The Blueprint of Chad Morris' Mentor

[Stallion]

Todd Graham drew the blueprint Chad Morris is using to build his coaching staff-it is pretty damn amazing and includes 3 SMU Coaches

•Gus Malzahn: The head coach at Auburn (formerly the head coach at Arkansas State) won a national championship with the Tigers as their offensive coordinator. Before that, he was Graham's coordinator at Tulsa. Hired by Graham as Offensive Coordinator after long high school career and 1 year at Arkansas. 3 Arkansas State high school championships

•Chad Morris: New SMU Head Coach. The offensive coordinator at Clemson had zero college experience before Graham hired him after 3 Texas state high school championships

•Bill Blankenship: The head coach at Tulsa had zero college experience when Graham hired him at Tulsa to be a receivers coach. 3 Oklahoma state high school championships

•Keith Patterson: West Virginia and Arizona St. defensive coordinator was a graduate assistant for one year but worked with Graham at Allen High School in Texas before Graham brought him to Tulsa.

•David Beaty: New Kansas Head Coach. Texas A&M's receivers coach had zero college experience when Graham hired him at Rice after long Texas high school career

*Jason Jones- Current Co-Defensive Coordinator at Ole Miss. Carry over Coach who coached with Graham when Graham was Tulsa assistant then hired by Graham again when Graham returned to Tulsa as Head Coach and previously a graduate assistant at Bama

•Major Applewhite: The former Texas co-offensive coordinator had one season as a quarterbacks coach at Syracuse when Graham hired him at Rice.

*Mike Norvell-presently Offensive Coordinator at Arizona St. Hot head coach candidate. Hired as 26 year old after 1 year at FCS Central Arkansas

* Bo Graham-present RB Coach at Arizona St-Todd's son who was hired at Tulsa starting out as graduate assistant as

* Paul Randolph presently assistant Head Coach at Arizona St has followed, since he was a youngster in his 20s, Graham around since his assistant days at West Virginia, then Rice, Tulsa, Pitt and onto Arizona St

*Jess Loepp presently SMU DB Coach hired by Graham first at Rice after serving as Graduate Assistant at Tulsa, then followed Graham to Tulsa again

Danny Phillips presently ASU Recruiting Coordinator-was an assistant with Graham at Allen High School, 9 years high school experience, graduate assistant with Graham at West Virginia, followed Graham when he was assistant Tulsa then to Rice, back to Tulsa, Pitt, ASU with Graham

I'm actually pretty sure I've missed a few (ex Van Malone who did have 4 years of experience at A&M and Herb Hand currently Penn St Run Coordinator who Graham coached with a West Virginia) but you get the idea. Todd Graham was looking for young aggressive assistants and spent countless hours cultivating and locating these driven young coaches often from high schools. This is now Chad Morris' blueprint and he is uniquely positioned to do that as former President of THSCA

[PlanoStang]

Hayden Fry was a young OC from Baylor, but I'm getting sceered

[diamond_tom]

My dad taught Todd Graham everything he knows.

Just kidding, but he was his position coach in high school - North Mesquite.

[BCHIKERS2]

We have Todd Graham at Arizona State now and he's done wonders with the football program and school. What a coach.

Lucky we didn't get Jones.

[Treadway21]

lucky for you.

Let's just leave it at it all worked out in the end for both teams.

Graham is a mercenary, tho. If he handled his moves in a more responsible manner, I would like hi a lot better and respect him more as a coach. As we all understand, coaches have got to move when the chance comes, but he left Rice and Pitt - especially Pitt was despicable. At least have respect for your players if nothing else.

[skurtn]

His job history reminds me of being a developer in Silicon Valley. With the exception of a gig in high school, he hasn't stayed longer than 2-3 years at any one job.