Coach Richard Morgan announced his leave after the 2024 football season ended. The announcement comes after a season in which their team missed out on playoff position, unlike their state championship-winning season in 2019.
This season, the Blue Devils encountered difficulties that finally kept them from making it to the playoffs. They lost to rival North Paulding and finished his final season at Marietta with a 2-8 record.
The season concluded without a playoff spot, despite the team’s best efforts. Only ten football programs within the state of Georgia have made the 7A playoffs in the last seven years in a row, but this season ended that streak for Marietta.
“I remember before senior night, Coach Morgan sat all of the seniors down and told us how much he believed in us and it was a pivotal moment for us to give everything for our last game at Northcutt,” Senior football player, Larry Peck (12) said.
Morgan’s exit signifies the end of a pivotal period for Marietta football, full of victories, development, and priceless memories. When Coach Morgan took over the football program at Marietta High School, the team was trying to regain its previous success.
“When I got with Coach Morgan, my game elevated. He allowed me to grow as a coach and everything he brought in here was tremendous for the offense. He was very good at strategizing,” running back coach, Derrick Tinsley said.
Morgan’s coaching career reached its pinnacle in 2019 when the Blue Devils won the state championship with a 14-2 record, something the program had yet to accomplish since 1967. In addition to dominating the regular season that year, Marietta demonstrated that they were the team to beat in the state playoffs, with Coach Morgan at the forefront. His coaching philosophy greatly impacted his players, which emphasized discipline, hard effort, and togetherness.
Former LSU standout and Arizona Cardinal player BJ Ojulari, New York Giants player Azeez Ojulari, 2020 Los Angeles Chargers draft pick Kimani Vidal, and Louisville quarterback Harrison Bailey all played crucial roles in the championship win that occurred in 2019. Coach Morgan’s guidance had a profound effect on his players’ development as individuals and as athletes which helped them with later successes.
“Coach Morgan had a positive impact on me as a player and as a man. He showed me the importance of true love, leadership, and honesty. Coach Morgan coaches with toughness and with love, which held everyone on the team accountable, including me. He is a big part of why I am in the NFL now,” Kimani Vidal said.
It is impossible to overestimate his impact on Marietta’s football, as his leadership has been an essential component of the team. Coach Morgan has been there for his players through the highs and lows of their athletic careers, from the 2019 championship run to the difficult defeats of the following years. Coach Morgan was admired by the players who played on the 2019 championship squad not only for his tactical brilliance but also for his everlasting belief in and support of them. His advice extended beyond the football field, and many former players attribute to his teachings that influenced their lives outside of the game.
“Coach Morgan is a prime example of a players coach. He did more than just teach me how to play football but also how to be a great man, son, brother, and friend. I wouldn’t be in this position without him,” BJ Ojulari said.
A committed coaching staff that shared his vision for the program helped him during his stay. Many employees viewed him as a mentor who influenced their professional development in addition to being a leader.
The bonds that Coach Morgan established with his players and members throughout the Marietta community are what will last for years to come, and they are just as important to his legacy as his wins.
“I had played as the starting quarterback for Coach [Morgan] all four years of high school. In that time, we were able to create that bond and he was able to build chemistry with the players. That trust from player to coach and coach to player made the team closer, which made playing on the field easy. I’d say he’s one of my favorite coaches I’ve ever had,” Harrison Bailey said.
