Chad Allen Morris, born on December 4, 1968, is an American football coach with a diverse career spanning both high school and college levels. Most recently, he served as the wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator at Texas State University. This article delves into his career, highlighting his achievements and transitions.
Early Career: High School Success
Prior to his collegiate coaching career, Morris spent 16 seasons as a high school head coach in Texas, compiling an impressive 169-38 record (.816 winning percentage overall). He began his coaching career in 1992 at Eustace HS, where he spent 6 years.
In January 2000, Morris took the Bay City AD/head coaching position. He led the Blackcats to the 4A Division I state championship in 2000. During the 2008 and 2009 seasons, Morris led Lake Travis to back-to-back undefeated 4A Division I state titles. The Cavaliers finished the 2008 season as the AP No. 2 ranked team in the country.
Morris became a legend in Texas during his 16 years as a head coach in the state. He won 82 percent of his games and led Lake Travis High School to back-to-back, undefeated (16-0) state championship seasons. He won three state titles overall and played in six state championship games.
Transition to College Coaching
In 2010, Morris transitioned from high school coaching to the college ranks, becoming Tulsa's offensive coordinator. After helping the Golden Hurricane to a 10-3 season, Morris was hired by Clemson as the offensive coordinator from 2011-2014.
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The 2 years prior to Morris' arrival, Clemson went a combined 15-12, including a record of 6-7 in 2010. Under Morris’ fast-paced, no-huddle spread attack, Clemson shattered 127 offensive records (89 individual; 38 team) from 2010-14. The Tigers also posted the top three scoring seasons in school history, as well as four of the program’s top five passing seasons, during that time.
Morris was the primary recruiter for and aided in the development of former Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson, who was a two-time Heisman Trophy finalist, led the Tigers to a national title in 2017, and went on to become a first-round NFL draft pick by the Houston Texans.
Head Coaching Roles
Morris got his first opportunity to head coach at the collegiate level when he became head coach at the Southern Methodist University on December 1, 2014. Morris completed his tenure at SMU compiling a 14-22 record over 3 seasons. During his three seasons at SMU (2015-17), Morris used his Texas recruiting roots and offensive prowess to take the Mustangs from a 1-11 campaign in 2013 before he took over to the program’s first bowl bid since 2012 with a 7-5 mark this season. Morris’ offensive scheme was exactly what SMU needed, as it increased its scoring output by 16.7 points per game - the second-largest increase in the nation in 2015.
On December 6, 2017, Morris was hired as the head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks, signing a six-year, $21 million contract. In his first year, Morris led the Razorbacks to a 2-10 record, notching the team's first ten-loss season in school history. After a 2-8 start to the 2019 season and a 45-19 loss to Group of 5 opponent Western Kentucky, Arkansas dismissed Morris in his second season.
All four of his wins as head coach were over Group of Five (Tulsa, Colorado State) or FCS (Eastern Illinois, Portland State) competition. To date, he is the only full-time Razorback coach to have left the school without a conference win.
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Statements on Chad Morris's Hiring at Arkansas:
- University of Arkansas Chancellor Dr. Joseph E.: “We are thrilled to welcome Chad, Paula and their children to the Arkansas family. I enjoyed getting to know him and I am confident that he is the right coach to lead us back to competing for SEC and national titles. Julie Cromer Peoples did an outstanding job conducting the search in her interim role and on behalf of the Razorbacks everywhere, I say, ‘thank you’ to Julie."
- “The future is tremendously bright at the University of Arkansas with the addition of Chad Morris. I am confident that Chad will bring an exciting brand of football, phenomenal student-athletes and championships to Fayetteville, and do it all with high integrity.
- “As we began our search for the next head football coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks, Chad Morris was a name that quickly emerged as someone that would be an excellent choice for our program. Coach Morris aligns with the priorities we sought to find in our next head football coach including relentless work ethic and the ability to maintain good relationships within our state and beyond to attract the nation’s top talent. Chad is demanding but still relatable to the student-athletes of this generation.
- “Arkansas made a great hire!” Chad’s experience and success as a high school coach in Texas and SMU will open valuable recruiting opportunities for the Hogs!
- “I am incredibly happy for Chad Morris and his wife Paula. It has been fun to see someone who coaches here blossom in his career. He did a phenomenal job in his four years at Clemson and it has been exciting to see what he has done at SMU.
- “He was the first one to offer me.
Post-Arkansas Career
After being dismissed from Arkansas, Morris joined the Auburn football staff as offensive coordinator under head coach Gus Malzahn in 2019, but both were fired a year later. Following his time at Auburn, Morris returned to the high school level, becoming the head coach at Allen High School in Texas.
Former head coach Chad Morris has accepted a new position in college football. Morris, who formerly led SMU and Arkansas, announced he will join the University of South Florida as a senior offensive analyst. Morris and USF head football coach Jeff Scott both worked together at Clemson from 2011 to 2014 under head coach Dabo Swinney. Scott cited their working connection after announcing Morris joined his staff. "Chad and I have a great relationship and had a lot of success working together for four seasons under Coach Swinney at Clemson," Scott said. "We are very excited to welcome Chad to South Florida and I look forward to him working with Offensive Coordinator Travis Trickett, our returning staff members and me as we employ a fast-paced and exciting offense."
USF has struggled in Jeff Scott's first two seasons, winning just three total games and last year posted the No.
Coaching Statistics
The following table summarizes Chad Morris's coaching statistics at the college level:
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Chad Morris Pass Offense
| Year(s) | Team | Position | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-2017 | SMU | Head Coach | 14-22 |
| 2018-2019 | Arkansas | Head Coach | 4-18 |
Personal Life
Born on December 4, 1968 in Edgewood, Texas, Morris attended Texas A&M University and earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics with a minor in statistics in 1992 but did not play college football. He and his wife, Paula, have two children, a daughter, Mackenzie, and son, Chandler.
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