Southwestern Athletic Conference record holder Brian Morgan is in his third season at Prairie View A&M University and moves to the defensive side of the ball this fall as the team’s inside linebackers coach. Morgan also coordinates the Panthers’ special teams along with serving as the team’s recruiting coordinator.
Last year, Morgan’s unit rushed for nearly 1,500 yards with the sophomore tandem of Fred Anderson and Courtney Brown combining to rush for 1,105 yards and 11 touchdowns. Anderson ranked eighth amongst SWAC rushers with 52.5 yards per game while Brown finished tied for fourth in the SWAC with 10 (9 rushing) touchdowns. As a unit, the Panthers ranked third in rush offense as they netted 2,054 yards for an average of 186.7 yards per game. The unit surpassed the 200-yard mark five times last season while rushing for 150-plus yards three times.
Morgan’s specialists also had career seasons as the trio of Chris Barrick, Spencer Nelson and Johnta’ Hebert reaped All-SWAC honors in 2012. As the team’s punt returner, Nelson led the SWAC and ranked fourth nationally in punt return average with 16.5 yards per return. Barrick capped off a career-best season at placekicker as he finished 9-of-11 in field goals and 38-of-40 in PATs. As a true freshman, Hebert ranked second in the SWAC with an 18.9-yard kickoff return average along with one touchdown via a kickoff return. Hebert also led the SWAC in all-purpose yardage with 121.7 yards per outing as he tallied 926 kick return yards, 196 receiving yards and 217 rushing yards on the ground.
In his first season on the Prairie View A&M coaching staff, Morgan guided one of the youngest offensive backfields in the SWAC into the league’s top rushing offense as the backfield rushed for 1,923 yards and 17 touchdowns en route to averaging 174.8 yards per game. Prairie View A&M rushed for over 100 yards in 10 of its 11 contests while eclipsing the 300-yard mark on two occasions. In addition, the running backs played a huge role in moving the first down chains as Prairie View A&M amassed 109 first downs via the run.
On special teams, kick returner Jermaine Waddy earned Second Team All-SWAC Honors at kick returner in his first season under Morgan. Waddy, who also led the SWAC with 120 all-purpose yards per outing, averaged 23.3 yards per kickoff and returned a kickoff for a touchdown in 2011. In his first season as the team’s primary punt returner, senior Moses Ellis also closed out his career atop the charts as he led the SWAC with 14.5 yards per punt return.
In the kicking department, Morgan passed on his expertise and success as a kicking specialist to two freshmen in placekicker Chris Barrick and punter Travis Jatzlau in 2011. Barrick finished fourth in the SWAC with nine field goals and made two game-winning field goals on the road at Texas Southern and Southern. At punter, Jatzlau ranked fifth overall in the SWAC with 39.2 yards per punt. He also placed 16 punts inside the 20-yard line along with recording an impressive 73-yard punt.Â
Morgan has several years of experience at the high school and collegiate levels as both a player and coach. The Port Arthur, Texas native was an All-American and Academic All-American placekicker in addition to a three-time team captain at Grambling State University from 2001 to 2004. He helped the Tigers earn two SWAC Championships in 2001 and 2002 and was a three-time All-SWAC selection and a two-time All-American.
Morgan’s name is etched in the SWAC and national recordbooks as he’s the all-time leading scorer amongst SWAC kickers and the career record holder with 50 field goals and single-season field goal leader with 18. He also led Division I-AA following the 2001 campaign with 18 field goals and finished as the I-AA all-time leader with 197 extra points. Once his career came to a close following the 2004 season, Morgan served as a student assistant on the Grambling State coaching staff. With Morgan’s assistance, the Tigers finished the 2005 season with an 11-1 overall record which culminated with a SWAC and Black College National Championships.
A 2005 biology graduate of Grambling State, Morgan returned home and began his coaching career at Port Arthur Memorial High School. While at Memorial, Morgan served as their linebackers coach, special teams and video coordinator in addition to coaching the school’s soccer team for three years.Â
Morgan returned to the collegiate level in 2009 and accepted a graduate assistant position at the University of North Texas. He served as UNT’s defensive graduate assistant with emphasis on the linebackers along with coaching special teams. Individually, Morgan played a part in helping UNT linebacker Craig Robinson finish as the eighth-leading tackler in the nation following the 2010 season. Also, UNT’s field goal and punt block teams blocked three kicks under Morgan’s watch.
He holds a master’s from the University of North Texas and is a member of the American Football and Texas High School Football Coaches Association. Morgan is married to Jessica Morgan of Port Arthur, Texas.
The Morgan File
Hometown:Â Â Â Â Port Arthur, Texas
Wife:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Jessica
College:Â Â Â Â Â Â Grambling State (2005)
High School:Â Port Arthur Jefferson H.S.
COACHING EXPERIENCE
2011-13 Â Â Â Â Â Â Prairie View A&M, running backs, insidfe linebackers special teams, recruiting coordinator
2010Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â North Texas, defensive graduate assistant
2006-2009Â Â Â Â Â Â Port Arthur Memorial H.S., assistant coach
2005 Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Grambling State, student assistant, special teams
