Indiana State Taps Steve Morrison as Defensive Coordinator; Bowling Green Takeaway Leader

Indiana State is set to add Steve Morrison as defensive coordinator, per FootballScoop." That move gives the Sycamores a veteran defensive architect with a long coaching pedigree and a recent track record of forcing turnovers at the FBS level.

Morrison most recently served on Scot Loeffler’s Bowling Green staff in roles that varied by source but consistently placed him at the heart of the defense. Bowling Green’s staff directory lists Morrison as associate head coach and linebackers coach from 2019-22 and as co-defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach for 2023-24, while recent reporting summarized his title as co-defensive coordinator/associate head coach. His Bowling Green unit led the FBS with 28 takeaways in 2023 and ranked among the national leaders in interceptions, a clear selling point for Indiana State as it looks to tighten turnover margin and field position in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.

Morrison brings both playing and coaching credibility. He was a standout linebacker at Michigan, a 1994 first-team All-Big Ten selection and co-captain who ranks among the Wolverines’ career leaders in tackles. He played professionally for the Indianapolis Colts from 1995-1998 and is listed as age 54. His resume includes stops as a position coach and coordinator at Western Michigan, Eastern Michigan and Syracuse, giving him experience across Midwestern recruiting terrain and diverse schematic approaches.

At Western Michigan Morrison was promoted to defensive coordinator on March 12, 2008, after Bill Miller’s departure, and "he converted the defensive scheme from a two-gap scheme to a one-gap scheme upon taking over as defensive coordinator." That shift accompanied WMU’s 9-3 2008 season and Texas Bowl trip and reflected a pragmatic, modernized approach to front-seven play. Earlier WMU defenses under his watch ranked 11th nationally with a rush defense sixth in the country in 2006, evidence of his capacity to shape front-line performance.

Morrison’s track record at Eastern Michigan includes mentoring linebacker Justin Cudworth, who led EMU with 83 tackles and earned third-team all-conference honors. EMU’s defense ranked 34th nationally in total defense in 2011 and averaged nearly six tackles for loss per outing that season, further evidence of Morrison’s emphasis on disruption and penetration.

His coaching network runs deep. Scot Loeffler, a former Michigan teammate, brought Morrison to Bowling Green; Morrison reunited with former Western Michigan coordinator Scott Shafer at Syracuse and worked alongside figures such as Tyrone Wheatley during his career. A Wikipedia edit in the supplied material states Morrison departed Bowling Green in March 2025 after six seasons, a detail that has not been independently confirmed in an official release.

For Indiana State, Morrison’s arrival signals a bid to create a turnover-hungry defense that can change games and energize a program that competes in one of FCS football’s toughest leagues. The hire has clear recruiting and branding implications: a coach with NFL playing experience, proven linebacker development and a recent national-leading takeaway stat line is a persuasive pitch to prospects and donors alike.

Next steps will be official confirmation from Indiana State and follow-up on Morrison’s staff and scheme plans. Spring practice and early signing period activity will reveal how quickly Morrison’s turnover-first philosophy translates to depth chart moves and game-planning for the Sycamores.