Chuck Morrell
Guide
Chuck Morrell continued his long association with Kalen DeBoer when he joined the Alabama staff as a special assistant to the head coach in March of 2024. He was then moved to linebackers coach in year one, a role which he has served in since.
A former head coach at Montana Tech and defensive coordinator under DeBoer at Sioux Falls, Morrell coached on DeBoer's Fresno State staff as the safeties coach from 2020-22. A South Dakota native himself, Morrell was also a teammate of DeBoer's at Sioux Falls, where they both helped the Cougars to the 1996 NAIA Division II national title.
Alabama - Linebackers (2024-Present)
Worked with one of the top linebacker combinations in the country in Jihaad Campbell and Deontae Lawson, who both earned all-conference honors and were named semifinalists for the Butkus in 2024
Campbell led Alabama and ranked fifth in the SEC for total tackles with 117, good for eighth-most in UA single-season history, on the way to All-America accolades
Included in Campbell's 117 stops were a team-high 11.5 for loss to go with five sacks
Voted a permanent team captain, Lawson finished second on the team in tackles with 76, including 6.5 for loss and two sacks, despite missing the season's final 10 quarters due to injury
Justin Jefferson also contributed in the middle, finishing fourth on UA in tackles with 60 across his 12 games of action
Washington - Co-Defensive Coordinator/Safeties (2022-23)
Served as the co-defensive coordinator and the safeties coach at Washington from 2022-23
Morrell helped direct a defensive unit that led the Huskies to a 25-3 overall record, a Pac-12 championship, two bowl victories (Alamo and Sugar) and an appearance in the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship Game
Fresno State - Safeties (2020-21)
Spent two seasons at Fresno State from 2020-22 where he coached the Bulldogs' safeties
Morrell's safeties group contributed to a defense that made vast statistical improvements in nearly every team defensive category over the 2019 season, the year before his arrival
The Bulldogs went from 82nd in the nation for scoring defense and 88th in total defense in 2019 to No. 20 and No. 31, respectively, in the FBS in 2021
Additionally, the run defense improved from 71st to 24th while the pass defense leaped from 107th to 58th during that '21 season
Fresno also improved its national ranking by 45 places or better in yards allowed per play, opponent first downs, sacks, tackles for loss, third-down percentage defense and fourth-down percentage defense
The '21 group ranked among the top-25 nationally in scoring defense, tackles for loss, takeaways, fumble recoveries, third-down conversion defense and fourth-down conversion defense
FSU allowed 20.5 points and 347.1 yards per game that season, finishing with a 10-3 record and a victory in the New Mexico Bowl
Montana Tech - Head Coach (2011-19)
Took over as head coach at Montana Tech prior to the 2011 season and guided the Orediggers through the 2019 campaign
In nine seasons at Tech, Morrell compiled a 52-44 overall record, was named the Frontier Conference Coach of the Year in 2012, 2015 and 2016, and was also the AFCA Regional Coach of the Year each of those seasons
Morrell produced 70 all-conference selections at Tech, along with three conference players of the year and six All-Americans
Montana Tech consistently led the conference in academic all-conference selections and NAIA scholar-athletes during his nine seasons
South Dakota - Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs (2010)
Worked as the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at the University of South Dakota in 2010
Sioux Falls - Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs (1999-2009) | DBs (1998)
Began his coaching career at his alma mater, Sioux Falls, as defensive backs coach in 1998 and then spent the next 11 years as defensive coordinator from 1998-2009, a span that included all five of DeBoer's seasons as head coach
During his time at USF, the Cougars played in five NAIA national championship games, winning three titles in 2006, 2008 and 2009
Morrell helped produce 44 all-conference honorees and 11 All-Americans on defense at Sioux Falls
From 2006-09, the Cougars were the most dominant program in the NAIA, with a record of 56-1
The 2008-09 teams won 29 straight games and outscored opponents by an average of 44.3-8.3
Under Morrell's direction, the 2009 defense allowed just 10.5 points and 210.5 yards per game en route to a 15-0 record and a second straight NAIA championship
The year prior produced a defense was one of the most dominant in NAIA history as the Cougars allowed just 5.9 points, 14.7 rushing yards and 94.7 passing yards per game while going 14-0
USF opponents managed just a 17 percent third-down conversion rate and only 105 first downs across the 2008 season
Playing Career
Graduated from Sioux Falls in 1997
A safety at USF from 1995-97, Morrell was the leading tackler on the 1996 NAIA Division II national championship team
He was inducted into the Cougar Hall of Fame in 2016
Personal Info
Native of Bon Homme, S.D.
Married to Jen
Has two daughters, Selen and Aleia