Shannon Morrison joined the EKU football program in January 2016.
In 2020, Morrison will serve as the team’s defensive backs coach, the position he coached for the Colonels in 2016 and 2017. During the 2018 and 2019 seasons, Morrison coached the linebackers.
With Morrison’s assistance, the Colonels fielded one of the best defenses in the Ohio Valley Conference in 2018 and 2019. The 2018 unit finished second in the league in points allowed per game and total defense. The 2019 EKU defense was second in the OVC in points allowed, second in total defense, second in rushing defense and third in passing defense.
Eastern Kentucky was fifth in the nation in third down defense, seventh in fourth down defense, 11th in red-zone defense, 15th in rushing defense, 16th in total defense and 22nd in scoring defense in 2019.
The Colonels held their opponents to less than 100 yards rushing six times during the 2019 season, including just two yards against Tennessee Tech and 22 yards against Murray State.
Morrison helped the Colonels to a 7-4 record and a third place finish in the OVC in 2018. Linebackers Steven Crowder and Gavin Bryant earned OVC Defensive Player of the Week honors during the 2018 season and received honorable mention recognition for STATS National Defensive Player of the Week.
In his first season, Morrison helped lead a defense that allowed fewer passing yards than any EKU team since 2009 and fewer passing touchdowns (12) than any Colonel squad since 2005 (9). Under his tutelage, safety Kiante Northington earned second team All-OVC honors.
The Eastern defense led the OVC and was sixth in the country with 13 fumbles recovered. The Colonels were 25th in the nation with 23 forced turnovers. The team was 16th nationally with three defensive touchdowns, including an interception return by Northington.
Morrison helped engineer a dramatic improvement in the defense in his second season. In 2017 the Colonels allowed their opponents 62 fewer yards and four fewer points per game. An improved rushing defense allowed 571 fewer yards on the ground than the year before. The passing defense improved as well, beating the 2016 total by 112 yards. EKU ranked first in the league and eighth in FCS with 13 fumbles recovered. The Colonels were second in the OVC and 38th nationally in sacks (2.36/g).
Defensive back Kobie Grace was an All-OVC selection in 2017, leading the nation in fumbles recovered and ranking 18th in FCS football in fumbles forced.
Morrison spent three seasons (2013-15) on the staff at Ball State, working as the secondary coach in 2015. He helped BSU reach the GoDaddy Bowl at the end of the 2013 season. Prior to his time with the Cardinals, Morrison worked on Butch Jones’ staff at Cincinnati. Morrison was the Bearcats’ cornerbacks coach during the 2012 Big East Championship season and then served as the defensive coordinator during UC’s victory over Duke in the Belk Bowl.
Morrison spent two seasons at Memphis. He was the cornerbacks coach in 2010 and the outside linebackers coach in 2011. During the 2009 season, Morrison was the co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach at Bowling Green. The Falcons earned a berth in the Idaho Humanitarian Bowl that season.
From 2005 to 2008, Morrison served in two different roles at his alma mater, Marshall University. He was the Thundering Herd’s linebackers coach for two seasons and safeties coach for two seasons. Morrison was the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Lehigh during the 2004 season, helping the team win the Patriot League title and earn a bid to the FCS playoffs.
Morrison joined the staff at Southeast Missouri in 2000 as the secondary coach and then was the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach from 2001 through the 2003 season. Morrison was also the defensive coordinator and secondary coach at Hampden-Sydney for two seasons (1998-99).
In between two stints as a graduate assistant at Marshall in 1995 and 1997, Morrison was an assistant at Sam Houston State. The 1997 Thundering Herd squad won the Mid-American Conference Championship and played in the Motor City Bowl. The 1995 team made it to the FCS national championship game.
As a student-athlete, Morrison helped Marshall to a FCS national title (1992) and two runner-up finishes (1991 and 1993). He was team captain, first team All-Southern Conference and honorable mention All-America as a senior.
Morrison earned a bachelor’s of arts in criminal justice from Marshall. He and his wife Michelle have one daughter -- Miya.
