fredericksburg.com: After Record-Setting College Career, Alfred Morris Trying To Adapt To NFL

[Califan007 The Constipated]

http://blogs.fredericksburg.com/redskinsjournal/2012/07/31/after-record-setting-college-career-alfred-morris-trying-to-adapt-to-nfl/

The running back left with school records in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, carries and all-purpose yards, and he was the only running back in Howard Schnellenberger’s 27 years of coaching college football – which included a national championship at Miami in 1983 and a decorated stint at Louisville – to twice rush for more than 1,000 yards.

And though Morris expected the speed of the professional game to be faster than what he experienced in the Sun Belt, the weakest of the top-tier college football conferences, he was alarmed at how sluggish he felt when he reported for offseason workouts in May.

“At first, it was like everything moved so fast,” Morris said. “But now it’s starting to slow down, and the more I do it, the better I get at it.”

The 5-foot-10, 218-pound Morris is firmly entrenched as the No. 4 tailback on the Redskins’ training camp roster, caught in a logjam behind Tim Hightower , Roy Helu and Evan Royster. To make his presence known, especially amongst the defense, he’s made sure to lower his shoulder a time or two while finishing his runs.

“Yeah, I mean, it’s something I call ‘demanding my respect,’” Morris said. “I don’t really do it much in practice, but in game times, I’ll go out there and I’ll lower my shoulder on anybody. I don’t care if you’re D-lineman, linebacker, cornerback. I’m gonna lower my shoulder, and eventually you’re not gonna want to tackle me – or at least come as hard at me. It makes it easier to just run around. It will give you a step, and you know, you’re kind of just hesitant. It’s my style of running and it’s always just worked for me.”