Would you support a Chad Morris hire?

[SCSmokey]

Yes. Provided he brings in a DC who knows the league/southeast and can recruit. I’d prefer a coach who runs a pro style offense and I suspect Fulmer does too.

 

[VFL_in_MD]

You want to beat Bama or Florida? You have to get a good proven coach(no up and coming, no does well in a lesser conference). They are not Cheap. But of course we can save money to pay their buyout when they fail.

What are you talking about? NEB got their man for 5 mil, UCLA for 4.66, and Florida for 6. Aside from aTm we are right in that range if we offer 5 mil. This is what kills me...

Oh well. I guess we will just have to take what we get this go round. We used up all the kryptonite on Schiano.

 

[Teirnon]

LOL I admire the fans in the ivory tower of the Gruden Thread. Everyone argues for or against all the coaches and they just sit quite and waiting for the smoke screen to pass and Coach Gruden to take the helm of the UT football program!

 

[Teirnon]

What are you talking about? NEB got their man for 5 mil, UCLA for 4.66, and Florida for 6. Aside from aTm we are right in that range if we offer 5 mil. This is what kills me...

Oh well. I guess we will just have to take what we get this go round. We used up all the kryptonite on Schiano.

All we can do is wait and see. Schiano was making 700k and we were going to pay him 4 millon. I think we all hope we find a good proven coach and pay him well to come here.

 

[k-town_king]

Miles was the one I was referring to in the second paragraph. I can see how you took it that way though.

I was responding to two separate things.

The first addresses the fact that just because we don't know of major schools contacting guys, doesn't mean they are all bad candidates. I was giving examples of guys some here want or we have contacted.

The second paragraph was strictly about why Miles hasn't been linked to any schools.

28-48 BE is a loser to me. I would never call Schiano a proven winner.

 

[VolArmy74]

Yes. Provided he brings in a DC who knows the league/southeast and can recruit. I’d prefer a coach who runs a pro style offense and I suspect Fulmer does too.

Morris is a great recruiter in the region. He was signing 5 stars across the South for Clemson. A caller on WNML just mentioned that Morris said he can deliver Marion Hobby as DC. I hadn't heard that but that makes him even more appealing to me of so.

 

[Carp]

Anyone who would take Tee over Morris doesn't understand football. One of the best offensive coaches in the game, and a hell of a recruiter. He made Dabo at Clemson and they are still running his offense. Dabo was Butch before Morris.

I'm glad you agree that Tee Martin is the right choice.

 

[VFL_in_MD]

All we can do is wait and see. Schiano was making 700k and we were going to pay him 4 millon. I think we all hope we find a good proven coach and pay him well to come here.

I can agree on that. That is the unifying factor across the board...even for those hoping for Gruden and Kiffin (STILL NOT GOING TO HAPPEN) but we all just want to see Tennessee back to where we know they should be

 

[jrdfletcher]

If you can't get behind a Morris hire, you won't get behind anyone. And you are then part of the problem.

 

[EricFreakingBerry]

Do I think he's the best man for the job? No. But, if Butch had gotten fired two years ago and Morris was still the red hot commodity he was then, most people would've been okay with the hire.

But now, that 2-year record at SMU is getting in the way, totally disregarding the fact he provided marked improvement this year over last year.

 

[k-town_king]

Anyone who would take Tee over Morris doesn't understand football. One of the best offensive coaches in the game, and a hell of a recruiter. He made Dabo at Clemson and they are still running his offense. Dabo was Butch before Morris.

I guess you mean Tahj Boyd made Dabo? Boyd became the starter and the offense took off. Then when Morris left the offense got even better and they started winning and competing for National Championships.

 

[VolArmy74]

This is from last year right before Clemson beat OSU in the CFB playoff. It shows what Morris did for Clemson.

To speak of lasting legacies at a specific program is a discussion typically reserved for head coaches. Yet Morris left a similar impact at Clemson, to the point where his influence is seen all over the Tigers’ quest for the program’s first national championship since 1981.

He was hired following Clemson’s wildly disappointing 2010 season, a losing finish that raised serious concerns over Swinney’s ability to pilot the Tigers away from the middle of the pack in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The offense was his primary concern: Clemson ranked 90th nationally in yards gained per play that fall and 86th in scoring.

That led Swinney to Morris, then completing his first year as the coordinator at Tulsa after a long and distinguished career on the high school ranks at Texas — he compiled matching 16-0 marks during his final two seasons at Lake Travis High School, outside of Austin, winning back-to-back state championships.

In his first meetings with Clemson’s offense, Morris unveiled his game plan: We’re going to play fast, keep it simple and get the ball to our stars, he said to the Tigers, and we’re going to have the most explosive offense in the country.

Almost immediately — to the surprise of even the offense itself, which thought it would take more time — Morris had Clemson in that conversation.

The 2011 team reached the Orange Bowl, though the year ended with an ugly loss West Virginia. The 2012 team returned to the Orange Bowl, where it defeated Urban Meyer and Ohio State. In 2013, the Tigers ranked ninth nationally in total offense. By 2014, his final season, Morris had reeled in Watson, and a mini-dynasty was born.

“It really kick-started us on the journey that we’ve been on for the last five or six years,” Scott said.

“I think he came to Clemson at a very pivotal time. We were definitely needing some direction and new leadership on offense, just some new energy. He brought that, and it was actually perfect timing.”

Scott and Elliott are more than mere stand-ins for Morris; they are future head coaches in their own right, patiently waiting for the right opportunity. Despite the subtle yet integral changes they’ve installed to the system, however, the offense has retained Morris’ spacing and tempo nearly wholesale — a “great compliment,” Scott said, to how the system helped propel Clemson onto the national stage.

But as the Tigers prepare for Ohio State, Morris’ greatest impact can be seen in the team’s 6-foot-3 junior quarterback, a two-time Heisman Trophy contender and very likely the finest player in program history.

Watson will talk often with his former coordinator, thanks to a bond so deep that he considers Morris “a father figure for me.” Said Watson, “He’s just a special guy.”

SMU is beginning to see what Morris brought to the table for Clemson, if in fits and starts. After winning just two games in 2015, his debut season, the Mustangs came within a victory of bowl eligibility this season, an impressive bounce highlighted by a marquee victory against Houston.

There is a consensus among those players and coaches who know Morris best, from Watson through the Tigers’ current offensive assistants: What he helped build at Clemson will be replicated, if on a smaller scale, at SMU.

“What he did at this university,” Watson said, “it’s just been special.”

Special enough for Morris to inhabit a unique role within a program he left two years ago. He’s not the offensive coordinator, but he developed the offense; he’s not the quarterbacks coach, but he brought in the All-America quarterback. Felt but not seen, Morris’ fingerprints are all over the Tigers’ quest for the national title.

“Chad had an unbelievable impact on what happened then and what’s happening now. There’s no question about it,” said quarterbacks coach Brandon Streeter. “Not just on the field but off the field in these kids’ lives.”

 

[butchna]

Miles was the one I was referring to in the second paragraph. I can see how you took it that way though.

I was responding to two separate things.

The first addresses the fact that just because we don't know of major schools contacting guys, doesn't mean they are all bad candidates. I was giving examples of guys some here want or we have contacted.

The second paragraph was strictly about why Miles hasn't been linked to any schools.

28-48 BE is a loser to me. I would never call Schiano a proven winner.

You just had him in a grouping that included Kiffin. I know you’re a fan of his and he doesn’t exactly sell as “a puppet”. Big fan of the Les/Tee pairing if possible. :hi:

 

[VFLinFL]

I would not be ecstatic about the hiring of Chad Morris but as a loyal VFL I would give him my full support and hope for the best

 

[griddie]

I guess you mean Tahj Boyd made Dabo? Boyd became the starter and the offense took off. Then when Morris left the offense got even better and they started winning and competing for National Championships.

Morris point blank was the architect of the Clemson offense. And its taken off because of Watson, not because Morris left. You give us Morris and a strong DC then we will be very good. Very good. I'd take Morris or Venables in a heartbeat and be happy.

 

[EricFreakingBerry]

Just to put into perspective how big of a turnaround he's done at SMU, I pulled together some data showing the year before his first year and the 3 years he's been there so far.

He's consistently improving what was an absolute mess.

Combine that with his track record at Clemson and he's likely going to be VERY successful as a Head Coach.

Did our QBs even throw for 1,000 yards this year? Much less 3,600? Yes, I know it's against borderline HS defenses, but SMU was doing way worse against those same HS defenses before he got there. He has an offensive mindset and clear ability.

 

[wmcovol]

Most of this board didn't want Bruce Pearl either....but had to admit it was a fun ride for about 6 yrs before Knoxville got him......

 

[theknox]

Morris point blank was the architect of the Clemson offense. And its taken off because of Watson, not because Morris left. You give us Morris and a strong DC then we will be very good. Very good. I'd take Morris or Venables in a heartbeat and be happy.

It has been reported that he would bring VFL Marion Hobby as his DC if he were hired. (The co-DC from Clemson and now DL coach with Jacksonville)

 

[VOLnMiami]

I can't believe 170 people they would approve of that hire...I guess some people will settle for anything.

 

[andywilson001]

...at SMU. SMU. Ill say it again...SMU. Oh wait they will win 8 games this year. at SMU.

Oh and he also is the architect of the offense Clemson runs.

Yeah real failure. SMH.

UCF was 0-12 in 2015. Scott Frost got them to 12-0 in his 2nd year... The size and/or history of the program is irrelevant. A good coach can make any team great.

 

[MFL]

I’m hoping that’s a Phil smoke screen. Les miles is the only one on the finalists list for this job at this time.

 

[Smokeyshowl66]

Was just talking to huge Clemson booster - his read was...

- Morris could be a home run hire - but lots of questions. Brilliant football mind, good recruiter, but can he do all the intangibles (staff mgmt, fundraising, fan interaction, etc. etc.)
- Venables - great coach - but hyper intense - very volatile personality - probably would combust as a head coach - needs a buffer

 

[QuickSmurf]

318 delusional votes 😂

 

[VolArmy74]

UCF was 0-12 in 2015. Scott Frost got them to 12-0 in his 2nd year... The size and/or history of the program is irrelevant. A good coach can make any team great.

The 0-12 there was baffling. They'd won 10, 12, and 9 games with a BCS bowl win, the 3 years prior to that. There was a foundation in place.

Not saying that Frost didn't do a great job and build the structure. But SMU has never even sniffed a BCS bowl or a 12-1 season.

 

[TNnative]

June Jones rebuilt SMU and had them winning. They qualified for 4 straight bowls under him.

Morris didn’t have “nothing.” He had a team that hit the skids under a one year interim.

Morris is nowhere near Jones’ level of success at SMU, and Jones was there from 2008-2014.

Touche, I forgot about Jones. But still, anyone who can have any level of success there with their support base being so poor is worth consideration. Or what the Hell, we could go try to steal Jones away from the CFL.