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NICEVILLE — Richard Morgan has developed NFL players. He's won state titles, two at Oscar Smith High in Virginia and another at Marietta High in Georgia. He's made eight Final Four trips.
In his resume, Niceville High School Principal Charlie Marello and the hiring committee saw a greatness they deemed peerless among the seven finalists whittled down from the 70 applicants applying to be Grant Thompson's successor. And it's greatness Morgan sees in this Niceville football program.
Addressing his players for the first time Monday after the Eagle Pride band introduced him as Niceville's new head football coach, Morgan told them: "One word we're striving for: Greatness. Our culture is greatness. Our standard is greatness."
Niceville baseball: FWB transfer Tarchalski could be "the missing piece" for Eagles
If greatness is measured by player development, Niceville has long been a leader in the Panhandle with alums like Azareyeh and Juanyeh Thomas, Tyre McCants, Eli Stove, Finley, Mr. Football Trey Wainwright, lineman Kimo Makane'ole and Deonte Smith. Morgan's pedigree of coaching 185 college football players, seven NFL players, 21 All-Americans and two Gatorade National Players of the Year fits into that reputation.
If greatness is measured by Final Four trips, Niceville has six in the past 20 years as they welcome a man who's been to eight himself.
But if greatness is measured by state titles, Niceville's been in the conversation but fallen short since hoisting its lone state title in 1988. A comedy of special teams errors is the only reason Niceville wasn't lining up against St. Thomas Aquinas for the 5A title this past December, and that heartbreaker has only amplified Niceville's quest for a state title.
Now a new dawn faces the Eagles, who are dealing with circumstances Morgan has never had to navigate before. Chief among them is Florida's transfer portal, which last season both rejuvenized and depleted depth charts across the Sunshine State.
The good news is Niceville's coaching staff likely will remain consistent. Asked if he had plans to bring anyone in, Morgan didn't mention any specific names or say any new hires (outside of a void at offensive line) were pressing. This is good news for continuity on Niceville's sideline after the defense shined last year under Kody Martin and excelled in specific phases behind Adron Robinson, Brooks Perry, Todd Brigman and Romeo Finley.
On Monday, Morgan commended the coaching staff and players for last year's Final Four effort. He understands he's walked into a good situation and noted that has a lot to do with the tireless work of Thompson, who went 64-10 in his six seasons at the helm before his resignation this offseason sent shockwaves through the area.
But there's work to be done to build on improving the Flyin' N's winning culture.
"Our goal is to focus on the day-to-day operations of getting better and better," Morgan said. “Obviously every year the goal is to play in the last game for the whole thing, and that begins by focusing on the kids and developing a great culture. If we do that, the process will produce the outcome.”
Morgan is no stranger to taking over a program looking to erase a state title drought. In 2019 he led Marietta to its first state football championship since 1967, ending a 52-year drought for the Blue Devils. That was easily the high point for a nine-year tenure at Marietta that concluded with a 42-64 record and a 2-8 2024 campaign, causing Morgan to step down in the offseason.
As for his style of coaching, Morgan said he's had 4,000-yard quarterbacks and 2,000-yard running backs. But at the end of the day, it's "players over plays" that'll decide how he leads Niceville into this new chapter. He'll have the benefit of an offense returning the likes of Robert Stith, Max Roche and Jay Galindo and two-way linemen Dalton Perras, NuNu Kridr and Memphis Mays. And he'll have a defense led by the likes Harper Campbell, Justus Donahoo, Rymar Tripeaux and Owen Atkins.
"What we call will be based on your strengths," Morgan told his players Monday.
We'll get a better look at Niceville's roster come Spring football time, which begins April 28.
This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Niceville football names new head football coach
Continue reading...
In his resume, Niceville High School Principal Charlie Marello and the hiring committee saw a greatness they deemed peerless among the seven finalists whittled down from the 70 applicants applying to be Grant Thompson's successor. And it's greatness Morgan sees in this Niceville football program.
Addressing his players for the first time Monday after the Eagle Pride band introduced him as Niceville's new head football coach, Morgan told them: "One word we're striving for: Greatness. Our culture is greatness. Our standard is greatness."
Niceville baseball: FWB transfer Tarchalski could be "the missing piece" for Eagles
If greatness is measured by player development, Niceville has long been a leader in the Panhandle with alums like Azareyeh and Juanyeh Thomas, Tyre McCants, Eli Stove, Finley, Mr. Football Trey Wainwright, lineman Kimo Makane'ole and Deonte Smith. Morgan's pedigree of coaching 185 college football players, seven NFL players, 21 All-Americans and two Gatorade National Players of the Year fits into that reputation.
If greatness is measured by Final Four trips, Niceville has six in the past 20 years as they welcome a man who's been to eight himself.
But if greatness is measured by state titles, Niceville's been in the conversation but fallen short since hoisting its lone state title in 1988. A comedy of special teams errors is the only reason Niceville wasn't lining up against St. Thomas Aquinas for the 5A title this past December, and that heartbreaker has only amplified Niceville's quest for a state title.
Now a new dawn faces the Eagles, who are dealing with circumstances Morgan has never had to navigate before. Chief among them is Florida's transfer portal, which last season both rejuvenized and depleted depth charts across the Sunshine State.
The good news is Niceville's coaching staff likely will remain consistent. Asked if he had plans to bring anyone in, Morgan didn't mention any specific names or say any new hires (outside of a void at offensive line) were pressing. This is good news for continuity on Niceville's sideline after the defense shined last year under Kody Martin and excelled in specific phases behind Adron Robinson, Brooks Perry, Todd Brigman and Romeo Finley.
On Monday, Morgan commended the coaching staff and players for last year's Final Four effort. He understands he's walked into a good situation and noted that has a lot to do with the tireless work of Thompson, who went 64-10 in his six seasons at the helm before his resignation this offseason sent shockwaves through the area.
But there's work to be done to build on improving the Flyin' N's winning culture.
"Our goal is to focus on the day-to-day operations of getting better and better," Morgan said. “Obviously every year the goal is to play in the last game for the whole thing, and that begins by focusing on the kids and developing a great culture. If we do that, the process will produce the outcome.”
Morgan is no stranger to taking over a program looking to erase a state title drought. In 2019 he led Marietta to its first state football championship since 1967, ending a 52-year drought for the Blue Devils. That was easily the high point for a nine-year tenure at Marietta that concluded with a 42-64 record and a 2-8 2024 campaign, causing Morgan to step down in the offseason.
As for his style of coaching, Morgan said he's had 4,000-yard quarterbacks and 2,000-yard running backs. But at the end of the day, it's "players over plays" that'll decide how he leads Niceville into this new chapter. He'll have the benefit of an offense returning the likes of Robert Stith, Max Roche and Jay Galindo and two-way linemen Dalton Perras, NuNu Kridr and Memphis Mays. And he'll have a defense led by the likes Harper Campbell, Justus Donahoo, Rymar Tripeaux and Owen Atkins.
"What we call will be based on your strengths," Morgan told his players Monday.
We'll get a better look at Niceville's roster come Spring football time, which begins April 28.
This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Niceville football names new head football coach
Continue reading...
