NORMAN — The newest addition to Oklahoma’s defensive staff has settled in nicely.
The Sooners added LaMar Morgan from Michigan over the offseason to replace cornerbacks coach Jay Valai, who took a job with the Buffalo Bills, but there’s been no drop-off in the secondary.
Morgan had the good fortune of inheriting Eli Bowen and Courtland Guillory, but things could have unraveled when Bowen got hurt.
Instead, Morgan got sophomore Trystan Haynes ready for the big stage, and he played a key role opposite Guillory to help take down Texas.
Morgan stayed in Haynes’ ear throughout the contest in the Cotton Bowl to help coach the young corner to success.
“He was doing that a lot. He always does that in practice too,” Haynes said last week. “So whenever you have that same routine going into it, you're used to it. So whenever he's able to give me that feedback and help me improve throughout the game, that's definitely something that I was looking forward to and that helped me throughout the game.”
Morgan also kept Oregon transfer Dakoda Fields engaged, and though Fields’ big moment this year came on special teams, the reserve corner was ready to contribute when called upon.
The success Morgan has found early at Oklahoma came as no shock to his colleagues.
“Man, he’s a smart coach,” OU defensive tackles coach Todd Bates said on Tuesday.
Morgan has plenty of experience, both as a position coach in the secondary and as defensive coordinator, across multiple levels of college football. He took the proper time to get acclimated to his new role, which Bates believed helped him fit in immediately.
“He really sat back when he first got here and learned,” Bates said. “… He picks up on things very fast because he’s been around great defense. And he’s always — he’s humble. He’s really willing to learn everything.”
Morgan’s words carry respect around the Switzer Center, too.
“He also has a way that he knows how to do it, and he shares that with us, too,” Bates said.
Guillory has continued to improve. His biggest play in an OU uniform came under Morgan, when he picked off Arch Manning to set up the Sooners’ game-winning drive.
And the belief is that Morgan will continue to improve as he spends more time in Norman.
“It’s made everybody better, him joining our staff, man, and the way he just attacks his business,” Bates said. “And I love the way that he loves on his family, too. He’s a great husband, great father, and has been a great addition to our staff.”
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