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The University of Arkansas officially announced the hire of Chad Morris as the 33rd head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks at approximately 1:18 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2017.
Morris will receive a six-year contract and will make $3.5 million annually, a total of $21 million over the term, and also has incentives. He will be formally introduced to the Razorback nation at 10 a.m. (CST) in the same venue where Arkansas introduced new athletic director Hunter Yurachek, the Fowler Family Baseball and Track Training Center.
It has been a relatively long search over the past 12 days with the pursuit of Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn before the search turned firmly on Morris. Morris' name has been associated with the opening since before former head coach Bret Bielema was hired, the day after Bielema was fired and throughout the search.
Morris brings a wide-open up-tempo spread offense the likes of which Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium has never seen from the home team. Sources say he will be given a substantial sum to hire a top-flight defensive coordinator and that he is expected to bring most of his offensive staff with him to Fayetteville.
The following quotes were provided by the University of Arkansas following the official release:
University of Arkansas Vice Chancellor for Athletics Hunter Yurachek
“The future is tremendously bright at the University of Arkansas with the addition of Chad Morris. I am confident that Chad will bring an exciting brand of football, phenomenal student-athletes and championships to Fayetteville, and do it all with high integrity. We all owe a debt of gratitude to the incredible work of Julie Cromer Peoples in leading a comprehensive search and helping to bring a high caliber coach to Arkansas.”
University of Arkansas Chancellor Dr. Joseph E. Steinmetz
“We are thrilled to welcome Chad, Paula and their children to the Arkansas family. I enjoyed getting to know him and I am confident that he is the right coach to lead us back to competing for SEC and national titles. Julie Cromer Peoples did an outstanding job conducting the search in her interim role and on behalf of the Razorbacks everywhere, I say, ‘thank you’ to Julie. I am pleased that Hunter Yurachek had the opportunity to be involved in the final decision and offer and we cannot wait to have Chad leading our program.”
University of Arkansas Associate Vice Chancellor & Senior Associate Athletics Director Julie Cromer Peoples
“As we began our search for the next head football coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks, Chad Morris was a name that quickly emerged as someone that would be an excellent choice for our program. Coach Morris aligns with the priorities we sought to find in our next head football coach including relentless work ethic and the ability to maintain good relationships within our state and beyond to attract the nation’s top talent. Chad is demanding but still relatable to the student-athletes of this generation. He was identified by several closely connected with our program as someone that our state would embrace and would fit the fabric of our university and our program.”
