In high school, Jeff Morgan had one dream: to play college basketball at Harding University. Although he never played for Harding, Morgan\u2019s dream came true in a different way.<\/p>\n
Morgan attended York College in York, Nebraska, and played basketball for two years before transferring to West Texas A&M in Canyon, Texas, to finish his playing career. Morgan said he realized he wanted to coach during his junior year at West Texas and spent his first four years out of college as a graduate assistant and assistant coach. He worked under Mark Adams, head coach at West Texas, and took over as head coach after Adams took a Division I coaching job.<\/p>\n
Morgan was 26 in his first year as head coach, the youngest coach in all of college basketball. He led the Buffs to a 17-10 record. However, that changed after Morgan heard about a job opening in Searcy, Arkansas.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter the season ended, the head coaching job was open here, and I thought Harding would be a great place to work,\u201d Morgan said. \u201cI basically grew up around the campus with my older sisters and brother going here.\u201d<\/p>\n
In 1993, Morgan was named head coach of the men\u2019s basketball team. Morgan was just the fourth head coach since basketball restarted at Harding in 1957. Morgan said he wanted to make a big change in his first year with the Bisons.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur mindset from day one was to change the culture,\u201d Morgan said. \u201cIf you look back through the 37 years of basketball at Harding leading up to the year I joined, Harding only had eight winning seasons and never won more than 20 games. We wanted to change the mindset that we could compete and win conference championships and NCAA tournaments.\u201d<\/p>\n
Twenty five years later, Morgan has met his goals and then some.<\/p>\n
Morgan has led the Bisons to 21 winning seasons and six 20-win seasons. It only took two seasons to bring Harding its first 20-win season when the Bisons finished 22-10 in 1994 to 1995. Morgan currently holds a 412-275 record at Harding and ranks fourth among coaches at Arkansas colleges. He said his years coaching before Harding were valuable to his success.<\/p>\n
\u201cI got to be around some great coaches in high school and college,\u201d Morgan said. \u201cWorking for coach Adams was a great experience because he always gave his assistants unbelievable responsibility. He had us doing a lot of coaching and preparation for games. In my last year, I made the practice plans every day, and he\u2019d change some things and go.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tim Kirby, head coach of the women\u2019s basketball team, spent his first 12 years at Harding as Morgan\u2019s assistant coach. Kirby said that doing the right things as a coach has kept Morgan at Harding over the years.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a good Christian man, and the way he does things is what he does best,\u201d Kirby said. \u201cI think his consistency has been one of the big things that has taken place at Harding. You don\u2019t stay places for 25 years if you\u2019re not consistent with how you do things.\u201d<\/p>\n
Morgan has led the Bisons to 20 postseason tournament appearances and four regular season championships. He has coached more games and has more wins than any other Bisons men\u2019s basketball coach. Through all the success, Morgan said his happiest moments have revolved around his players.<\/p>\n
\u201cLooking back on it, the happiest times are the things you see the athletes accomplish and the changes that occur in them,\u201d Morgan said. \u201cYou can go through the years and really see a change in guys and their growth spiritually in their commitments to be followers of Christ. It\u2019s so awesome to be a part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Athletic Director Greg Harnden was the women\u2019s head basketball coach when Morgan came to Harding in 1993. Harnden said Morgan has delivered a lot of good to Harding on and off the court.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe brought great public relations and notoriety to our basketball program,\u201d Harnden said. \u201cIt\u2019s so unusual to be at a school for 25 years as the head coach and have this kind of success. He\u2019s been a great example for the faculty and staff along with the students.\u201d<\/p>\n
Morgan said he does not have an end goal in mind, but hopes that his program has made a positive impact on the Harding community.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think you really hope that you\u2019ve been a positive influence on the lives that God\u2019s brought your way,\u201d Morgan said. \u201cWhen it\u2019s all said and done, you hope to look back and say you were a positive witness for him with the people he\u2019s brought your way and made a difference in their lives in a positive way.\u201d<\/p>\n
Morgan\u2019s 25th season kicks off on Saturday, Nov. 4 when the Bisons travel to Jonesboro, Arkansas, to face the Arkansas State Red Wolves in an exhibition match up.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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