University of North Texas

DENTON, Texas Eric Morris has been hired as the 20th head coach in North Texas history, vice president and director of athletics Jared Mosley announced Tuesday.

“We are very excited to welcome coach Eric Morris and his family to North Texas,” Mosley said. “From the beginning of our process, Eric was able to clearly articulate his vision for UNT and what we could do in the short term to accelerate our transition to the American Athletic Conference.

“Among a deep and talented field of candidates, Eric stood out with his high energy and strong track record as a championship head coach and proven talent developer. As a Texan, he has deep relationships across the state and understands the importance of connecting with the campus and local community.”

Morris is a record player with extensive experience in the state of Texas. He comes to Denton after one season as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Washington State. He previously served as the head coach at Incarnate Word in San Antonio for four seasons from 2018-21.

“I am incredibly honored to be the head football coach at North Texas,” Morris said. “I am humbled and grateful for the opportunity Jared Mosley and President Smatreski have given me to lead UNT Football into a new era at The American. As a Texan, I understand the pride and caliber of Mean Green football and am humbled to lead this storied program. My wife Maggie and our son are so excited to be back home. We can’t wait to meet the team and get to work.”

In his first season at Washington State, the 37-year-old Morris has engineered an offense that ranks first in the Pac 12 and 10th nationally in redzone efficiency. He completed 91.5 percent of his trips inside the 20. Cougars’ 52 points at Stanford. were the most goals in a conference game since 2019 and the most in a road conference game since 2018.

Under his tutelage, quarterback Cameron Ward, who followed Morris from UIW, threw for 23 touchdowns (6th, Pac-12; 29th, FBS) and completed 298 passes (2nd, Pac-12; 10th, FBS). Ward posted five games with at least one rush and one passing touchdown.

Ward finished the regular season with 3,094 passing yards and 23 touchdowns on 285 rushing yards and five scores. He completed 64.1 percent of his passes.

The Cougars also displayed a rejuvenated ground game as Jaylen Jenkins became the first WSU freshman with 100 or more rushing yards in a game since 2005 against 130 USC. Nakia Watson had her first back-to-back 100-yard game with 166 yards at Stanford and 116 in a win over Arizona State.

During his tenure at UIW, Morris was named Southland Conference Coach of the Year twice (2018, 2021). He led the Cardinals to two conference championships (2018, 2021), two appearances in the FCS playoffs and left UIW as the program record holder for wins with 24.

While in San Antonio, Morris posted a 24–18 record and orchestrated an offense that ranked in the top 10 nationally in total offense in three of his four seasons, including leading the nation in 2020–21 with 552.3 yards per game. His teams finished in the top five in each of his last two seasons, third in 2020-21 (42.0 ppg) and fifth in 2021 with 39.5 points.

In 2021, Morris guided the Cardinals to the Southland Conference championship, reached the second round of the NCAA FCS and finished with a 10-3 record, the winningest record in program history. Morris mentored longtime student Ward, who finished the season earning Stats Perform FCS All-America Second Team honors and being named to the Hero Sports 2021 Sophomore All-American Team. Ward also received Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors after breaking the UIW program records for most career passing touchdowns and career passing yards. Ward was also a finalist for the Walter Payton Award.

Morris also oversaw the development of wide receiver Taylor Grimes, who earned multiple All-America honors in 2021 and was named Southland Conference Rookie of the Year after setting single-season records in passing yards (1,145) and touchdowns (15).

Morris guided the Cardinals to one of the best turnarounds in the FCS as he was named the 2018 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Regional Coach of the Year, the 2018 Southland Conference Coach of the Year and a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award. That season, he guided UIW to a 6-4 regular season record, a conference championship and the program’s first FCS Playoff appearance in his first season.

Prior to Incarnate Word, Morris spent five seasons (2013-17) as the offensive coordinator at his alma mater, Texas Tech. During that time, Morris helped the Red Raiders to three bowls and directed one of the top offenses in the country. From 2013 to 2017, Texas Tech’s offense scored over 30 points per game in all five seasons, ranking among the top 16 teams in total offense all five years, including leading the nation in 2016 with 564.4 yards per game. The Tech offense was highlighted by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, whom Morris recruited and coached in Lubbock.

Morris, a native of Shallowater, Texas, returned to his roots in West Texas after spending the 2012 season as former Tech head coach Mike Leach’s interior coach at Washington State.

Prior to Pullman, Morris spent two years at the University of Houston, first as an offensive graduate assistant in 2010 and then as an offensive quality control assistant in 2011. Prior to coaching, Morris played in the Canadian Football League in 2009.

Morris was a versatile, versatile player during his four seasons as a Red Raider wide receiver (2005-08). He was an All-Big 12 punt returner as a senior and was also a member of the 2007 Academic All-Big 12 team.

Morris arrived at Tech after a stellar prep career at Shallowater High School, where he was named the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal All-South Plains Super Team Offensive Player of the Year as a senior in 2003.

Morris earned a bachelor’s degree in communication studies from Texas Tech in 2008. He and his wife, Maggie, are the parents of two sons, Nicholas and George.