The Arkansas Razorbacks have fired Chad Morris as the head football coach after 22 games.
The Hogs lost to the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers 45-19 Saturday afternoon at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on Senior Day, and at the hands of a quarterback Ty Storey from nearby Charleston, Ark.
After the loss, Morris answered questions as to why he was still the right coach for the job.
“I am the guy,” Morris said. “There’s no question. I knew that this was going to take some time. I knew this was going to be a process of recruiting and developing and building, especially in this conference. I knew the strains that take place weekly in this conference and the depth that it needs to be successful.
“Right now, we don’t have that. We’ve got to go get that and we’ve got to recruit to it, and we’ve got to continue to develop. Right now, it’s unfortunate we’re playing as many young guys as we’re playing, but that’s the truth.”
The Razorbacks finished 4-18 in Morris’ 22 games with the Razorbacks with an 18-40 record overall as a college coach.
According to Morris, he and athletics director Hunter Yurachek visit about every game each Sunday morning.
“We talk each and every Sunday and go through the program in depth each week and go through the game,” Chad Morris said. He and I will continue to visit.”
After that Sunday morning evaluation, Yurachek determined a change in leadership was needed.
“It is clear that we have not made the progress necessary to compete and win, especially within the Southeastern Conference,” Yurachek said in a statement Sunday. “Throughout our history in football, as well as with our other sport programs, we have demonstrated that the University of Arkansas is capable of being nationally competitive. I have no doubt that as we move forward, we will identify a head coach that will help lead our program to that benchmark.”
Yurachek also thanked Chad Morris “for his investment in the lives of our student-athletes.”
Assistant coach Barry Lunney will be the interim coach for the remainder of the season. Yurachek said the national search for a coach begins immediately.