NICEVILLE — Rumors swirled all offseason about what direction Niceville football was headed after a 6-5 run highlighted by four losses to rivals and a first-round playoff exit.
On Tuesday it was revealed by Niceville High administration that the Eagles will look to return to prominence under a new head coach.
“We are grateful to Coach Morgan for his time, leadership and dedication poured into our student-athletes at NHS,” Niceville High principal Charlie Marello said. “We wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors. Niceville High School has a storied tradition of excellence on the football field and Friday Night Lights are a cherished part of our school and community. We are committed to upholding that tradition and will begin evaluating the path forward as we search for our next head football coach.”
Morgan’s next job is unknown. He entered Niceville with two state titles at Oscar Smith High in Virginia and another at Marietta High in Georgia, part of eight Final Four trips. He also entered 20-36 over his final five seasons at Marietta, and at Niceville he struggled to find his footing despite inheriting a Final Four program returning stars like Harper Campbell, Robert Oliver and Memphis Mays and welcoming in big names like Jakobe Gilyard, Deagan McCoy and Noah Reyes. Niceville never got going in the wake of Grant Thompson and his immense shadow stepping down.
The timeline to naming Morgan’s successor is also unknown. As of now Niceville does not have a spring game scheduled, and the Eagles face a brutal schedule in 2026 with Mosley, Pace, Prattville, Hoover, Crestview and Choctaw some of the big opponents. Stay tuned.
This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Richard Morgan out as Niceville football head coach after one season
Reporting by Seth Stringer, Northwest Florida Daily News / Northwest Florida Daily News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
