Husky Coach Review: Morrell Is Comfortable Running the Show

In 2005, reports say the University of Sioux Falls initially offered its football head-coaching job to Chuck Morrell, not Kalen DeBoer. To its defensive coordinator, rather than the offensive coordinator. To its former hard-hitting safety, not the All-America wide receiver.

The job opened up for the first time in 22 years when Bob Young, who had coached and hired those two, retired and created an opening.

Morrell, as the record will show, said no thanks to this grand opportunity at his alma mater and DeBoer began his head-coaching career, which eventually would bring them both to the University of Washington last season.

Curiously, while all of that was going on back in 2005, the University of Washington underwent its own football coaching change. After slogging through a 1-10 season, then the worst in school history, the Huskies fired Keith Gilbertson and replaced him with Tyrone Willingham, with all of these moves adding up to the dreariest decade in program history.

Back then, the UW seemingly would have done better had it hired either an untested Morrell or DeBoer. They were winners at the lower level. A stubborn Willingham forgot how to do that. A reluctant Gilbertson never wanted the job, a sure sign good things weren't going to happen.

Fast forward 18 years, and DeBoer has everyone brimming with excitement about Husky football once more, especially with a high-scoring offense, while Morrell, one of his two co-defensive coordinators, is dutifully rebuilding the defense along with William Inge.

Breaking down the Montlake staff of 11, only DeBoer and Morrell have been full-time college head coaches. With stops at Sioux Falls, Fresno State and the UW, DeBoer holds a 90-11 record over eight seasons.

Morrell has been a head coach even longer. Through 2019, he coached the Montana Tech Orediggers for nine NAIA seasons and compiled a 52-44 record.

DeBoer finally persuaded his good friend to leave that job and reunite with him at Fresno State in 2020 and 2021 and then join him at Washington.

Asked about their personal and professional connections, Morrell joked, "You trying to get me to cry during a press conference here?"

Going through the coaching staff, Morrell is next up in a series of profiles about each of the Huskies' coordinators and assistant coaches, summing up their time spent in Montlake so far and surmising what might come next for them.

Chuck Morrell makes a point while addressing Husky hybrid Mishael Powell.

Chuck Morrell crouches down as he watches safety Tristan Dunn get ready for a contact drill.

The serious-minded Chuck Morrell presents an intimidating image with his thick beard, which he shaved last season and quickly regrew.

Chuck Morrell, who doubles as safeties coach, shares his knowledge with the now redshirt freshman Tristan Dunn.

Chuck Morrell listens to Husky hybrid Kam Fabiculanan break down what was happening out on the field during the Apple Cup.

Chuck Morrell, with his thick beard and dark sunglasses, looks like he would be comfortable riding a Harley down the interstate.

Chuck Morrell barks out instructions as his defensive backs line up for a spring football drill in 2022.

Chuck Morrell was head coach at Montana Tech from 2011 to 2019, sharing in 10-2 seasons in 2015 and 2016.

Small-town guys, Morrell and DeBoer grew up 215 miles apart in South Dakota. Morrell emerged from Tyndall, a tiny community of 1,057 on the Nebraska border, while DeBoer came from Milbank, population 3,544 on the Minnesota border.

Under Young's direction, they shared in a 1996 NAIA national championship as Sioux Falls players and then went off on their own and captured three more titles as Cougars coaches.

In 2010, it was time to see what the rest of the collage football ranks looked like. DeBoer left to become the Southern Illinois offensive coordinator and Morrell headed to South Dakota as its defensive coordinator.

Morrell, like so many members of DeBoer's staff, is a no-nonsense coach. You don't want to cross him and get on his bad side.

With his thick beard and a glint in his eye, he looks like someone who belongs on a motorcycle, out on the highway, wearing colors and offering an intimidating presence, maybe headed for Sturgis.

Instead, he'll oversee what should be a much-improved Husky defense, building around All-America candidate Bralen Trice, a healthy Edefuan Ulofoshio at inside linebacker and Oklahoma State cornerback transfer Jabbar Muhammad.

The Husky offense has been unstoppable coming out of the gate. Morrell could have the defense operating in a punishing fashion before too long.

CHUCK MORRELL FILE

Background: Morrell was the head coach at Montana Tech in Butte from 2011 to 2019. He coached the Orediggers to 10-2 seasons and NAIA playoff berths in 2015 and 2016, earning coach of the year honors each time. He's good with responsibility, also serving as Montana Tech athletic director from 2014 to 2017.

Big Fix: Doubling as the safeties coach, Morrell will try to improve a UW secondary that was short-handed, vulnerable and victimized last season. Consequently, the Huskies have brought in more new defensive backs, eight, than any other position area.

Special Project: A sixth-year senior, Dominique Hampton has played cornerback, safety, Husky hybrid and now safety again. He's appeared in 42 games, more than anyone else on the roster, and started 14. Yet he has no conference honors, not even honorable-mention accolades. Morrell's job would be to up Hampton's performance to a level that might make him an NFL draft pick.

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