Ex K-Condition DC Raheem Morris fondly recollects time in Manhattan

Raheem Morris is active preparing his staff to face the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium Sunday.

But the Atlanta Falcons’ interim head coach did not intellect using a journey down memory lane, specifically considering that this weekend’s journey to the Kansas Town place conjures recollections about how his qualified job took off.

Morris has appreciated achievement in the NFL, but it is simple to forget he once served as the defensive coordinator beneath then-head mentor Ron Prince at Kansas Condition for the 2006 time.

Less than Morris’ steering — and his very first time contacting defensive plays — the Wildcats’ protection designed strides, which includes in opposition to the go, en route to a 7-6 history and an visual appearance in the Texas Bowl, which the Wildcats misplaced to Rutgers.

“What a good memory for me, what a great time,” Morris reported Wednesday throughout a teleconference. “What a good chance to begin off my career as far as contacting a protection, that being the 1st time.

“And what a good yr that we had, obtaining the skill to go to a bowl recreation and truly participate in and be aggressive prior to I went back again to the Nationwide Soccer League.”

Morris also remembers easy acts of kindness from a higher education coaching legend in Manhattan.

“Bill Snyder was usually about and ready to drop great, type notes to us and able to give us the complete real truth a good deal of periods as nicely, so I took that to heart,” Morris explained. “I truly cherished my time there.”

Morris’ coaching profession goes back to 1998, when he 1st broke into the ranks as a graduate assistant at Hofstra. He served as a defensive assistant with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before becoming a member of K-Point out for the just one year.

Since then, he’s held several posts in Tampa Bay, including head mentor from 2009-11, and served as the defensive backs mentor in Washington (2012-14) in advance of signing up for the Falcons’ defensive coaching staff members in 2015.

But Manhattan stays specific to Morris, who explained he’s been again to stop by on at the very least two occasions, including as soon as to consider in a Kansas vs. K-Point out basketball match.

But there is one more specific knowledge from the Little Apple, in the course of his just one-year stint on the K-Condition coaching staff, that Morris won’t before long forget. He was element of the one of the most significant upsets in K-Condition heritage when the Wildcats stunned then-No. 4 Texas 45-42 in entrance of a nationally televised viewers on Nov. 11, 2006.

“That was a great video game, a good instant for K-Point out,” he mentioned.

The matchup experienced it all, like two pressured fumbles from Morris’ protection and NFL-caliber expertise on equally rosters.

For Texas, there was quarterback Colt McCoy, defensive finish Brian Orakpo, restricted end Jermichael Finley … and, of class, managing again Jamaal Charles, who went on to star with the Chiefs.

Kansas State had its share of talent, way too, with quarterback Josh Freeman, wide receivers Jordy Nelson and Yamon Figurs, restricted conclude Jeron Mastrud, defensive finish Ian Campbell and linebacker Zach Diles, amongst many others.

Additional with each other, the sport turned an quick common, one that Morris admits even 14 many years later he can not aid but smile about when it’s talked about during his travels about the NFL.

“It receives introduced up normally because a good deal of all those guys now participate in in the National Football League,” Morris reported. “Brian Orakpo was on the Texas workforce at that time and I was lucky enough to be able to mentor him in Washington. You mention Colt McCoy, he arrived to Washington.”

But Morris’ return to the KC location isn’t all about revisiting superb individual reminiscences. He’s coming on a business excursion, after all, as his Falcons (4-10) sq. off in opposition to the Chiefs (13-1).

The Chiefs are closely favored Sunday, but Morris’ working experience reminds him that sometimes what is projected on paper does not translate to genuine outcomes.

Appear no even further than K-State’s thrilling upset win around a then-powerhouse Longhorns staff.

“People assumed like we were being outmatched — a good deal like this weekend — we had been prepared to go get a get,” Morris explained. “So, hopefully we can do the exact detail and have this dialogue a couple of years from now when we’re talking about me beating the Kansas Town Chiefs.”