Kirk Morrison Info

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Kirk Morrison, Amateur Star of the Year. Kirk Morrison, San Diego State's two-All-American linebacker, will be honored as an Ameteur Star of the Year at the 59th annual Salute to Champions dinner on Feb. 22 at the Town and Country

02-20-2005
By Tom Shanahan, San Diego Hall of Champions
San Diego State will miss the tackles he made and the leadership he provided. San Diego will miss the time he spent talking to its youth about school, sports and setting goals.

But at least the college and community benefited from Kirk Morrison’s presence one more season than it could have expected, when the Aztecs’ middle linebacker made the decision to forego entering the NFL draft. The fifth-year senior’s return in 2004 didn’t result in a bowl trip as he had hoped that night he announced at a basketball game last year, with the crowd roaring its approval, that he would return for his senior year. But he earned his degree in December and he improved his draft status from a projected third- or fourth-rounder last year to a possible first-rounder this year.

Morrison, who is attending the NFL Combine this week, finished his career as one of San Diego State’s all-time greats. He was a two-time All-American who picked up conference awards that often reserved for players from winning teams.
He was a two-time Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year, winning the award outright as a junior and sharing it with Morgan Scalley of conference champion Utah as a senior. He was also a three-time first-team all-conference choice.
“Our season didn’t end the way we hoped it would, but I still enjoyed my time playing for San Diego State and my time with my teammates,” Morrison said. “I wouldn’t trade the friends I made here, and I earned my degree.”

Morrison ended his senior year with 115 tackles and ranks second on San Diego State’s career tackles list with 396. And as a sign of the respect coaches and teammates held of him, he had two carries for five yards in the season finale, a 21-3 win at home over UNLV.

San Diego State’s hopes for a bowl trip in 2004 were ended by a six-game losing streak after a 2-1 start that included a promising near-upset of Michigan in Ann Arbor. So when the Aztecs rallied with wins over Air Force and UNLV, finishing the season with a 4-7 record, he was inserted into the game when the UNLV outcome was decided. Morrison came to San Diego State after playing fullback and linebacker at Oakland Bishop O’Dowd.

One of Morrison’s most recent talks to San Diego youth was on a Saturday afternoon at the San Diego Hall of Champions when he awarded certificates to high school football players chosen to the Breitbard All-CIF team. Morrison discussed setting goals on the field and in the classroom. And he talked about how much enjoyed his time at San Diego State and in his adopted hometown, with or without that coveted bowl trip.
 
Kirk Morrison, MLB, San Diego State
Height: 6:01.1 Weight: 238
Overview: One of the most decorated San Diego State Aztec players since Marshall Faulk, Morrison was a two-year starting linebacker and running back at Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland, Cal.) High School, recording 98 tackles with four sacks, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries, adding 583 yards and ten touchdowns rushing as a senior. He played for 1999 National Coach of the Year, Paul Perenon. Morrison was named to the Oakland Tribune, Contra Costa Times and San Francisco Examiner first-team defenses and was the Hayward Area Athletic League's Defensive Player of the Year. He also competed in track. After redshirting in 2000 at SDSU, Morrison moved into the starting lineup for the final seven games of the 2001 season at middle linebacker. He went on to record 69 tackles (39 solos) with three sacks, five stops for losses, an interception and three pass break-ups to earn All-Mountain West Conference honorable mention and The Sporting News' Freshman All-American accolades. Morrison picked up first-team All-MWC honors in 2002, as he led the conference with five fumble recoveries and led the squad with 97 tackles (60 solos), including three sacks, nine stops behind the line of scrimmage, two forced fumbles and three interceptions. Morrison was selected to College Football Network's All-American first-team in 2003, registering 115 tackles (70 solos) with 3.5 sacks, a career-high 17 stops for losses, four forced fumbles, an interception and two fumble recoveries. Morrison added All-American second-team accolades from The Sporting News in 2004, becoming the first two-time All-American at SDSU since Marshall Faulk (1991-93). Morrison closed out the season with 115 tackles (72 solos), nine stops for losses, three fumble recoveries and an interception. In 47 games as an Aztec, he recorded 396 tackles (241 solos) with 9.5 sacks for minus-54 yards and 40 stops for losses of 113 yards. Only Whip Walton (407, 1974-77) recorded more tackles in school history than Morrison's 396. His 40 tackles for losses rank sixth in Aztec history. He also recovered ten fumbles, caused eight others, intercepted six passes and had eleven pass deflections.

Analysis: Positives... He has adequate lateral quickness and change of direction agility. ... His straight-line speed is evident by the amount of plays he is able to make along the sidelines. He has the power moves to make plays in front of him, but his stiff hips prevent him from adjusting and redirecting. ... When he stays low in his pads, Morrison can strike with some force, but cannot be considered an explosive, punishing type. ... I feel his instincts and savvy will at least see him produce as a two-down inside linebacker at the pro level.

Negatives...Morrison struggles to disengage when working in-line and might be better as an outside linebacker, where he shows better range running to the ball. He can see the play develop better working on the edge and shows good acceleration to the point of attack. Morrison is inconsistent finding the ball working through trash and struggles to shed, as he leaves his chest too exposed for the blocker to attack. He appears more comfortable when he can fill the gaps and make the quick read working in space. ... Despite a high amount of tackles behind the line, he is a marginal blitzer who will miss tackles, as he tends to lunge and dive at ball carriers when pursuing from the back side. He does take good angles working inside the box, but when he is slow to recover and must redirect, he gets a little reckless and this affects his range. ... Morrison shows decent awareness in zone coverage, but struggles to cover the receiver on crossing patterns and sometimes takes bad angles to the ball, losing body control. His problems moving through traffic happen when he fails to protect his legs from cut blocks. ... He lacks the top-end speed to stay with the receivers in man coverage and his range in zone coverage is limited due to a marginal burst on the ball. ... When his pads get high, he is a little late off the snap and his lack of size prevents him from diagnosing things right away when working through trash. ... His lack of top-end speed, inability to clear trash and avoid blocks on the move is a concern for a middle linebacker.

Agility tests: CAMPUS: 4.7 in the 40-yard dash...365-pound bench press...525-pound squat...322-pound power clean...30-inch vertical jump...32 3/8-inch arm length...9-inch hands...23/35 Wonderlic score.

High school: Attended Bishop O'Dowd(Oakland, Cal.) High School, playing for 1999 National Coach of the Year, Paul Perenon...Named to the Oakland Tribune, Contra Costa Times and San Francisco Examiner first-team defenses...An ANG Newspapers first-team "1999 Best of the Bay" selection...Hayward Area Athletic League's Defensive Player of the Year and two-time HAAL first-teamer...Registered a team-high 98 tackles with four sacks, two interceptions and a pair of fumble recoveries as a linebacker and as a running back, he totaled 583 yards and 10 touchdowns in 1999...Led the Dragons to back-to-back (1997-98) NorCal section 3A and HAAL championships...Also competed in track.

Personal: Criminal Justice major...Considering a career as a counselor for at-risk youth...Son of Doris and David Morrison...Born 2/19/82 in Oakland, California.

Information provided by NFLDraftscout.com, powered by The Sports Xchange
 
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