Morris re-emerges as key player on Colts defense

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) _ Seven years ago, two linebackers from the low-profile Mountain West Conference were vying for position in the NFL draft. <br/><br/>Brian Urlacher was the can't-miss prospect from

Friday, January 26th 2007, 6:42 am

By: News On 6

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) _ Seven years ago, two linebackers from the low-profile Mountain West Conference were vying for position in the NFL draft.

Brian Urlacher was the can't-miss prospect from New Mexico while Brigham Young's Rob Morris endured endless questions about seemingly trivial things like short arms.

Since being selected 19 spots apart in the 2000 draft, their careers have gone in different directions.

Urlacher spent seven years in Chicago building a reputation as one of the NFL's most feared defenders. Morris, however, got hurt, lost his starting job and eventually resuscitated his career and the Colts' Super Bowl hopes late this season by learning a new position.

``I had never played outside at any point in my career,'' Morris said. ``So I had to learn on the run. My philosophy was simply to get the guy with the ball.''

Not a bad idea in a system that relies on its linebackers to produce the most tackles.

For Morris, redemption couldn't be sweeter.

Next week the former college rivals _ the only two first-round picks at inside linebacker in 2000 _ meet again in the biggest game of their lives, the Super Bowl.

``I'm pretty sure I would have appreciated it had I not been starting,'' Morris said. ``But it's good to be in the starting lineup. To be a starting linebacker in the Super Bowl is something I never really thought about.''

Most never thought it was a possibility, either, after everything Morris endured.

He still blames a lengthy contract holdout for his slow start in 2000, and his rookie season ended after seven games because of a ruptured right quadriceps in his right leg.

By 2001, Morris was healthy and ready to go.

He responded by making more than 100 tackles in each of the next three seasons, yet the labels continued to stick _ slow, soft, underachiever and bust were among the favorite descriptions for Morris.

Then, after starting 14 games and making 94 tackles in 2004, the Colts replaced Morris with Gary Brackett. Suddenly, the 6-foot-2, 243-pound veteran was a free agent.

With few offers, Morris decided to re-sign with Indianapolis as a backup. Last year, he went through it all over again before re-signing with the Colts a second straight year.

Indy found out this season that it got a bargain.

``He gives us a bigger body and more know-how in there,'' defensive end Robert Mathis said. ``He knows how to go about his job.''

As the Indianapolis run defense continued to struggle during the regular season, Morris kept himself ready to play. The Week 12 disaster against Jacksonville, in which Indy allowed 375 yards rushing, finally forced the change.

Coach Tony Dungy put strong side linebacker Gilbert Gardner on the bench, and Morris back on the field in a new role.

``It was a lot different for me,'' Morris said. ``But the communication was real easy because Gary and I both played that position, so we were seeing the same things.''

There were growing pains. At times, Brackett and Morris ran to the same gap, leaving the Colts susceptible to cutback runs.

But with a bigger linebacker and the energetic presence of Bob Sanders returning for the playoffs, the Colts changed course.

They limited Kansas City's Larry Johnson to 32 yards rushing in the first round of the playoffs. Then they held Baltimore's Jamal Lewis to 53 yards, and last week, New England produced only 93 yards rushing as a team.

While many wondered what changed, Morris proved he was part of the solution, and with one more win over his old rival, the straight-talking veteran will have a Super Bowl ring.

``Obviously, the coaches felt like I could contribute something,'' Morris said. ``They put me in there and I have to play well, and this game is no exception.''