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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