Bob Morris recently completed his 11th consecutive season as an assistant coach at Robert Morris University and is responsible for coaching the receivers.
Morris joined the Colonial coaching staff with 19 years of experience as a head coach at the high school level and 25 seasons of coaching experience overall.
Morris guided Duane Mitchell to a record-breaking season with the Colonials in 2013, along with All-NEC honors, despite being in just his second season as a wide receiver as he transitioned to a new position after his freshman year.
Mitchell broke the RMU single-season record for receptions in 2013 by catching 52 passes. He tallied 867 receiving yards, the second-highest amount in a season at RMU, and brought in seven touchdowns. Mitchell led the NEC in receptions per game (5.17) within league play and averaged 95.3 yards per outing in conference play, coming short of the top mark by under two yards. Mitchell caught six passes for 99 yards at Saint Francis, which boasted one of the top 10 passing defenses nationally. He also contributed a career-high eight receptions for a career-best 141 yards at defending NEC champion Wagner and hauled in a game-tying touchdown in the fourth quarter.
During the 2013 season, Morris also helped Sean Gavin average 14.1 yards per catch on 17 receptions in his first season on the field. He also successfully mentored true freshman Alex Caratelli as the rookie caught a touchdown pass in the season opener at nationally ranked Eastern Kentucky.
Morris’ most prominent protégé is Tyjuan Massey (2002-05). After Massey did not catch a pass in his freshman year, Morris joined the RMU staff in the following offseason and promptly helped him become arguable the greatest Colonial receiver ever. Massey hauled in 112 catches for 2,119 yards in his final three years under Morris for 21 touchdowns. He remains first in career receiving yards and tied for first in touchdowns and is second in receptions. Massey also established the single-season records for receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns under Morris, and the latter two of those still stand. He claimed all-league honors in the final two seasons of his career.
In his time at RMU, Morris has coached to Sherrod Evers (2006-09) to All-Northeast Conference honors and has overseen the development of other standouts at the position, including Mario Hines (2004-07), Alvin Hill (2005-07) and Donte Jeter (2011-13).
A 1975 graduate of the University of Findlay with a Bachelor of Science degree in art education, Morris was the head football coach at Toronto High School in Toronto, Ohio, from 1982-88 and again from 1995-2000. He guided the Red Knights to the 1998 Ohio Valley Athletic Conference championship and owns 78 career victories for Toronto, the most in school history at the time of his departure.
A four-time Jefferson County Coach of the Year and three-time Eastern District Division VI Coach of the Year, Morris was named the Ohio Division VI State Coach of the Year in 1998 and 2001. From 1989-94, Morris served as head football coach at East Liverpool High School in East Liverpool, Ohio. He ranked fourth in school history for wins when he left and in 1989 was named Columbiana County Coach of the Year and Quad County Coach of the Year.
Morris and his wife, Mary Jo, reside in Toronto, Ohio, and have a daughter, Kim.
