Coaching peers feel for Morris

Several years before Chad Morris was hired as the University of Arkansas coach for the 2018 season and joined Auburn’s Gus Malzahn in the SEC West, the two became close friends.

Both were high school coaches in the early 2000s — Malzahn at Springdale and Morris at Stephenville, Texas — when Morris sought out Malzahn to learn more about the hurry-up, no-huddle offense. They followed similar career paths by becoming college offensive coordinators and eventually head coaches.

So it was no surprise Malzahn and Morris talked after Morris was fired by Arkansas Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek on Sunday.

“I talked to Chad Sunday and just tried to encourage him,” Malzahn said Wednesday on the SEC coaches teleconference. “He’s a great person, great coach. He’ll land on his feet.”

Malzahn didn’t want to comment on how Morris was doing when they spoke.

“That probably just needs to stay between me and him,” Malzahn said.

Morris was 0-14 in SEC games, but he had five losses with a margin of seven or fewer points, including 31-27 against Texas A&M and 2420 at Kentucky this season.

“I just feel for Chad,” Kentucky Coach Mark Stoops said. “He’s one hell of a guy and a good football coach and a great person.

“You hate to see [the firing]. We all understand what we’re getting into with these jobs and this business. I just wish Chad nothing but the best.”

Alabama beat Arkansas 48-7 this season, but the Razorbacks’ offense was effective last year when the Tide won 65-31 in Fayetteville.

“I always thought Chad was a really good coach,” Alabama Coach Nick Saban said. “I know playing against him, their offense always presents lots of challenges.

“I’m a coach and I’m a professional and I don’t ever like to see anybody get fired. I know how hard he’s worked there to try to get it right, and I have a tremendous amount of respect for him. Hopefully, he’ll be able to have success in another endeavor somewhere down the road.”

South Carolina Coach Will Muschamp got to know Morris well when both worked in Austin. Muschamp was the defensive coordinator at Texas and Morris coached at Lake Travis High School.

“That’s kind of the business we’re in, that you’ve got to win right now,” Muschamp said of Morris being fired after 22 games with a 4-18 record. “But Chad’s an outstanding football coach, he’s an outstanding person. He’ll land on his feet in a good spot.”

Florida Coach Dan Mullen said one aspect of Morris being fired that gets overlooked is how many other people’s jobs also are affected.

“A lot times when you make coaching changes, it’s like, ‘OK, the head coach just got let go.’ There are an awful lot of people that go with that,” Mullen said. “There are an awful lot of people in the organization that end up making changes as well.

“There are an awful lot of families that are going to have to be packing up and moving their kids to different school systems. You’re looking to possibly buy a home and sell a home and being away from your family for an extended period of time. It’s always tough when that stuff happens. So you feel for not just Chad, but for all the coaches and the staff.”