Eric Morris reveals 'career suicide' move he made despite advice from others

After spending five years on Texas Tech‘s staff, Eric Morris took a leap of faith. He accepted an offer to become the head coach at Incarnate Word. In a conversation on Andy & Ari On3, the new Oklahoma State head coach reflected on that moment in his career.

“Everybody told me I was making career suicide, all my mentors,” Morris said. “‘I should not go to Incarnate Word. They had no history. They had just started up a Division I program. They were Division II before. Terrible facilities, no resources.’ When people tell me I can’t do something, I’ve always had that mindset. I’m kind of like, ‘Alright, watch me, I’ll show you.’ Otherwise, I was that way as a player.

“Everybody thought I was too small and too slow to play in the Big 12 and so I’ve always kind of had a chip on my shoulder. When people tell me that thing, I take it as a challenge and it’s good for me.”

Incarnate Word has only been a Division I program since 2013. Prior to Morris’ tenure, the program had experienced little success.

Alas, in his first year with the Cardinals, Morris led the team to a 6-5 overall record, a 6-2 mark in conference play and a Southland title. Morris also guided the team to a conference championship in 2021.

Though the success may not have been as glamorous as some coaches were used to, Morris was learning priceless lessons. Those lessons eventually led him to Washington State, then to North Texas, and, finally, to Oklahoma State.

“I had to learn how to do so many different things,” Morris said. “Learning how to evaluate transcripts, learning how to figure out the budget at the place, learning how to figure out what we’re gonna do in the equipment room when we don’t have a full-time equipment guy who’s gonna do the laundry. It allowed me to use my brain in a lot of different ways and ultimately, you’re finding out solutions to problems.

“I think that’s helped me along the way, like every stop I’ve had. Although my problems are different, I have to be real intentional on the way I’m gonna solve these problems and no problem too big, no problem too small. We have an organization to run here and most of my day usually resides around figuring out solutions to problems.”

Morris has massive shoes to fill. He replaced Mike Gundy, who had been Oklahoma State’s head coach since 2005. After following a unique path to Stillwater, Eric Morris is excited for the new opportunity.