Prior to his collegiate coaching career, he was a high school head coach in Texas for 16 seasons compiling a 169–38 record (.816 winning overall). Most recently he was the head coach of the Lake Travis High School football team from 2008 to 2009. He coached the team, starring quarterback Garrett Gilbert, to back-to-back 16–0, state title seasons.[2] Morris made the move to college in 2010 when he became the offensive coordinator and associate head coach at the University of Tulsa. He would spend only one season at Tulsa before moving to Clemson University as offensive coordinator. The 2 years prior to Morris' arrival, Clemson went a combined 15–12, including a record of 6–7 in 2010. Morris introduced a hurry-up, spread offense that helped Clemson to a 42–11 mark over the next four seasons.[3] In December 2011, Morris became tied with Gus Malzahn as the highest paid assistant in college football after Clemson University gave Morris a six-year contract worth $1.3 million annually.[4]
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.[8] Morris' first two classes of recruits at SMU were all from Texas high schools, making SMU the only school in the country with all-Texas recruiting classes during that time.[9] Morris completed his tenure at SMU compiling a 14–22 record over 3 seasons. Morris improved his record each year at SMU going 2–10 in 2015, 5–7 in 2016 and 7–5 in 2017.
Arkansas
On December 6, 2017, Morris was hired as the head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks, signing a six-year, $21 million contract.[10] In his first year, Morris led the Razorbacks to a 2–10 record, notching the team's first ten-loss season in school history. This included a winless record in SEC play.
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.[11] 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. His 4–18 record is the worst record for a non-interim coach in Arkansas history.
Auburn
On December 10, 2019, Gus Malzahn hired Morris to serve as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Auburn.[12] Auburn fired Malzahn following the 2020 season.[13] New head coach Bryan Harsin did not retain Morris, instead hiring Mike Bobo.[14]
Personal life
Morris went to Edgewood High School in Edgewood, Texas, where he was the quarterback of the Bulldogs. He attended Texas A&M and earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics with a minor in statistics in 1992. Morris did not play football at the collegiate level. He and his wife, Paula, have two children, a daughter, Mackenzie, and son, Chandler, who played football at Oklahoma and TCU before transferring to North Texas following the 2023 season.[15][16]
National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth
Notes
^ abMorris served as SMU's head coach for the 2017 regular season before resigning to take the head coaching job at the University of Arkansas. Sonny Dykes coached the Mustangs in the 2017 Frisco Bowl. SMU finished the season with an overall record of 7–6.
^ abcMorris served as Arkansas's head coach for the first ten games of the 2019 season before he was fired. Special teams coordinator and tight ends coach Barry Lunney Jr. was appointed as interim head coach for the last two games of the season. Arkansas finished the year with an overall record of 2–10 and a conference mark of 0–8, placing last out of seven teams in the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference.
