Guy Morriss, the former head coach of the A&M-Commerce football team, stepped into a new role following the conclusion of the 2012 season. Morriss stepped aside from his coaching duties to fulfill a new role within the Athletic Department as the Assistant to the Athletic Director for Special Projects.

2012 marked Morriss' final season on the Lion sideline, highlighted by a return trip to Cowboys Stadium for a nationally televised game against Midwestern State, as well as a thrilling overtime victory against Texas A&M-Kingsville at Memorial Stadium on September 29th. Morriss also oversaw the development of linebacker Danny Mason, who was named the Lone Star Conference Linebacker of the Year as well as a first team Daktronics All-Region selection.

Despite battling a myriad of injuries and setbacks in 2011, Morris’ A&M-Commerce team saw a handful of bright spots. The Lions participated in the Lone Star Football Festival at Cowboys Stadium on September 17, becoming the first Division II team to suit up in the world’s preeminent sporting venue. The Lions saw a pair of players rack in All-Lone Star Conference accolades as Cory Whitfield was named first team with Taylor Fore being named honorable mention.

A pair of Morriss’ players closed out their career by inscribing their names in the A&M-Commerce record book as well. Fore closed out his career ranked fourth all-time in receptions (125), including 58 in 2011 which tied the single-season record, while Marcus Graham closed out his career ranked eighth all-time in rushing yards with 1,990.

In 2010, Morriss led a young Lion squad to a 3-8 mark on the season, with five games being decided by five points or less. With 18 freshmen seeing significant playing time, Morriss called the development of those young Lions the most memorable aspect of the 2010 campaign and a source of extreme optimism for the upcoming seasons.

Morriss made an immediate impression in his first season on the Lion sidelines, leading A&M-Commerce to the Lone Star Conference North Division title, posting a 5-0 division mark en route to being named the 2009 LSC Coach of the Year. It marked the first outright divisional title for A&M-Commerce since 1990. The five victories by Morriss in his Lion debut were the most since J.V. Sikes won six in his first season on the Commerce sidelines in 1954. A&M-Commerce closed out the 2009 season on a five-game winning streak, the longest run in the program’s history since Eddie Vowell led the Lions to five consecutive victories in 1992.

The Lions had 11 players earn all-Lone Star Conference North Division honors, including R.J. Brisbon, who was selected as the co-Offensive Lineman of the Year, William Green as the Defensive Lineman of the Year and Cory Whitfield as the Linebacker of the Year. Two members of the team were selected to the Lone Star Conference All-Academic Team for their efforts on the field and in the classroom. Three members of the team - Brisbon, Green and Chad Washington - were selected to participate in the 2010 Cactus Bowl, with Green receiving multiple All-America honors.

Morriss’ hiring in 2009 drew attention from the national media as he made his homecoming to Northeast Texas. Upon Morriss’ hiring, Texas A&M University-Commerce Athletic Director Carlton Cooper said, “We are very excited to have Guy Morriss join our Lion athletic family. He brings a wealth of football knowledge and relationships to our program. When we started this search, we were looking for a football coach to take our program in a new direction and build a program nationally recognized. We have selected the right person by choosing Guy Morriss to lead our football program.”

The former head coach at Baylor University from 2003-2007 and the University of Kentucky from 2001-2002 brings an impressive background that includes a 15-year playing career in the NFL. Morriss attended Sam Houston High School in Arlington and later Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, where he was a three year letterwinner and two-time All-Southwest Conference selection. The Horned Frogs’ team captain, he was selected to play in four all-star games following his senior season (Blue-Gray Game, Senior Bowl, Coaches’ All-America Game and College All-Star Game). Morriss was inducted into the TCU Hall of Fame in 1997.

Morriss was a second-round draft pick of the Philadelphia Eagles in 1973 where he played 11 seasons at center in the city of Brotherly Love. A five-time team captain, he helped the Eagles to four consecutive playoff berths (1978-82) under coach Dick Vermeil, as Philadelphia won the NFC East title in 1979 and 1980. Morriss was the starting center on the Eagles’ 1980 NFC Championship team, quarterbacked by Ron Jaworski, and played in Super Bowl XV.

Morriss then played for New England from 1984 to 1987, helping lead the Patriots to the playoff appearances in 1985 and 1986, playing in Super Bowl XX.

Following his playing days, Morriss began his coaching career as an offensive line coach with the New England Patriots from 1988 to 1989 under head coach and NFL Hall of Fame member Raymond Berry. After spending a season as the offensive coordinator at Mansfield High School in 1991, Morriss was selected as head coach of the Washington Marauders of the Professional Spring Football League in 1997, but the league ceased operations prior to the start of the season.

From 1992 to 1993, he coached the offensive line at Valdosta State University before returning to the NFL in 1994 as a member of Buddy Ryan’s Arizona Cardinals staff. Morriss then spent the 1995 campaign with the Canadian Football League’s San Antonio Texans, where they were second in the CFL in points scored and advanced to the semifinals of the Grey Cup playoffs. He spent the 1996 season as the offensive line coach at Mississippi State before moving on to the University of Kentucky. At Kentucky, he spent four seasons as the assistant head coach and offensive line coach before being promoted to head coach. In Morriss’ two seasons as Kentucky’s head coach, 10 Wildcats earned All-SEC recognition, three were named All-American and 43 garnered academic All-SEC honors.

Morriss was then named the head football coach at Baylor University on December 11, 2002. As the Bears’ head coach, Morriss was instrumental in raising over $10 million towards football projects including a new on-campus practice facility: The Highers Athletic Complex & Simpson Athletics and Academic Center also including the Lee and Elaine Harrington Recruiting Center. His student-athletes were successful on and off the field as 58 student-athletes earned academic all-Big 12 Conference honors and 37 earned all-Big 12 Conference athletic recognition. He also revised and improved the Baylor strength and conditioning, academic support services and disciplinary programs that have been carried on through the remainder of the athletic department.

During the 2008 season, Morriss served as the executive associate head coach for football development and offensive line coach at Kentucky State University in Frankfort, Kentucky. At KSU, he had an offensive lineman earn second team all-conference honors as well as another named to the all-academic team. The Thorobreds offensive line averaged 168.8 yards on the ground and another 183.4 yards through the air.

In 2004, when Super Bowl XXXVIII was played at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Morriss was honored by The Dallas Morning News, being named to the newspaper’s All-Texas High School Super Bowl Team.

The Colorado City, Texas native, Morriss earned his bachelor’s degree in secondary education from TCU in 1973. In August of 2011, he received his master's in education from Texas A&M University-Commerce as well. He and his wife, Jackie, are the parents of five daughters: Colleen, Melanie, Kerry, Savannah Rae and Austin Leigh. The couple is also the proud grandparents of four grandchildren.

Morriss' Career Coaching Record