USC Football: Receivers coach John Morton joins 49ers staff

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John Morton, USC’s receivers coach for the last four seasons, is leaving the Trojans to join the San Francisco 49ers coaching staff.

Morton, who coached previously in the NFL with the Oakland Raiders and New Orleans Saints, will be reunited with new 49ers Coach Jim Harbaugh. Morton and Harbaugh were Raiders’ assistants in 2002 and 2003 and Morton worked under Harbaugh at the University of San Diego in 2005.

‘This is a great opportunity for John to further his career,’ USC Coach Lane Kiffin said in a statement. ‘We appreciate the great work he did at USC and wish him the best of luck.’

Morton came to USC in 2006 as passing game coordinator and receivers coach. Former coach Pete Carroll named him the offensive coordinator before the 2009 season, but later hired Jeremy Bates as the quarterbacks coach and play-caller.

Bates joined Carroll as offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks before the 2010 season, but Carroll fired him Tuesday, two days after the Seahawks were eliminated from the NFL playoffs.

--Gary Klein