When Kevin Morris was promoted to head football coach just 10 days after Don Brown departed for Maryland, he had just one thing on his mind: signing the class of 2014.

The handoff came in January—during the height of recruiting season.
“We weren’t looking for a lot of big kids, but for players who can run and great kids of character,” says Morris. “I’ve always liked kids who can play both sides of the ball—defense as well as offense.”

Morris came to UMass Amherst from Northeastern University, where he was the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach for four seasons, making the move with Brown in 2004. Competing for the top job “solidified my mind about who I am and my coaching style,” Morris said. He thinks being an inside candidate has advantages and disadvantages, “because everyone knows you, flaws and all.”