Alma Mater: NW Missouri State U.
Graduating Year: 1983
Experience: 14th Year
Coaching Career
2000-Present: Nebraska-Kearney (Head Coach/Offensive Line)
1986-99: Nebraska-Kearney (Assistant Coach)
1984-86: Southwestern College, Kans. (Running Backs Coach)
Having recently completed his 14th season as leader of the Nebraska-Kearney program, Darrell Morris has become one of the most successful coaches in the program’s 107-year history.
He currently has the second highest winning percentage in Loper lore (64.0), ranks third in wins (98) and has led UNK to four RMAC (Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) titles and four NCAA Division II playoff berths.
A member of the Loper coaching staff since 1986, he was named the 16th head football coach in school history in October of 1999. In addition to his head coaching duties, he also leads the offensive line.
Through 2013, the Florida native has a career record of 98-55, including a 82-37 mark in conference. Leading UNK to its only two double digit winning seasons, he was named RMAC Coach of the Year in 2002 and 2005.
Since taking over, he has had 17 All-Americans and 106 different players earn all-conference honors.
UNK players have been up for the Harlon Hill Trophy, the Division II Heisman, on six occasions in the Morris era. Quarterback Justin Coleman was runner up in 2000 with QB Jake Spitzlberger a national finalist in 2011.
The Division II record book has been dotted with Lopers the past 14 years as well.
Coleman left as Division II’s all-time leader in passing yards (11,213) with his yards per completion (15.88) average still number one.
From 2002-05, Richie Ross was one of the nation’s top receivers (4,882 yards), currently the second most in D2 history.
Next, defensive end Bryan Eakin (forced fumbles/'01) and corner Arthur Hobbs (passes defended/'11) led D2 in statistical categories for a single season with kicker Jessup Pfeiffer setting a Division record for career field goal percentage (80.8%).
Finally, Hobbs set a D2 record for most interception return yards in a single game when he had 262 in a 2011 win over Northeastern State.
Off the field, Morris has seen 13 of his players earn Academic All-District honors with receiver Kyle Rupp named a 2005 Academic All-American.
Many Lopers have also seen their football careers continue after college as Morris and his staff have had eight players sign, or work out, with NFL teams.
Coleman (2001) and Ross (2006) participated in the NFL Draft combine, something rare for non-D1 players.
In November 2011, defensive end Mason Brodine played in two games with the Oakland Raiders. It was the first time in nearly two decades a Loper appeared in an NFL regular season game.
This fall, offensive linemen Stephen Goodin played in two games as a member of the New York Gaints.
Additionally, many former Lopers have become stars in professional indoor football leagues and some have continued to play overseas in Canada and Europe.
These players were part of many great UNK teams the past 14 years.
In 2000, the first season Morris was in charge of the program, the Lopers went undefeated (5-0) at Ron & Carol Cope Stadium at Foster Field for the first time since 1978.
A year later, Kearney went undefeated on the road (5-0) as it recorded its highest winning percentage (8-2/80.0) since 1979.
The 2002 season not only featured road wins at rivals Nebraska-Omaha and Chadron State but also an eight game win streak and the program’s first-ever RMAC title and first-ever appearance in the Division II playoffs.
Three years later, UNK won nine games again, earned its’ first-ever RMAC outright title and hosting another playoff game. In 2006, the Loper defense stood strong, allowing just 14.5 points per game, the lowest total in nearly 20 years.
A couple of falls later in 2009, the Lopers had its best season ever, going 11-2, winning a third RMAC title and earning the program’s first-ever Division II postseason win.
Hosting a third playoff game, the Lopers came from behind to defeat Saginaw Valley State (Mich.), 35-23, for UNK’s third all-time postseason. They also won a school-record 10 games.
The 2010 and 2011 season brought 19 more victories, in addition to sharing the ’10 RMAC title. Once again, the Lopers hosted a playoff game as eventual national runner up Wayne State (Mich.) came to Kearney in November 2011.
An extremely popular motivational speaker in the Central Nebraska area, Morris succeeded Claire Boroff, the winningest coach in school history, as leader of the Lopers.
In Boroff’s 28 years, the Lopers had 19 winning seasons and won 12 conference championships. Morris had a lot to do with the success of those teams.
A native of Tampa, Morris played quarterback at NW Missouri State where he earned a B.A. degree in physical education in 1983.
He began his coaching career that same year at NAIA Southwestern (Kans.) College. During three seasons with the Moundbuilders, Morris served as assistant head coach, running backs coach and recruiting coordinator.
Southwestern won the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) title twice and also won the Sunflower Bowl.
He and his wife, Darla, live in Kearney. Morris' daughter, Linsey, is a UNK graduate.
YEAR BY YEAR WITH COACH MORRIS
2000 7-3 (6-2)
2001 8-2 (7-1)
2002 9-2 (7-1) NCAA First Round, RMAC Champions
2003 5-5 (4-4)
2004 5-6 (4-4)
2005 9-3 (7-1) NCAA First Round, RMAC Champions
2006 6-4 (5-3)
2007 6-4 (5-3)
2008 7-4 (7-2)
2009 11-2 (9-0) NCAA Second Round, RMAC Champions
2010 9-2 (8-1) RMAC Co-Champions
2011 10-2 (8-1) NCAA First Round
2012 3-8 (2-8)
2013 3-8 (3-6)
Totals 98-55 (82-37)
Home (51-28); Away (41-27)
