Ethan Morriss is in his third season at Utah State and first as the safeties coach after spending the 2022 season as a senior defensive analyst and the 2021 campaign as a defensive analyst.
During the 2022 campaign, Morriss helped Utah State to six wins and its 10th bowl game in the past 12 seasons, including its second in as many years as it appeared in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl.
Overall, the Aggie defense ranked 11th in the nation in tackles for loss (7.2 pg) and 31st in passing (205.0 ypg) in 2022. Additionally, inside linebacker MJ Tafisi earned honorable mention all-MW honors under Morriss, while Max Alford was named the MW Freshman of the Week once.
In 2021, Utah State had its best season in school history as it tied the school record with 11 wins (11-3), won its first-ever Mountain West Championship with a 46-13 victory at No. 19 San Diego State, posted a 24-13 win against Oregon State in the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl and finished the year ranked 24th in the nation.
Utah State’s defense held each of its final three opponents to 13 or fewer points and five of its last six opponents to 17 or fewer points.
Utah State’s defense finished tied for second in the nation with 114.0 tackles for loss, which is also tied for the second-most in school history. And, USU limited its opponents to just 22 touchdowns on 51 trips into the red zone (.431), which ranked 10th nationally.
Utah State’s defense also ranked fourth in the nation in fourth down conversion percentage (.250), eighth with 11 forced fumbles and 27th in third down conversion percentage (.346).
Morriss came to Utah State after spending two seasons (2019-20) at Arkansas State as a defensive graduate assistant. In 2019, he helped the Red Wolves to an 8-5 record and a win in the Camellia Bowl.
Prior to Arkansas State, Morriss spent two seasons (2017-18) at Harding University as a graduate assistant working with the defensive backs. During his two seasons with the program, the Bisons posted a combined 20-7 record and advanced to the NCAA DII playoffs.
The 2018 season saw Harding post a 9-3 record and finish No. 20 in the final AFCA poll. The Bisons ranked No. 6 in the nation the previous year after posting an 11-4 mark and advancing to the semifinals of the Division II playoffs.
At Harding, Morriss helped coach four all-Great American Conference (GAC) defensive backs, including 2018 All-Super Region 3 selections Frank Herbert at cornerback, Dra Smith at safety and V’Onte Williams at corner.
Morriss went to Harding after completing his collegiate playing career at West Texas A&M as a defensive back. He redshirted the 2011 season and was a four-year letterman from 2012-15, earning all-Lone Star Conference honors as both a junior and senior. He completed his career with 137 tackles, five interceptions and eight pass breakups.
Morriss graduated from West Texas A&M in 2015 with his bachelor’s degree in sports & exercise science and earned his master’s in education from Harding University in 2018.
The native of Sonora, Texas, was a two-time all-West Texas MVP at Sonora High School, where he played quarterback and helped lead the Broncos to the District 13-2A championship as a senior.
ETHAN MORRISSÂ Â FILE
Coaching History
2023-             Utah State – Safeties
2022            Utah State – Senior Defensive Analyst
2021            Utah State – Defensive Analyst
2019-20         Arkansas State – Defensive Graduate Assistant
2017-18         Harding – Defensive Graduate Assistant
Playing ExperienceÂ
2011-15         West Texas A&M – Defensive Back
Education
2018 Harding – Education
2015 West Texas A&M – Sports & Exercise Science (B.S.)