Memphis Native Amorrow Morgan Joins Tennessee Basketball Coaching Staff
The University of Tennessee men’s basketball program under Head Coach Rick Barnes has bolstered its coaching ranks with the addition of Memphis native Amorrow Morgan as an assistant coach. The announcement on Friday marks a homecoming for Morgan and injects a fresh wave of energy and recruiting prowess into the Volunteers’ staff. Morgan fills the vacancy left by Rod Clark, who recently departed for a position at Indiana.
“I am thrilled to welcome Amorrow to Rocky Top,” Barnes stated in the official release. “As soon as we knew we had a decision to make, it was immediately clear Amorrow would be our first choice. He is a young, energetic coach with a sharp basketball mind who will make an impact with our program from day one. I know he will do all he can to help our players excel and that he will mesh with the strong culture we have in place.”
Morgan brings with him 12 years of collegiate coaching experience, including eight seasons at the Division I level. His most recent stint was a two-year run at the University of California, Berkeley. Despite a period of transition for the Golden Bears, navigating their final year in the Pac-12 and their inaugural season in the ACC, Morgan was lauded for his recruiting acumen. He played a crucial role in securing top-12 transfer classes for Cal in both 2023 and 2024, according to On3. Notably, he was instrumental in the recruitment of Jeremiah Wilkinson, who went on to earn ACC Sixth Man of the Year and ACC All-Rookie Team honors in the 2024-25 season, averaging an impressive 15.1 points per game as a freshman. Morgan also played a key role in signing Andrej Stojakovic and Jaylon Tyson, the latter becoming a first-round NBA draft pick in 2024.
Prior to his time in Berkeley, Morgan spent two seasons at Loyola Chicago (2021-2023), where he contributed to the Ramblers’ success, including a Missouri Valley Conference Tournament title and an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2022. He was part of a staff that helped Loyola Chicago achieve 35 wins during his tenure.
Morgan also has experience in the Sun Belt Conference, having served at South Alabama for three seasons (2018-2021), the final two as associate head coach. During his time in Mobile, the Jaguars amassed 54 victories, including a 20-11 record in the 2019-20 season, which saw them finish second in the league before the cancellation of postseason play due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was recognized as one of the top assistant coaches in the Sun Belt by Stadium. Morgan’s efforts at South Alabama saw the development of players like Josh Ajayi and Trhae Mitchell, both earning All-Sun Belt honors.
His coaching journey also includes a season at Nicholls State (2017-2018), where he helped the Colonels secure a share of the Southland Conference title and achieve their highest win total (21) since 1995. He played a role in Roddy Peters earning Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year honors. Before Nicholls State, Morgan spent two seasons at Henderson State and began his collegiate coaching career at the University of Illinois-Springfield.
A Memphis native, Morgan expressed his enthusiasm for returning to his home state. “Coach Barnes has built something truly special on Rocky Top. Tennessee basketball is a program rooted in tradition and rising with purpose,” Morgan said. “I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to return to my home state and look forward to contributing however I can to the continued success of Volunteer basketball. I cannot wait to start and get to work with our guys. Go Big Orange.”
The addition of Morgan is seen as a significant boost to Tennessee’s recruiting efforts and overall coaching staff. His track record of identifying and developing talent, coupled with his energy and understanding of the game, makes him a valuable asset to the Volunteers as they aim for continued success in the highly competitive SEC and on the national stage.
