A committee comprised of educators, parents, local officials, and Twin Rivers Unified School District (TRUSD) representatives recently met to discuss the possibility of naming the Rio Linda High School football field after a deserving individual. The overwhelming consensus was to honor retired head coach and athletic director, Michael Morris.
When the football field and running track are resurfaced this year, it is likely that the field will be named “Michael Morris Field at Marion Adams Memorial Stadium”.
Coach Morris’s legacy at Rio Linda High School is one of dedication, leadership, and remarkable achievement. Born in Redding, California, he excelled in football, basketball, and track and field at Enterprise High School, where he also served as student body president. His athletic pursuits continued at Shasta College, where he again participated in football and track.
He then transferred to CSU Sacramento, earning his B.A. in History with a double concentration in World and U.S. History, along with a minor in Philosophy. He later received his teaching credential from Sac State and began his career at Rio Linda Jr. High School. After brief stints at Foothill High School and Martin Luther King Jr. Junior High School, he found his long-term home at Rio Linda High School in 1991.
Coach Morris’s impact on Rio Linda High School spanned decades. He taught World History and served as Athletic Director until his retirement in June 2022. His contributions extended beyond the school, as he served as the FVL representative to the Sac-Joaquin Section Board of Managers, was a member of the Section’s Playoff Committee, and the Section’s Football Advisory Committee. He furthered his education, earning a master’s degree in Coaching and Athletic Administration from Concordia University, Irvine.
His coaching career began at San Juan High School, where he quickly rose from freshmen assistant coach to junior varsity line coach and defensive coordinator. He then served as assistant head coach and line coach at Foothill High School for four years before taking the helm at Rio Linda.
From 1991 to 2013, Coach Morris served as the head football coach at Rio Linda, leaving an indelible mark on the program. During his 23-year tenure, the Knights were Section Champions in 2004, runners-up in 1998, made the playoffs 13 times, won 7 CVC titles, and amassed an impressive 86-30-1 record in the CVC and a 148-103-1 overall record. His exceptional leadership earned him numerous accolades, including CIF Model Coach (2013), the “Michael D. Gebhardt Coaches Award” (2014), Sacramento Bee Coach of the Year (2004), National Football Foundation “Red Smith” Award (2005), and Optimist All-Star North Coach (2007 and 2013).
Beyond high school football, Coach Morris demonstrated his commitment to the community by volunteering as the Head Coach for the Law Enforcement Team (the Hogs) in the annual Guns and Hoses Football Game (Pig Bowl) from 2011 to 2024, achieving a remarkable 9-4 record. His final game, the 50th Pig Bowl, was a fitting victory, with the Hogs defeating the Fire Department 27-13.
Currently, Coach Morris is in his ninth season with the American River College Beavers, serving as the Running Backs Coach and, more recently, the Tight Ends Coach and Run Game Coordinator.
Coach Morris and his wife, Debbie, reside in Elverta.
The committee’s nearly unanimous vote to name the field in his honor will be presented to the Twin Rivers Unified School District Board for consideration on February 25, 2025.
It is important to note that this proposal concerns the field itself, and does not involve renaming the stadium, which is currently, deservedly, named for Coach Marion Adams.
