We recently spoke to Coach Morrell from the perspective of his office; that is, a look at the inner-workings of a day in the life of a coach. What goes on behind the scenes: the good, the bad, and the unusual. It's this month's installment of AFM’s Open Door Policy. He gave us these insights as he reflected from his office...
AFM: What was it like the first time you stepped into the office knowing you are in charge of one of the great programs in Junior College Football?
TM: It met my expectations... I was a player here and an assistant coach at Butler for a number of years. I joined the staff in 1996 as line coach and then became offensive coordinator in 1998. I was ready for the challenge.
AFM: Tell me how your office is used on a daily basis... do you have staff meetings? Do you have recruits visit the office regularly?
TM: It’s a great place to get organized for the day... I have staff meetings and we, as coaches, review the depth charts for the team on a regular basis. There’s also quite a bit of administrative work done daily involving both the phone and the computer.
We also meet regularly with all the players – about 55 of them. They come here in a number of different ways – it could be academic issues, limited physical size, potential players without being recruited or leaving another program to come to Butler.
AFM: What’s been the most interesting phone call you’ve received during your tenure as head coach at Butler?
TM: I receive calls daily from both high school coaches and the parents of prospective players asking or recommending a particular student-athlete... likewise, coaches from Division-I programs are calling all the time for an evaluation of a particular player – many of our players go on to play at the D-I level so there are coaches continually looking and evaluating our players and seeing if there is a fit for their school.
AFM: What are some of your personal memorabilia, treasured items in your office?
TM: Besides family photos, it’s the individual pictures of my players. It’s reflecting back on how the lives of kids change when they come here and what the future holds... I have many pictures of players that played here and then went on to become outstanding Division I players.
AFM: If you could invite three coaches into your office – living or deceased – for a coaching discussion or clinic, who would they be?
TM: Probably Bill Walsh, Alex Gibbs, and John Wooden. I’ve always admired Coach Walsh and how he's been ahead of the game... Coach Gibbs is one of the premier NFL line coaches, first at Denver and now at Atlanta. Being a lineman, I’ve always admired how he’s consistently put together consistently good O-lines... John Wooden is a legendary figure and brought so much sports in general – I just finished reading his book, 'Be Quick But Don’t Hurry.’
AFM: Looking back, if you could start again as a GA to learn from a specific coach, who would it be?
TM: Probably either Bill Walsh or Joe Gibbs... their books have helped me a lot in terms of both managment and organization. Walsh has had success at just about every level he’s coached and Gibbs has achieved success, as well, both in NASCAR and the NFL.
AFM: What thoughts or advice would you give to the person who will eventually replace you?
TM: Be yourself and believe in yourself.
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