Why Raheem Morris Must Go

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been the most disappointing team this season.  After barely missing the playoffs last year with the youngest team in the league, there was reason for optimism heading into the 2011 campaign.  They proceeded to fall flat on their face. 

The first thing to consider is whether or not the team has the talent to contend.  In fact, I believe the Bucs are one of the most talented teams in the NFC.  Josh Freeman is one of the most talented young quarterbacks in the league and has all the tools to be a franchise player.  The offensive line is above average with Donald Penn and Davin Joseph as the best of the bunch.  Mike Williams and Kellen Winslow are quality receiving targets and LeGarette Blount is a power runner who bulldozes opponents. 

The defense is actually better.  The defensive line is loaded at every position and is among the most talented in the league.  The secondary is solid, despite Ronde Barber getting older and middle linebacker Mason Foster is a budding star.  Sure they could use some help at OLB but nobody’s perfect. 

The problem is head coach Raheem Morris and it’s shocking how similar his time in Tampa has mirrored that of Josh McDaniels tenure in Denver.  At the time they were hired, both were the youngest head coach in NFL history.  They both got off to hot starts and looked to have their teams in great shape.  Then, everything collapsed and McDaniels was fired before the end of his second season.  Morris will be lucky to finish his as well.

Don’t get me wrong, Morris is a smart defensive mind and it appears that his players like him.  However, as a young head coach, you need some help.  When Mike Tomlin took over in Pittsburgh, he had the legendary Dick Lebeau running the defense.  When Jon Gruden took over in Tampa, he had Monte Kiffin.  Even Packers head coach Mike McCarthy brought in Dom Capers to give him some help on the defensive side.  McDaniels didn’t.  After Mike Nolan left, he promoted his linebacker coach to defensive coordinator.  Things went downhill from there.

Raheem Morris also hired internally by promoting Greg Olson to the position of offensive coordinator.  He had a good first season, but now the wheels have fallen off.  Both are likely to lose their jobs and the Bucs are miles from where they thought they’d be at this juncture.

In business, if you want to have success, it’s a good idea to surround yourself with high quality people.  Having a strong support network is extremely valuable when faced with unique problems.  Whether McDaniels and Morris thought they could do it on their own is irrelevant.  They couldn’t.  As a young coach, Morris should’ve brought in an established veteran to run the offence (defense in McDaniels case).  It would’ve ensured that he could focus completely on the defense and have confidence that the offence would be in good hands.  Instead, the recipe of having two inexperienced coaches has proven ineffective and is about to cost another promising young coach his job.

McDaniels will get another shot (rumours suggest it might be as soon as 2012) because he is an offensive genius.  His next team will believe he has matured and is now fit to take over again as the ‘lead dog’.  Morris will likely become a coordinator again and have to earn another head coaching gig.  Both of them will be fine, but the next young hot shot who thinks he can go it alone, won’t be.