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Bucs Name Morris Defensive Coordinator

Tribune photo by JAY CONNER

Ronde Barber celebrates his interception with DB Coach Raheem Morris in the 2nd quarter of their game against Atlanta Falcons.

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By ROY CUMMINGS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 25, 2008

TAMPA - Bucs coach Jon Gruden saw to it that secondary coach Raheem Morris had a very merry Christmas this year.

Before leaving One Buc Place on Christmas Eve, Gruden told the 32-year-old Morris that he will replace Monte Kiffin as the Bucs' defensive coordinator beginning in 2009.

"It was Christmas and I wanted to give him a Christmas present," said Gruden, who informed his team of the decision Thursday. "I wanted to give him something to be excited about and to reward him for his effort and hard work."

Morris' appointment doesn't come as a great surprise. Since Kiffin announced plans to leave the Bucs for the University of Tennessee, many have considered Morris a leading candidate to replace him.

Now in the second year of his second stint with Tampa Bay, Morris has six years of experience in the Bucs' system. He also has a year of work under his belt as a coordinator, earning that in 2006 at Kansas State University.

"I'm just trying to beat Oakland right now, but I am pretty excited about this," Morris said. "It's a great accomplishment and I'm proud they're giving me the keys to drive this defense. It's awesome."

Morris' knowledge of the scheme run by Kiffin and his knowledge of the players already in the system and of the kind who will be needed in the future played to his benefit.

"He's obviously got big shoes to fill, but I think he's capable and I just think it's fair to the players that they know that we're committed to this defense and to this style of defense," Gruden said.

Many of the players Morris works with on a daily basis said he is deserving of the appointment and added that it will allow for the Bucs to make a seamless transition away from Kiffin.

"It's a natural transition," cornerback Ronde Barber said. "We've got a good thing going here. This will allow us to keep it going."

Morris has developed a reputation for being an excellent on-field technician and motivator whose greatest strength may be his almost uncanny way of relating to players off the field.

"He's a young coach with a lot of energy and we can relate to that," safety Tanard Jackson said. "He does some of the same things we do. At the same time, he knows how to separate the business side from the personal side."

Gruden said he named Morris as Kiffin's successor at this time because he wanted to end the speculation and stop the flood of phone calls he's been receiving from potential job candidates.

"If I could tell you who some of the guys were that wanted to come here, you'd be pretty excited," Gruden said. "But I wanted to keep my friend here, a guy who I've seen develop in front of my eyes."

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