Wabash College Athletics

Don Morel, the North Coast Athletic Conference 2018 and 2019 Coach of the Year, enters his 13th and final season with the Little Giants program. His first four years he served as the team’s offensive coordinator and was promoted to head coach in 2016. Morel has announced his retirement as the Wabash College football head coach at the end of the 2024 season.
 
Since becoming head coach, Morel has earned a 53-18 record, two conference championships, and three Monon Bell victories. As an assistant, Morel was part of a staff that won a conference trophy in 2015 and participated in the NCAA playoffs in 2014 and 2015, making it to the second and third rounds respectively. His Wabash teams tied for the North Coast Athletic Conference titles in 2018 and 2019 and qualified for the NCAA Division III Football playoffs in 2019 before losing to eventual national champion North Central College. The Little Giants captured Monon Bell victories over DePauw in 2017 and 2018. The 2021 Wabash team rallied from a 21-0 deficit in the the 127th Monon Bell Classic under Morel to claim a 42-35 victory in the first Bell game played in the new Little Giant Stadium. He coached quarterback Liam Thompson, who was named a Campbell Trophy finalist in 2024 after breaking the Wabash and NCAC career passing yards, passing touchdowns, and total offensive yards records.
 
Previous to his tenure at Wabash College, Morel served as the head coach at The University of La Verne in Southern California (1995-2006). Morel posted a 30-35 conference record and earned the school a championship in 1995. His teams finished in third place seven of the 12 years Morel was at the helm. Prior to being named head coach, Morel served as the offensive coordinator from 1991-1994 and was part of two additional championships in 1993 and 1994.
 
Morel began his coaching career at Cal State Fullerton in the Big West Conference (1987-1990). He served as the offensive line coach and mentored NFL players Jim Thorton (Chicago Bears) and Reggie Redding (Atlanta Falcons). In 1989, the Fullerton offense set 56 offensive records under Morel’s direction.
 
Morel graduated from the University of La Verne in 1987 with a degree in history, as well as a Master’s in Education. He, and his wife Barbie, have a son Jack and a dog, Theo.
 

Don Morel’s Coaching Record

Head Coach, Wabash College Little Giants (53-18 overall, 47-14 NCAC)
    
2023 —  7-3 overall - 6-2 NCAC
2022 — 7-3 overall – 6-2 NCAC
2021 — 7-3 overall – 6-3 NCAC
2020 — season canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2019 — 7-4 overall – 7-2 NCAC (NCAC Coach of the Year; NCAA playoff berth)
2018 — 9-1 overall – 8-1 NCAC (NCAC Coach of the Year)
2017 — 8-2 overall – 7-2 NCAC
2016 — 8-2 overall – 7-2 NCAC

Head Coach, LaVerne College Leopards (48-59 overall, 30-35 SCIAC)

2006 — 3-6 overall — 3-3 SCIAC (T-3rd)
2005 — 5-4 overall — 3-3 SCIAC (4th)
2004 — 4-5 overall — 3-3 SCIAC (3rd)
2003 — 1-8 overall — 0-6 SCIAC (7th)
2002 — 3-5 overall — 1-4 SCIAC (T-5th)
2001 — 1-8 overall — 0-5 SCIAC (7th)
2000 — 2-7 overall — 2-3 SCIAC (T-3rd)
1999 — 7-2 overall — 4-1 SCIAC (2nd)
1998 — 4-5 overall — 2-3 SCIAC (4th)
1997 — 2-7 overall — 2-3 SCIAC (4th)
1996 — 7-2 overall — 4-1 SCIAC (2nd)
1995 — 9-0 overall — 6-0 SCIAC (1st)