Garland Morrow

Garland Morrow
Biographical details
Born(1899-02-14)February 14, 1899
Clarksville, Tennessee, U.S.
DiedNovember 4, 1987(1987-11-04) (aged 88)
Grand Saline, Texas, U.S.
Playing career
Football
1919–1920Vanderbilt
1922Vanderbilt
Basketball
1918–1922Vanderbilt
Position(s)Guard (football), Guard (basketball)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1927–1932Vanderbilt (assistant)
1932–1935Cumberland (TN)
1936–?Cincinnati (freshmen)
Basketball
1929–1931Vanderbilt
1932–1935Cumberland (TN)
1944–1946Vanderbilt
Head coaching record
Overall25–13 (football)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Football:
1 Smoky Mountain (1935)
Basketball:
1 SIAA (1920)
Awards
Cumberland Sports Hall of Fame

Garland Augustus Morrow (February 14, 1899 – November 4, 1987) was an American college football and college basketball player and coach. He served two stints at the head basketball coach at Vanderbilt University, from 1929 to 1931 and 1944 to 1946. Morrow was also the head coach in football and basketball at Cumberland College—now known as Cumberland University—in Lebanon, Tennessee from 1932 to 1935.

Early life and playing career

Morrow was born on February 14, 1899, in Clarksville, Tennessee.[1] He played both sports for Vanderbilt University, including football under Dan McGugin. He was also on the track team. Morrow played basketball at Vanderbilt under Wallace Wade.

Football

Morrow was a starter for the scoreless tie with Michigan at the inauguration at Dudley Field in 1922.[2] "Thousands of cheering Vanderbilt fans inspired the surge of center Alf Sharp, guard Gus Morrow, tackle Tex Bradford, and end Lynn Bomar, who stopped Michigan cold in four attempts."[3] As a player Morrow weighed 175 pounds.

Basketball

The 1922–23 team went 16–8, beating the LSU Tigers but losing to the Virginia Tech Hokies in the SIAA tournament.[4] An account of the LSU game reads: "Either Vanderbilt was in rare form or L.S.U. has a good fighting team with no shooting ability. Fans were treated to the most one-sided contest of opening day when these two clubs met, the Commodores scoring 13 points before the Louisianans had counted once, winning 36 to 10."[5] Morrow scored 4 points.[6]

Coaching career

Vanderbilt

Morrow was then an assistant for McGugin from 1927 to 1932. He also served as the head basketball coach at Vanderbilt from 1929 until 1931. He again coached the Vanderbilt basketball team from 1944 to 1946.

Cumberland (TN)

Morrow was hired at Cumberland University as a coach in 1932,[7] and was elected to the Cumberland Sports Hall of Fame in 1978.

Cincinnati

Morrow was freshman football coach for the Cincinnati Bearcats under Russ Cohen.

Later life and death

Morrow move from Abilene, Texas to Mineola, Texas in 1980. He died on November 4, 1987, at a hospital in Grand Saline, Texas.[1]

Head coaching record

Football

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Cumberland Bulldogs (Independent) (1932)
1932 Cumberland 4–4
Cumberland Bulldogs (Smoky Mountain Conference) (1933–1935)
1933 Cumberland 7–3 0–1 7th
1934 Cumberland 7–3 1–1 T–3rd
1935 Cumberland 7–3 5–0 1st
Cumberland: 25–13 6–2
Total: 25–13
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

Basketball

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Vanderbilt Commodores (Southern Conference) (1929–1931)
1929–30 Vanderbilt 6–16
1930–31 Vanderbilt 16–8
Vanderbilt Commodores (Southeastern Conference) (1944–1946)
1944–45 Vanderbilt 6–6
1945–46 Vanderbilt 3–10
Vanderbilt: 31–40
Total:

[8]

References

  1. ^ a b "Garland Morrow Rites Scheduled". The Tyler Courier-Times. Tyler, Texas. November 5, 1987. p. 8, section 1. Retrieved July 10, 2025 – via Newspapers.com .
  2. ^ "Powerful Wolverine Eleven Held To Scoreless Tie By Commodores." Augusta Chronicle 1922 Oct. 15
  3. ^ Tom Perrin (1987). Football: a college history. p. 113. ISBN 9780899502946.
  4. ^ "Vanderbilt Basketball 2011-12" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
  5. ^ Danforth, Ed (February 28, 1923). "Vandy Shows Class in Beating L.S.U.". Atlanta Georgian.
  6. ^ "History of the Early S.I.A.A. Atlanta Basketball Tournament - 1923". Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  7. ^ Winstead Paine Bone. A History of Cumberland University, 1842-1935.
  8. ^ "Gus Morrow Coaching Record". Archived from the original on August 20, 2014.