Coach Morrison and the Orange open the season on September 1 against Northwestern
Photo by: Charles Wainwright
Meet Linebackers Coach Steve Morrison
4/12/2012 2:28:50 PM | Football
Steve Morrison joined the Orange football staff as the linebackers coach in January, coming to Syracuse with ties to defensive coordinator Scott Shafer and defensive line coach Tim Daoust. Morrison came to SU after directing the linebackers at Eastern Michigan in 2010 and 2011.
"It's been great," Morrison said. "Scott and I had the opportunity to work together for two years and Tim and I for four years together, so we have a real familiarity, which has been great."
Morrison believes his past experiences with Shafer's style of defense will help him to seamlessly transition himself into the defensive scheme as the Orange prepares for the 2012 season.
"I think I have an idea of the scheme," Morrison said. "Obviously that's changed over time since I've been with Scott but, philosophically, I know what he wants, which I think is more important. I know the type of football he wants to play, and I can add some insight in terms of having done it in the past."
As Syracuse nears the end of Spring Practice, Morrison says that he plans to continue to be mentally and physically demanding on his players both on and off the field.
"Whether we're in the classroom or on the football field, anything we can do to make it hard on them in practice to make it easier on them in a game, that's my number one thing," Morrison said. "On the flip side, I want them to be comfortable with me. It's not a dictatorship. I want our room to be one. We're a group; our success will be my success and vice versa. They know I have one common goal for them, and that's to make them the best they can be."
Morrison, who graduated from Michigan in 1994 and ranks 10th on the Wolverine career tackles list, has gotten to know his new student-athletes through the first four weeks of practice and hopes their relationship will continue to build as SU prepares for the 2012 season opener against Northwestern on September 1 in the Carrier Dome.
"They're a fun group to coach," Morrison said. "I've really enjoyed getting to know these kids. The biggest thing that I can say is that they're trying to do what I'm coaching them to do. We have a lot of work to do. When I came in, I wanted them to know that they had a fresh start with me. Whatever happened in the past stays in the past."
"It's been great," Morrison said. "Scott and I had the opportunity to work together for two years and Tim and I for four years together, so we have a real familiarity, which has been great."
Morrison believes his past experiences with Shafer's style of defense will help him to seamlessly transition himself into the defensive scheme as the Orange prepares for the 2012 season.
"I think I have an idea of the scheme," Morrison said. "Obviously that's changed over time since I've been with Scott but, philosophically, I know what he wants, which I think is more important. I know the type of football he wants to play, and I can add some insight in terms of having done it in the past."
As Syracuse nears the end of Spring Practice, Morrison says that he plans to continue to be mentally and physically demanding on his players both on and off the field.
"Whether we're in the classroom or on the football field, anything we can do to make it hard on them in practice to make it easier on them in a game, that's my number one thing," Morrison said. "On the flip side, I want them to be comfortable with me. It's not a dictatorship. I want our room to be one. We're a group; our success will be my success and vice versa. They know I have one common goal for them, and that's to make them the best they can be."
Morrison, who graduated from Michigan in 1994 and ranks 10th on the Wolverine career tackles list, has gotten to know his new student-athletes through the first four weeks of practice and hopes their relationship will continue to build as SU prepares for the 2012 season opener against Northwestern on September 1 in the Carrier Dome.
"They're a fun group to coach," Morrison said. "I've really enjoyed getting to know these kids. The biggest thing that I can say is that they're trying to do what I'm coaching them to do. We have a lot of work to do. When I came in, I wanted them to know that they had a fresh start with me. Whatever happened in the past stays in the past."
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