As Arkansas begins its search for a new football coach, its fifth since 2011, one name has stayed in the conversation from the start: North Texas head coach Eric Morris. At first glance, pairing an SEC program with a Group of 5 rising star might seem surprising. But as North Texas continues its unexpected climb into the College Football Playoff conversation, Morris’ candidacy grows stronger by the week.
The Mean Green are not ranked by the CFP committee yet, but the metrics and trends tell a different story. And those same trends may end up shaping Arkansas’ hiring strategy more than anyone expected.
North Texas’ Rise Is Changing the Equation
The idea of “North Texas” and “College Football Playoff contender” appearing in the same breath would have seemed absurd just a year ago. Yet this is exactly what is unfolding under Eric Morris. The Mean Green lead the AAC with 45 points per game and nearly 490 total yards per game, numbers that rank among the best in the country.
Quarterback Drew Mestemaker is thriving in one of the most efficient passing offenses in the nation. ESPN’s analysis emphasizes that CFP consideration is often about how a team finishes and overall resume as a whole. And North Texas is finishing strong and building a strong case to make it.
That kind of rise; unexpected, fast, and explosive, is something Arkansas can not ignore as it evaluates its next leader. It shows what is possible when a program fully commits to identity, pace, and modern concepts.
Why North Texas’ Success Matters to Arkansas
For a program like Arkansas, one that has never seriously sniffed playoff contention since the CFP era began, the North Texas rise is symbolic. It highlights how quickly a program can shift public perception when it marries the right offensive philosophy to the right coach.
Arkansas has faced offensive inconsistency for more than a decade, even across multiple coaching cycles. Meanwhile, Morris has built an identity at North Texas based on tempo, spacing, quarterback comfort, passing efficiency, and explosive plays. These are the exact traits that have made the Mean Green one of the country’s most difficult offenses to slow down.
The Razorbacks may not be undervaluing their own offensive talent either. This year’s offense has been quietly one of the better-performing units in the SEC. The administration might see Morris as the coach who can keep that firepower burning while also bringing in the right defensive coordinator to fix the other side of the ball.
Seeing what Morris has built so quickly provides Arkansas with a blueprint for a new era: one shaped by tempo, quarterback development, and the ability to create mismatches through scheme.
Morris Has Already Proven He Can Build Fast and Build Big
Eric Morris has turned North Texas into both a CFP sleeper and an AAC championship contender faster than anyone expected. The rebuild wasn’t supposed to be this quick, and certainly not this impactful. Yet Morris has accomplished it by installing a modern offense and constructing a roster that fits perfectly within it.
The big question for Arkansas: Could Morris replicate a version of this rapid turnaround in Fayetteville?
Based on what we’ve seen, the answer is absolutely yes. The SEC is a tougher league, the competition is deeper, and the pressure is higher. But Morris’ traits of quarterback development, tactical creativity, and organizational confidence can translate anywhere.
Maldonado’s analysis of North Texas emphasizes the keys behind their success: passing efficiency, scoring margin, explosive rate, and underlying advanced data.
Those aren’t flukes, they’re measurable, repeatable benchmarks. And they align perfectly with what Arkansas should be targeting in its next head coach.
What Could Morris Bring With Him to Arkansas?
Perhaps the most intriguing part of Morris’ candidacy is the potential that he could bring key players with him, much like Curt Cignetti did when he moved from James Madison to Indiana. That transition proved that players from a lower level can indeed compete immediately against Power Five competition when the system is familiar and the confidence is established.
If Morris landed in Fayetteville, several rising stars from North Texas could realistically follow him:
- Quarterback Drew Mestemaker, a poised and efficient young passer who already looks the part of a future star.
- Wide receiver Wyatt Young, one of the AAC’s most explosive and polished playmakers.
- Running back Caleb Hawkins, a dynamic freshman with elite upside as a multi-level runner.
Mestemaker and Hawkins are freshmen; Young is a sophomore. All have significant eligibility remaining. Together, they form the offensive core that kickstarted the North Texas revival and could, in theory, help accelerate Arkansas’ rebuild in the same way.
Why Razorback Fans Should Pay Close Attention
North Texas’ rise is more than a feel-good story. It is a real-time case study in how quickly a program can reinvent itself through identity, modern schematics, and belief in a high-tempo offense. For Arkansas, whose fans are hungry for competitiveness and consistency, Eric Morris represents a coach who checks every major box.
He has built a system that works.
He has developed young talent instantly.
He has modernized every part of his offense.
He has created energy that translates into wins.
If Arkansas wants a coach who can bring long-term vision and short-term improvement, Morris fits the description perfectly.
For Razorback fans, now is the time to watch the North Texas rise closely. The Mean Green’s momentum may soon become Fayetteville’s momentum. And Eric Morris might just be the coach to lead Arkansas into a modern era the program has long been searching for.