Tampa Bay Buccaneers Training Camp 2010: Raheem Morris Speaks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Raheem Morris spoke with 620 WDAE Wednesday afternoon and he was more than excited about the Bucs morning practice effort. Here are some tidbits from the head Buc:

On the morning practice Wednesday:

RM: "It was a really exciting practice. I'm whacked. Sat down at lunch with the coaches and we were all spent. There was a lot of short yardage. It was competitive, fun. It was a game-like atmosphere, the fans got into it."

On practice tempo:

RM: "Once they (the players) take over practice, you see them progress. You see how tough and physical it was. I'm giving them some sugar and we won't have them in pads for the afternoon."

On the rookies:

RM: "I tell them 'I want you to find your place. Find your tempo and feel how much a privilege it is to be in this league. All these guys, we talk about the shield (NFL logo), about playing in the NFL."

On veterans helping rookies:

RM: "I see Ronde (Barber) coaching Mr. Lewis (Myron)."

On balancing the head coach/defensive coordinator duties:

RM: "I'm getting some challenges right now. I rely on my staff to evaluate tape and correct what we need to correct. I have media obligations, it's good to give access. At the end of the day, we are entertainers."

On the offensive line:

RM:  "These guys are showing up. Today it was big on big people on the goal line and short yardage. They were moving bodies on the goal line. It was fun to watch."

On the Jeff Faine-Barrett Ruud contract comments:

RM: "Ruud's a professional, Faines's a professional. Barrett Ruud is having a great camp."

On rookie punter Brent Bowden:

RM: "If you'd seen him perform today, you'd be excited. He's a dynamic kind of guy."

On the place kickers:

RM: "Connor Barth, he's being pushed by a man named Mr. Lawrence."

On the team's kickoff and punt return men:

RM: "Clifton Smith, Sammie Stroughter, Spurlock, Benn, Preston Parker. You have legit return men."

On defensive end Kyle Moore:

RM: "He's 260-ish. We put him on the left side. He's stout and physical. He's such a technically sound rusher."

On No. 1 draft pick Gerald McCoy:

RM: "When he makes a play, it's an intensity I didn't know he had. He has a nasty demeanor. I went back and changed his draft grade for that! He got me excited. It was fun."

Yes, Morris is excited, enthusiastic, just the way you'd expect him to be. There have been nothing but positives coming out of the Buccaneer camp. No injuries, just the minor controversy of Barrett Ruud's unhappiness with his contract and Jeff Faine's observation that if he wasn't happy, he shouldn't have signed his RFA tender. He's under contract and that's that.

To which Morris politely pointed out: "In our organization, administrators administer, coaches coach and players play."

Countdown to the first exhibition against the Miami Dolphins: 10 days.