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Morrison fitting in well at middle linebacker
JOSH DUBOW
ALAMEDA, Calif. - Kirk Morrison was a surprise last season for the Oakland Raiders, finishing second on the team in tackles as a rookie third-round pick.
This year, the team is counting heavily on Morrison, moving him to middle linebacker, where he will anchor the defense.
"It's starting to slow down," Morrison said. "Last year the game was really fast for me. It's starting to slow down for me. I'm understanding it. It's surprising, happening when I'm switching positions from outside linebacker to inside linebacker. But really I'm back at home."
With the preseason coming to a close Thursday, the move looks to be a successful one so far. The Raiders have allowed only three touchdowns in their first four preseason games and have won their first four exhibition games for the first time since 1975.
Morrison came through with an interception last game, dropping back in coverage to pick off Detroit's Jon Kitna and feels much more comfortable than he did as a rookie last season.
Creating turnovers is a major focus for the Raiders this year after they got only five interceptions last season, the fewest ever in a 16-game season. Oakland already has seven picks in four preseason games this year.
"Everybody knows where they have to be," Morrison said. "I think we're going to create more turnovers, create more interceptions. Last year just wasn't indicative of what we can do on defense."
Morrison finished second all-time at San Diego State with 396 career tackles and was a third-round pick of the Raiders in 2005. With the team so thin at linebacker last season, Morrison quickly earned playing time and became the starter by the second game of the season.
He finished the season with 112 tackles, the most for any rookie in the league. He had at least 10 tackles four times and recovered two fumbles on the season.
Now he has to add defensive play caller to his responsibility.
"It's new for me at this level, but it's something I've done in college and high school," he said. "Now you've just got to kind of direct traffic a little bit, make sure guys up front are lined up, make sure defensive backs know what call we're in, and make sure everybody's on the same page. I think now everybody's on the same page, and we know the responsibility."
Coach Art Shell announced Morrison's move to the middle on the eve of training camp, moving him ahead of six-year veteran Danny Clark, who led the team in tackles his first two seasons in Oakland.
The move was part of a plan to get faster on defense, creating a starting spot for speedy rookie Thomas Howard on the outside. But the Raiders wouldn't have made it if they didn't believe that Morrison could do the job in the middle.
Shell said he had no reservations putting a second-year player in such a key role.
"Matt Millen did it when he first came here. He started as a rookie, and he made the adjustment right away. So that was no problem," Shell said. "Kirk's doing well. Our defense is coming and he's a big part of that. He's still growing. He's only in his second year but he's still growing and he's going to get better as the season moves on."
NOTES: The Raiders reduced their roster to 75 by waiving six players and placing four on injured reserve. K Tim Duncan, WR Rick Gatewood, QB Kent Smith, WR Burl Toler, DB Dennis Davis and TE Derek Miller were cut. RB DeJuan Green, RB Joe Hall, LB Timi Wusu, DL Michael Quarshie are on injured reserve.
JOSH DUBOW
ALAMEDA, Calif. - Kirk Morrison was a surprise last season for the Oakland Raiders, finishing second on the team in tackles as a rookie third-round pick.
This year, the team is counting heavily on Morrison, moving him to middle linebacker, where he will anchor the defense.
"It's starting to slow down," Morrison said. "Last year the game was really fast for me. It's starting to slow down for me. I'm understanding it. It's surprising, happening when I'm switching positions from outside linebacker to inside linebacker. But really I'm back at home."
With the preseason coming to a close Thursday, the move looks to be a successful one so far. The Raiders have allowed only three touchdowns in their first four preseason games and have won their first four exhibition games for the first time since 1975.
Morrison came through with an interception last game, dropping back in coverage to pick off Detroit's Jon Kitna and feels much more comfortable than he did as a rookie last season.
Creating turnovers is a major focus for the Raiders this year after they got only five interceptions last season, the fewest ever in a 16-game season. Oakland already has seven picks in four preseason games this year.
"Everybody knows where they have to be," Morrison said. "I think we're going to create more turnovers, create more interceptions. Last year just wasn't indicative of what we can do on defense."
Morrison finished second all-time at San Diego State with 396 career tackles and was a third-round pick of the Raiders in 2005. With the team so thin at linebacker last season, Morrison quickly earned playing time and became the starter by the second game of the season.
He finished the season with 112 tackles, the most for any rookie in the league. He had at least 10 tackles four times and recovered two fumbles on the season.
Now he has to add defensive play caller to his responsibility.
"It's new for me at this level, but it's something I've done in college and high school," he said. "Now you've just got to kind of direct traffic a little bit, make sure guys up front are lined up, make sure defensive backs know what call we're in, and make sure everybody's on the same page. I think now everybody's on the same page, and we know the responsibility."
Coach Art Shell announced Morrison's move to the middle on the eve of training camp, moving him ahead of six-year veteran Danny Clark, who led the team in tackles his first two seasons in Oakland.
The move was part of a plan to get faster on defense, creating a starting spot for speedy rookie Thomas Howard on the outside. But the Raiders wouldn't have made it if they didn't believe that Morrison could do the job in the middle.
Shell said he had no reservations putting a second-year player in such a key role.
"Matt Millen did it when he first came here. He started as a rookie, and he made the adjustment right away. So that was no problem," Shell said. "Kirk's doing well. Our defense is coming and he's a big part of that. He's still growing. He's only in his second year but he's still growing and he's going to get better as the season moves on."
NOTES: The Raiders reduced their roster to 75 by waiving six players and placing four on injured reserve. K Tim Duncan, WR Rick Gatewood, QB Kent Smith, WR Burl Toler, DB Dennis Davis and TE Derek Miller were cut. RB DeJuan Green, RB Joe Hall, LB Timi Wusu, DL Michael Quarshie are on injured reserve.
