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May 14, 2001

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Guy Morriss

Head Football Coach, University of Kentucky

The Kentucky football program got a new top Cat on Feb. 6 when Guy Morriss was named the UK head coach.

Hired on the day before national signing day, less than seven weeks before the beginning of spring practice, Morriss? initial challenges were both enormous and immediate. The calm Texan handled the situation with a combination of diligence and deliberation.

guymorriss
UK Head Coach - Guy Morriss
First, Morriss moved quickly to solidify the recruiting class. On the day of his hiring, 18 players were committed to become Wildcats. All but one eventually signed with UK, and two additional players inked later, making a total of 19 signees.

Next, Morriss bolstered the coaching staff with the hiring of three additional assistants ? former All-Pro wide receiver Harold Jackson; Mark Nelson, former Special Teams Coach of the Year in the Canadian Football League; and Rick Smith, who has enjoyed tremendous success the last four seasons as defensive coordinator at Cincinnati and Tulane.

Then, Morriss beefed up the team?s off-season conditioning by instituting stringent 6 a.m. workouts, designed to toughen the team both physically and mentally. The players, realizing that significant improvement is needed, embraced the added work with enthusiasm.

Indeed, it was the players themselves who assumed a significant role in Morriss? promotion to head coach. Just a few days before Morriss was named, a committee of players visited UK Athletic Director Larry Ivy. The players said that, if a change had to be made, they wanted Morriss as their head coach. Ivy said that the players? recommendation carried significant weight when the decision was made.

Morriss has been earning the respect of the Wildcats since he arrived at UK in 1997 as assistant head coach and offensive line coach. An outstanding teacher of line play, Morriss has played a central role in the record-setting offensive numbers posted by the Wildcats. Over the last four seasons, the Wildcats have scored more points and generated more yards than any four-year period in school history. UK led the SEC in total offense in 1998 and 2000. The UK record book for passing and total offense has been rewritten and numerous Southeastern Conference and NCAA records also have been broken.

During the 2000 season, Morriss? O-Line did an excellent job of protecting freshman quarterback Jared Lorenzen, who broke six NCAA records for passing and total offense. The line allowed only 22 sacks, the fewest of Morriss? four seasons at UK.

Guard/tackle Omar Smith was named first-team All-SEC and tackle Antonio Hall was selected first-team True Freshman All-America and Freshman All-SEC.

Morriss faced a formidable task in the 1999 season, replacing all five starters from the 1998 line, but he handled the challenge admirably. Morriss? youthful unit ? not a senior among them ? enabled UK to post solid offensive numbers and advance to the HomePoint.com Music City Bowl. Guard Kip Sixbery earned first-team Freshman All-American honors.

Morriss? 1998 line was the power plant for the UK offense that set single-season school records for points and total offense en route to a berth in the Outback Bowl -- UK?s first New Year?s Day appearance in 47 years. Two more linemen were honored, as tackle Kris Comstock was chosen first-team All-SEC and tackle Matt Brown was a third-team Freshman All-American.

Morriss had another first-team All-SEC honoree, guard John Schlarman, in the 1997 campaign. All totaled, he has had three first-team All-SEC players and three freshman All-Americans during his term at UK.

Kentucky has ranked in the nation?s top 15 in passing offense all four years that Morriss has been with the team and in the nation?s top 15 in total offense in three of those seasons. In 1996, the year before Morriss? arrival, UK finished 109th in the nation in total offense.

Morriss came to UK from Mississippi State, where he coached the offensive line in 1996. MSU tackle Brent Smith garnered first-team All-SEC honors and was a second-round selection of the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League draft.

Offensive success is nothing new for Morriss, who has 18 years of National Football League experience, 15 years as a player and three as a coach.

A native of Colorado City, Tex., Morriss was an All-Southwest Conference offensive guard at Texas Christian University. Following his senior year, he played in four all-star games ? the Blue-Gray Game, Senior Bowl, Coaches All-America Game, and the College All-Star Game.

Morriss went on to a 15-year playing career in the NFL. He played for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1973-83. He played in the 1981 Super Bowl, was named All-Pro in 1981, and was team captain for five seasons. He played for the New England Patriots from 1984-87 and played in the 1986 Super Bowl.

Morriss began his coaching career with the Patriots in 1988-89. He was the offensive coordinator at Mansfield (Tex.) High School in 1991. He was appointed head coach of the Washington Marauders of the Professional Spring Football League in 1992, but the league ceased operations just before the start of the season.

Morriss took his first collegiate coaching position with Valdosta State University in 1992-93. He returned to the professional ranks with the Arizona Cardinals in 1994 and the Canadian Football League?s San Antonio Texans in 1995. San Antonio was second in the CFL in points scored and advanced to the semifinals of the Grey Cup playoffs.

Guy and his wife, Jackie, have five daughters ? Colleen, Melanie, Kerry, Savannah Rae, and Austin Leigh.

The Guy Morriss File

Personal
Birthplace: Colorado City, Tex.
Wife: Jackie
Children: Five daughters, Colleen, Melanie, Kerry, Savannah Rae, Austin Leigh

Education
Sam Houston High School, Arlington, Tex.
Texas Christian University, degree in Secondary Education, 1973

Playing Career
Sam Houston High School, tight end, 1966-68
Texas Christian University, offensive guard/tight end, 1969-72 (All-Southwest Conference guard, 1972)
Philadelphia Eagles, offensive lineman, 1973-83 (Super Bowl 1981; All-Pro 1981)
New England Patriots, offensive lineman, 1984-87 (Super Bowl 1986)

Coaching Career
New England (NFL) Offensive Line 1988-89
Mansfield, Tex., HS Offensive Coordinator 1991
Washington (PSFL) Head Coach 1992
Valdosta State Offensive Line 1992-93
Arizona (NFL) Offensive Line 1994
San Antonio (CFL) Offensive Line 1995
Mississippi State Offensive Line 1996
Kentucky Assistant Head Coach, Offensive Line 1997-2000
Kentucky Head Coach 2001-

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