Updated: According to an LTISD release, Lake Travis head coach Chad Morris has accepted an offer from the University of Tulsa to be it’s new offensive coordinator.

The Tulsa World reported Sunday evening that Morris will share playcalling duties with current offensive coordinator Herb Hand. The terms of the contract also have yet to be confirmed. It was previously reported that the offer was a five-year guaranteed contract.

Hank Carter, Morris’ defensive coordinator at Lake Travis, has been named interim head coach at the high school. Morris visited the campus in Tulsa on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the offer already on the table.

He mulled over the decision before meeting with his Lake Travis players at the Cavalier Activity Center this afternoon to inform them of his decision. The meeting followed the Cavaliers’ parade to celebrate a third straight state title.

With the kind of success Morris has had at Lake Travis, it was always a question of when and not if he would leave for a coaching position at the collegiate level. Since taking over for former head coach Jeff Dicus, Morris and his staff have gone a remarkable 32-0, pushing the program to the nation’s most elite heights.

Morris, a disciple of the most modern offensive innovators – like Auburn’s Gus Malzahn – and an innovator in his own right, has always been on the radar of colleges looking for a coach to push them to the next level. Texas A&M brought in Morris last summer to share his offensive philosophy, and the Aggies employed it all season, seeing major scoring spikes compared to previous seasons – including an average of 32 points per game compared to 2008’s 25 points per game.

Morris said he’s always felt he could coach at the next level, and the Tulsa offer with an impressive title was one that was too good to pass up.

Morris said the decision was made even tougher due to the fact that much of last year’s state championship team is returning for the 2010 season, and will likely be the favorite to win it all again in 4A.

According to LTISD’s statement, released Sunday evening:

“I have been tremendously blessed to have worked and enjoyed success in some wonderful school districts,” said Morris.  “The Lake Travis experience represents the pinnacle of my high school coaching career, and words cannot express how much I will miss the players, district staff, parents, colleagues and community members who have been instrumental in building the program into what it is today.  The opportunity to move to the college ranks as an offensive coordinator is simply an opportunity that I felt I should pursue.”

According to LTISD Superintendent Dr. Rocky Kirk, Morris’ decision to move to the college football level was not totally unexpected, given Morris’ talent and success.   “Chad Morris represents the very best of what coaches can and should be.  First and foremost, he is an exceptional father, husband, and son whose priorities and values reflect integrity, a tremendous work ethic, and a commitment to winning with class and distinction.  Coach Morris has distinguished himself in so many ways during his coaching career, and at Lake Travis, he has faithfully demonstrated how to work with students in a manner that respects them as individuals, while expecting the very best of each of them on and off the field.  If you spend any time at all with Chad, the thing you come to appreciate is that he is a tremendous leader with a humble spirit.  Although he has enjoyed unprecedented success at Lake Travis, he has never been demanding or interested in calling attention to himself.  That is a tremendous testament to who he is.  We won’t attempt to replace Chad Morris. Rather, we will build on his contributions to our district and the accomplishments we have been fortunate to share with him.”

Morris and his wife Paula, a fourth-grade teacher at Serene Hills Elementary School in LTISD, have been married 16 years.  They have two children:  Mackenzie, 13 and Chandler, 9, seventh and second graders, respectively.

According to LTISD Deputy Superintendent Dr. Diane Frost, “The entire Morris family, including Paula, the children, and Chad’s parents—J.B. and Arlene—have been a blessing to this school district.  They will truly be missed, but we are happy they’re in a position to pursue their dreams and the opportunity that the University of Tulsa position represents.” Carter, who was a student-athlete under Morris while attending Eustace High School in Eustace, had been a part of Morris’ coaching staff since 2000.  Both arrived in Lake Travis in the spring of 2008, and since that time, amassed a record of 32-0. “He is one of the brightest young coaches I have ever been around or studied,” Morris said of Carter.  “Hank has taken on more and more responsibility during our time together, and his leadership has been a major reason the Lake Travis football program has been so successful.”

Carter, 33, earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Texas at Tyler.  He has ten years of teaching and coaching experience working in the Stephenville and Lake Travis school districts.

“Coach Carter is highly respected among players, staff, parents, and community members,” added Dr. Frost.  “He possesses the personal and professional characteristics and attributes that will continue to move the program forward as we work to select Coach Morris’ successor over the next few weeks.”