What Dabo Swinney said about his former OC Chad Morris getting fired by Arkansas
Posting a 4-18 record in nearly two seasons as the program’s head coach, Chad Morris was fired by Arkansas on Sunday.
The move came one day after the Razorbacks lost to Western Kentucky, 45-19, in Fayetteville. Former Arkansas quarterback Ty Storey, who transferred out of Morris’ program following the 2018 season, led the way for the Hilltoppers with 290 total yards and three scores.
Having served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Clemson from 2011-14, Dabo Swinney was asked about his former co-worker – and good friend – during his Sunday teleconference.
Eric Boynton of the Spartanburg (South Carolina) Herald-Journal and TigerNet.com shared Swinney’s comments on the matter:
Clemson's Swinney on Arkansas firing his former OC Chad Morris as head coach: "There's not a lot of patience but I understand with the amount of money being paid and the expectations everybody wants to win yesterday and it's not that easy. He took over very challenging situation"
— Eric Boynton (@ericjboynton) November 10, 2019
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney on Arkansas firing Chad Morris 2/2: "I hate it but he'll be fine and learn from it and grow from it and land on his feet somewhere else. I think if he'd had time he would've built a very good program there. You hate it didn't work out."
— Eric Boynton (@ericjboynton) November 10, 2019
Dabo on Chad Morris firing: "Tough business. I hate it for him and those guys on the staff and their families. They are going to be a lot of people in this business fired if you only get 1 year and a half to build a program."
— TigerNet.com (@ClemsonTigerNet) November 10, 2019
Special teams coordinator and tight ends coach Barry Lunney Jr. will serve as Arkansas’ interim head coach for the remainder of the season. Still winless in SEC play at 0-6, the Razorbacks are idle until November 23 when they travel to Baton Rouge to battle the No. 2 LSU Tigers.
Improving to 10-0, Swinney’s Tigers routed North Carolina State on Saturday, 55-10. Their final home game of the season, Clemson hosts No. 17 Wake Forest on November 16.