April 03, 2025
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Morris takes pride in homegrown coaching staff

Danny Friend the latest alum to come back home

By Rob Oesterle
Danny Friend, who played and coached at Indiana University, returns to his alma mater this year as a tight ends coach at Morris.

Danny Friend, who played and coached at Indiana University, returns to his alma mater this year as a tight ends coach at Morris. (Rob Oesterle)

MORRIS – There has always been a sense of pride on the Morris football coaching staff, dating to the late 1970s, when Morris Community High School graduates Dan Darlington, Denny Steele and Keith Laughary took over the program and turned it into one of the more successful in the state.

Through the years, as head coaches changed from Darlington to George Dergo to current coach Alan Thorson, the constant has been the fact that many of the coaches are graduates of the school.

That continues this year, as nine of 15 coaches on the current staff are Morris graduates.

Oddly enough, head coach Thorson is a Seneca graduate, but his wife, Chandra, graduated from Morris. The small-town atmosphere agrees with Thorson, and he has tried to populate his staff with as many former Morris players as he can.

“Every program uses the word ‘family,’ ” Thorson said, “but it really is a real thing here. The saying around here is ‘[Morris] Pride Never Dies,’ and all us feel that. I think it’s great that so many former players want to come back and give back to the program.”

The most current addition to the staff is Danny Friend, a former all-state player who helped Thorson’s 2012 team reached the state title game before playing and then coaching for Indiana University. Friend will coach the Morris tight ends and wingbacks. He caught 10 passes for 104 yards and two touchdowns as a tight end in his playing career at Indiana before being a graduate assistant coach from 2018-20. He spent a year at Minot State University as an assistant coach before returning to Indiana for the last two seasons.

On the surface, going from the Big Ten to high school may seem like a step down, but Friend couldn’t be happier.

Morris head coach Alan Thorson has nine Morris graduates on his staff, including eight who played under him.

Morris head coach Alan Thorson has nine Morris graduates on his staff, including eight who played under him. (Rob Oesterle)

“I am really happy to be here,” Friend said. “I was a quality control coach at Indiana, but [head coach] Tom Allen was fired, and [new coach] Curt Cignetti brought in his own guys. I was able to get a job with Go Route, a coach-to-player communication system, as a sales rep, and I work remotely.

“My wife and I were looking back around Morris. My parents still live in town, and we have a little boy who is 2 and another one due Aug. 23 of this year. I was able to find a house and close on it within a month. It all happened very fast.

“I reached out to coach Thorson and asked if there was any way I could help out. It will be fun to come back here and give something back to the program. I know the history here, and it really speaks for itself. I am excited to be able to pass it on to the new players coming through.

“Coach Thorson and [athletic director Jeff] Johnson have done a great job of growing the staff. They not only have added positions, but they have filled those positions with quality people. There’s a ton of energy here. It’s great to be back and helping these guys try to get to [Illinois State University for the state championship].”

Besides Friend, other Morris graduates on the staff are Greg Larsen (varsity running backs), Ryan Clauson (varsity defensive coordinator), Tyler Hartley (varsity offensive line), Payton Voitik (varsity defensive backs), Chase Hansen (varsity wide receivers), Devin Narwick (freshman defensive coordinator), Mitch Mayberry (freshman assistant), and Chatten Dryfhout (freshman assistant). All except Larsen played under Thorson.

“Danny is a great guy, and when he asked me if I could use the help, I kind of laughed to myself,” Thorson said. “A former player here who played and coached in the Big Ten? Yeah, I think we could use that. He was actually on my radar, but I wasn’t thinking this year. Maybe another year or two. But then he found a house in town really fast, and he was able to get in this year, which is nothing but a bonus for us.

“It’s great to have him, because he comes in and knows exactly what is expected from the kids in our program. And he’s a former player who was on a state team, so the current players know who he is and that they should listen to him. It kind of makes me feel old having so many former players now coaching with me, but it also says that we have been doing a good job.

“They enjoyed their time here and want to come back and keep it going.”