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Morton football coach resigns after seven seasons with the Potters

adam duvall, journal star
·4 min read
Morton Potters' head coach Tim Brilley and the rest of the team watch from the sidelines as they battle Kankakee in the second half of their Class 5A state football semifinal Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021 in Kankakee. Morton fell to the Kays 41-14.
Morton Potters' head coach Tim Brilley and the rest of the team watch from the sidelines as they battle Kankakee in the second half of their Class 5A state football semifinal Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021 in Kankakee. Morton fell to the Kays 41-14.

Tim Brilley came to Morton in 2016, ended a long losing streak and put together the football team’s deepest playoff run.

On Monday morning, he resigned as the Potters football coach, saying that his attention can’t be "100 percent" on the team anymore as his two kids are getting older. Brilley said he wanted to do right by Morton and ultimately decided to step down.

“I’m getting to a point where my focus isn’t there for the Morton football program,” Brilley said, “and I wanted to make sure they had somebody that is 100 percent all in. That’s where I’m at now.

“It’s one of the things I preach a lot to our kids. Put your family first and put the important things first.”

Background:Morton hires former Decatur St. Teresa football coach Tim Brilley

In seven seasons with Morton, Brilley went 40-28 (.588) with a run to the 2021 Class 5A semifinals and a program-best 10-3 record. Last season, the Potters were 4-5 and missed the playoffs for just the second time in Brilley's tenure.

Brilley met with Morton athletics director Scott Jones, then his players and coaches to break the news on Monday. It was an emotional last meeting for Jones and Brilley, who was hired during Jones’ second year as AD.

“Everything that he’s done has been amazing for our kids, our school culture, our community,” Jones said. “… He’s just turned things around and done such a great job. He brought pride back to every part of our school and district.

“From Day 1, his family was always so involved, and his kids were involved in everything that was going on. You could just see what a great dad he was and great person, great coach.”

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Morton coaches, including head coach Tim Brilley, facing at right, hug their players after the Potters' 41-14 loss to the Kankakee Kays in the Class 5A state football semifinals Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021 in Kankakee.
Morton coaches, including head coach Tim Brilley, facing at right, hug their players after the Potters' 41-14 loss to the Kankakee Kays in the Class 5A state football semifinals Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021 in Kankakee.

Changing the culture

Brilley’s first victory at Morton — a Week 4 win over Limestone in 2016 — ended a 12-game skid. He finished that season 3-6 and then from 2017-21 went 33-17 with four 5A playoff appearances and a 2021 Mid-Illini Conference co-championship.

That 2021 season saw Morton make a historic playoff run, beating perennial contenders Highland and Morris on the road and Mahomet-Seymour in the quarterfinals before losing to eventual runner-up Kankakee in the semifinals.

“I’ve had nothing but good memories and good support here ... " Brilley said, “We built a good foundation and a good thing to get going and be competitive again.”

As of now, Brilley plans to remain at Morton as a physical education and health teacher. His wife, fourth-grade daughter and seventh-grade son live in Maroa; Brilley has made a daily 150-mile round-trip commute for the last seven years.

The decision not to uproot his family played a big role in Brilley’s announcement.

“During the season, it’s extremely tough,” he said of the two-hour total travel time. “(My resignation) had nothing to do with Morton at all. If I lived in the community, I would have retired here. I was very happy.

“It just didn’t work out that way.”

So, what about future coaching jobs?

“I intend to be coaching next year as an assistant somewhere probably,” said Brilley, who spent five seasons at Decatur St. Teresa prior to being hired at Morton. “If it works out and if I find a job elsewhere closer to home, I’ll definitely seek that out.”

Before St. Teresa, Brilley spent five seasons, including four as defensive coordinator, at Breese Central. He played in college at McKendree.

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Morton players douse head coach Tim Brilley after their 42-7 victory over Dunlap on Friday, Oct. 22, 2021 at Dunlap High School. The win gave the Potters a share of their first Mid-Illini title since 1992.
Morton players douse head coach Tim Brilley after their 42-7 victory over Dunlap on Friday, Oct. 22, 2021 at Dunlap High School. The win gave the Potters a share of their first Mid-Illini title since 1992.

Who will be Morton's next coach?

Jones says the search for the next coach begins immediately. He wants to bring someone in a "quick manner" to take over the program, run the offseason workouts and keep the Potters moving in the right direction.

Jones will send surveys out to players this week, utilizing those to find out what the team thinks and what they’re looking for in a coach.

“Whether it’s an internal person or somebody externally we bring in,” Jones said, “we want somebody who’s going to continue to come in and take it to the next level and just keep enhancing our program.”

Morton is scheduled to open the 2023 season by hosting Mahomet-Seymour.

Adam Duvall is a Journal Star sports reporter. Email him at aduvall@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @AdamDuvall.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: IHSA football: Morton football coach resigns after seven seasons