The Morris Touch

He’s seen defensive assistants come and go at One Buc Place, so Ronde Barber is cherishing every last moment with Raheem Morris.

Tampa Bay’s dynamic secondary coach is considered a short-timer, no longer a secret in NFL coaching circles.

His return to the Bucs in 2007 helped Monte Kiffin’s unit regain its typical stature among the league’s elite defenses and Morris, who turns 32 in three weeks, appears to be on the same career track as his mentor, former Tampa secondary coach Mike Tomlin.

“Does Raheem get too much credit? Probably not enough,” said Barber, the veteran cornerback who welcomed Morris back after his one-year departure to Kansas State. “You can’t help but think he won’t be here for long. He’s on the same path as a Mike Tomlin. He’s not a guy who’s going to stick around and wallow in the same job for a long time.”

Well before you even meet him, you can hear Raheem Morris on the practice field.

“His passion for the game is what makes him a special coach,” Bucs general manager Bruce Allen said.

A former defensive back at Hofstra, Morris boasts the energy level of Chris Rock and the charisma of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

“It’s the ability to communicate,” Bucs assistant head coach Larry Coyer said. “Raheem has it and you can’t learn it. Good or bad, he talks to the players in a positive way. You can’t fake it - he is what he is. I’d say he has an unlimited future in this league.”

With the Bucs on their way to an NFC South title in the fall of 2005, Morris didn’t know for certain that Tomlin would be leaving the organization. So when Kansas State expressed interest in naming Morris defensive coordinator, Tomlin’s key assistant finished out the season in Tampa and decided to leave for Manhattan, Kan.

Tomlin would soon be named defensive coordinator of the Vikings, but Morris kept his word and joined the Wildcat staff. Defensive line coach Rod Marinelli also moved on and Tampa Bay’s defense promptly plunged from first to 17th.

“I really had no intentions of being back to Tampa this fast,” said Morris, who began receiving feelers from Kiffin after his first season with the Wildcats. “It was tough leaving K-State but I have to be honest - I love the NFL. I don’t think I’d ever turn down an opportunity to work with Coach Kiffin.”

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Raheem Morris: A Hot Coaching Commodity

The casual NFL fan likely has not heard of Morris, but that will change soon. He will be an NFL head coach. It might not be in 2009, but it won’t be long after that. Some shrewd teams will examine Morris after this season. And even though Morris is just 31, two head coaches named him as the best assistant coach in the league in the ESPN.com survey. Morris is known as a motivator and a strong X’s and O’s man. He has drawn comparisons to Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin, who just three years ago held the same position Morris currently holds. Mark it down, Morris is a coach to watch.

Full Story: Super Bowl performance has Spagnuolo highly touted - [ESPN]

Smackdown: Best Assistant Coach

Smackdown Results: Offense 8, Defense 7

TAMPA - The success or failure of a professional football player can often be attributed to their positional coach.

While head coaches are often overseeing the final product, assistant coaches work daily toward improving their player’s skill, ability, awareness and making a good player become great. They often do not receive praise when their unit does well, but collect all of the blame when those players struggle.

This week’s Smackdown pits Tampa Bay running backs coach Art Valero against defensive backs coach Raheem Morris to determine who is ”The Best Assistant Coach.” The winner receives some well-deserved recognition for their coaching abilities.

Raheem Morris, Defensive Backs Coach

When Morris returned to Tampa Bay this year after coaching one season Kansas State, he inherited a unit in need of an extreme makeover.

Sure, Morris had All Pro defensive back Ronde Barber and standout Brian Kelly, but he also inherited Phillip Buchanon, considered a first round draft bust, Jermaine Phillips after a disappointing season, a rookie name Tanard Jackson, and other NFL journeyman.

Instead of complaining, Morris simply made his defensive backs into arguably one of the best units for Tampa Bay this season.

Tampa Bay’s pass defense is currently ranked No.2 in the NFL, while the careers of Buchanon and Phillips have surprisingly reemerged.

Full Story: Smackdown: Best Assistant Coach - [Tampa Bay Online]

Credit for Bucs Secondary goes to Morris

Something is different.

You can see it in the locker room and on the practice field. The intensity is greater, the focus sharper.

You can see it on the field on game day. The hits are harder, the tackling crisper.

You can see it on the sideline. It’s not the players. It’s their coach.

A scrawny little guy who played safety and coached defensive backs at Hofstra University, no one thought much of Raheem Morris when he first came to Tampa Bay as a 25-year-old defensive quality-control coach in 2002.

Full Story: Bucs’ secondary gives Morris credit - [Winston-Salem Journal]

Related: Morris rescues the secondary - [TampaBays10.com]

Morris brings intensity back to secondary

When Tampa Bay’s secondary didn’t play up to its usual standards last season, head coach Jon Gruden knew just what to do. He went out and re-hired Raheem Morris, who coached Bucs defensive backs under Mike Tomlin for two seasons. Now in charge, Morris promises there will be competition at every position.

Raheem Morris watched the disaster last year in a press box in Manhattan, Kan. No, not the Kansas State Wildcats, where he was defensive coordinator. The Tampa Bay secondary, where before 2006 he had been an assistant secondary coach under Mike Tomlin.

Source: Morris brings intensity back to secondary - [Scout.com]