The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Men's Basketball
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
Pronunciation: more-ELLE
3rd season at Texas, 2nd as assistant coach
A former assistant on Shaka Smart’s staff at Virginia Commonwealth University, Mike Morrell begins his third season on the coaching staff at The University of Texas and his second year as an assistant coach.
In year one at Texas (2015-16), the Longhorns posted a 20-13 overall record (11-7, tie for fourth in Big 12 Conference). UT advanced to the NCAA Tournament as a No. 6 seed before falling to Northern Iowa (75-72) on a half-court shot at the buzzer. Despite the midseason loss of senior center Cameron Ridley (fractured left foot on Dec. 27), who led the team in rebounding (10.0 rpg) and blocks (3.4 bpg) and ranked second in scoring (12.7 ppg) at the time of the injury, the Longhorns set a school single-season record with four regular-season wins against AP Top 10 opponents (No. 3 North Carolina, at No. 6 West Virginia, No. 10 West Virginia and No. 3 Oklahoma).
UT went 4-1 at home against AP Top 20 opponents in 2015-16, and the Longhorns were 6-4 overall against AP Top 20 teams. Senior center Prince Ibeh claimed Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors, while Isaiah Taylor was named All-Big 12 First Team. Eric Davis Jr. and Kerwin Roach II each claimed a spot on the six-person Big 12 All-Newcomer Team. All five scholarship seniors on the roster participated in Spring 2016 Commencement exercises.
In its first full recruiting cycle in Austin, the Texas coaching staff pulled in a four-man freshman group that ranked as the No. 5 recruiting class in the nation by Scout. All four freshmen signees were ranked among the Top 100 players nationally by Scout (Jarrett Allen, No. 15; James Banks, No. 49; Andrew Jones, No. 19; Jacob Young, No. 87).
The class was highlighted by Allen and Jones, who both competed in the 2016 McDonald’s All-American Game. The duo became the 17th and 18th players in UT history to participate in the McDonald’s All-American Game, and it marked just the fourth time in program history that the Longhorns had at least two McDonald’s All-Americans in the same year. Allen also was the top-ranked center in the country by ESPN, marking the first time in UT program history that the Longhorns signed the No. 1 center in ESPN’s recruiting rankings.
The 2016-17 season was highlighted by the staff’s development of freshman Jarrett Allen, who was selected as the No. 22 pick by the Brooklyn Nets in the 2017 NBA Draft. Allen earned All-Big 12 Conference Third Team and Big 12 All-Newcomer Team accolades. He also claimed a spot on the 10-person USBWA All-District VII Team and the five-person NABC All-District 8 Second Team.
Allen led the team in rebounding (8.4 rpg), blocks (51) and minutes (32.1 mpg) and ranked second on the team in scoring (13.4 ppg). He recorded 12 double-doubles on the season, tied for the third-highest total by a UT freshman in school history. Allen also ranked fourth on the UT freshman chart in total rebounds (278) and fourth in rebounding average (8.4 rpg). He made dramatic improvement during the second half of the year, averaging a team-best 16.2 points and 9.8 rebounds per game in Big 12 Conference play while registering eight double-doubles.
During its second recruiting cycle, the UT staff signed a five-man freshman class that ranked as the No. 5 recruiting class in the country by Rivals. All five freshmen signees were ranked among the Top 80 players nationally by one of the three major recruiting services (Mohamed Bamba, No. 2 Rivals; Matt Coleman, No. 29 ESPN; Jase Febres, No. 47 Scout; Jericho Sims, No. 51 Scout; Royce Hamm Jr., No. 80 ESPN).
The class was highlighted by Bamba and Coleman, who both competed in the 2017 Jordan Brand Classic. Bamba became the fourth signee in UT history to rank as one of the nation’s top two recruits, joining Avery Bradley (No. 1 by ESPN in 2009), Kevin Durant (No. 2 by Rivals in 2006) and Myles Turner (No. 2 by ESPN in 2014). Bamba also became the 19th player in program history to compete in the McDonald’s All-American Game and played in the Nike Hoop Summit.
Morrell served as an assistant coach for the Longhorns during the 2015-16 season and as Director of Program Development in 2016-17. He returned to his post as an assistant coach in March 2017.
The 35-year-old Morrell served as an assistant coach at VCU under Smart for two seasons (2013-14 and 2014-15), when the Rams posted a 52-19 (.732) overall mark, won the 2015 Atlantic 10 Tournament championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament in both years. He was the director of basketball operations at VCU in 2011-12 and 2012-13, when he handled the Rams’ day-to-day operations and oversaw team travel, scheduling and practice schedules.
During Morrell’s four seasons at VCU (2011-15), the Rams posted an overall record of 108-35 (.755) and made four NCAA Tournament appearances. VCU was ranked in the final Associated Press poll in 2012-13 (No. 25), 2013-14 (No. 24) and 2014-15 (No. 25), a program first.
The Rams led the country in steals per game for three consecutive seasons (2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14) and ranked fourth nationally in 2014-15 (9.5 spg). In 2012-13, VCU’s 422 total steals shattered the Atlantic 10 single-season record of 352 set by Xavier in 1998-99. The 422 thefts marked the 18th-highest single-season total in NCAA Division I history. During the 2013-14 season, the Rams registered 391 steals, 21 more than any other squad.
VCU also ranked near the top of the national statistics in turnover margin and opponent turnover rate. The Rams led the nation in turnover margin in 2011-12 (+6.47) and 2012-13 (+8.03) and ranked third nationally (+5.4) during the 2014-15 season. VCU’s +8.03 mark in 2012-13 was the sixth-best by a NCAA Division I team since 1992-93.
VCU posted a 26-10 overall record in 2014-15, including a 12-6 mark in the Atlantic 10 Conference and a No. 25 ranking in the final AP poll. The Rams captured the 2015 Atlantic 10 Tournament championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Second Round before falling to Ohio State (75-72) in overtime. This marked the program’s first A10 title and ninth overall conference title for VCU. The Rams became the first team since Xavier in 2006 to win four games in four days at the A10 Tournament. VCU finished the year at No. 15 in the NCAA RPI with the nation’s toughest non-conference schedule and the eighth-toughest overall schedule. The Rams posted 14 wins against the NCAA RPI Top 100, with nine of those victories coming away from home.
In 2013-14, the Rams registered a 26-9 mark, including a 12-4 record in the A10. VCU advanced to the NCAA Tournament Second Round and ranked No. 24 in the final AP poll. The Rams climbed as high as No. 10 in The AP poll on Nov. 19, 2013, the highest AP ranking in school history (previous best was No. 11 on March 11, 1985).
VCU made the transition from the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) to the Atlantic 10 Conference in 2012-13, and the Rams registered a 27-9 mark, including a 12-4 record in the A10. VCU advanced to the NCAA Tournament Third Round before falling to eventual NCAA finalist Michigan. The Rams were ranked No. 25 in the final AP poll, the school’s first appearance in the final poll since 1984-85.
Despite the graduation of four of its five leading scorers from the 2011 Final Four team, VCU tallied a 29-7 overall record in 2011-12. The 29 wins set a school single-season record. The Rams posted a 15-3 mark in league play and won the CAA Tournament championship in their final year in the conference. VCU advanced to the NCAA Tournament Third Round, defeating Wichita State in the Round of 64 before falling to Indiana (63-61).
Prior to his arrival at VCU, Morrell was an assistant coach at Charleston Southern (North Charleston, S.C.) for one year in 2010-11. He spent three seasons (2007-10) on the staff at Clemson under head coach Oliver Purnell. As a graduate assistant in 2007-08, he handled film breakdown for opponent scouting, organizing recruiting mail-outs and assisting with the coordination of the Oliver Purnell Basketball Camp. Morrell first worked directly with Smart that year, when Smart was an assistant for the Tigers. He then served as director of basketball operations at Clemson for two years (2008-09 and 2009-10). The Tigers advanced to the NCAA Tournament in each of his three seasons on the staff.
Morrell started his coaching career as an assistant coach at King College (Bristol, Tenn.) for two years (2005-06 and 2006-07). He helped the Tornados post a 23-11 overall mark in his second season, winning the 2007 Appalachian Athletic Conference Tournament and advancing to the NAIA National Tournament first round. While at King, Morrell also served as the school’s golf coach.
Morrell (born Aug. 22, 1982) was a two-sport athlete at Milligan College in northeast Tennessee (Milligan College, Tenn.). He scored over 1,400 career points, a mark that ranks in the top 10 in school history. A three-year starter, Morrell helped the Buffaloes earn a berth in the NAIA National Tournament as a freshman in 2000-01. He also was a two-time all-conference golfer who led the team to a league championship in 2003. A native of Elizabethton, Tenn., Morrell earned his bachelor’s degree in history in 2005.
