Eric Morris, Washington State’s offensive coordinator and a Mike Leach pupil, accepts head coaching position at North Texas

Eric Morris, Washington State’s offensive coordinator and a Mike Leach disciple who played for the late coach at Texas Tech, accepted a position to become the head coach at North Texas on Tuesday morning.

Morris was WSU’s offensive coordinator for one season, helping lead the Cougars to seven regular-season wins and an appearance in Saturday’s Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl against Fresno State.

He becomes the second coordinator to leave WSU after one season . Cougars defensive coordinator Brian Ward accepted the same position at Arizona State approximately one week ago.

“I am incredibly honored to be the head football coach at North Texas,” Morris said in a school news release. “I am humbled and grateful for the opportunity given to me by Jared Mosley and President Smatresk to lead UNT Football into a new era in The American.

“As a native Texan, I understand the pride and standard of Mean Green football and I am humbled to be able to lead this storied program. My wife, Maggie, and our boys are so excited to return home. We can’t wait to meet the team and get to work.”

WSU coach Jake Dickert is taking over defensive coordinator duties at the LA Bowl, but it hasn’t been specified whether Morris will join the Cougars on Saturday at SoFi Stadium. He was originally scheduled to meet with reporters Wednesday morning during an LA Bowl news conference reserved for offensive coordinators. A WSU spokesman confirmed that Morris will not participate in the media session.

Originally from Littlefield, Texas, Morris was reportedly one of three finalists for the Texas State head coaching job earlier this month, but the Bobcats hired Morris’ successor at Incarnate Word, G.J. Kinne.

“I always go back to putting myself in those shoes. I want what’s best for (assistant coaches) and their families,” Dickert said Dec. 2 when asked about Morris being a candidate for another job. “I want what’s best for all of us. … To have an opportunity to be a head coach at an FBS level is a special opportunity, and there’s a lot of emotion tied to that, but I fully support (Morris) and our coaches and their growth. My job is to develop them, too.”

A photo posted by WSU running backs coach Mark Atuaia depicted Dickert and Morris on a private jet Monday while recruiting. Dickert sent well wishes to the outgoing offensive coordinator on social media Tuesday afternoon.

“Excited for Eric, Maggie, Jack and George and their new journey,” Dickert tweeted. “As always the COUGS will rise to meet all challenges and field one of the best offensive units in the country.”

Morris, who played inside receiver for Leach from 2005-08, brought an iteration of his mentor’s Air Raid offense back to Pullman this season after a successful tenure as the head coach at FCS Incarnate Word.

The “Coug Raid” offense featured more balance in its play-calling than Leach’s pass-happy version of the system.

Morris’ offense also reintroduced tight ends – a position group that hadn’t been used at WSU in a decade. The Cougars opted to pass on about 58% of their plays this season.

The 37-year-old Morris replaces former North Texas coach Seth Littrell, another member of Leach’s expansive coaching tree. Littrell was fired by UNT just over a week ago after spending seven seasons at the school.

Leach, who was WSU’s head coach from 2012-19, died Monday evening at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi, from heart complications.

Morris began his coaching career in 2010 as a support staffer at Houston before reuniting with Leach. Morris captured his first full-time coaching role in 2012, when he served as the Cougars’ inside receivers coach during Leach’s first year . After his brief stop in Pullman, Morris returned to Texas Tech for a five-year stint as the Red Raiders’ offensive coordinator. He was named head coach at Incarnate Word ahead of the 2018 season and led the Cardinals to a 24-18 record across four years.

He made the move from San Antonio to Pullman in January after leading UIW to its best season in program history – a 10-win campaign that ended in the second round of the FCS playoffs. The Cardinals boasted one of the most productive passing offenses in the FCS. Star UIW quarterback Cameron Ward, one of the top-rated transfer players in the 2022 recruiting cycle, tagged along to WSU.

In their first and only season together in the Pac-12, Morris and Ward led a WSU offense that ranked first in the conference and 10th nationally in red-zone efficiency, scoring on 91.5% of its trips inside the 20-yard line. Operating at a fast pace and making use of quick passes, WSU’s offense showed some promising flashes this year, but overall, Morris’ system wasn’t as consistent or explosive as fans had envisioned.

Hampered by shaky offensive line play, the Cougars struggled to stretch the field and took criticism for their heavy reliance on short passes and receiver screens.

Yet there were stretches during which WSU’s offense functioned with an entertaining, up-tempo style.

WSU’s attack slumped during a three-game midseason slide. The Cougars found a groove late in the year, but couldn’t sustain it for entire games. WSU averaged 294 yards and 27.8 points in the first half across its final four games, but managed an average of 120.8 yards and 4.8 points in the second halves. The Cougars went 3-1 in those games.

High expectations surrounded the revamped Air Raid , but the Cougars finished the season with underwhelming numbers in the conference’s main statistical categories.

WSU wound up seventh in scoring offense (27.8 points per game), ninth in total offense (375.5 yards per game), sixth in passing offense (263.5) and 10th in rushing offense (112).

Recruiting and retention become concerns for WSU. The NCAA’s early signing period opens Dec. 21.