As a struggling high school coach in Texas, Chad Morris went to extremes to bone up on his profession. Twice he flew his staff to Arkansas to learn at the feet of then high-school coaching legend Gus Malzahn. Eight years later, Malzahn and Morris have stepped up a level and are guiding two of college football’s top offenses.
While Malzahn is the nation’s highest-paid assistant at Auburn, Morris is making a splash in his first season as offensive coordinator at Clemson.
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The Tigers are coming off back-to-back wins over ranked teams thanks largely to an offense that averages 502.8 yards a game, running the uptempo spread that Malzahn preached.
When the No. 13 Tigers visit No. 11 Virginia Tech on Saturday night, Morris’ offense will get its toughest test to date against the nation’s fourth-ranked defense.
The last time Clemson won in Blacksburg was 1989. However, the Tigers’ sensational quarterback, Tajh Boyd, has had more recent success at Lane Stadium, leading Phoebus of Hampton to the Virginia state championship in 2008.
The immediate success of Morris and Boyd is reminiscent of the marriage between Malzahn and Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton last year at national champion Auburn. The 6-foot-1, 225-pound Boyd ranks 11th in the nation in passing efficiency (173.8 rating).
“Sometimes we got two or three things going on in a play,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “A lot of it is decisions by the quarterback. That has been one of the bright spots. Tajh has done a great job in making good decisions.”
– Kevin Dunleavy
