Indiana State will have a new defensive coordinator this fall.
Following the departure of David Elson after one season to join Jeff Brohm's staff at Louisville, sources share Indiana State (FCS) is set to add a former MAC coordinator to fill the spot.
Multiple sources tell FootballScoop former Bowling Green defensive play caller Steve Morrison is the choice to take over the Sycamores defense.
At Bowling Green under Scot Loeffler, Morrison held the co-defensive coordinator title alongside outside linebackers coach Sammy Lawanson and worked with the team's inside linebackers. Morrison also held the associate head coach title.
His first season calling the defense in 2023 saw the Falcons lead all of college football in takeaways with 28, and finished among the top ten nationally in interceptions and fumbles forced, while also ranking among the top 25 nationally in passing yards allowed with less than 180 yards per game.
When Eddie George was tabbed as the program's new head coach following Loeffler's departure to become the quarterbacks coach for the Philadelphia Eagles, Morrison was among the coaches that was not retained.
In addition to BGSU, Morrison has also coached at Syracuse, Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan. He also spent time at his alma mater, helping coach the Wolverines outside linebackers as a quality control coach and graduate assistant.
As a linebacker at Michigan, Morrison was an All-Big Ten selection and team captain before going on to play in the NFL. He played for the Colts and was on the team that advanced to the AFC title game, and also had a stint for the Lions, starting a total of 31 games during his NFL career.
Morrison takes over a unit that was part of a 3-9 season last fall, including a 1-7 mark in Missouri Valley Conference play. Three teams in the MVFC finished with double-digit wins (NDSU, South Dakota and Illinois State), while the Bison and Illinois State both won 12-games a piece.
At Indiana State, Morrison joins the staff of Curt Mallory who will enter his ninth season leading the program in 2025. A former Michigan assistant under Brady Hoke, Mallory is also a former UM player and him, as he and Morrison spent a few seasons playing together in Ann Arbor. We understand Morrison had at least one other coordinator opportunity at the FCS level, but the opportunity to join his former Michigan teammate is part of what helped land him in Terra Haute, IN.
Indiana State will host six home games this fall with road trips to Purdue and Eastern Illinois (FCS). They will get North Dakota State, Youngstown State, Southern Illinois, and South Dakota State all at home this fall and will open the season August 29th against Southeast Missouri State (FCS).
Stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.