FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Like other coaches on Raheem Morris’ staff, Barrett Ruud and Morris have crossed paths at one point or another in their careers.
Offensive coordinator Zac Robinson’s Los Angeles office was right across the hall from Morris’ when the two were with the Rams organization for the last three seasons. Defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake was the assistant defensive backs coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when Morris was the position’s main coach in 2007.
For every coach on Morris’ Atlanta staff that has coached with him, there’s actually a couple who have played for him, namely Ruud and wide receivers coach Ike Hilliard. Ruud and Hilliard played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the time Morris was the defensive backs coach and, later, the head coach. Ruud said the Morris who stands before him now as the Atlanta Falcons head coach is pretty similar to the one he met more than 15 years ago.
“Honestly, he’s the same person,” Ruud said, now joining Morris’ Falcons staff as the inside linebackers coach. “… He had a ton of charisma back then, even as an assistant DBs coach back in 2005 when I first met him and, honestly, he’s the same person. He’s older and wiser now. He’s 47, and he was 32 when he took over the head coaching job down there, but as far as the communication, the charisma, being a guy who just brightens up the room, that part hasn’t changed.”
Ruud has been coaching in the college ranks since retiring from the professional game after the 2012 season. He was the inside linebackers coach for Nebraska — his alma mater — from 2018-22. When Morris gave him a call to join the Falcons staff, it was a full-circle moment for the former player-coach duo.
“It was always kind of a goal to get back and work underneath him as a coach,” Ruud said of Morris. “Now that I have a chance to do that, I’m thrilled.”
Ruud takes over an intriguing inside linebacker room in 2024. It’s one that includes Kaden Elliss on the second year of a three-year contract, Troy Andersen coming off a season-ending pectoral injury in 2023 and Nate Landman, an undrafted free agent from Colorado who stepped up and surprised a few in Andersen’s absence.
If there’s one thing Ruud can see when he looks at this group — it’s potential — and a lot of it.
He’s done his homework on these guys, too. He’s even gotten an up-close-and-personal look at Landman, who Ruud said basically “won the game…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at News…