FLORENCE, Ala. --With four years of collegiate coaching experience, Morgan Cruce has joined the University of North Alabama football staff as running backs coach. UNA Head Football Coach Brent Dearman made the announcement Tuesday.

Cruce comes to UNA after spending the 2022 season as head coach at Brighton (Tenn.) High School.  

"Morgan Cruce is a phenomenal teacher and communicator," said Dearmon. "He will give us a footprint in the Tennessee area, being a former high school coach there. Morgan will also head up our player development and FCA."

An assistant coach and offensive coordinator at Bethel University for four years (2017-20),  Cruce spent the 2021 season as the offensive coordinator at Class 5A power Henry (Tenn.) County. The Patriots finished 8-5 and made the semifinal.

The Brighton job was Cruce's third head coaching job. He was previously the head coach at Gibson County for four years (2012-15) and then went out of state to take over at Baptist Preparatory School in Arkansas for two seasons (2016-17).

While at Bethel, Cruce coached running backs during the 2018 season and tight ends in 2019. In 2020, he was elevated to offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He helped lead Bethel to its first undefeated regular season in school history and a Mid-South Conference Championship. Bethel also led the NAIA in points per game and yards per game.
Cruce is a 2008 graduate of Lambuth University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Religion degree.