Editing Joe Morrison (section)

==Coaching career==
Joe Morrison was a head coach at the [[University of Tennessee at Chattanooga]], [[University of New Mexico]], and [[University of South Carolina]]. He is one of the few major college head coaches to never work as an assistant coach.
 
As the head coach at Chattanooga, Morrison turned around a Mocs program coming off four straight losing seasons, pacing them to three straight Southern Conference championships (1977–1979). His record at Chattanooga was 44–29–3 in seven seasons.

Other than his NFL years, he is best remembered as the head coach at South Carolina. Morrison came to USC after three seasons with the Lobos of the [[University of New Mexico]]. He was a hot prospect, having gone 10–1 in 1982. Morrison took the Gamecocks to three postseason games (1984 and 1987 [[Gator Bowl]] and the 1988 [[Liberty Bowl]]) during his tenure.

It was under Morrison in 1983 that South Carolina began the tradition of ''Einleitung'' from [[Also sprach Zarathustra (Strauss)|''Also Sprach Zarathustra'']] (theme from the movie "2001: A Space Odyssey") as its pre-game anthem and entrance song. The idea had actually originated with former quarterback [[Tommy Suggs]], who suggested it to then-coach and athletic director [[Jim Carlen]] in 1981. However, Carlen wanted the [[Mighty Sound of the Southeast|Carolina Band]] to play it rather than have it played over the stadium's sound system. When Carlen left after the season, Suggs took the idea to his successor as athletic director, Bob Marcum. While Marcum liked it, he suggested that they wait to play it until a brand-new sound system could be installed in 1982. The song was finally played for the first time in Morrison's first year, and partly because of his success the song is identified with him.

Morrison's second season, 1984, was until the turn of the century reckoned as the greatest in school history. It was affectionately dubbed the "Black Magic" year by South Carolina fans because of the team's success and because of Morrison's famous all-black attire (cap, shirt, pants). The team ran a streak of nine consecutive wins (longest single season streak in school history) and was ranked #2 in the nation before being upset by [[Navy Midshipmen football|Navy]] and later falling to [[Oklahoma State University]] in the [[Gator Bowl]]. Gaining victories against storied programs such as Georgia, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, Florida State, and arch-rival Clemson, the Gamecocks finished that season with a 10–2 record, which would remain a school record for wins until 2011. Morrison was named by the Walter Camp Foundation as the 1984 National College Football Coach of the Year. Morrison would also be named the Independent Coach of the Year in 1987. The 1984 squad also heralded two first-team [[All-America]]n players in James Seawright (linebacker) and [[The Patriot (wrestler)|Del Wilkes]] (offensive lineman), as well as future NFL players [[Sterling Sharpe]] (1984–1987), and [[Brad Edwards (American football)|Brad Edwards]] (1984–1987).

Other notable players coached by Morrison included [[Harold Green (American football)|Harold Green]], who spent several years with the [[Cincinnati Bengals]] in the NFL, current Gamecock football radio broadcaster Todd Ellis, who is the all-time passing leader at South Carolina, and [[Robert Brooks (American football)|Robert Brooks]], who was part of the [[Green Bay Packers]] 1997 Super Bowl Championship team. During this time, [[Charlie Weis]], former head coach of the [[University of Notre Dame]] and the [[University of Kansas]], was an assistant coach under Morrison, his first coaching job in the college ranks. Also serving as an assistant during Morrison's tenure was [[Al Groh]], who went on to be head coach of the [[New York Jets]] and the [[University of Virginia]].

After back-to-back 8–4 season in 1987 and 1988, expectations were high in Columbia for the 1989 campaign. However, it would not come to pass as Morrison collapsed after playing racquetball at a court located inside Williams-Brice Stadium,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.goupstate.com/story/news/1989/02/07/usc-family-prepares-to-say-goodbye/29509450007/ | title=USC family prepares to say goodbye }}</ref> and died on February 5, 1989, at age 51 from [[congestive heart failure]].

Morrison won his 100th game as a coach in 1988, when South Carolina beat N.C. State 23–7.