Morris’ right-hand man never short on work to do

Arkansas special assistant SJ Tuohy watches pregame warmups prior to a game against Texas A&M on Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018, in Arlington, Texas.

— There is an old saying: if you find the man with the most keys, you found the most important man in the building.

It no longer applies. Computer chips in key fobs allow just one to be programmed to work almost every door.

In the old days, SJ Tuohy would have had a massive ring with keys galore. No more.

Instead of jangling when he walks, Tuohy sparkles when he talks — and answers his phone a lot to take care of a multitude of issues as they arise in the operations of the Arkansas football program.

Tuohy handed me his card about halfway through the interview when asked about his job description as right-hand man for head coach Chad Morris. The lead line on his card explains that relationship.

Here is what it says on the plastic card that most resembles a hotel room key:

• Special Assistant to the Head Coach

• Assistant Director of Football Operations

• Assistant Director of Player Personnel

• Camp Director

Oh, there’s more, as tasks relate to those four jobs and how they interact throughout the athletics department. And there is an important line missing that might go up top: Chief Helper for Recruiting.

That last line is mine. But Tuohy wouldn’t argue. Everything he does at some point each day — usually often — falls into the No. 1 thing that is taking place in the Fred W. Smith Football Center. It’s recruiting there all day every day.

“Everyone who walks these halls is involved in recruiting,” Tuohy said.

And, if they are not, they are probably heading out the door for the last time. Morris emphasizes recruiting more than any Arkansas coach in modern time.

Much of Tuohy’s time is spent with Morris. If you see one, the other is close behind. It’s a relationship that is almost one decade old.

“We were neighbors at our weekend beach house in Destin,” Tuohy said. “He had the penthouse during his time at Clemson. My grandmother had the first floor for the last 40 years.”

The families became close. A point guard at Loyola University Maryland, Tuohy thought it was time for a change when a new coach arrived ahead of his senior season.

“I didn’t have a scholarship at that point,” he said. “I was going somewhere, maybe to Ole Miss because I knew Andy Kennedy.”

Sure, he did. Tuohy’s dad Sean was the all-time assists leader at Ole Miss and a prominent booster.

“I was considering a lot of options,” he said. “I thought about the Dallas area. North Texas was one of the places on my list. And, I probably could have walked on at Ole Miss.”

Casually, Morris mentioned SMU as an option. It was just after he moved from Clemson to rebuild the Mustangs. Morris knew there was some football background with Tuohy in special teams.

“Coach Morris saw us in Destin and said, ‘Come be with me,’ and I thought he was joking,” Tuohy said.

Morris said it wasn’t soon after that Sean Tuohy, SJ’s dad, phoned.

“SJ’s dad just wanted to make sure I was serious,” Morris said. “I knew it would be a good fit. I convinced them that I was dead serious. I knew it was going to be a good situation for SJ.”

Tuohy had his Loyola degree and was eligible as a graduate transfer. He played at SMU as a holder and became close to players. His roommate was All-America wide receiver Trey Quinn.

There are some great stories floating around the Internet about that relationship, including mention of some gaming sessions.

“Trey is a serious gamer,” Tuohy said. “We rented a house. And, we might play a long time. There was one time that Chandler Morris (son of the head coach) and a friend of his came over.

“We were playing Super Smash Brothers, a 1999 vintage game. Trey has them all. We played awhile. I think Chandler was my partner. After awhile, Trey just said, ‘You guys are awful, get out of my house.’ He kicked them out. That’s how competitive Trey was and it’s one of the reasons I liked living with him.”

You never know when understanding video games can be important. It’s part of the Morris recruiting game.

“It sure is,” Tuohy said. “If it’s relatable, then Coach Morris is going to be into it. He’s going to be in the living room doing what he needs to be in every instance.

“If he walks in a home and they are playing video games, he’s going to play. And, he’s going to like their meal, whatever it is. He tells us, ‘You better be hungry.’”

Tuohy is awestruck where Morris is concerned. He’s got a story for when it hit home how well Morris can push buttons in motivation.

“It was when we were at SMU, our last year,” he said. “It’s funny, but I just shared this story with our team pilots as we were going to Destin for the SEC meetings.”

The story goes back to the pre-game meal before that Houston game, a 38-28 SMU victory in the second year of the Morris era.

“We were 2-4 and just lost to Tulsa in overtime,” Tuohy said. “It was at a big point in the season and Houston was No. 11.”

Morris told the team at the pre-game meal, “When we beat them, make sure you store your helmets behind the bench, so when we celebrate no one steps on them. Just matter of fact.”

It has stuck with Tuohy ever since.

“It’s just the confident way Coach Morris does everything,” Tuohy said. “I’ll never forget seeing my dad at our Pony Walk just before the game. I told him, ‘Dad, don’t leave at the end of the game, because we are going to celebrate a victory.’ And, he didn’t.”

Tuohy said there were other post-grad opportunities after SMU, but there were no real considerations when Morris asked him to stay.

“I know he’s a winner,” he said. “That was hard last year, 2-10. But we will have success here. And, what I saw last year during 2-10, he was confident in everything he does. It’s easy to be negative in 2-10. He never did that. He will win.”

Tuohy has studied the greats. He sees one in Morris.

“I like to quote Babe Ruth,” SJ said. “I think it applies to Coach Morris. Babe Ruth said, ‘It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.’

“What I see from Coach Morris, he puts pressure on everyone in our hallway. A lot of that is in recruiting.”

The only way to do well in recruiting is to spend time with it.

“He spends so much time with recruits and their families when they are on our campus, he just knows them,” he said. “So when it’s time (at the end of the process) for the in-home visit, it’s like he’s Uncle Coach Morris. It’s an informal pitch, but that works because for most of these families and players, they’ve been around him for two or three years.

“As far as that last visit, most of the time, they are already committed.”

Obviously, Tuohy reports to Morris. But he said it’s really a multitude of direct reports in his job title.

“I report to about 30,” he said. “I work with compliance to make sure we have all of our paperwork in order. I report to Clarinda Carr (administrative assistant to Morris). I report to Randy Ross in football operations. I report to all of our assistant coaches, get them what they need.

“I work closely with Kyle Parkinson (director of communications) as we work in branding. I’m aware of what Coach Morris is going to say and help to make sure it matches with branding. There may be six speaking chances a week during some points in the year, so that’s a lot of preparation.”

His role in personnel means staying on top of an ever-changing roster.

“Really, with the turnover we’ve had in players this first year, roster management was a big thing,” Tuohy said. “You have to stay on top of the walk-on numbers, because there are limits. You have to make sure the incoming transcripts are reviewed by compliance.

“I’m talking with campers for a good part of the year. There is a lot of paperwork involved in that area.”

Then there is the cheesy stuff, setting up all of those photo shoots with incoming football visitors. They all want to put on some combination of uniforms, then tweet the photo.

“It might be other sports, too,” Tuohy said. “If the basketball staff wants help from our end, our building is open for them. We will put a player from any sport in a football uniform if they need it.”

Planning the travel for Morris is part of the job.

“I’ve learned a lot from CC and Coach Ross,” Tuohy said. “This is all about finding my niche in the different roles.”

Sometimes they find him.

“I didn’t think this is what I’d be doing when I was finishing up at SMU,” he said. “I was interviewing with a private equity firm and Coach Morris asked if I’d consider working in administration.

“The first two or three months, I volunteered. I wound up helping as a quality control coach for special teams. And, that led to coming here.”

And, the job keeps expanding. His list of accomplishments is growing. With degrees from Loyola and SMU on the wall, there’s a new one in the works. He’s getting his doctorate.

The business card might need a re-work soon. It could say Dr. SJ Tuohy.