made one of the greatest clutch catches that I ever saw.”

His collegiate athletic accomplishments earned him a 1968 Most Valuable Offensive Player award and a 1968 Louisiana Amateur Athlete of the Year runner up to Pete Maravich. Years later, his oldest son, Tommy, would play in LSU’s 2012 national championship game.

Upon graduating from LSU, Morel was drafted in the 11th round by the New Orleans Saints—the first Tiger to be drafted by the Black and Gold. Reflecting on his professional football experience, Morel remembers the surprise of being selected, saying, “It was a total shock.”

He notes the challenging environment of early Saints practices: “The practice field off of David Drive wasn’t much to speak of, and there wasn’t the same level of organization you would see today.” Having played in the preseason but not the regular season of that year—as he was on the team with first-team All-Pro wide receiver Danny Abramowicz who would go onto coach the Jesuit football team—he holds the distinction of being the only Saints player to take the field in a black helmet, but not a gold one.

Outside of football, Morel cultivated a deep love for music, inspired in large part by his father, a music educator in New Orleans. “Before going onto start his own band, the Harry Morel Orchestra, my father played frequently with René Louapre [of the Jesuit Class of 1933], whose son René Louapre III ended up in my own class at Jesuit. Interestingly, he’s still my doctor to this day. The Jesuit connections run deep.”

Connecting his childhood experiences to his lifelong love for music, he continued, “I was always playing guitar or piano between football practices. I even had a guitar amp in my dorm room in Broussard Hall.” His passion for music led him to co-own Uptown Sound Production, where he wrote jingles for local businesses, including the famous Popeyes jingle.

“We didn’t know what we were doing legally and in terms of publishing rights,” he laughed dryly, recalling the jingle’s meteoric success. “If you look today, you’ll see other names on the record, but we didn’t know any better at the time.” He penned twelve or so jingles in total for local and regional business including Tastee Donuts and Gulf Coast Bank.

Morel became a leading figure in the local hospitality industry after a stint in record business. Over the years, he held several high-profile roles, including Director of Sales and Marketing at the Fairmont Hotel in New Orleans and later at Sheraton Hotels. His leadership earned him numerous accolades, including being named New Orleans Marketing Professional of the Year in 2005 and winning Starwood Hotels’ Sales Leader of the Year multiple times.

Morel, who retired 10 years ago, lives with his wife, Sandy, and is the proud father of eight children—Leslie, Tommy, Gavin, Derek ’02, Connor ’03, Deven, Brandon, and Alexis. Following in their father’s footsteps, his sons pursued athletic excellence in college. Tommy notably played for LSU’s 2000 National Championship team. Derek and Connor both played Division I football on scholarship for four years at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, with Derek as a linebacker and Connor as a quarterback. His legacy continues through his grandchildren, including Evan Thomas Morel, a freshman at Jesuit, marking the next generation of Blue Jays in the family.

As Jesuit’s Legend of the Game, Morel will participate in several events for the Rivalry Game. On Thursday, October 3, he will speak to the Jesuit football team at practice, sharing insights on teamwork and selflessness that have guided him throughout his life.

“Being part of a Jesuit team is about making the team important than anything else going on in that moment,” Morel says. “I want our Blue Jays today to keep in mind that they’ll never be on another team for Jesuit after they graduate—but it’s a unique bond that stays with you forever.”

During the game, Morel will participate in the coin toss and receive special recognition during a special halftime ceremony, ensuring his legacy as a Blue Jay is celebrated by current students and alumni alike.

“I’m competitive, so whatever I did, I did as well as I could,” Morel reflects on his life. “The Jesuit background—the discipline, the sports, the camaraderie—everything worked together. I took a lot of chances, and they paid off because of that strong foundation.”

Jesuit invites all alumni, students, and families to join us in honoring Morel at this year’s Rivalry Game as we celebrate not only his achievements but also his enduring, lifelong Blue Jay Spirit.