When ESPN reported that Buccaneers defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin would be leaving Tampa Bay at the end of the 2008 campaign to join his son, Lane, at the University of Tennessee, Kiffin said it was “all just speculation” on Sunday night after the team’s 23-20 victory over the New Orleans Saints. His soft denials and refusal to offer much more about the report fueled the speculation that he will indeed leave the Buccaneers after 13 legendary years.

The fact that head coach Jon Gruden and general manager Bruce Allen basically stayed out of the conversation, deflecting the situation back to Kiffin and stating that Kiffin would be the best person to address, it did little to quell the speculation about his departure to Tennessee at season’s end.

The ongoing rumors surrounding Kiffin have naturally created speculation on who would possibly replace him, which is understandable given how important a role the defense has played to Tampa Bay’s success since Kiffin’s arrival in 1996. Much of the speculation has centered on 32-year old defensive backs coach Raheem Morris, a Kiffin protégé` since 2002, as a potential replacement. Pewter Report and other media outlets have forecast him as a possible front-runner.

On Wednesday, Morris addressed Kiffin’s situation and the speculation surrounding himself as his possible successor.

“It’s exactly what it is – it’s all speculation,” Morris said. “It’s just a decision that whoever is making it has got to make. I just choose to enjoy Monte right now rather than push him out the door. I enjoy the time I spend with Monte. Monte has earned the right to do whatever the hell he wants to do. I respect the heck out of that, and like I tell everybody that asked me that same question, I am the happiest defensive backs coach in the NFL right now working in Tampa Bay. If anything else happens after that – great. But I’m enjoying what I do right now.”



Morris also addressed the reports that he is considered the potential heir apparent to Kiffin as the Bucs' defensive coordinator, should he leave for Tennessee.



“Like I said, I’m the happiest defensive backs coach in the National Football League," Morris said. "There’s no doubt about it. I work for the best guy in the National Football League and arguably one of the best coaches ever. I feel great about it.”



Morris served as an assistant under Kiffin and former defensive backs coach Mike Tomlin from 2002-05 when he left to become the defensive coordinator at Kansas State University for the 2006 season. When Kiffin’s defense fell from the top 10 in ’06, Allen aggressively pursued Morris and enticed him to return to Tampa Bay to replace Tomlin’s replacement, Greg Burns, who had been fired as defensive backs coach after just one season.

After one year in which Morris’ Wildcat defense led the Big 12 in sacks, he returned to the Bucs in 2007 and helped Tampa Bay’s pass defense improve from ranking 19th in the NFL to becoming the league’s top-ranked unit. Several veterans improved their fundamentals upon, perhaps no one more than strong safety Jermaine Phillips, who had a career year and led the team with four interceptions.

Morris also played an instrumental role in developing rookie free safety Tanard Jackson last year. In fact, Tampa Bay’s strongest unit last year might have been the safety position.

When asked if he felt he was ready to possibly assume Tampa Bay's defensive coordinator role at age 33 with his five years of NFL coaching experience and his lone season as K-State’s defensive coordinator, Morris said: “That’s all speculation at this point. I’m confident in my abilities to go out and perform and do something positive, but like I said, I’m the happiest defensive backs coach in the league. My job right now is to be the defensive backs coach. If I wasn’t doing that, then I wouldn’t even be in this conversation, so obviously I’m doing something right in my job right now.”


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