Several years before Chad Morris was hired as the University of Arkansas coach for the 2018 season and joined Auburn's Gus Malzahn in the SEC West, the two became close friends.
Both were high school coaches in the early 2000s -- Malzahn at Springdale and Morris at Stephenville, Texas -- when Morris sought out Malzahn to learn more about the hurry-up, no-huddle offense. They followed similar career paths by becoming college offensive coordinators and eventually head coaches.
So it was no surprise Malzahn and Morris talked after Morris was fired by Arkansas Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek on Sunday.