Steve Morrison (American football)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Steve Morrison | ||
|---|---|---|
| Title | Defensive Coordinator | |
| College | Western Michigan | |
| Conference | Mid-American | |
| Born | December 28, 1971 | |
| Place of birth | Farmington, Michigan | |
| Career highlights | ||
| Awards | ||
| 1994 First-team All-Big Ten | ||
| Playing career | ||
| 1990–1994 1995–1998 |
Michigan Wolverines Indianapolis Colts |
|
| Position | LB | |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | ||
| 2000–2001 2002–2004 2005 2006–2007 2008–present |
Brother Rice H. S. (Def. Coord.) Michigan (Asst.) Western Michigan (Def. Line) Western Michigan (Linebackers) Western Michigan (Def. Coord.) |
|
Steven Craig Morrison (born December 28, 1971 in Farmington, Michigan) is a retired professional American football linebacker who played for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League from 1995 to 1998. He now serves as the defensive coordinator for the Western Michigan Broncos football team. Prior to these professional experiences, he had excelled as an All-Big Ten Conference inside linebacker from 1990 to 1994 for the Michigan Wolverines, whom he served as captain.
After retiring from professional football as a player, he began a coaching career by performing as defensive coordinator for Michigan High School Athletic Association football champion Brother Rice High School (his high school alma mater) for two years. He then served as an assistant coach at the University of Michigan for three years. He then assumed a role as an assistant at Western Michigan University. At Western Michigan, he has produced results as the linebacker coach after spending a year as the defensive line coach.
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[edit] Early years
Morrison played for Brother Rice High School of the Detroit, Michigan Catholic High School League and became a Catholic High School League Hall of Fame athlete. He was inducted in the 1995 Hall of Fame class that included among others Shawn Respert.[1] As a senior, Morrison was part of a 1989 team that lost in the Class A semfinals 6–0 to Martin Luther King High School at Atwood Stadium.[2]
After attending Brother Rice High School in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, he spent five years at the University of Michigan where he anchored the defense as an inside linebacker.[3] He became a rare five-year varsity letter winner while wearing #36 for the Michigan Wolverines football program from 1990 to 1994,[4] He helped the 1990 three-peat Big Ten Conference Champions defend their title for a total of five consecutive conference championships ending in 1992. The 1991 and 1992 teams went to the Rose Bowl.[5][6] He became team captain in 1994 for coach Gary Moeller.[7] On a team that had two All-Americans (Ty Law and Remy Hamilton), he was one of six All-Big Ten players (Law, Hamilton, Tyrone Wheatley, Amani Toomer and Jason Horn).[7] At the time of his graduation, he ranked third in career tackles in school history behind Erick Anderson and Ron Simpkins.[8] He has since been passed by Jarrett Irons and Sam Sword and stands fifth with 220 tackles.[8] In terms of tackles and assists combined, Morrison once totalled 23 in a November 14, 1992 game against the Illinois Fighting Illini football team, which stands as a Michigan Football record for a game at Michigan Stadium.[9][10] Morrison earned his bachelor’s degree in sports management and communications in 1994 from Michigan.[11]
[edit] Professional career
He was not drafted in the 1995 NFL draft,[12] but signed with the Indianapolis Colts as a free agent after the draft.[13] He played with the Colts from 1995 to 1998. He accumulated 2 quarterback sacks, 2 interceptions, and 4 fumble recoveries.[14] Although the Colts best records during his tenure was 9-7 in both 1995 and 1996,[15] the team made the playoffs twice and Morrison had a chance to play in an American Football Conference Championship game.[11] During the 1995-96 NFL playoffs, the Colts won two playoff games on the road under Ted Marchibroda to reach the championship game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.[16] Despite the playoff success, they changed coaches as Lindy Infante took them back to the 1996-97 NFL playoffs with a 9-7 record, only to fall in the wildcard game to the Steelers again.[17] Morrison started 31 games over the course of his career,[11] including 29 regular season games.[18] In 1997 and 1998, the team had losing seasons although Morrison started more games as his career progressed. Morrison was signed by the Detroit Lions for the 1999 NFL season,[19] but he was waived before the season started.[20]
He served as the defensive coordinator for his high school alma mater, Brother Rice Warriors, in 2000 and 2001.[11] In 2000, they won the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 2 football championship.[21] From 2002 to 2004 he served in various capacities on the defensive coaching staff for the Michigan Wolverines.[11] In 2002, he served as the video assistant.[22] In 2003, he became a graduate assistant/outside linebackers coach.[23]
In 2005, he took the Western Michigan defensive line coaching position on new head coach Bill Cubit's staff.[11] That same year Scott Shafer, the current University of Michigan defensive coordinator, assumed the defensive coordinator position at Western Michigan,[24] and Morrison served under him.[25] Then, in 2006, Morrison assumed the linebacker coach position. The defense immediately produced results: #1 in the country in interceptions, #1 in sacks per game, and a Mid-American Conference record rushing yards per game defense. In addition to the team numbers he fostered Ameer Ismail, the nation’s leader in quarterback sacks and tackles for a loss.[11] In 2008, after defensive coordinator, Bill Miller left to be the Louisville Cardinals football linebacker coach,[26] On March 12, 2008, Western Michigan promoted Morrison to defensive coordinator, and he relinquished his recruiting coordinator role to tight ends coach Jake Moreland.[27] He continues to serve as the linebackers coach in 2008.[11] He converted the defensive scheme from a two-gap scheme to a one-gap scheme upon taking over as defensive coordinator.[28] His coaching style is considered a compromise between styles of the previous coordinators: the highly enthusiastic Shafer style and the laid back Miller style.[29]
[edit] Family
Morrison is married to the former Mary Campana. The couple had their third child on May 23, 2007. They now have three sons: Alexander, Marco and Roman.[11]
[edit] Notes
- ^ Hall of Fame Athletes (1976-Present). Archdiocese of Detroit. Retrieved on 2008-03-25.
- ^ Langlois, Keith (2006-09-17). Fracassa just keeps adding to storied coaching legacy. The Oakland Press. Retrieved on 2008-03-25.
- ^ Weinreb, Mike and Ann Tatko (1993-08-25). Big Ten Football Preview. Collegian Inc.. Retrieved on 2008-03-25.
- ^ Bentley Historical Library -- -- U of M Football Rosters. The Regents of the University of Michigan (2003-08-25). Retrieved on 2007-12-31.
- ^ 1991 Football Team. The Regents of the University of Michigan (2007-04-09). Retrieved on 2007-12-31.
- ^ 1992 Football Team. The Regents of the University of Michigan (2007-04-09). Retrieved on 2007-12-31.
- ^ a b 1994 Football Team. The Regents of the University of Michigan (2007-04-09). Retrieved on 2007-12-07.
- ^ a b Michigan Football Statistic Archive Query Page. Regents of the University of Michigan (2003). Retrieved on 2007-12-07.
- ^ Record Book (through 2006) (PDF). University of Michigan & Host Interactive (2007). Retrieved on 2008-03-25.
- ^ COACHING STAFF. University of Michigan & Host Interactive (2003). Retrieved on 2008-03-25.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Steve Morrison. Western Michigan University (2007). Retrieved on 2007-12-07.
- ^ 1995 NFL Player Draft. databaseFootball.com. databaseSports.com (2006). Retrieved on 2007-12-07.
- ^ TRANSACTIONS. The New York Times. The New York Times Company (1999-04-29). Retrieved on 2008-03-14.
- ^ Steve Morrison. databaseFootball.com. databaseSports.com (2006). Retrieved on 2007-12-07.
- ^ Indianapolis Colts. pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved on 2007-12-07.
- ^ 1995 Indianapolis Colts. databaseFootball.com. databaseSports.com (2006). Retrieved on 2007-12-07.
- ^ 1996 Indianapolis Colts. databaseFootball.com. databaseSports.com (2006). Retrieved on 2007-12-07.
- ^ All-Time Players. NFL Enterprises LLC. Retrieved on 2007-12-07.
- ^ N.F.L. : TRAINING CAMPS -- GREEN BAY; Freeman Becomes Richest Receiver. The New York Times. The New York Times Company (1999-08-17). Retrieved on 2008-03-14.
- ^ TRANSACTIONS. The New York Times. The New York Times Company (1999-09-06). Retrieved on 2008-03-14.
- ^ Football Champions 1975-2006. Michigan High School Athletic Association. Retrieved on 2007-12-07.
- ^ COACHING AND SUPPORT STAFF. Michigan Athletic Department (2002). Retrieved on 2008-03-25.
- ^ WEDNESDAY'S TRANSACTIONS (2003-02-06). Retrieved on 2008-03-25.
- ^ Scott Shafer: Defensive Coordinator. University of Michigan & Host Interactive (2007). Retrieved on 2008-03-25.
- ^ Carty, Jim (2008-01-11). Former Michigan linebacker Steve Morrison talks about working for Shafer. Ann Arbor News. mlive.com. Retrieved on 2008-03-28.
- ^ Couch, Graham (2008-02-25). Broncos lose defensive coordinator Miller. Kalamazoo Gazette. mlive.com.
- ^ Steve Morrison Named Defensive Coordinator; WMU Adds Three New Coaches to Staff. Western Michigan University (2008-03-12). Retrieved on 2008-03-14.
- ^ Rittenburg, Adam (2008-03-24). Around the non-BCS conferences and independents. ESPN.com. ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved on 2008-03-25.
- ^ Couch, Grahma (2008-03-18). Morrison 'one of our brothers'. Kalamazoo Gazette. Michigan Live LLC.. Retrieved on 2008-03-25.
