Steve Morrison - Co-Defensive Coordinator (Inside Linebackers) - Staff Directory

Staff Directory

Steve Morrison

Title:
Co-Defensive Coordinator (Inside Linebackers)
Email:
Phone:
419-372-7083

Coach Morrison
Hometown	Birmingham, Mich.
College	Michigan (1994)
Family	Wife, Mary, children Alexander, Marco and Roman
Coaching History
2000-01	Brother Rice HS, Defensive Coordinator
2002-04	Michigan, Assistant
2005	Western Michigan, Defensive Line
2006-07	Western Michigan, Linebackers
2008-09	Western Michigan, Defensive Coordinator
2010-11	Eastern Michigan, Linebackers
2012	Syracuse, Linebackers
2019-22	Bowling Green, Associate Head Coach/Linebackers
2023-24	Bowling Green, Co-Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers

Steve Morrison was hired as Scot Loeffler's associate head coach/inside linebackers Coach in May of 2019. Loeffler tabbed Morrison in February 2023 as co-defensive coordinator, sharing duties with OLB coach Sammy Lawanson. Morrison makes the defensive calls on gameday.

Morrison was an All-Big Ten linebacker at Michigan, played in the NFL, and has held full-time coaching positions at Syracuse, Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan. He also brings strong Midwest recruiting connections to BGSU Football and prepped at Michigan power Brother Rice High School.

During Morrison's first season as co-defensive coordinators with Lawanson in 2023, BGSU had a stellar season. The Falcons led the nation in takeaways (28), and finished No. 4 in the nation with 17 interceptions, No. 7 with 11 fumbles recovered, No. 12 in passing yards allowed (179.8) and No. 31 in the nation with 33 sacks. The Falcons also were ranked No. 25 nationally in total defense (326.1) and had the nation's sixth-best improvement on defense in the nation at 93.5 yards per game compared to 2022. As the inside linebackers coach Morrison oversaw Darren Anders finish his BGSU career No. 2 all-time with 54 games played and No. 8 all-time with 360 career tackles.

In 2021, Morrison's inside linebacker group was stellar as the BGSU defense led the way after it recorded its best season dating back to the 2013 MAC championship year, allowing opponents only 373.7 yards per game.

Under the watchful eye of Morrison, inside linebacker Darren Anders earned first-team All-MAC honors after he led the MAC and was No. 8 in the nation with 10.3 tackles per game. Anders was one of three players in all of FBS over 2020 and 2021 to finish both seasons in the top-15 nationally in tackles per game.

In his first year at Bowling Green, Morrison developed Kholbe Coleman into a third team All-MAC performer at the linebacker position. He led the team with 103 tackles while linebacker Brandon Perce was second with 100 tackles. Coleman, Perce and Jerry Roberts combined for 18 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks, while also recording three forced fumbles and a pair of interceptions. The Falcon defense allowed just one touchdown and 16 total points in BGSU’s three victories on the season.

Prior to Bowling Green, Morrison served one year as the Linebackers Coach at Syracuse, helping the team to the 2012 Big East Championship and a victory in the 2012 Pinstripe Bowl. Before that, he served two seasons as Linebackers Coach at Eastern Michigan and five years in progressive roles at Western Michigan. He was the team's Defensive Coordinator in his final two years with the Broncos and twice helped WMU to Bowl games in his tenure. As the Linebackers Coach in 2006, Morrison helped the team rank No. 1 in the country in interceptions and sacks per game, while setting a MAC record for rushing yards per game defense. Ameer Ismail was the national leader in quarterback sacks and tackles for loss.

Morrison began his college coaching career at his alma mater, Michigan, serving in various roles over three seasons, including quality control coach and graduate assistant coach for the outside linebackers. Prior to that, he was the Defensive Coordinator at Brother Rice High School, his high school alma mater, where the squad won a Division 1 state championship in 2000.

Morrison played inside linebacker at Michigan from 1990-94, serving as a team captain in 1994. In 1990, he became the first true freshman to start on defense at Michigan since 1987, but a season-ending injury cut that campaign short and he was awarded a medical redshirt. Due to the medical redshirt, Morrison was a rare five-year varsity letter winner for the Wolverines, earning Big Ten Conference Championships from 1990-92 and playing in the Rose Bowl in 1991 and 1992. At the time of his graduation, Morrison ranked third in career tackles at Michigan with 220. His 23 tackles in a single-game still stands as the school record.

Following college, Morrison played for the Indianapolis Colts from 1995-98, advancing as far as the AFC Championship game. He was also a member of the Detroit Lions during part of the 1999 season and started 31 games during his NFL career.

Morrison earned his bachelor's degree in sport management and communications from Michigan in 1994. He is married to Mary (Campana) and the couple has three boys – Alexander, Marco and Roman.