Veteran Dorman assistant coach Jake Morris now in charge of alma mater
Morris looking to bring more physicality to Cavaliers on both sides of football
Roebuck – Jake Morris is the new football head coach at Dorman High School. Morris being in that position is about the only thing new between him and the school.
Morris was a senior captain and offensive lineman on the Cavaliers’ 2009 state championship team under veteran head coach David Gutshall. After starting for four years at North Greenville University, Morris returned to his alma mater to serve as an assistant coach, the first seven under Gutshall before he retired and this past season under Dustin Curtis.
Curtis left Dorman after one season in February due to a family medical matter and was later named the head coach and athletic director at his alma mater, Lexington. Morris was named interim head coach initially before getting the job full time in March.
“It's a lifelong dream,” Morris said of being selected as DHS’ newest head coach. “It's a place I love. It means a lot to me and my family. It's home. It’s one of the most humbling experiences of my life.”
Morris just completed his first spring practice as head coach. He thought things went fine, even though the players had to make a few adjustments.
These guys know me,” he said. “The players know me, the coaches know me, but practices are a little different to me than practices are to Coach Curtis or to Coach Gutshall.
“Our practices are more physical,” he added. “We all had that mindset. We had our practices more physical because we want our games to be easy.”
Morris was the offensive line coach for both Gutshall and Curtis, and the line is going to have to be completely rebuilt this year. The Cavaliers started five seniors from last season's 9-3 team that lost to eventual state champion Dutch Fork in the3 second round of the AAAAA state playoffs. The quintet included Markee Anderson, now at the University of South Carolina, and D.J. Geth, now at the University of North Carolina.
Junior Landon Greene and seniors David Holloway and Anish Patel will move into the starting lineup after seeing some playing time last year. Morris expects two sophomores to start on the offensive line, something that is uncommon at Dorman.
“We’re very young up front because we’ll start two sophomores,” he said. “I don’t know the last time we did that here. That’s the kind of thing that mighty cause you to lose some sleep.”
DHS will also be replacing most of its skill position players as well. Senior David Sorenson, junior Jordan Sink and senior newcomer Riley Scruggs.
“We’re going to play the best one,” Morris said. “We’re going to play the guy who gives our team the best chance to win.”
Dorman does have its leading receiver back in senior Tra’Von Fernandez, who had 22 catches for 218 yards and three touchdowns. Also returning are junior Jarvis Pearson (4 catches, 85 yards, 1 touchdown), senior Cason Gilliam (5-63-2), junior Keenan Arcega-Whiteside (4-37-1) and sophomore KD Hainsworth.
The Cavaliers return several key performers on defense. Senior linebacker Owen Hendricks led the team with 72 tackles to go with 6 ½ tackles for loss. Senior Brannon Teamer had 65 tackles as a linebacker but will play safety this year. Senior linebacker Adam Goudelock had 51 tackles.
Morris wants the Cavaliers to be physical on both sides of the ball. He believes it is a necessity.
“We’re not as talented as we’ve in the past,” he said. “That’s the brutal, honest truth. That's been our rallying cry, all spring, all summer.”
` Morris said it hasn’t been too difficult of transition from assistant coach to head coach.
“I’m very fortunate working right beside Dave Gutshall,” he said. “He’s like a grandfather to me. The last three or four years, he gave me a lot of day-to-day-operation stuff. Coach Curtis invested in me as well to be able to do this.”
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