Baylor Coach Jim Morgan Retires

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A legend has retired.

 

Hall of fame coach and more importantly, hall of fame person Jim Morgan has announced his retirement, effective immediately, as the Baylor School head wrestling coach.

 

Morgan has been head wrestling coach for the past 25 years, leading the Red Raiders to nine of the school’s 13 state traditional team titles, the last one coming Saturday night at the Williamson County Agricultural Expo Center, as Baylor edged McCallie, 282 to 277.

 

On Morgan’s watch, Baylor was 539-84-1, with six state duals titles, 60 individual state champions, including four-time winners Jordan Leen and Bailey Whitaker, and the aforementioned nine traditional championships.

 

“I have had a great 25 years as the Baylor coach and I feel this is the right time to retire,’’ said coach Morgan.

 

“I am leaving the team in good hands with coaches Schaack Van Deusen and Ben Nelson and know that they will continue on the program’s great success.’’

 

With a towel drapped over his shoulder, a friendly smile and warm hand shake, and countless youngsters coming through that practice room door from a future NCAA champion to the third string kid at 103 pounds, the 72-year-old Morgan has not only coached young men how to overcome adversity and hard times on the mat and turn that experience into a state championship careers, but he also “coached’’ teenagers on life’s lessons.

 

“Simply put, it’s 25 years of integrity and honesty,’’ said Van Deusen who plans to continue as an assistant coach for a couple of more years.

 

Morgan has had coaching success for 50 years from his start at Red Bank Junior High School in the early

1960s, followed as an assistant coach at McCallie School, one year as head coach at Pine Crest School (Fla.) and 16 years as head coach at Tennessee at Chattanooga.

 

A quality administrator and innovator as well as coach, Morgan served as director of the state traditional tournament for 25 years, (1985 to 2009) when the event was held at UTC's Maclellan Gym and later at McKenzie Arena.

 

He helped make the state tournament as fan-friendly as possible by having coordinating individual match numbers at each mat and in the program, have the tournament scoring system in the program and even had a pay phone installed in the Maclellan Gym lobby.

 

As a young Chemistry teacher at McCallie in the mid-1960s, he had the students in mind as he established a used book store on campus.

 

He allowed students to swap used books, one for one, or for purchase at a discounted rate so as to avoid the cost of new books for every class.

 

“Whatever success I have had as a coach it is based on my relationship with coach Morgan,’’ said Jim Glasser, Lovett School (Atlanta) wrestling coach and three-time Southern champion at UTC.

 

“He was my coach for nearly 18 years from the time I wrestled in the YMCA program for Missionary Elementary School, then at McCallie and finally at UTC, stated Glasser who won a pair of national prep championships (1966, ’67) as a junior and senior at McCallie.

 

“He was and always will be my number one guy in wrestling,’’ Glasser said.

 

Life's Cross Roads: Coach Morgan tells the story of how Glasser's father, Dr. Julian Glasser, convinced the young Chemistry teacher/assistant wrestling coach the need for a Master's Degree in science.

 

"In the winter of 1968, I was planning to leave my teaching and coaching position at McCallie after the spring semester and go to graduate school at UT in Knoxville,'' stated Morgan.

 

But UTC wrestling coach Andy Nardo dies during the 1967 season, Joe Geri serves as coach for the 1967-68 season and Morgan becomes head coach in the fall of 1968.

 

UTC officials were able to convince Morgan to stay in Chattanooga for the 1968-69 school year as Mocs head wrestling coach, and also be able to pursue the graduate degree in science.

 

"That was a big decision for me, but it has seemed to work out for the best for all concerned,'' said Morgan who did earn his graduate degree in general sciences and turned the Mocs wrestling program into a national power at the NCAA D-II level.

 

While at UTC, Morgan had a Moc career-best 203 wins, led the Blue and Gold to a pair of top five finishes at the NCAA D-II tournament (3rd in 1975, 2nd in 1976) and coached 16 NCAA All-Americans, including three NCAA champions in Randy Batten (3), Turner Jackson (2) and David Weeks (2).

 

Morgan’s start in the sport came as a sophomore at McCallie.

 

“I had hoped to be a boxer, but the Mid South Conference dropped boxing as a varsity sport during my ninth grade (1952-53) year so I had to look for another sport,’’ Morgan stated.

 

“I didn’t want to play soccer (an outdoor winter sport in those days), could only dog paddle in the pool so swimming was not an option and I did not have the height for basketball, so my last choice was wrestling,’’ Morgan said with a laugh.

 

And the sport, which one fan described as being “the only sport in which you have to be in shape to watch’’ has been all the richer and better for that choice.

 

Raised near McCallie School in the Highland Park area by his grandparents, Morgan received an anonymous full scholarship to the all boys, military prep school.

 

“My grandmother heard about this scholarship given to one freshman a year so she filled out the paper work and I was fortunate enough to receive it, for which I have been grateful ever since.’’

 

Morgan was first part of the McCallie wrestling program in the winter of 1954 when Blue Tornado senior Howell Clements won his second Mid South title.

 

The Signal Mountain resident retires as coach the same night in which Clements’ grandson, Houston, wins a state medal for McCallie as a sophomore.

 

“Jim has touched more lives in the Chattanooga area wrestling community than anyone else,’’ said McCallie head coach Gordon Connell and charter member along with coach Morgan in the Tenn. Chapter of the national wrestling hall of fame.

 

“He is one of the good guys in the sport and has always made a point to give credit to others and recognize their accomplishments.’’

 

Coaches Quotes

“Jim was my first wrestling coach in junior high at McCallie and I have admired him and his coaching style over all these years. His approach to working with kids has helped me and I feel that I have been able to incorporate many of Jim’s coaching traits in my coaching style.’’

 

--Luther Killian, McCallie assistant coach, 1968 national prep champion, member of the Tenn. Chapter of the national wrestling hall of fame.

 

“Jim is one of the true gentlemen of the sport. No question, that his understanding of the sport is reflected in his success at Baylor and UTC. His passion for the sport is not just rhetoric, but one can see his distinct passion for the sport and that it is all about the kids.’’

 

--G.P. West, former wrestling coach at Brentwood and Whites Creek High Schools and charter member of the Tenn. Chapter of the national wrestling hall of fame.

 

“Coach Morgan is the ultimate gentleman and is as big a legend in Chattanooga wrestling circles as Major Luke Worsham (Baylor), John Farr (Red Bank) and Col. David Spencer (McCallie). I have looked up to Jim as much as I have to any other coach.’’

 

--Artie Manning, Clarksville High School wrestling assistant coach, member of the Tenn. Chapter of the national wrestling hall of fame.

 

contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net

[VeniVidiVici24]

As a Father Ryan fan, I am ecstatic he is leaving. As a wrestling fan...not so much. It won't be the same without that red jacket on the sidelines.

[Jackson]

Coach Morgan has always been ready and willing to help both wrestlers and his fellow coaches be successful. I will forever be in his debt as a wrestling coach.

 

Dan Dugger

[gallopingghost77]

I wish Coach Morgan nothing but the best! Several years Coach Morgan allowed me and my wrestlers to come down and practice with him and his team over Christmas. He taught me and my wrestlers alot and I will be forever grateful to him. He and Coach Van Deusen worked with my guys as if they were Baylor wrestlers.

 

Thank You for all your help and your friendship Coach Morgan! I will never forget it.

 

Darrel Lauderdale

[KCHSCoach]

Jim we will miss seeing you at the Catholic Tournament, You are a great coach, but more importantly you are a great friend, thank you for all you have done for wrestling in our great state.

 

Always

Don Beardsley

[Decoy76]

I am very proud to have wrestled for Coach Morgan. I look forward to seeing him at many more Baylor matches in the coming years!!

Congratulations to Coach on a Great Career !!!

[Chattcity]

Van Deusen said it best "Simply put, it’s 25 years of integrity and honesty."

 

I think what's really telling is that no one ever has anything detrimental to say about him. You'd think that with all his success, there would be some who would speak poorly of him, but no one can have any animosity to one so fair and so full of intergrity. He will be missed around the mat and in the classroom.

[russianbear]

Coach Morgan is probably the number one reason I came to Chattanooga. He coached Charlie Heard throughout his collegeiate career. After speaking with numerous coaches and wrestlers, I'm convinced that if Charlie were coached by most anyone else, Charlie would have retired only after a year or so. Coach Morgan's incredible ability to adapt to any type athlete and get the best and most out of them is legendary. The epitome of a great coach.

[CharlieArrington33]

Coach Morgan tolerated me as a kid running around the GIT and mentored me at Carson-Newman camps during the summer. Jim Morgan is the face of Tennessee wrestling as far as I'm concerned and an inspiration to every aspiring coaches life that he has touched. This years state tournament was the first time I have ever been in the same gym as Coach Morgan and not gone and atleast shook his hand...something I will regret the rest of my life.

He will be deeply missed in Chatt-town as well as across the rest of the state. We as coaches owe it to Jim to pick up where he left off and put Tennessee wrestling on the map.

[memphiswrestling171]

i was able to stay at the hotel where coach morgan and the baylor team were staying and this is the nicest man in wrestling history. he goes out on top and needs to be inducted into the wrestling hall of fame in stillwater ok. we will all miss coach morgan being in the corner of the mat

[Sommers]

A kind man is the way he has always been to everyone since I remember him at UTC in the 70's. Rarely did I see him lose his cool, but I'm sure Blueraider76 may have a few other conflicting stories to share from the Moc's wrestling room and mat side.

 

Coach Van Deusen will defiantly need to get his wife to cough up a few bucks for some new iconic garbs now (hint - like the old checkered pants).

[Raider76]

A kind man is the way he has always been to everyone since I remember him at UTC in the 70's. Rarely did I see him lose his cool, but I'm sure Blueraider76 may have a few other conflicting stories to share from the Moc's wrestling room and mat side.

 

Coach Van Deusen will defiantly need to get his wife to cough up a few bucks for some new iconic garbs now (hint - like the old checkered pants).

 

My life was improved by being coached by him and learning how he handled himself and difficult situations. I am sure that there are MANY others who would say the same thing. I am thankful that he has been a part of my life and my childrens. Joe Waddell