The Eagles on Tuesday brought back quarterback Stephen Morris, signing him to the practice squad along with wide receiver Jonathan Krause.

Morris and Krause replace wide receiver Quron Pratt and running back Kevin Monangai, who have been released.

The Eagles claimed Morris off waivers from the Jaguars two weeks ago after trading Matt Barkley and cutting Tim Tebow. They cut him Monday when they signed quarterback Thaddeus Lewis.


(csnphilly.com)

The Philadelphia Eagles signed quarterback Thad Lewis and waived quarterback Stephen Morris, the team announced Monday.

Lewis, 27, will now serve as the team's third-string signal-caller behind Sam Bradford and Mark Sanchez.

Prior to joining the Eagles this season, Lewis had most recently played for the Cleveland Browns before being cut on Sept. 5.

In seven career NFL games, Lewis has 1,296 yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions.

Lewis signed with the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2010 out of Duke, where he recorded 10,065 passing yards and 67 touchdowns in four seasons as a Blue Devil. 

Morris, 23, had signed with the Eagles on Sept. 6, the day after the team released Tim Tebow. Morris was inactive for both games this season.

Seeking their first win of the season, the 0–2 Eagles will play the Jets on Sunday in New Jersey.


(si.com)

Background: Wears No. 4 ... 6-foot-2, 218 pounds. ... 25 years old. ... First season with Eagles after getting claimed off waivers from Jacksonville. ... Released by Jaguars last week after spending the entire preseason with them. ... Spent last season on Jaguars practice squad. ... Grew up in Miami Gardens, Florida and played for Monsignor Edward Pace High School. ... College teammate of Eagles' practice squad guard Malcolm Bunche at University of Miami.

You have a lot of tattoos. When did you get your first one?
"I was a freshman in college (at the University of Miami). But I graduated high school early, so I was only 18.

"Then I just started adding more to the first one. This one on my stomach is an image from the 'Day of the Dead.' It's a Mexican holiday."

The HBO series "Ballers" is based in Miami. Being from Miami Gardens, have you seen it?
"Actually, no. Someone told me after the first episode that it wasn't too realistic, so I didn't bother.

"I know they filmed the football scenes at 'The U' (University of Miami), though. I usually watch 'Hard Knocks' on HBO or 'Power' on Starz."

When you are in Miami, how often to you go to South Beach?
"That's mostly a tourist spot for people who have a lot of money. Locals don't go there. I usually go to Haulover Beach. There are some cool places in South Beach like Mansion, Club Dreams and of course the Fontainebleu.

"I've heard Prime 112 is a good restaurant, but it's too expensive for me."


(pressofatanticity.com)

With Blake Bortles’ status for Thursday’s prime-time game against the Tennessee Titans uncertain, the Jaguars on Wednesday signed quarterback Stephen Morris from their practice squad.

Morris, a rookie free agent from the University of Miami, has spent the entire season on the practice squad. The Jaguars signed him shortly after the 2014 NFL Draft and he has practiced with the Jaguars all season.

He played under Jaguars offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch during the 2011 and 2012 seasons at Miami.

Bortles, the No. 3 overall selection in the 2014 NFL Draft and a starter since Week 4, sustained a mid-foot sprain Sunday against the Ravens. Head Coach Gus Bradley Wednesday said he liked how Bortles has progressed this week and that the Jaguars are leaning toward playing Bortles.

Bortles’ game status is expected to be decided a couple of hours before kickoff Thursday. He was listed as questionable on the team’s final injury report of the week Wednesday.

If he can’t play, backup Chad Henne will start.


(jaguars.com)

It was one of the busiest NFL proCane roster cut weekends of all-time. See below all the action.

WR LaRon Byrd was cut by the Dallas Cowboys who signed him this offseason, but was quickly picked up by the Cleveland Browns and placed on their active roster.

DB Brandon Harris was cut by the Texans, who drafted him out of Miami 3 years ago, but was also quickly picked up and added to the Titans active roster.

Practice Squad Signings: Stephen Morris: Jags, Tommy Streeter: Dolphins, Chase Ford: Vikings, Erik Swoope: Colts, Brandon Washington: Rams, Harland Gunn: Falcons, Micanor Regis: Panthers, Asante Cleveland: 49ers.

Cuts: Maurice Hagens: Falcons, Eric Winston: Seahawks, Richard Gordon: Chiefs, Tyler Horn: Titans, Jared Wheeler: Bills.

David Gilbert and Luther Robinson – signed NFL contracts Monday.

Gilbert signed a contract with the Tennessee Titans where he will play outside linebacker, which is moving to a “hybrid” 3-4 defense. Gilbert had tried out for the Titans last week, as did AJ Highsmith who was not signed.

Luther Robinson signed a rookie deal with the Green Bay Packers, where he is listed as a defensive end.

Here is the full list of NFL proCane Rookies and where they have signed.

RG Brandon Linder: drafted 3rd round, 93rd overall by Jacksonville
P Pat O’Donnell: drafted 6th round, 191st overall by Chicago
OT Seantrel Henderson: drafted 7th round, 237th overall by Buffalo
QB Stephen Morris: signed with Jacksonville
WR Allen Hurns: signed with Jacksonville
Basketball player Erik Swoope: signed with Indianapolis to play TE
TE Asante Cleveland: signed with San Francisco
OG/C Jared Wheeler: signed with Carolina
FB Maurice Hagens: signed with Atlanta
DT Justin Renfrow: signed with Arizona
LB Jimmy Gaines: signed with Buffalo
S A.J. Highsmith: had Tennessee tryout, but was not signed, will workout with San Francisco
S Kacy Rodgers II: will try out with Kansas City this weekend
LB Tyrone Cornelius: will try out with Washington this weekend
DT Curtis Porter: signed with Oakland
DE Shayon Green: signed with Miami

When quarterback Stephen Morris threw 21 touchdown passes and just seven interceptions in his junior  year at the University of Miami, his stock was rising.
A good senior season could have vaulted him in the draft.

Instead, he had an inconsistent senior year as he threw 21 touchdown passes again, but his interceptions increased to 12 even though Miami went 9-4.
And he didn’t shine at either the Senior Bowl or the combine.

His draft stock dropped and he was rated a seventh rounder or an undrafted free agent going it the draft.

It was no surprise that he wasn’t drafted. And the Jaguars were one of only three teams that even offered him a contract after the draft. Miami and the Jets were the other two.

He picked the Jaguars mainly because Jedd Fisch had been his offensive coordinator before he left after Morris’ junior year a year ago to join the Jaguars staff.

“I had a great relationship with coach Fisch and I understand this offense extremely well,’’ Morris said.

The question now is whether Morris is simply inconsistent or whether a strained Achilles he suffered early in his senior season didn’t allow him to get into a groove.

Fisch said, “I wasn’t there but the only thing I heard is he hurt his ankle and I don’t think he was ever totally comfortable planting (his right foot).’’

Morris said of the injury, “You’ve got to fight through it. It affected how you take drops and how you move around in the pocket.’’

Morris does have a lot of physical tools and now that he’s healthy, the Jaguars are hoping he can develop.

“I think we’re all fortunate and happy he’s with us right now,’’ Fisch said.

Chad Henne and Blake Bortles are locked into the top two quarterback spots with Morris competing with Ricky Stanzi, who has been in the league three years without taking a snap, for the No. 3 spot if the Jaguars keep three. Morris could spend a year developing on the practice squad.

He does have the physical skills. He was clocked as the second fastest quarterback in the 40 at the combine at 4.63 and got a $10,000 prize for being the fastest quarterback to run in Adidas cleats.

And there’s no question about his arm strength. Draftscout.com said he had a “golden arm.’’ But he has to overcome the inconsistency label. The report said he was a “very perplexing and polarizing player’’ and that the scouts called him “Tin Cup’’ at the Senior Bowl practices because he would make amazing throws and then miss routine ones.

He showed off his arm strength at the rookie minicamp when he threw a bomb to Allen Robinson. He had so much on the ball that he almost overthrew him and Robinson made a diving catch.

“That was all Robinson,’’ he said. “I just threw it up for him and he did a great job running it down.’’

Since Morris knows the offense from his days with Miami at Fisch, he has embraced the role of helping Bortles learn the nuances.

“Blake is a great quarterback. All I’m doing is helping Blake and trying to be the best I can be,’’ he said.

And Morris said he feels more confident playing in an offense he knows.

“That’s the whole thing,’’ he said. “My confidence level has definitely increased coming here.’’

Now it’s up to Morris to impress the coaches in the OTAs (organized team activities) and during training camp.

“What we need to work on with him is his completion percentage and his efficiency,’’ Fisch said.

But Morris is not looking ahead.

“I’m just trying to keep my head down and get better every day,’’ he said.


(jacksonville.com)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Jaguars general manager David Caldwell has said the team is planning to not have suspended receiver Justin Blackmon for 2014 and there was finally some concrete evidence of that on Tuesday.

The third-year receiver no longer has a locker in the Jaguars' locker room. Quarterback Stephen Morris, whom the team signed on Monday as an undrafted free agent, is occupying the locker that Blackmon used during his first two seasons.


(espn.com)

Stephen Morris gave himself four days.

Four days to rest, four days to relax, four days to shift gears. His final season as Miami's quarterback was over, his final college game had been a disappointment and his career at Miami was over.

With that came a need for reflection and recovery.

Four days later, it was time to get to work.

Now the next chapter is here. The NFL Draft begins Thursday and while Morris doesn't know when his name will be called, he knows a new challenge is ahead.

"This is your dream," Morris said. "This is what you've been working for your whole life. It's the opportunity to play in the NFL. That just keeps me motivated."

Motivation has never been an issue for Morris. Especially now.

CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE THIS STORY BY CHRISTY CABRERA-CHIRINOS ON SUN-SENTINEL.COM


(sun-sentinel.com)

Besides visiting Denver, Cleveland, the Dolphins and Carolina, UM’s Stephen Morris did private workouts for Indianapolis, Tampa Bay and Chicago.






(miamiherald.com)

This UM draft class elicits as much frustration as optimism. One longtime NFC scout was bemoaning how disappointed he was that the impressive physical tools of Stephen Morris and Henderson didn’t translate into more consistent play.

The scout said there’s no question about Morris’ arm --– and there are no character questions --– but he’s not sure he can even be a No. 2 quarterback in the league.

“He’ll throw late to receivers, or on a crossing pattern, the ball will sail on him,” the scout said, aware that Morris understandably attributed some of last season’s mechanical issues to an Achilles’ injury. “I’m not sure he judges the speed of the receivers coming across the middle. He’s 50/50 on his throws; his misses are more high than low. The accuracy and vision are concerns.”

Nolan Nawrocki --- in his outstanding NFL Draft preview book (Triumph Books) --- said Morris is a fifth- or sixth-rounder who “struggles to handle pressure and presses to create plays. Eyes drop to the rush very quickly and vacates the pocket prematurely. Makes too many head-scratching decisions and makes his receivers consistently work for the ball. Has moldable talent for a backup role and enough raw tools to pique the interest of a patient quarterbacks coach.”


(miamiherald.com)

Eastern Illinois QB Jimmy Garoppolo, Pittsburgh QB Tom Savage, University of Miami QB Stephen Morris and North Dakota State QB Brock Jensen have worked out or have arranged visits with the Cleveland Browns, according to reports.




(kffl.com)

When you hear people discussing the quarterback class of 2014, former Miami Hurricanes signal-caller Stephen Morris is not a name that gets a lot of love. However, all it takes to be drafted is to have one team intrigued by your talents, and it appears that Morris has been able to do that throughout the draft process.

According to the Miami Herald, Morris has ”impressed” several people within the Dolphins organization.

In the recent years, Miami hasn’t been shy of taking former Hurricanes — including running back Lamar Miller and pass rusher Olivier Vernon — so it is very possible that they would be willing to take a chance on bringing Morris onto the roster.

Throughout his collegiate career, Morris showed some impressive physical talents, but he was also wildly inconsistent and that has hurt his draft stock in the eyes of NFL talent evaluators.

Whether or not the Dolphins draft Morris in three weeks time remains to be seen, but if they are impressed then they could view him as a developmental back up for Ryan Tannehill and end up pulling the trigger.


(fansided.com)

Even if the Broncos can’t draft every prospect they like, it can’t hurt to check out as many as possible while they’re unattached.

The Broncos have Ole Miss receiver Donte Moncrief and Miami quarterback Stephen Morris on their workout schedule.

Morris probably wouldn’t become a candidate for the Broncos’ roster unless he fell to the seventh round or undrafted pool. The Broncos already have two young backup quarterbacks in Brock Osweiler, a second-round draft pick in 2012, and Zac Dysert, a seventh-round selection in last year’s draft.

The 6-foot-2, 213-pound Morris is an intriguing prospect because he has superior arm strength and ran the 40 in 4.63 seconds.


(denverpost.com)

Eighteen UM seniors auditioned, plus former Canes players Aldarius Johnson, Davon Johnson, Vaughn Telemaque and Dyron Dye (who was tossed off the UM team last season because of his connection to the NCAA investigation, landed at Bethune Cookman and then received permission to work out Thursday).
Ray-Ray Armstrong, now with the St. Louis Rams, attended Thursday to offer emotional support for Dye, his former teammate at UM and Sanford Seminole High.

Richard Gordon, Kenny Phillips, Antrel Rolle and Micanor Regis were among other former Canes observing.  




(hurricanesports.com)

Quarterback Stephen Morris was impressive today, according to officials from two NFL teams in attendance. Though the plays were not being defended, Morris and Eduardo Clements said Morris completed nearly all of his 67 throws. The only ones that weren't caught were dropped. "I got a lot of positive feedback [from NFL teams]," Morris said.

Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch, who previously held that position at UM, said Morris "looked really good today."

Morris will visit the Denver Broncos (who have Brock Osweiler as Peyton Manning's backup), Cleveland (which could draft two quarterbacks) and Carolina (where former Canes great Ken Dorsey is the quarterback coach).

Morris said his mechanics are much better because he has recovered from his troublesome Achilles' injury.

"When I was dealing with my Achilles', I wasn't even throwing off my right foot" last year, Morris said.

He has been working in Los Angeles with Tom House, the former MLB pitching coach who has become a guru on quarterback menchanics. During his work with House, he bonded with NFL quarterbacks Andy Dalton, Terrelle Pryor and Matt Barkley. 


(miamiherald.com)

The Dolphins will audition several UM players --- including offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson, quarterback Stephen Morris, receiver Allen Hurns, d-tackle Curtis Porter and guard Brandon Linder --- next week. FIU defensive tackle Isame Faciane is among other local players invited to that Dolphins workout.

Ten of the players also have been invited to dinner with Dolphins position coaches the night before, including Henderson and UM tight end Asante Cleveland. Henderson, by the way, also has been invited to visit the Steelers and Vikings.


(miamiherald.com)

Quarterback remains the most important position in pro football, but plenty of quarterbacks get overlooked as the draft process approaches.  Miami’s Stephen Morris hopes to change that.

Morris, who notched the second fastest 40-yard dash among quarterbacks at the Scouting Combine with a 4.63, will work out for scouts Thursday at Miami’s Pro Day workout.

He needs a strong workout to reverse the perception that Morris regressed significantly from 2012 to 2013.  The dip, which saw Morris plummet from No. 17 on Gil Brandt’s top 100 college players entering the season, was punctuated by a Russell Athletic Bowl performance in which Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater emerged with a 36-9 win.  Morris and the Miami offense generated a mere 160 yards in the game.

To prep for his Pro Day workout, Morris has been working with Tom House and Adam Dedeaux, who has worked with the likes of Tom Brady, Drew Brees, and Terrelle Pryor.  Said House of Morris:  “Stephen’s measurables are as good as anyone we’ve worked with.  Whoever drafts him is going to get a steal.”

Morris also will get an assist from former Miami offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch.  The Jaguars offensive coordinator will run Thursday’s workout.

Ultimately, Morris will need to prove his value on Thursday.  And then he’ll need to show that he can make an NFL roster, once he gets a chance to compete at the next level.


(profootballtalk.com)

Virginia Tech QB Logan Thomas registered the fastest throwing speed at the NFL Combine, clocking in at 60 mph.

Maimi's Stephen Morris was next at 59 mph. Rather than praising the strongest arm, the test can be used more as a threshold, as few quarterbacks who post below 54 mph sustain success. That could all change with Mike Glennon, who registered 49 mph last year. David Fales and AJ McCarron clocked in at 53 mph.


(rotoworld.com)

INDIANAPOLIS — The University of Miami’s Stephen Morris isn’t considered a top-tier quarterback prospect for May’s NFL draft, but he’s raking in some cash in the meantime.

Morris came away from the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis with $10,000 after clocking the fastest time in the 40-yard dash among quarterbacks wearing Adidas cleats.

Adidas pledged $100,000 to the top overall participant in the 40 and also $10,000 to the top player in each position group. The only caveat: You had to wear Adidas.

Morris actually finished second among quarterbacks in the 40 at 4.63 seconds. Virginia Tech’s Logan Thomas ran a 4.61, but he wasn’t wearing Adidas. Oregon State receiver Brandin Cooks took home the $100,000 prize with a 4.33.

Even second place was a strong showing for Morris, who is no lock to be selected in the May 8-10 draft and struggled in last month’s Senior Bowl.

“I’ll just show my athleticism for one, show my knowledge for the game, show how experienced I am and show that I know a lot of football that can translate to the field,” Morris said when asked how he could impress NFL scouts at the combine despite concerns over his height and accuracy.

While it’s uncertain whether Morris, who was measured at 6 feet 2 at the combine, will even land on an NFL roster next season, UCF quarterback Blake Bortles lived up his pre-combine hype.

Bortles, whom analysts say has developed into a top 10 overall pick and could go as high as No. 1 to Houston, is part of the “Big Three” quarterbacks group with Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel and Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater. Bortles was the only one of the three to throw in front of the scouts at the combine.

Teams were already impressed by his size (6-5, 232 pounds), but he showed his athleticism by finishing third among quarterbacks in the broad jump and fourth in the vertical jump.

In the throwing drills, Bortles showed “above-average” arm strength and “flashed superb anticipation on intermediate routes,” according to NFL Media’s Bucky Brooks.

Most top quarterbacks believe throwing at the combine has more potential to hurt their draft status that help it. But it might have paid off for Bortles.

“I believe that I can compete with any guy here, and that’s why I’m doing everything I’m doing,” Bortles said.

Bortles and Morris were the only two state quarterbacks at the combine, but there were plenty of other state players.

None might have helped his draft stock more than FSU safety Terrence Brooks, who could have a chance to climb as high as the second round.

Brooks has average size (5-11, 198 pounds), but he clocked the fastest time among safeties in the 40-yard dash at 4.42 seconds. He was also tied for first in the vertical jump (38 inches).


(ajc.com)

Miami QB Stephen Morris clocked unofficial forty times of 4.57 and 4.62 at the NFL Scouting Combine. His 4.57 speed was the second fastest amongst QBs.
Morris' stock took a nosedive during a highly inconsistent senior season, but he's got a big arm and very big hands (10 1/8") with plus athleticism. He'll certainly be worth a mid- to late-round draft flier based on talent.


(rotoworld.com)

An NFC scout who watched UM’s Stephen Morris closely at Senior Bowl practices last week told us: “His accuracy was erratic, like he was during the season. He will throw late to a receiver on an out route, or his ball will sail on him – more high than low. I’m not sure he judges the speed of receivers coming across the middle. I’m disappointed he didn’t improve from his junior to senior year. He probably will be picked between the fourth and seventh rounds.”


(miamiherald.com)

Scouts referred to Miami QB Stephen Morris as "Tin Cup" at the Senior Bowl due to his ease at making difficult throws and his struggles with executing routine passes.
"Morris boasts a strong arm and throws the deep ball with touch, but like the other two quarterbacks on the North squad (Boyd and Virginia Tech's Logan Thomas), he struggled with accuracy throughout the week," wrote CBS Sports' Rob Rang. Rotoworld's Josh Norris labeled Morris "undraftable" after Senior Bowl week. An up-and-down 2013 season did Morris' pro aspirations no favors, and he has further complicated his situation by struggling at the Senior Bowl exhibition and measuring in at a disappointing 6'1 and 3/4ths of an inch and 208 pounds.


(rotoworld.com)

Miami QB Stephen Morris was 10 of 18 for a game-high 89 yards but was also intercepted twice in Saturday's Senior Bowl.
Rotoworld's Josh Norris called Morris "undraftable" in his post-game column, writing that the former Hurricanes QB was "solely a vertical passer." NFL.com's Bucky Brooks, another former admirer, was likewise underwhelmed by Morris' performance. "I was disappointed with his lack of accuracy and ball placement. He repeatedly missed open receivers at intermediate range, and tossed a pair of interceptions in the fourth quarter," Brooks wrote. We must note that on one of the interceptions the receiver had fallen down.


(rotoworld.com)

Miami QB Stephen Morris looked "nothing like an elite quarterback prospect at the Senior Bowl," according to NFL.com's Bucky Brooks.
Brooks is backing off the prospect after "confidently" boasting about Morris' "talent and potential after seeing him at the Manning Passing Academy this summer." An up-and-down 2013 season did no favors to Morris' draft stock, and he's since struggled at the Senior Bowl exhibition and measured in at a disappointing 6'1 and 3/4ths of an inch and 208 pounds. "Morris struggled with his accuracy and ball placement throughout the day. He also failed to string together completions in 7-on-7 and team drills outside of an occasional check down. I didn't expect Morris to complete every ball with a handful of new receivers, but he was so off with his accuracy that it is an obvious concern for scouts looking for a legitimate prospect at the position," Brooks wrote.


(rotoworld.com)

MOBILE, Ala. – Miami quarterback Stephen Morris played two years (2011-12) for current Jaguars offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch, but the two are on opposite sides this week at the Senior Bowl.

Morris is on the North team and Fisch – along with the Jaguars staff – is coaching the South side.

But Morris doesn’t hide his desire for a reunion.

“Having the opportunity to play for the Jaguars, that would be amazing,” he said after today’s practice.

Morris projects as a mid-to-late round draft pick. He started one game as a sophomore and then all 12 games as a junior when Fisch was on Al Golden’s staff.

Junior year with Fisch: Morris threw for 3,345 yards, 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Senior year without Fisch: Morris threw for 3,028 yards, 21 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

“I love Coach Fisch and the offense he’s in,” Morris said. “He helped me grow as a quarterback. It’s a wonderful offense.”

Morris said he hopes to benefit this week by working with Atlanta offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter.

“Coach Fisch knows what I can do and I know his offense pretty well and it’s a great opportunity this week to be with the Falcons and Coach Dirk,” he said.


(jacksonville.com)

All three North team quarterbacks in the Reese's Senior Bowl are from the ACC, and NFL Media analyst Mike Mayock said Monday that each has something to prove this week.

The three are Clemson's Tajh Boyd, Miami's Stephen Morris and Virginia Tech's Logan Thomas. Boyd and Thomas were three-year starters, while Morris was a two-season starter.

Mayock said all three have "legitimate" NFL arms, but he said he has concerns about each.

On Boyd: Mayock likes how Boyd can make plays with his arm and with his feet and noted that he was 32-8 as the Tigers' starter. The knock, though, is that Boyd is "highly inconsistent from an accuracy standpoint."

On Morris: Mayock raved about Morris' arm strength. "Stephen Morris might have the best arm in this entire draft," he said. But overall, Mayock said, Morris had a "wildly inconsistent year." Mayock noted that Morris played with ankle and foot injuries this season and said the inconsistency could have been attributable to the injuries.

On Thomas: In terms of size, Mayock said the 6-foot-5, 250-pound Thomas reminded him of Cam Newton and Ben Roethlisberger. He also called Thomas "the biggest enigma in the draft." Mayock said if you only watched tape of Thomas' performance against Michigan in the Sugar Bowl at the end of his sophomore season, "he's the first pick in that entire draft. However, since then it's been mostly bad tape. He lacks the anticipation, pocket awareness. He had a really good game against Miami this year and then a bunch of bad games." Fellow NFL Media draft analyst Charles Davis noted that some college teams recruited Thomas as a tight end out of high school and that "tight end talk is back in play for him."


(nfl.com)

MOBILE, Ala. – Long gone are the days when the University of Miami was nicknamed “Quarterback U,” but Stephen Morris is hoping to bring them back.

Back when the likes of Bernie Kosar, Jim Kelly, Vinny Testaverde, Gino Toretta, Steve Walsh and Ken Dorsey were slinging the ball around, the Hurricanes were on the radar of every NFL team in need of a quarterback. The program has gone through some serious ups and downs since then, but this week in Mobile is Morris’ chance to turn some heads as a member of the North team.

“As soon as I was coming out here I saw Steve Walsh and me and him were talking on the phone before and he’s always been a big supporter of me and always helped me and encouraged me,” said Morris, who starred at Miami-Monsignor Pace in high school. “Just coming from Miami and especially playing quarterback you’ve got to hold yourself to a high standard and do well there. My biggest focus this week is to just do all of the right things, get the ball to where it’s supposed to be, make the right reads and make the right throws, show a lot of accuracy, show mobility in the as well as getting out of the pocket and making plays with my feet.”

The Miami native is coming off of back-to-back seasons where he threw 21 touchdown passes and for more than 3,000 yards. He completed 198-of-344 passes for 3,028 yards, 21 touchdowns and 12 interceptions for a 144.7 passer rating. In 2012, he went 245-of-421 for 3,345 yards, 21 touchdowns and just seven interceptions for a 138.1 passer rating, with his best game coming in a 44-37 win over North Carolina State. He completed 26-of-49 passes for 566 yards, five touchdowns and one interception.

Two of Morris’ offensive linemen – guard Brandon Linder and tackle Seantrel Henderson – will be protecting him during drills and of course in Saturday’s game at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. They know better than just about anyone else what he is made of and are looking forward to helping him show everyone else.

“He’s going to show that he’s an NFL quarterback and he’s got a great arm, he’s got great decision making and I really like the way he plays so he’s got a lot to show,” Linder said. “He’s very confident in the huddle, comes up to the line, calls the plays and looks everyone in the eyes.”

Morris sat behind Jacory Harris his first two seasons in Coral Gables and got some valuable playing time as a freshman in 2010, completing 82-of-153 passes for 1,240 yards, seven touchdowns and nine interceptions. His sophomore year was less eventful, going 26-of-37 for 283 yards and two interceptions in limited action.

Linder and Morris were roommates in college and did a lot of studying together, so that’s another comfort the quarterback has this week that not every quarterback has. Atlanta Falcons head coach Mike Smith and is coaching the North team with his entire staff and in just one day he already has noticed Morris.

“Stephen has impressed me in the 24 hours that we’ve been here,” he said. “I had an opportunity to sit down and talk with him and he’s a very impressive young man.”

All Morris needs to do is look back at the Senior Bowl’s recent history to see how quarterbacks not previously ranked high on draft boards parlayed their week of practice and the game into a better return on draft day.

Former Miami Dolphins quarterback Pat White, a Mobile native, was the MVP of the 2009 game, outperforming USC’s Mark Sanchez and earning praise from scouts. FSU’s E.J. Manuel was the MVP of last year’s game and went in the first round to the Buffalo Bills in last year’s NFL Draft so Morris has a clear and defined goal that he wants to accomplish while in Mobile.

“I want them to know that I’m a true quarterback,” Morris said. “I’m one of those guys that’s in there all day, all night with the coaches game planning, studying film and always being there for my teammates. On the field, you want to show them that you can get everything done. You can throw the ball with velocity, put touch on it across the field and between the hashes and throw on the run. I’m just trying to show them that I’m a complete quarterback on and off the field, especially with leadership.”


(miamidolphins.com)

Miami QB Stephen Morris measured in at 6'1 and 3/4ths of an inch and 208 pounds for Senior Bowl week.

Morris lacks consistency, and we doubt he will show anything differently this week. He is only a vertical passer at this point, but Morris' 20 best throws can match almost anyone else's in this class. Morris also measured in with 10 and 1/8 inch hands.


(rotoworld.com)

Quarterback is one of the hardest things for any individual to predict. Me and the rest of the coaching staff at the Panthers organization spent months looking at Cam Newton, and we were still unsure of exactly what we had, but we took a risk and now Newton is the face of Carolina and on his way to a great NFL career.

My point is that no quarterback is easy to scout and no one truly knows how the individual player will react to the speed of the NFL. You, of course, have to look at things like arm strength, accuracy, pocket awareness, ability to read plays, footwork, leadership, ability to stretch the pocket, and throw on the run.
Every year analysts and fans try to find the next Tom Brady or Tony Romo in a draft. More years than not there is not a late round quarterback that comes out and becomes the face of a franchise. It is a very rare event, and even if there is a late round quarterback they are very hard to predict.

Well I would like to make a bold statement- Miami quarterback Stephen Morris could become the face of a franchise. I will start off with why Stephen Morris is being ranked so low on draft boards currently. Morris' numbers from his junior year to his senior year went down slightly. He threw for less yards and his completion percentage went from 58% to 57%. He threw for the same amount of touchdowns (21) but threw more interceptions, from 7 to 12.

The interceptions can be attributed to Morris taking more shots down the field than in his previous years in what seemed to be attempts to make big plays that were not there. While his numbers looked a bit worse, all of his passer ratings went up which is probably due to the fact that he had a lot less passing attempts then his junior year.

Regression is a major problem for a quarterback, but in the case of Morris, it can somewhat be explained. As I stated above he seemed to take more risks that were not needed, but he also lost his star running back Mike James to the NFL. That puts a lot more pressure on any quarterback and can make him start forcing passes.

Let me explain why the issues I listed above are nothing that concern me with Morris- Watching him play, I saw that his pocket awareness does clearly need work but his footwork is good. He can read plays very quickly and find open receivers at a fast rate. A quarterback can be taught to stop forcing the ball, but it is something that requires actual game time and more than just practice and telling him constantly; he needs a coach that will preach to him that he just needs to find the open receiver. His arm strength is above average and he throws the ball down field with ease. His accuracy, in my opinion, is actually stellar, even on the run.

He can make every throw whether it be short, medium, or deep. The problem is on deep balls he does not look the defender off and throws it deep too often, taking too many risks. The fact that he is not afraid to take risks in an advantage, but he must get better at understanding the best time to take risks.
All of Stephen Morris' problems are ones that are fixed overtime- with maturity, but what you cannot teach, strength, accuracy, quick read, and IQ are at an elite level in my opinion.

I went to Miami last year to scout some of their talent coming out, and I talked to some Miami staff members who said Morris is incredibly intelligent and easy to coach. So he is going to fall to the late rounds for his "regression", his decision making, and his size. All three of these issues do not worry me; regression can be caused by so many surrounding elements, the decision making can be taught because he is smarter than his play this year, and he is bigger than some other players at quarterback. He is also very good at avoiding big hits when he scrambles.

If Titans fans want to give Locker more time and draft a late round quarterback to simply compete, Morris is the best prospect in my opinion. Stephen Morris will not come in immediately and start for any team, but he is a guy that could possibly break out in his second or third year after his decision making improves. His abilities are on elite levels, and I think the outcome of his development can lead to a franchise quarterback. I hope you all watch Morris in the January 18th East-West Shrine game as I will.


(musiccitymiracles.com)

Five Miami Hurricanes have accepted invitations to participate at the 2014 NFL Scouting Combine, while will be held Feb. 22-25 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The four-day combine will be televised live on NFL Network.

QB Stephen Morris, OG Brandon Linder, OT Seantrel Henderson, WR Allen Hurns and P Pat O'Donnell will be among the more than 300 prospects evaluated by all 32 NFL teams. Linder, Henderson and O’Donnell will work out on Feb. 22, while Morris and Hurns will work out Feb. 23.