Morriss to visit Hoptown

By SAM EZELL

Guy Morriss, recently named head football coach at the University of Kentucky, will be guest speaker on Monday at a meeting of the Christian County University of Kentucky Alumni Association.

Morriss, who played and coached in the National Football League and coached in the Canadian Football League in addition to spending seven seasons as an assistant coach at the collegiate level, replaced Hal Mumme as mentor of the Wildcats earlier this year during an NCAA investigation into recruiting activities at UK. Those investigations are still ongoing.

The alumni meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday at the War Memorial Building on Virginia Street in downtown Hopkinsville.

Tickets are $10 for alumni and $12 for non-alumni. Reservations may be made by calling 885-3701. Tickets also will be available at the door.

Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. and Morriss will address the gathering at 7 p.m.

It will come as no surprise if Morriss' topic on Monday deals with the progress the 2001 squad made during spring drills.

Morriss served as assistant head coach at UK during the 2000 season and is respected throughout college and professional football as a great teacher of line play.

A native of Texas, Morris played collegiately at Texas Christian University, earning All-Southwest Conference honors with the Horned Frogs as an offensive guard. He went on to play in the NFL for 15 years, 11 with the Philadelphia Eagles and four with the New England Patriots. He earned All-Pro honors in 1981 and played in two Super Bowl games.

Morris began his coaching career with the New England Patriots in 1988 and was offensive coordinator at Mansfield (Texas) High School in 1991.

Morriss joined Mumme's staff at Valdosta (Ga.) State University in 1992 before returning to the professional ranks in 1994 with the Arizona Cardinals. He coached San Antonio in the Canadian Football League in 1995.

Morriss spent the 1996 season as a member of Jackie Sherrill's staff at Mississippi State University before rejoining Mumme at Kentucky in 1997.

During spring drills, Morriss placed more emphasis on the running game as compared to Mummeball the Wildcats played in recent years under Mumme with the likes of quarterbacks Tim Couch, a No. 1 selection by the Cleveland Browns in the NFL draft three years ago, and Jared Lorenzen, who set several Southeastern Conference and NCAA passing records last season as a red shirt freshman.

Morriss' belief in the running game is good news for Artose Pinner. The former Hopkinsville High School star, who is a junior this season, is expected to get the majority of carries for the Wildcats. In the spring, Pinner led the team with eight carries for 51 yards in the Blue/White spring game.

Meanwhile, last year's starting quarterback, Lorenzen, will be challenged by redshirt freshman Shane Boyd and Matt Casey, a sophomore, for the starting job under center this season.