After 12 weeks of searching, SMU has found its next football coach. SMU Director of Athletics Rick Hart introduced Chad Morris as head coach Monday afternoon in Hughes-Trigg Student Center.
Morris spent the last five seasons (four at Clemson) as an offensive coordinator at the collegiate level and spent 16 years as a Texas high school football coach.
“I’m excited about the future of SMU football, and my family is thrilled to be back in the state of Texas,” Morris said. “I want to thank Dr. [R. Gerald] Turner, Rick Hart and the search committee for this opportunity.”
Hart said the search was exhausting, but in the end SMU got its man.
“It is an honor and a pleasure to introduce Chad Morris as the head football coach at SMU,” Hart said. “His arrival on the Hilltop reinforces our commitment to compete at the highest level.”
Morris, a Dallas-area native, thinks his Texas ties will aid the rebuild of SMU football.
“Being involved with Texas high school coaches, being a part of that group, it’s a fraternity,” Morris said. “To be able to know that I’m one of those guys and to be able to get into those schools immediately [is huge], because that’s where it starts. It starts with the recruiting. It’s going to take all these high school coaches pulling in the same direction to get this thing done.”
Morris said he is eager to start recruiting and will waste no time hitting the trail.
“There’s some great players right here underneath our own wingspan, within a quarter-tank of gas drive you can get all you want,” Morris said. “We’re going to make it really hard for these guys to leave here. We’re not going to play second fiddle to anybody and we’re not going to back down from anybody.”
Above all, Morris said the program needs a culture change. One part of the change is getting students involved and supportive.
“I think you have to get out there and get involved,” Morris said. “You have to do it one handshake at a time. I think you have to see me out there and I think that’s critical to not just the fans, but our faculty as well. Whatever it takes.”
Morris hopes to have his staff assembled by Christmas, and would like to include some current Texas high school coaches on it.
Morris served as Clemson’s offensive coordinator from 2011-2014. During his tenure, the Tigers posted a 41-11 record, won the ACC championship in 2011 and reached two BCS Orange Bowls. Clemson also finished in the top 10 in the final Associated Press poll in 2012 and 2013.
Morris coached many current pros while at Clemson, including quarterback Tajh Boyd; running back Andre Ellington; wide receivers Sammy Watkins, DeAndre Hopkins, Martavis Bryant and Jeron Brown; tight end Dwayne Allen, and offensive linemen Brandon Thomas and Dalton Freeman.
Prior to Clemson, Morris spent one year (2010) at Tulsa as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Under his guidance, the Golden Hurricane averaged 41.4 points per game.
Before moving up to the college ranks, Morris coached Texas high school football at Eustace Independent School District, Elysian Field ISD, Bay City ISD, Stephenville ISD and Lake Travis ISD. His all-time high school record is 169-38, and he led Lake Travis to back-to-back undefeated seasons and state championships during his last two years at the prep level. Morris also earned 11 Coach of the Year awards.
