Chuck Morrell - Football Coach

Chuck Morrell

Title:
Assistant Coach, Safeties
Email:
cmorrell@mail.fresnostate.edu
Phone:
559-278-3015

Last updated Feb. 10, 2021

THE MORRELL FILE

PERSONAL INFORMATION
Twitter: @MorrellFresnoFB
Hometown: Tyndall, S.D.
High School: Bon Homme
Spouse: Jen
Children: Aleia, Selene

EDUCATION
University of Sioux Falls (1998)
Bachelor's in Biology

COACHING HISTORY
Fresno State
2020-21: Safeties
Montana Tech
2011-19: Head Coach
South Dakota
2010: Defensive Coordinator/Secondary
Sioux Falls
1999-09: Defensive Coordinator/
Asst. Head Coach/Defensive Backs
1998: Defensive Backs

PLAYING EXPERIENCE
Sioux Falls
1995-97: Safety

Chuck Morrell enters his second season as an assistant coach in 2021 at Fresno State. He leads the safeties.

Morrell, hired Jan. 27, 2020, joined Fresno State after a nine-year tenure as head coach at Montana Tech to reunite with head coach Kalen DeBoer. Morrell and DeBoer have a long and successful history together having coached and played together at the University of Sioux Falls. The duo were apart of all four of the program’s National Championships in its history, three as coaches and one as players. DeBoer and Morrell coached together at USF during the 2000-09 seasons, and played on the same squad from 1995-97.

Morrell was at Montana Tech from 2011-19 prior to relocating to the San Joaquin Valley. In addition to his role as head coach while at Montana Tech, he served as its athletic director from 2014-17.

Montana Tech, an NAIA program a part of the Frontier Conference in Butte, Mo., was 52-44 during Morrell’s tenure. Under his guidance, he ignited a new football era winning three conference titles including back-to-back championships in 2015 and 2016. The first Frontier title under Morrell was during his second season, a 2012 triumph, which was the first conference title for Montana Tech since 2004.

Each conference championship season under Morrell included a trip to the NAIA Football Championship Series, its trip in 2012 was the first for the program since 2005. Montana Tech would advance to the quarterfinals in both their trips in 2015-16.

Morrell was named the Frontier Conference Coach of the Year in 2012, 2015 and 2016, as well as the AFCA Regional Coach of the Year each of those years. Montana Tech went 20-4 over the 2015-16 seasons. In 2012, the team entered the season unranked, and reached as high as No. 7 in the polls that year.

Morrell produced 70 all-conference selections at Montana Tech, three conference players of the year and six on the All-America teams. Montana Tech consistently led the conference in academic all-conference selections and NAIA scholar athletes during his nine seasons.

Morrell arrived at Montana Tech from the University of South Dakota, where he served as the defensive coordinator for one season in 2010. Prior to his stint at USD, Morrell coached at the University of Sioux Falls from 1998-2009, where he served as the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach.

During his time at Sioux Falls, the Cougars played in five NAIA national championship games, winning three titles (2006, 2008, 2009). From 2006-2009, the Cougars were the most dominant program in the NAIA, with a record of 56-1 and their only loss in that span was in the 2007 national title game. The 2008-09 teams won 29 straight games, and outscored opponents 44.3-to-8.3. He produced 44 All-Conference and 11 All-American defensive players at Sioux Falls.

As a safety at Sioux Falls (1995-97), he was the leading tackler on the 1996 NAIA Division II national championship team. He was inducted into the Cougar Hall of Fame in 2016.

Morrell, who is a native of Bon Homme, South Dakota, comes to Fresno with his wife Jen, and two daughters, Selene and Aleia.