LU Head Coach Blane Morgan

A coach with more than 20 years of experience, Blane Morgan was named Lamar University head coach Dec. 12, 2019, becoming just the third coach since the university re-established the program prior to the 2010 season. Morgan also becomes the program’s 10th head coach since transitioning to a four-year institution. A direct disciple of legendary coaches Rocky Long, Fisher DeBerry and Troy Calhoun, Morgan comes to Beaumont after spending the previous five seasons at San Diego State. During his time with the Aztecs, Morgan produced some of the most talented signal-callers in program history, while helping guide the Aztecs to five consecutive bowl game appearances. In his first season, Morgan was tasked with guiding one of the youngest teams in the nation – 57 freshman – through the rigors of the conference schedule. Despite a depth chart that consisted of 35 underclassmen, including 21 freshmen, the Cardinals stunned the Southland Conference by finishing tied for fifth in the league (after being picked last in the preseason polls). Morgan and his staff managed all this while guiding the program through an unprecedented pandemic. Morgan’s first victory as Cardinals head coach had a storybook ending. Facing rival McNeese, the Cardinals overcame a first-half double-digit deficit to rally for the victory in overtime. Morgan produced two all-conference selections during his first season when sophomore defensive back Anthony Ruffin and junior defensive linemen Tylo Phillips were named All-Southland Conference at the end of the season. After a one-year hiatus, Morgan will now guide the Cardinals as they transition back into the Southland Conference for the 2022-23 season.

A once-struggling program, SDSU experienced some of its best results during Morgan’s time on staff. Over the course of his five seasons in San Diego, SDSU recorded a 48-18 (.727) overall record including five bowl appearances, posting a 2-2 (.500) mark in those games. That five-year stretch produced two 11-win campaigns, a 10-win season and two Mountain West Conference championships. Under Morgan’s guidance, the Aztec signal-callers ranked second in the Mountain West, and 12th nationally, in 2018 averaging nearly 15 pass yards per completion. In addition, Morgan oversaw the development of quarterback Ryan Agnew who posted a 6-1 record in seven starts and owned the sixth-highest win per-

centage nationally among all returning starters with a minimum of seven starts in 2018. Agnew continued that production in 2019 by guiding the Aztecs back to the postseason with a 10-3 (.769) overall record. Morgan joined the San Diego State staff after a highly successful run at the Air Force Academy where he spent 13 seasons, including the final eight as offensive coordinator. During that stretch, the Falcons posted a 59-44 (.573) overall record, a run that included two nine-win seasons and a 10-win campaign. The Falcons also made seven Bowl appearances during that time, posting a 3-4 postseason record. All told, Morgan has helped take his teams to 12 Bowl game appearances in the past 13 seasons. Air Force’s offense excelled under Morgan’s direction. The Falcons’ 2011 squad set a single-season school record by scoring 454 points and finished third all-time in program history in rushing touchdowns (43) and fourth in passing TDs (16). The team’s 60.3 completion percentage was the second-best mark in program history. The Falcons offense received national recognition being ranked as high as 24th nationally in passing efficiency and third in yards per completion. Morgan’s players also received high praise under his direction. Morgan produced Shaun Carney, who graduated in 2008 as the school’s all-time leader in passing touchdowns, yards and total offense. That same season, Morgan also produced the school’s first Mountain West Freshman of the Year with Tim Jefferson. Jefferson won the first five games of his career and became the first Falcon freshman quarterback to start a bowl game. A native of Addison, Texas, Morgan returns to the state where he has spent the majority of his time focusing his efforts as a recruiter. Morgan recruited the state of Texas for both Air Force and SDSU, and the current Aztec roster bears witness to his work on the recruiting trail. The Aztecs’ 2020 roster consisted of 12 players from the Lone Star State, including seven of those on the depth chart. Among those seven is the current starting quarterback – Ryan Agnew (Southlake, Texas). There is a longstanding love affair with the game of football in the Morgan family. Blane, originally born in Nacogdoches, Texas, played for his father, Barry, at Trinity Christian Academy in Addison. Morgan would go on to play his collegiate football at Air Force, where he was named the 1998 WAC Co-Offensive Player of the Year. Morgan followed in his brother Beau’s footsteps serving as the starting quarterback at both schools. Morgan graduated from the Academy in 1999, and served in the Air Force with the rank of Captain at Laughlin Air Force Base in Del Rio, Texas, from July 2000 to February 2003. Morgan, and his wife, Mandy, have two children – a son, Brodie, and a daughter, Camille.