Florida State assistant expected to take HBCU job
Alcorn State is expected to hire Jake Morton as its next head coach, according to a report by Jon Rothstein. The move is the latest in a busy offseason across HBCU basketball, as Morton steps in to replace Landon Bussie, who left last month to take over at Chicago State.Morton brings a deep resume to the HBCU ranks, having served as an assistant coach at numerous Division I programs and currently completing his first season at Florida State under Leonard Hamilton. His return to head a program aligns with Alcorn's desire to maintain momentum after Bussie helped make the Braves a consistent force in the SWAC and the broader HBCU basketball landscape.A former standout at the University of Miami, Morton played for Hamilton from 1989 to 1993, later returning to the Hurricanes as an assistant coach. He helped guide Miami to three straight 20-win seasons and a 2008 NCAA Tournament berth. His coaching path includes stops at East Carolina, Jacksonville State, Coppin State, and even an early stop at HBCU Bowie State, where he began his coaching career in 2000.
Morton's time at Jacksonville State marked one of the most successful stretches in program history, including an Atlantic Sun regular-season title and an NCAA Tournament appearance. His teams averaged 20 wins per season, a level of consistency Alcorn State fans will welcome.
Alcorn State is aiming to stay competitive in the SWAC and nationally among HBCUs, and Jake Morton's hiring signals a commitment to experience and proven results. As HBCU programs continue to raise their profiles and invest in high-level coaching talent, Morton's arrival is both a reunion with his roots and a chance to lead his own program after one year at Florida State.
The post Florida State assistant expected to take HBCU job appeared first on HBCU Gameday.
Copyright HBCU Gameday 2012-2025

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Fox News
4 hours ago
- Fox News
Alabama should consider bringing in Deion Sanders as head coach, ESPN star says
Deion Sanders will embark on his third season as the head football coach of the Colorado Buffaloes and the first without his sons Shedeur and Shilo playing for him. ESPN star Stephen A. Smith wondered in a segment on "First Take" with college football pundit Paul Finebaum what if Sanders decided to take a job with a school in the SEC. He specifically harped on the idea of Sanders replacing Kalen DeBoer as head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide. Alabama, one of college football's biggest powerhouses over the last decade or so, failed to make the College Football Playoff last year in its first season since Nick Saban retired. In 2023, the team lost to the Michigan Wolverines in the Rose Bowl. Michigan went on to win the national championship. "Just imagine if he was in Tuscaloosa," Smith began. "What if, instead of DeBoer, it was him coaching Alabama? What if it was him coaching at Texas A&M with that oil money? Those alumni members contributing to the program and beyond. What if he was coaching at some place like Florida? What if Florida State had gone with him? Not to say their coach didn't do a damn good job at least a couple years but, my goodness, that's where he wanted to go. He desperately wanted to go back to Florida State. They didn't want him. OK? I know this for a fact because I was on the phone with him when this was all going down. I'm telling you what he wanted." Smith proceeded to say that he thought the Crimson Tide were "considerably softer" in 2024 and wouldn't have minded if Sanders packed his bags in Boulder for the challenge of Alabama. "And so, I'm just saying to myself, him in the SEC … Listen, Florida, Alabama, because I'm not sold on DeBoer. I know he did a great job at Washington," he said. "But listen, they miss Nick Saban in Alabama. They miss Nick Saban. Dammit, I miss Nick Saban. … When you don't have him, you can't have somebody that brings a finesse style of game to Alabama. That's meat and potatoes y'all. That's steak and potatoes for breakfast. That's what we're talking about here. "We didn't see that with DeBoer. I thought they were considerably softer, and I'm not going to lie to you, I would not have minded at all if Alabama changed course and they brought somebody like 'Primetime' to Alabama. That would have been spectacular. And I think it's something they still should consider if this season is a repeat of last season." DeBoer, much like any head coach trying to replace Saban at Alabama, has enough pressure on him as it is. The No. 8 team in the nation will play Florida State to start its season on Aug. 30. Sanders was, at one point, the target of the Dallas Cowboys' head coaching position. But the two sides never came to an agreement. It doesn't appear Sanders wants to leave Colorado and is more focused on the upcoming season and his health as he moves forward.


USA Today
5 hours ago
- USA Today
Malik Benson stepping into new role as Oregon Ducks' deep-ball threat
As preparations ramp up for the Oregon Ducks ahead of the 2025 season, Malik Benson, a transfer wide receiver from Florida State, has impressed head coach Dan Lanning. More specifically, Benson's speed. "Explosive playability," Lanning said, following Wednesday's practice. "I mean, Malik is fast. He is fast, and you see it on the field. He has a lot of explosives. He's created a lot of those. He's certainly a deep ball threat." Amid top receiver Evan Stewart's potentially season-long absence due to a knee injury, Benson is amongst a group of potential starters in Dakorien Moore, Justius Lowe and Jeremiah McClellan. None have finished a season with more than 400 receiving yards, with Moore entering as a true freshman. Lanning continued, raving about Benson's mindset and his journey that led him to Oregon. "He's competitive," he said. "He has competitive spirit. Last night, we had a hot seat, you know, for our team, and he was one of the guys in the hot seat. He got to share a little bit of his story. I always think it's good when our guys can connect with the players on their team and find out a little bit more about him. And he has a great story to tell. So really excited to see what he can do is for us this season.' Benson began his career at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas, where he spent two seasons before transferring to Alabama in 2023. He appeared in all 14 games that season, catching 13 passes for 162 yards and a touchdown. From there, he entered the transfer portal, this time landing at Florida State. He finished last season with 25 catches for 311 yards and a score. Now a member of the Ducks for his senior season, Benson's talent is flashing through in what could potentially be a breakout season for the Kansas native. Oregon will likely need Benson, a four-star transfer per 247 Sports, to have a significant role as a speedster in the receiver room in 2025 — something he's showing he can be during fall camp. Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Tennessee soccer preview versus top-ranked North Carolina to kick off 2025 season
Tennessee will kick off its 2025 soccer season Thursday. The Lady Vols will host No. 1 North Carolina at Regal Soccer Stadium. Rankings reflect the preseason United Soccer Coaches Poll. Kickoff between the Lady Vols and Tar Heels is slated for 7 p.m. EDT and the season opener will be televised by SEC Network. North Carolina leads the soccer series versus Tennessee, 12-0-1, all time dating to Sept. 5, 1997. Tennessee tied the Tar Heels, 0-0 in double overtime, on Sept. 10, 2004. Joe Kirt enters his fourth season as Tennessee's head coach in 2025. He previewed facing the top-ranked Tar Heels. 'I think it's where we want to finish the season, right,' Kirt said. 'We want to play those games in December, so let's figure out where we are early on. It's going to be no different than playing Clemson over the weekend. It is going to help us prepare for not only what we're going to see in the league, but what we're going to see in the NCAA Tournament. 'I think it's right away we're going to know here's where we are, here's where we need to improve, here's what we need to keep doing. It's why we're here to compete for national championships, so let's see where we are straight away.' The Lady Vols held exhibition matches versus Chattanooga and Clemson ahead of Thursday's contest against North Carolina. More: Mia Binkowski commits to Tennessee soccer Follow Vols Wire on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter). This article originally appeared on Vols Wire: Joe Kirt previews Lady Vols hosting No. 1 North Carolina soccer