December 20, 2025
From teammates to title game: A 40-year friendship meets on the national stage for Ferris State President Pink, Harding Athletic Director Morgan
Ferris State University President Bill Pink is known for his competitive spirit. That comes as no surprise to Jeff Morgan, Harding University’s athletic director, who has known Pink for four decades.
Today, that shared history comes full circle as Ferris State and Harding meet on the national stage, battling for the NCAA Division II Football National Championship. Both teams enter the title game undefeated. In fact, the last team to defeat Harding, based in Arkansas, was Ferris State in the 2024 playoffs.
Morgan and Pink first crossed paths as teammates on the York College basketball team. Morgan was a sophomore on a roster filled with freshmen, including a 6-foot-5 center from Abilene, Texas.
“He’s definitely competitive,” Morgan said. “But I tell you what, that was a big factor in our team’s success that season.”
What began as a shared commitment on the court grew into a lifelong friendship. The two visited each other’s families during school breaks, stood in each other’s weddings, and remained close even after Pink transferred from York—then a community college—to Oklahoma Christian University, and Morgan completed his degree at West Texas A&M University.
Morgan went on to serve as Harding’s basketball coach for more than 30 years before becoming athletic director in 2018. Along the way, he watched Pink’s career in higher education ascend, culminating in Pink becoming the 19th president of Ferris State University in 2023.
“Jeff is an individual who means a lot to me,” Pink said. “He’s someone I have tremendous love and respect for. He’s a special person.”
While Morgan’s focus remains on Harding’s student-athletes, he has continued to follow the Bulldogs’ success. As both teams advanced through the NCAA Division II playoffs, Pink began sending texts that captured the moment: “It would be great if we get to see each other in McKinney,” the site of the championship game.
That possibility became reality Friday night, when the two leaders and their families reunited at a combined pregame pep rally. Ferris State has held the No. 1 ranking in every national poll since the preseason, with Harding close behind at No. 2 throughout the year.
“Bill Pink has had a huge, positive impact on my life,” Morgan said. “He’s such a genuine people person. He cares deeply about them. His personality – and his actions – inspire people. He was a good teammate, and he’s such a good leader today.”