When he was filling out the forms for the National High School Athletic Coaches Association’s awards process, Rob Morgan’s thoughts flashed back to all of the dirty, unglamorous jobs that are part of coaching.

All the late nights spent washing uniforms, or watching tape, or fixing things around the fieldhouse. Trips to trade game film and tape ankles and adjust equipment.

“It’s all the things you don’t see on Friday nights,” he said.

After 20 years of that life, Morgan is getting recognized for it on a massive scale. The longtime Warren Central offensive coordinator is one of eight national finalists for the NHSACA’s Boys Assistant of the Year award, the organization announced this week.

Each year, the NHSACA recognizes the top coaches in 19 sports. Eight finalists are selected in each category, and Morgan was picked in the Boys Assistant category. Other nominees were selected from Nebraska, Wyoming, Michigan, Iowa, North Dakota, Montana and South Dakota.

The boys and girls assistant coach categories include varsity assistant coaches from all sports, not just football.

“It’s a big honor,” Morgan said. “I’m thankful for people that recognize the people that are behind the scenes sometimes and all that goes on with being a coach. Washing clothes, to cutting grass, to fixing helmets or fixing toilets or whatever.”

Morgan is a Vicksburg native and a Warren Central Viking through and through. He played for his father, legendary coach Robert Morgan, and has been on the school’s staff with his brother Josh — WC’s current head coach — since 2011. Rob and Josh’s younger brother, Brett, also is a Warren Central graduate and won the MHSAA Class 5A championship in 2024 in his first season as the head coach at West Point.

It was another job that led Rob to be nominated for the NHSACA award, though. Before coming home to Warren Central he spent six years at Starkville High School. Two former colleagues there, Tate Fischer and Bubba Davis, put him up for the award last fall. Morgan found out a few weeks ago that he made the cut as a finalist.

“I didn’t think much about it, and then a month or so ago I got an email saying I had won our region, I guess,” Morgan said. “It’s a deal to recognize assistant coaches that have been in the grind that might not get as much pub as a head coach might. I’m excited about it. It’s a big honor, especially to win our region and our state. There are so many other guys that have done it that way.”

Morgan’s way, however, has been unique. He’s helped turn Warren Central into one of the best and most consistent high school football programs in Mississippi, with 13 consecutive playoff appearances and more than 100 victories over the past 15 seasons. The Vikings have won at least one playoff game each of the past five years and reached the Class 6A semifinals in 2024.

Being part of that success has brought Morgan some tempting opportunities to leave his hometown, but he never has. Being close to his family — both blood and extended, through the Warren Central community — has trumped any desire to move on.

Besides working with his brother and his father, almost all of Warren Central’s coaching staff has been together for most of Morgan’s tenure and are longtime friends. Several are former high school teammates.

“Don’t mess with peace. This world has changed so much in the last 20 years with the hopping around — especially with coaches. I just take a different approach,” Morgan said. “The approach that I have taken is more like my dad in that sense. I can remember talking to my dad one time about jobs and job opportunities coming up, what should I do and this and that. He said, ‘Rob, my doctor is a Viking, my dentist is a Viking, my mechanic is a Viking, my accountant is a Viking.’ That kind of resonates with me now. That’s the way it is with me. My doctor is a Viking, my dentist is a Viking. That’s pretty awesome.”

The winners of the NHSACA awards will be announced at the organization’s national convention June 21-25 in Rapid City, South Dakota.

Rob Morgan was one of 10 finalists from Mississippi. Others were Purvis’ Tony Farlow (baseball); Pearl’s Chris Barnett (boys cross country); Petal head coach Marcus Boyles (football); Choctaw Central’s Trae Embry (softball); East Union’s Scott Duley (special sports); Madison Central’s Eddie Ware (swimming); Lafayette’s Debbie Swindoll (tennis); Hattiesburg’s Charles Green (boys’ track and field); and Pillow Academy’s Mignon Hodges (girls assistant).

If Morgan’s name is called as one of the winners, he said that would be pretty awesome as well.

“Any time you tag the word ‘national’ to it, it carries a little bit more. I’m humbled by it. It’s a big honor. I’m just proud to be associated with it and bring Warren Central some more recognition,” he said. “It’s already an honor when you’re talking about eight out of the country. If I were to win it, that’s phenomenal. But to me, just being in that eight is pretty cool.”