Chad Morris resigns as Allen head football coach
By Matt Welch | Star Local Media May 13, 2022Chad Morris' lone season as Allen head football coach produced an 11-3 record and a regional finals appearance.
Photo courtesy of Glenn Gunn
Less than 24 hours after its annual spring game, the Allen football team is without a head coach.
After one season at the helm, Chad Morris is resigning from his position, sources confirmed on Friday. Morris has an opportunity to return to coaching college football, according to a press release from Allen ISD.
Morris' tenure with Allen concludes after just under 14 months, during which he coached the Eagles to an 11-3 record and a spot in the regional finals during the 2021 season. The school district announced that a search will immediately begin to find Morris' replacement.
“I am so thankful to Allen ISD for the chance to work with an amazing group of student-athletes and a dedicated coaching staff,” Morris said in a press release. “Allen is a top-notch school system that prioritizes students above all else. I want to thank Superintendent Dr. Robin Bullock, the Board of Trustees, Administration, and Athletic Director Kim Garner for their unwavering support over the past year.”
Morris was hired by Allen ISD on March 31, 2021 to be the 11th head football coach in program history, last having coached at the high school level in 2009 with Austin Lake Travis. In between, Morris compiled an extensive resume coaching college football, including head coaching stints at SMU and Arkansas plus offensive coordinator gigs at Clemson, Tulsa and Auburn.
Morris' lone season at Allen wasn't without its peaks and valleys. The program had a state-record 84-game regular-season win streak snapped on Sept. 3 in a 41-20 loss to Atascocita — Allen's first defeat inside Eagle Stadium — and suffered its first district loss since 2010 on Oct. 29 against Prosper, 28-23.
But the Eagles found their footing as the season progressed, capturing their 16th consecutive district championship and advancing four rounds deep in the playoffs for the first time since 2018. Allen avenged a season-ending loss to Euless Trinity in the regional semifinals, 59-21, and also topped both Hebron (59-30) and Lake Highlands (49-24) during the postseason prior to being ousted by fellow powerhouse Southlake Carroll, 47-21.
“I want to thank Coach Morris for the passion he brought to the Allen Eagles football program,” Bullock said in a press release. “Coach Morris has an amazing ability to connect with student-athletes on a personal level, and I wish him all the best in his return to college football.”
Morris' departure comes at a less-than-ideal time of the offseason. The Eagles concluded spring ball on Thursday and won't begin fall practices until Aug. 8. During the summer, schools are allowed to hold voluntary sport-specific skills sessions that last 60 minutes for an individual sport.
Allen opens its 2022 season on Aug. 26 from Eagle Stadium in a high-profile edition of the Tom Landry Classic against California powerhouse St. John Bosco. The Braves went 10-2 last season and finished the year ranked No. 6 nationally by MaxPreps.
Whoever takes the reins at Allen will be the program's third head coach in three years.
“The chance to serve as a head coach in Allen is a premier opportunity throughout the state of Texas,” Garner said in a press release. “Coach Morris did an outstanding job of leading the Allen football team this past year and pouring his heart and soul into our student-athletes and program. Now, our attention turns to finding a coach who will continue to build upon our winning tradition, instill a positive family culture, and inspire our young athletes to find success on the field and in the classroom.”