BALTIMORE, Md. (October 25, 2018) -- After stops at two power football programs, Corey Holmes has found a home at Morgan State University.

The fifth year transfer played wide receiver at Notre Dame and Purdue University and was ranked the 94th best player by ESPN coming out of St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Holmes signed with the Irish as apart of the 2014 recruiting class and played in two games as a freshman and redshirted in his second season. During his Notre Dame career, Holmes registered 11 catches for 96 yards.

Although Holmes' career with the Irish was short lived he is grateful for the opportunity.

"It was great, it's an experience I still cherish," said Holmes. "The tradition was definitely there, it was everything I heard about in high school."

Holmes' decision to come to Morgan State, by way of Purdue, was based off a relationship he built with Bears interim head coach Ernest T. Jones, who helped recruit Holmes during his time on the Notre Dame coaching staff.

"He did a good deal of recruiting [for Notre Dame], he came down and visited me in St. Thomas and we stayed in contact since then," Jones said. "When I left Purdue he told me I could come play for him, he was someone I trusted and someone I knew for awhile. I made the decision with no hesitation."

As a high school senior Holmes produced a lot on the field catching 24 passes for 432 yards and four touchdowns. He helped the Raiders of St. Thomas Aquinas to a 10-3 record and a birth to the Florida Class 7A playoff quarterfinals, while being coached by NFL Hall of Famer Chris Carter.

"Getting in the endzone when you can, being able to make those big plays, that's the best part of playing the receiver position," explained Holmes.

Holmes' father, David Holmes, played as defensive back at Syracuse where he won a Sugar Bowl and Outback Bowl, then became fourth-round NFL Draft pick of Miami Dolphins in 1989.

"My dad has been a great motivator to me. He motivates me everyday, we talk everyday and he reminds me of my goals. Obviously him making it to the next level has been an inspiration to me."

Holmes currently leads Morgan State with 18 receptions for 209 yards (11.6 avg). He also has scored on a 34-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback DeAndre Harris during Homecoming against South Carolina State (Oct. 6).

Morgan State (2-5, 1-2) returns to the gridiron this Saturday (Oct. 27) when they face the league leading Florida A&M Rattlers (5-2, 4-0). The match-up will kick off in Bragg Memorial Stadium at 4 p.m. and will be televised live by ESPN3 and broadcast by WEAA, 88.9 FM.

ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified doctoral research institution offering more than 100 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.