Eric Boggs
Ohio State’s offseason staff adjustments continued with the addition of another young offensive coach, as the Buckeyes hired Thomas Morton as the program’s new assistant tight ends coach. The move, first reported by CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz, further rounds out Ryan Day’s retooled offensive staff heading into the 2026 season.
Morton arrives in Columbus after spending the 2025 season as the quarterbacks coach at Samford, where he worked under head coach Chris Hatcher. Hatcher’s system, often tied to the “Hatch Attack” air-raid philosophy, emphasizes spacing, timing and quarterback-driven decision-making. That experience is expected to translate well as Morton transitions from the quarterback room to working alongside co-offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Keenan Bailey.
Before his stop at Samford, Morton built a strong résumé through multiple roles in the SEC and Sun Belt. He spent two separate stints at Auburn between 2021 and 2024, serving as a player analyst, offensive assistant, tight ends assistant and wide receivers assistant under Bryan Harsin, Cadillac Williams and Hugh Freeze. In between, Morton worked as a graduate assistant at Troy in 2023, gaining hands-on experience in practice planning, recruiting support and game preparation. His time as an offensive analyst at Auburn in 2024 further sharpened his understanding of quarterback play, scripting and game planning at the highest level of college football.
That background is particularly appealing for an Ohio State offense that has leaned more heavily into tight end usage. Last season, the Buckeyes increased their reliance on 12- and 13-personnel groupings, finding success throughout much of the year before struggling in heavier packages during the Big Ten Championship Game loss to Indiana. Morton’s quarterback-centric perspective fits a growing trend across college football, where former quarterbacks are coaching pass-catchers to better understand coverage recognition, route adjustments and how to become reliable options in the middle of the field.
A native of Niceville, Florida, Morton played quarterback at Southern Miss, redshirting in 2017 and appearing in a game during the 2019 season before graduating in 2020. His transition from player to coach was immediate, beginning at Troy as an offensive assistant in 2020 and quickly progressing through increasingly demanding roles.
Morton becomes the third new offensive assistant hired by Day for 2026, joining wide receivers coach Cortez Hankton and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. He replaces Wendy Laurent, who left Ohio State this offseason after accepting a full-time tight ends coaching position at Old Dominion.
From a Buckeye perspective, the hire reflects Day’s continued emphasis on surrounding his offense with adaptable, forward-thinking coaches. Morton’s blend of quarterback development, SEC experience and analytical background gives Ohio State another sharp football mind capable of enhancing a tight end room that remains central to the Buckeyes’ offensive evolution.
