2021 LAMAR UNIVERSITY
®
Blane Morgan
Head Coach - Lamar University 2-4/Second Season A coach with nearly 20 years of experience, Blane Morgan was named Lamar University head coach Dec. 12, 2019, becoming just the third coach since the university re-established the program prior to the 2010 season. Morgan also becomes the program’s 10th head coach since transitioning to a four-year institution. A direct disciple of legendary coaches Rocky Long, Fisher DeBerry and Troy Calhoun, Morgan comes to Beaumont after spending the previous five seasons at San Diego State. During his time with the Aztecs, Morgan produced some of the most talented signal-callers in program history, while helping guide the Aztecs to five consecutive bowl game appearances. In his first season, Morgan was tasked with guiding one of the youngest teams in the nation – 57 freshman – through the rigors of the conference schedule. Despite a depth chart that consisted of 35 underclassmen, including 21 freshmen, the Cardinals stunned the Southland Conference by finishing tied for fifth in the league (after being picked last in the preseason polls). Morgan and his staff managed all this while guiding the program through an unprecedented pandemic. Morgan’s first victory as Cardinals head coach had a storybook ending. Facing rival McNeese, the Cardinals overcame a first-half double-digit deficit to rally for the victory in overtime. Morgan produced
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two all-conference selections during his first season when sophomore defensive back Anthony Ruffin and junior defensive linemen Tylo Phillips were named All-Southland Conference at the end of the season. A once-struggling program, SDSU experienced some of its best results during Morgan’s time on staff. Over the course of his five seasons in San Diego, SDSU recorded a 48-18 (.727) overall record including five bowl appearances, posting a 2-2 (.500) mark in those games. That five-year stretch produced two 11-win campaigns, a 10-win season and two Mountain West Conference championships. Under Morgan’s guidance, the Aztec signal-callers ranked second in the Mountain West, and 12th nationally, in 2018 averaging nearly 15 pass yards per completion. In addition, Morgan oversaw the development of quarterback Ryan Agnew who posted a 6-1 record in seven starts and owned the sixth-highest win percentage nationally among all returning starters with a minimum of seven starts in 2018. Agnew continued that production in 2019 by guiding the Aztecs back to the postseason with a 10-3 (.769) overall record. Morgan joined the San Diego State staff after a highly successful run at the Air Force Academy where he spent 13 seasons, including the final eight as offensive coordinator. During that stretch,
2021 LAMAR UNIVERSITY® FOOTBALL
