FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas Razorbacks Coach Chad Morris said there's been plenty of interest in the team's defensive coordinator vacancy based on the numerous messages on his cellphone.
"This is definitely one that I've had to take a few pages of notes on, of taking names down and talking to guys," Morris said Wednesday when he announced his first signees at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. "That's what I've done over the last few weeks as well, and also trying to recruit."
Morris said he expects to hire a defensive coordinator in the near future.
One possibility is Texas A&M defensive coordinator John Chavis, who has held the position for an SEC team for the past 22 years at Tennessee, LSU and the Aggies.
"I want someone that has been well established," Morris said. "Well proven and has the excitement and energy level and the get up and go that I have."
Morris said there have been some challenges in recruiting without a defensive staff in place.
"I've assured them that our standard is best," he said. "Everything we do is best, and that's exactly what we're going to get. We're going to go get the best coordinator in the country. That's our commitment each and every day."
Morris said his hire for strength and conditioning coach will be as important as the defensive coordinator.
Trumaine Carroll has been SMU's strength and conditioning coach during Morris' three seasons. Carroll played football at Oklahoma State and was an assistant strength and conditioning coach there for a year before going to SMU. He also was the head strength and conditioning coach at Missouri-Kansas City.
"We're going to do some things a little bit different as far as the conditioning approach," said Morris, who places a premium on speed. "That's going to be a big emphasis for us moving forward.
"As a matter of fact, every one of these young men already have been issued their three-week winter conditioning packet that we strongly encourage them they need to follow over the next few weeks."
Four of Morris' assistant coaches at SMU signed employee agreements with Arkansas and have been recruiting for the Razorbacks, but they're all on the offensive side of the ball.
The former SMU assistants who have followed Morris to Arkansas are Joe Craddock, his offensive coordinator with the Mustangs; Dustin Fry (offensive line); Justin Stepp (wide receivers); and Jeff Traylor (running backs).
Former SMU staff members at Arkansas are recruiting coordinator Mark Smith and director of football operations Randy Ross.
"As far as the guys joining me from the SMU staff, there will be a time we introduce the entire University of Arkansas coaching staff," Morris said. "I'm not prepared to say who's coaching what at this time, but there will be a time in the very near future we'll do that."
Barry Lunney Jr., the Razorbacks tight ends coach the previous five seasons, and Bobby Allen, a longtime Arkansas assistant who has been in an administrative role as director of high school relations, both have been recruiting.
Morris said he'll talk later about the roles for Lunney and Allen with Arkansas.
"But I know this, that both of those guys have been very beneficial to help us all out," Morris said. "They've gotten us around the state and in the doors and helped us out with connecting some of the dots.
"A lot of the [high school] coaches we already knew and had a relationship with, but these guys have had in-depth relationships with them. They've been very beneficial and very helpful."
Morris said the new defensive coordinator will have a say in completing the coaching staff.
"The coordinator will get a chance to choose his position guys with the assistance of me and making sure it's the right fit for what we're about and the culture we're going to establish here," Morris said.
Under a new NCAA rule, teams will be allowed to hire a 10th assistant coach in January after the College Football Playoff championship game ends.
"I would like for that to be a five and five offense and defense," Morris said of the coaching staff breakdown. "But have some heavy special teams duties involved as well."
Morris said he'll have a special teams coordinator, who could be an assistant coach or an analyst.
"If it's an off-the-field guy, he would wind up coaching the coaches," Morris said.
Sports on 12/21/2017