Football
Morris, Eric
Eric Morris
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- UNTFootball@unt.edu
- Alma Mater:
- Texas Tech, 2008
Morris's Records (through 2024 season):
Career (Six seasons): 35-32 overall
At UNT (Two seasons): 11-14 overall
Eric Morris was named the 20th head coach in UNT Football history on December 13, 2022.
One of the best offensive minds in the country, Morris has developed UNT into one of the top offenses in the American and the nation.
Since becoming the offensive coordinator at Texas Tech in 2013, Morris has led an offense that finished inside the top 25 (FBS or FCS) in scoring nine times in 12 years, including each of his first two seasons with the Mean Green.
In addition, Morris has led offenses that finished in the top-10 in total offense nine times, including the top FBS offense (Texas Tech) in 2016 and the top FCS offense (UIW) in the nation in 2020. UNT finished sixth in the country in total offense in 2023 and third in 2024.
Morris-led offenses have been dominant through the air as eight of Morris’ first 12 years as an OC or HC have resulted in a top-five passing offense in the country. North Texas had the fourth-ranked passing attack in FBS in 2024.
In his second season at North Texas, Morris led the Mean Green to its 15th bowl game in program history with an appearance in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl. Despite adding an FBS-high 77 new players to the roster from 2023 to 2024, the Mean Green started the season 5-1, tied for the best start through six games for the Mean Green since 1967. Since 1989, UNT has only started the year 5-1 or better one other time (2018).
The Mean Green offense was stellar, finishing the season third in FBS in total offense, fourth in passing offense and 23rd in scoring offense. UNT set a program record with 328.2 passing yards per game while the 488.8 total yards per game ranked third in program history and the 33.5 points per game ranked seventh.
Morris quickly developed UNT into one of the top offenses in the American and the nation in his first season as head coach of the Mean Green. Under his leadership, North Texas boasted one of only four offenses nationally during the regular season to include a 3,000-yard passer, a 1,000-yard rusher and a 1,000-yard receiver.
UNT finished led the AAC and ranked No. 6 nationally in total offense (495.8), plus ranks of No. 12 in passing offense (304.7) and No. 21 in both rushing offense (191.2) and scoring (34.5). The Mean Green were one of only five FBS teams ranked inside the top 25 in scoring, rushing, passing and total offense in 2023.
In 2022 at Washington State, Morris engineered an offense that ranked first in the Pac 12 and 10th nationally in red zone efficiency, scoring 91.5 percent of its trips inside the 20. The Cougars’ 52 points at Stanford were the most scored in a conference game since 2019, and the most in a road conference game since 2018.
Under his guidance, quarterback Cameron Ward, who followed Morris from UIW, passed 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 rushing and one passing touchdown.
Ward finished the regular season with 3,094 passing yards and 23 touchdowns to go with 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 with 130 against USC. Nakia Watson was the first rusher with consecutive 100-yards games following 166 at Stanford and 116 in a win over Arizona State.
In his UIW tenure, Morris was twice named the Southland Conference Coach of the Year (2018, 2021). He led the Cardinals to two conference titles (2018, 2021), twice reached the FCS playoffs, and left UIW as the program record holder for victories with 24.
During his time in San Antonio, Morris posted a 24-18 record and orchestrated an offense that finished in the top 10 nationally for total offense in three of his four seasons, including leading the nation in 2020-21 at 552.3 yards per game. His teams finished in the top five in scoring both of his final two seasons, third in 2020-21 (42.0 ppg) and fifth in 2021 at 39.5 ppg.
In 2021, Morris guided the Cardinals to the Southland Conference title, reached the NCAA FCS Second Round, and finished with a 10-3 record, the winningest record in program history. Morris mentored longtime pupil Ward, who finished the season garnering Stats Perform FCS All-America Second Team honors as well as being named to the Hero Sports 2021 Sophomore All-American Team. Ward also received Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors after breaking 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-American honors in 2021 and was named Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year after setting single-season records for receiving yards (1,145) and touchdown receptions (15).
Morris guided the Cardinals to one of the best turnarounds in the FCS, being named the 2018 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Regional Coach of the Year, the 2018 Southland Conference Coach of the Year, and an Eddie Robinson Award finalist. 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 bowl games and guided one of the top offenses in the nation. From 2013-17, Texas Tech's offense scored over 30 points per game all five seasons, and all five years was ranked among the top 16 teams in total offense, including leading the nation in 2016 at 564.4 yards per game. The Tech offense was highlighted by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who 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 the inside receivers coach for former Tech head coach Mike Leach 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 the offensive quality control assistant in 2011. Before joining the coaching profession, Morris played in the Canadian Football League in 2009.
Morris was a versatile, all-around 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 first team.
Morris arrived at Tech following 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 received his bachelor’s degree in communications studies from Texas Tech in 2008. He and his wife, Maggie, are parents to two sons, Jack and George.
COACHING HISTORY
2010: Houston, Quality Control
2011: Houston, Graduate Assistant
2012: Washington State, Inside Wide Receivers
2013: Texas Tech, Co-OC/Inside Wide Receivers
2014: Texas Tech, Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers
2015-17: Texas Tech, Offensive Coordinator/Inside Wide Receivers
2018-21: Incarnate Word, Head Coach
2022: Washington State, Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
2023-: UNT, Head Coach
Career (Six seasons): 35-32 overall
At UNT (Two seasons): 11-14 overall
Eric Morris was named the 20th head coach in UNT Football history on December 13, 2022.
One of the best offensive minds in the country, Morris has developed UNT into one of the top offenses in the American and the nation.
Since becoming the offensive coordinator at Texas Tech in 2013, Morris has led an offense that finished inside the top 25 (FBS or FCS) in scoring nine times in 12 years, including each of his first two seasons with the Mean Green.
In addition, Morris has led offenses that finished in the top-10 in total offense nine times, including the top FBS offense (Texas Tech) in 2016 and the top FCS offense (UIW) in the nation in 2020. UNT finished sixth in the country in total offense in 2023 and third in 2024.
Morris-led offenses have been dominant through the air as eight of Morris’ first 12 years as an OC or HC have resulted in a top-five passing offense in the country. North Texas had the fourth-ranked passing attack in FBS in 2024.
In his second season at North Texas, Morris led the Mean Green to its 15th bowl game in program history with an appearance in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl. Despite adding an FBS-high 77 new players to the roster from 2023 to 2024, the Mean Green started the season 5-1, tied for the best start through six games for the Mean Green since 1967. Since 1989, UNT has only started the year 5-1 or better one other time (2018).
The Mean Green offense was stellar, finishing the season third in FBS in total offense, fourth in passing offense and 23rd in scoring offense. UNT set a program record with 328.2 passing yards per game while the 488.8 total yards per game ranked third in program history and the 33.5 points per game ranked seventh.
Morris quickly developed UNT into one of the top offenses in the American and the nation in his first season as head coach of the Mean Green. Under his leadership, North Texas boasted one of only four offenses nationally during the regular season to include a 3,000-yard passer, a 1,000-yard rusher and a 1,000-yard receiver.
UNT finished led the AAC and ranked No. 6 nationally in total offense (495.8), plus ranks of No. 12 in passing offense (304.7) and No. 21 in both rushing offense (191.2) and scoring (34.5). The Mean Green were one of only five FBS teams ranked inside the top 25 in scoring, rushing, passing and total offense in 2023.
A record-setting offensive play-caller with extensive experience in the state of Texas, Morris came to Denton following one season as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Washington State. He previously served as head coach at Incarnate Word in San Antonio for four seasons from 2018-21.
In 2022 at Washington State, Morris engineered an offense that ranked first in the Pac 12 and 10th nationally in red zone efficiency, scoring 91.5 percent of its trips inside the 20. The Cougars’ 52 points at Stanford were the most scored in a conference game since 2019, and the most in a road conference game since 2018.
Under his guidance, quarterback Cameron Ward, who followed Morris from UIW, passed 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 rushing and one passing touchdown.
Ward finished the regular season with 3,094 passing yards and 23 touchdowns to go with 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 with 130 against USC. Nakia Watson was the first rusher with consecutive 100-yards games following 166 at Stanford and 116 in a win over Arizona State.
In his UIW tenure, Morris was twice named the Southland Conference Coach of the Year (2018, 2021). He led the Cardinals to two conference titles (2018, 2021), twice reached the FCS playoffs, and left UIW as the program record holder for victories with 24.
During his time in San Antonio, Morris posted a 24-18 record and orchestrated an offense that finished in the top 10 nationally for total offense in three of his four seasons, including leading the nation in 2020-21 at 552.3 yards per game. His teams finished in the top five in scoring both of his final two seasons, third in 2020-21 (42.0 ppg) and fifth in 2021 at 39.5 ppg.
In 2021, Morris guided the Cardinals to the Southland Conference title, reached the NCAA FCS Second Round, and finished with a 10-3 record, the winningest record in program history. Morris mentored longtime pupil Ward, who finished the season garnering Stats Perform FCS All-America Second Team honors as well as being named to the Hero Sports 2021 Sophomore All-American Team. Ward also received Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors after breaking 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-American honors in 2021 and was named Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year after setting single-season records for receiving yards (1,145) and touchdown receptions (15).
Morris guided the Cardinals to one of the best turnarounds in the FCS, being named the 2018 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Regional Coach of the Year, the 2018 Southland Conference Coach of the Year, and an Eddie Robinson Award finalist. 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 bowl games and guided one of the top offenses in the nation. From 2013-17, Texas Tech's offense scored over 30 points per game all five seasons, and all five years was ranked among the top 16 teams in total offense, including leading the nation in 2016 at 564.4 yards per game. The Tech offense was highlighted by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who 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 the inside receivers coach for former Tech head coach Mike Leach 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 the offensive quality control assistant in 2011. Before joining the coaching profession, Morris played in the Canadian Football League in 2009.
Morris was a versatile, all-around 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 first team.
Morris arrived at Tech following 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 received his bachelor’s degree in communications studies from Texas Tech in 2008. He and his wife, Maggie, are parents to two sons, Jack and George.
COACHING HISTORY
2010: Houston, Quality Control
2011: Houston, Graduate Assistant
2012: Washington State, Inside Wide Receivers
2013: Texas Tech, Co-OC/Inside Wide Receivers
2014: Texas Tech, Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers
2015-17: Texas Tech, Offensive Coordinator/Inside Wide Receivers
2018-21: Incarnate Word, Head Coach
2022: Washington State, Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
2023-: UNT, Head Coach
Broadcast Highlights vs Western Michigan | Mean Green Football
Monday, September 08
Recap vs Western Michigan | Mean Green FB '25
Monday, September 08
Eric Morris Weekly Press Conference vs. Western Michigan| Mean Green FB
Tuesday, September 02
Recap vs Lamar | Mean Green FB '25
Monday, September 01
