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Could Morris be next choice in search for coach?
As Arkansas waits to hear about an athletic director and football coach, we keep hearing that Chad Morris’ name is gaining some traction in the search.
After Gus Malzahn said no, many have been assuming the next option for Arkansas in the search for a football coach was Memphis’ Mike Norvell.
That might not have been exactly right.
After the Tigers were named Sunday to play in the Liberty Bowl, Norvell wasn’t on the teleconference they have for the game.
Razorback fans started reading into that. But, as we found out later, he was on a recruiting trip and the logistics simply didn’t work. He was tweeting like a coach who planned to be coaching in that game earlier today.
Over 4,500 tickets sold in 2 hours! Thank you to all Tiger fan and look forward to seeing the #LibertyBowl covered in ? Blue! #TigerFam https://t.co/sxcC1wk2go
— Mike Norvell (@Coach_Norvell) December 4, 2017
Starting late Sunday night and increasing Monday morning, I’ve been hearing SMU coach Chad Morris’ name getting more and more attention.
In the matter of full disclosure, I thought several months ago he would be the best choice of all, including Malzahn, but that’s just my opinion.
His Twitter account the last few days pretty much reflect what I’ve been told about him all along and what has me the most interested:
Congrats to all #TXHSFB coaches and players who are one step closer to the ? today! pic.twitter.com/zq2ussK8fJ
— SMU FootbaII (@SMU_Football) December 3, 2017
Another weekend of great #TXHSFB in the Lone ⭐️ State!
Good luck to all @THSCAcoaches and players as they continue this journey! pic.twitter.com/eBi4ma5GLF— SMU FootbaII (@SMU_Football) December 1, 2017
He is a recruiter. Even his house in the Highland Park area of Dallas is decorated with recruits in mind. How he got that fly with his wife is evidence of sales ability.
Morris is a heckuva coach, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. He got a four-star quarterback at SMU and has rebuilt the program from the ashes that were as bad as it gets after June Jones basically let the program slide into the ditch.
Even former Razorback Clint Stoerner has been pointing out Morris’ positives on Twitter:
Chad Morris would be a big time hire at Arkansas..all the boxes are checked..get the UofA jets fueled up & headed to Dallas ASAP!!
— Clint Stoerner (@ClintStoerner) December 4, 2017
Your wrong..Ben Hicks, current SMU starting QB, was an ESPN 4* & was Elite 11 #2 comin out .. how many 4* are signing with group of 5 schools with higher than avg admission requirements!! Try again Ross!! https://t.co/fbJGAJ6ZD5
— Clint Stoerner (@ClintStoerner) December 4, 2017
Morris was a huge part of Clemsons initial rebuild, DeShawn Watson’s opinion of Morris as QB recruiter/developer & Morris rebuild at SMU!! https://t.co/XSITdZRxC0
— Clint Stoerner (@ClintStoerner) December 4, 2017
While I don’t always agree with Clint on everything, we are on the same page on this one.
Could Morris be the focus of the coach search now?
| Thu, Aug 29 |  | vs UAPB (Little Rock) | W, 70-0 |
| Sat, Sep 7 |  | @ Oklahoma State | L, 31-39 2OT |
| Sat, Sep 14 |  | vs UAB | W, 37-27 |
| Sat, Sep 21 |  | @ Auburn | W, 24-14 |
| Sat, Sep 28 |  | vs Texas A&M (Arl) | L, 21-17 |
| Sat, Oct 5 |  | vs Tennessee | W, 19-14 |
| Sat, Oct 19 |  | vs LSU | L, 34-10 |
| Sat, Oct 26 |  | @ Mississippi State | W, 58-25 |
| Sat, Nov 2 |  | vs Ole Miss | L, 63-31 |
| Sat, Nov 16 |  | vs Texas | L, 20-10 |
| Sat, Nov 23 |  | vs Louisiana Tech | 3:00 PM ESPN+/SECN+ |
| Sat, Nov 30 |  | @ Missouri | 2:30 PM SEC Network |
| Following is the Arkansas Sports Media High School Football Poll including the Overall Top 10, the top five in Classes 7A, 6A, 5A, 4A, 3A and 2A, plus the top three in the 8-man division, as voted by a panel of sports media from around the state for the week ending August 24. Ranking is given with first-place votes received, records, total points and ranking from last week's poll: | ||||
| OVERALL | Record | Pts | Prv | |
| 1. | Bryant (25) | 10-0 | 268 | 1 |
| 2. | Greenwood (2) | 10-0 | 234 | 3 |
| 30 | Conway | 9-1 | 202 | 2 |
| 4. | Little Rock Parkview | 9-1 | 171 | 4 |
| 5. | Bentonville | 7-3 | 162 | 5 |
| 6. | Benton | 9-1 | 148 | 6 |
| 7. | Fayetteville | 8-2 | 111 | 7 |
| 8. | Pulaski Academy | 8-2 | 89 | 8 |
| 9. | Rogers | 7-3 | 43 | 9 |
| 10. | Joe T. Robinson | 9-1 | 22 | — |
| Others receiving votes: Valley View 8, Mountain Home 7, Cabot 6, Little Rock Catholic 6, Shiloh Christian 6, Elkins 1, Farmington 1. | ||||
| CLASS 7A | ||||
| 1. | Bryant (27) | 10-0 | 135 | 1 |
| 2. | Conway | 9-1 | 102 | 2 |
| 3. | Bentonville | 7-3 | 81 | 3 |
| 4. | Fayetteville | 8-2 | 45 | 4 |
| 5. | Pulaski Academy | 8-2 | 39 | 5 |
| Others receiving votes: Rogers 3. | ||||
| CLASS 6A | ||||
| 1. | Greenwood (27) | 10-0 | 135 | 1 |
| 2. | Benton | 9-1 | 108 | 2 |
| 3. | Mountain Home | 8-2 | 62 | 3 |
| 4. | Shiloh Christian | 7-3 | 49 | 4 |
| 5. | Little Rock Catholic | 9-1 | 34 | 5 |
| Others receiving votes: Marion 6. | ||||
| CLASS 5A | ||||
| 1. | Little Rock Parkview (27) | 9-1 | 135 | 1 |
| 2. | Joe T. Robinson | 9-1 | 106 | 2 |
| 3. | Valley View | 10-0 | 79 | 3 |
| 4. | Farmington | 9-1 | 48 | 4 |
| 5. | Hot Springs Lakeside | 8-2 | 20 | 5 |
| Others receiving votes: Camden Fairview 7, Harding Academy 7, Morrilton 3. | ||||
| CLASS 4A | ||||
| 1. | Elkins (20) | 10-0 | 126 | 1 |
| 3. | Arkadelphia (5) | 8-2 | 91 | 3 |
| 2. | Little Rock Mills (1) | 10-0 | 68 | 2 |
| 4. | Warren | 8-2 | 55 | 4 |
| 5. | Dardanell (1) | 9-1 | 23 | — |
| Southside Batesville | 10-0 | 23 | — | |
| Others receiving votes: Malvern 12, Gravette 5, Highland 2. | ||||
| CLASS 3A | ||||
| 1. | Bismarck (12) | 10-0 | 105 | 1t |
| 2. | Fordyce (10) | 10-0 | 96 | 1t |
| 3. | Prescott (1) | 9-1 | 70 | 4 |
| 4. | Osceola (2) | 8-1 | 54 | 3 |
| 5. | Booneville (1) | 9-1 | 39 | 5 |
| Others receiving votes: Mansfield (1) 23, Rivercrest 10, Rison 4, Salem 4. | ||||
| CLASS 2A | ||||
| 1. | Carlisle (20) | 10-0 | 127 | 1 |
| 2. | Conway Christian (7) | 10-0 | 115 | 2 |
| 3. | Des Arc | 8-2 | 59 | 5 |
| 4. | East Poinsett Co. | 7-3 | 52 | — |
| 5. | Bigelow | 6-4 | 18 | 3 |
| Murfreesboro | 7-3 | 18 | 4 | |
| Others receiving votes: Mount Ida 6, Junction City 4, Cross County 3, Poyen 3. | ||||
| 8-MAN SANCTIONED | ||||
| 1. | Strong-Huttig (27) | 5-0 | 81 | 1 |
| 2. | Midland | 9-0 | 53 | 2 |
| 3. | Cedar Ridge | 8-1 | 25 | 3 |
| Others receiving votes: Woodlawn 3. | ||||