Raheem Morris is yet to call his first defensive play on a Sunday afternoon for the Los Angeles Rams, but he’s already making his presence known around the defenders.
Like Brandon Staley, Morris has been described as an “energy guy” by Rams linebackers Leonard Floyd and Kenny Young. Except, Floyd revealed to reporters what separated the new Chargers head coach from the new defensive coordinator during the team’s OTA period.
“Coach Morris will talk a little bit more junk to you,” Floyd told reporters in a May 25 video conference. “That’ll get you going a lot.”
Not the First Time Morris Has Shown His Trash-Taking Side
In 2012, Morris was one of the newest faces on the Washington Football Team coaching staff. Washington had a future San Francisco 49ers head coach named Kyle Shanahan running the offense. Shanahan told NBC 4 in Washington in June 2012 that Morris and him had field banter.
“He gets on my nerves a little bit,” Shanahan told the station. “He’s funny. We go back and forth.”
Morris later that day told the D.C NBC affiliate “I’m glad he told you that. We’re going to pump up the juice in training camp.”
Morris, though, stated that he showed that side of him to create more energy during WFT practices.
“To create that competitive environment, it’s like going out and playing a pick-up basketball game sometimes. In fact, you get a chance to talk a little trash to each other and go out there and really have fun while you get your job done. It keeps people alive. It keeps people coming back to work,” Morris said.
Through the bravado, Morris’s coaching and persona won over a Super Bowl champion cornerback who played for him with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a 2019 interview with fredricksburg.com.
“He’s very personable and that goes over well with the players,” Ronde Barber said, who won the 2003 Super Bowl with Morris on the staff. “If you’re in the locker room with him, if you play for him, you just can’t help it. It’s just his personality, and I think the guys appreciate him for who he is always going to be.”
Strong Communicator and Relatable Helps Further Describe Morris
Young, who is entering his third season with the Rams, has seen the trash-talking side himself. However, Young revealed that the new defensive coach’s persona makes him relatable to the Ram defenders.
“He knows how to relate to guys. That’s special, everybody being able to relate to different people and still getting that message across, which is the communication aspect and having fun with it at the same time,” Young told reporters on June 8.
Young further dove into how Morris communicates with the Rams.
“(He) understands the game, loves the ball and loves having his guys see the ball the way he sees it. I think from a guy in his position, that’s very key: Have your guys see what you’re seeing and everybody being on the same accord,” Young said. “I think Raheem brings a little bit of all that with his uniqueness as our defensive coordinator.”
Morris is trying to re-infuse the energy the Rams defense showed last season. Under Staley, the Rams only endured one game when the defensive unit surrendered 30 points or more: The September 27 road loss to the Buffalo Bills 35-32. The Rams went on to claim first in total yards allowed, passing touchdowns surrendered and in first downs allowed.
Floyd, who produced a career-high in sacks with 10.5 on the league’s best defense in 2020, was asked if Morris will switch up what Staley ran. Floyd, though, doesn’t see any changes.
“I feel like (the scheme) is the same,” Floyd said. “We’re just touching up on some plays that we could’ve ran better as a defense. But the defense is pretty much the same.”
Outside of the trash talking side Floyd shared about Morris, Floyd described the new DC with positivity.
“I could tell he’s a great guy. Just being around him and soaking up all the knowledge that I can, he’s been a great coach so far,” he said.
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‘Coach Morris Will Talk a Little Bit More Junk to You:’ Linebackers Describe New Rams DC