Two Former Titan Assistants Get New Football Coaching Jobs

Two former Cal State Fullerton assistant coaches have accepted jobs that will bring them closer to their football roots.

Don Morel, who spent the past three seasons on Titan Coach Gene Murphy’s staff, will be the offensive coordinator at La Verne, according to Leopards’ Coach Rex Higgins. Morel was an all-conference linebacker at La Verne and graduated in 1986.

Larry Manfull, who was the only remaining member of Murphy’s original 1980 staff, said he will be the offensive coordinator at the University of Mary, an NAIA school in Bismarck, N.D.

Morel and Manfull resigned from the Fullerton staff in December and will start their new jobs next month.

In addition to his football duties at Division III La Verne, Higgins said Morel, 26, will be an assistant professor of physical education and also will help coach tennis.

Morel was a four-year varsity letterman in tennis and the No. 1 singles player for three years at Lindsay High School in central California.

“We’re excited about Don being here because he really wants to be here,” said Higgins, who was named head coach in December after 20 years as an assistant. “He turned down jobs at San Diego State and Long Beach State to come here.”

Manfull’s only college head coaching job, from 1970-71, was at Mayville (N.D.) State, which is in the same conference (North Dakota College Conference) as University of Mary.

“I’ve come full circle,” said Manfull, 50. “It’s really pretty wild. The salary was right for the Midwest, there’s nice clean air there, and you don’t have to stop when you get on the freeways.”

Manfull will work for first-year Coach Tom Shea. Twenty years ago, Manfull coached Shea when Manfull was an assistant and Shea was an offensive guard at Dakota State College in Madison, S.D.