Report: Arkansas gaining traction with Chad Morris for head coaching job, Morris wants Brent Venables

Yahoo! Sports reporter Pete Thamel is reporting that the Arkansas Razorbacks are nearing the end of their coaching search. The Razorbacks are apparently nearing a deal with SMU Mustangs head coach Chad Morris.

In addition to that, there’s a report from Football Scoop that indicates Morris knows who he wants to get to be his defensive coordinator. It’s none other than his former fellow assistant coach, Brent Venables. Venables, of course, stars with the Clemson Tigers and has been the brainchild behind some of the best defenses in the country.

Sources tell us to expect Morris to target Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables for his defensive coordinator spot on staff. If Morris could land Venables, it would be huge news in the coaching world.

Venables and Morris were on Dabo Swinney’s staff together from 2012-2014. In 2015, Morris of course left Clemson to take on the SMU job. Venables has stuck with Clemson since 2012, having previously worked with Kansas State, his alma mater, and Oklahoma. Venables won the Broyles Award in 2016, given out to the best assistant coach in the country.

While Morris has been solid and not spectacular at SMU (a record of 14-22 and 8-16 vs. AAC opponents) landing Venables as an assistant would be a heck of a coup. We’ll see if this is how things shake out.