Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Starting fast
New coach Morris off, running at helm with Razorbacks.
FAYETTEVILLE — If Chad Morris doesn’t win with great frequency for the Arkansas Razorbacks it won’t be due to a lack of nerve, bravado or confidence.
The new University of Arkansas, Fayetteville head football coach packed all three of those traits into his introductory news conference Thursday at the Fowler Family Center while talking about winning championships and developing champions.
“We’re going to put it in the left lane, we’re going to put the hammer down and we’re going to have fun,” Morris said to conclude his 13-minute opening remarks before a large contingent of media, UA coaches and officials, former players, high school coaches, special guests, and his family, wife Paula and children Mackenzie and Chandler.
“I promise you the more you get to know me, I won’t let you down. Our staff won’t
let you down. We want to win, make no mistake about it. We’re here to win. … We want to win championships and that’s what we’re going to do.”
Morris, who turned 49 on Monday, was flown to Fayetteville on Wednesday and met with the current team on the eve of his first public appearance as the Razorbacks’ 33rd head football coach.
The Texas A&M graduate from Edgewood, Texas, had a 14-22 record during a threeyear stint at SMU. He now enters his first Power 5 head coaching job and is clearly not intimidated by the kingpins in the SEC West.
Morris also is into recruiting hype. After flying what was called the “TempoCopter” on recruiting visits for SMU, he plans to come up with an equally splashy ride at Arkansas.
“We’ve got to figure out a name for it now,” he said. “The Hog Copter or something. But it’ll be alive and well. We’ll be all over this state in a helicopter.”
Morris said his immediate aim is “100 percent recruiting, recruiting and recruiting,” which pertains to the prospects who can begin signing Dec. 20, but also getting assistant coaches.
Morris said he would hire “the best defensive coordinator in all of football.”
“I’m sure Coach Swinney wouldn’t like that,” when he was asked if that meant reuniting with Brent Venables, who was on the same Clemson staff with him from 201214. “But without disclosing any names right now, I’ve got a short list.”
Several members of his staff at SMU attended Thursday’s news conference and wore Razorbacks pins on their lapels, including offensive coordinator Joe Craddock, offensive line coach Dustin Fry, receivers coach Justin Stepp and his wife Brooke, who is director of recruiting operations, director of football operations Randy Ross and recruiting coordinator Mark Smith. SMU running backs coach Jeff Traylor, who is serving as the Mustangs’ interim head coach for the Frisco Bowl on Dec. 20, also attended the news conference.
Morris would not confirm any of the hires.
“I’ll be meeting with the staff here in the near future,” he said. “I’m not ready yet to announce who’s coming with me. There’ll be a time and a place where we’ll do that, but I’ve got a group that I’ve assembled.”
Morris sprinkled his talk with comments that reflected his drive to win big, and he devoted a section of his speech to all Razorbacks past, present and future.
“Now we get to do something special in the greatest conference in the country and build one of the greatest programs in the country,” Morris said. “And we get to lock arms and we get to do it together. We will become the model program for all others to follow.
“The culture of Arkansas football will be about winning championships. To win championships, you have to develop champions. Not just on the football field, but in the everyday life.”
Morris listed the historic credentials for Arkansas football — 42 bowl games, 13 conference championships, the 1964 national championship — then addressed Razorbacks past.
“I’ve got a plan,” he said. “I need you to be a part of this. This is your home. We’re going to make a special effort daily to welcome you back. We want you here, we need you here.”
He also addressed Razorbacks present.
“I had an opportunity to meet with the team yesterday around 4:30 and it was such a pleasure to walk into a room and see a group of young men that were hungry,” Morris said. “A group of young men that were wideeyed and doesn’t know what tomorrow’s going to bring.
“I told them to hold on because it’s going to move fast, real fast. And you better be ready when you come back in January.”
And he talked about Razorbacks future.
“So to the Razorbacks of the future, again recruiting and retaining is our top priority,” he said. “We’re coming. We’re coming fast. We’re coming at you.
“The jet’s fueled up and we’re ready to go. We’re excited about it. We came here to win championships. We look forward to the guys that want to be the best because that’s what we’re about. Because best is a standard at the University of Arkansas in every aspect of our program.”