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Camp notebook: Young guns get their moment

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 7, 2009

Updated: 08/07/2009 03:32 pm

TAMPA – Bucs coach Raheem Morris on Friday turned his offense over to the Two Joshes – rookie Josh Freeman and second-year pro Josh Johnson - and for the most part he was pleased with what he got from his young quarterbacks.

"They were impressive; they handled themselves well," Morris said. "We didn't look like a rag-tag football team. One [Johnson] threw a slant for a big touchdown and the other executed a drive to get us down there for a field goal. So they were efficient.

"They were cautious with the ball, but they were not scared, not fearful. They managed the huddle well. Those guys are growing up fast, which is hard to do when you don't get many reps. But then when you're that impressive it's fun to watch."

- Roy Cummings

Former coach: Morris a natural from the start

Joe Gardi said he knew it from Day One.

The former Hofstra coach visited Bucs training camp Friday at the invitation of head coach Raheem Morris, who played in Gardi's secondary, along with future NFL safety Lance Schulters, in the mid-1990s.

Gardi coached at Hofstra for 16 years before retiring after the 2005 season and he and Morris have remained close.

"I knew he was going to be a coach when I heard him on the field," said Gardi, who also coached future NFL receivers like Wayne Chrebet and current New Orleans standout Marques Colston. "The enthusiasm Raheem has, the love of the game, every day with him was a show. Not many people loved practice like him and Lance. He was always coaching, always vocal."

It's been quite a week for Morris, who replaced Jon Gruden as head coach in January. His parents have been visiting at training camp and Morris and Gardi shared a laugh Friday about how Florida pizza pies just don't compare with the best pizzerias in the Northeast, especially a joint named "Pepe's" in New Haven, Conn., where patrons often wait two hours to be served.

Hofstra had some powerful teams under Gardi when Schulters and Morris roamed the secondary.

"I had to call Raheem and Lance off in practice because they would kill our receivers," Gardi said. "They were hitting them like it was going out of style."

- Ira Kaufman

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