Published Wednesday, Oct. 1, 1997
BACK TO HERALD...
PITTSBURGH
Morris has been a `Buddy' to Pitt program
By Brad Isles
Herald Sports Writer
Believe it or not, the University of Pittsburgh football team is 3-1 and just coming off an impressive, nationally-televised 21-17 homecoming victory over then-ranked Miami.
Much debate is waged over who is responsible for the resurgence of a team that has had just one winning season in the '90s.
Is it new athletic director Steve Pederson? It's likely.
Is it new coach Walt Harris? Probably.
Is it strength and conditioning coach Charles ``Buddy'' Morris?
Definitely.
Morris, 39, Hermitage, previously the wellness coordinator at Horizon Hospital System, is in his second stint with the Panthers. He was the strength and conditioning coach from 1980-89 and helped mold players like Dan Marino, Jim Sweeney and Mark Stepnoski.
Morris, on the sideline during the victory over the Hurricanes and frequently in the spotlight of the ESPN cameras, said it was the most excited he's been in college football when the thousands of Pittsburgh fans stormed onto the field at the conclusion of the game. Throughout the game, his visage was on the TV screen and his unorthodox training was dissected by the announcers.
``ESPN did me more harm than good,'' Morris quipped. ``Since then, my phone's been ringing off the hook. Coaches are calling me. Companies are calling me to endorse their products. My buddies are calling to congratulate me.''
Morris is quick to deflect the credit he is given.
``The focus should be on the players,'' he said. ``The players busted their butts every day. I challenged them every day.''
Morris certainly did.
There was the chopping down of trees with sledge hammers during pre-season camp. There was the running up and down of the Pitt Stadium stairs holding 60-pound cement blocks. Sound crazy? How about this?
``Every Friday, we put eight to 10 cars on the turf,'' he said. ``We put four guys behind each car. They had to push them hard and fast up the field, 12, 14 or 16 times, depending on what kind of mood I'm in.''
Then there was the time he brought in a dual-axle dump truck for the same purpose. The team has also had to suffer through 24 110-yard sprints, and 40 60-yard sprints.
``They got challenged on a daily basis,'' Morris said.
Morris' latest venture? He wants to bring in wrestling bears for the offensive linemen to battle. There is one problem with that, however.
``They have a no-touch law in Pennsylvania,'' he said. ``You can't touch the animals. Maybe we'll go over to Ohio and do it.''
The biggest reason behind these extraordinary methods of strength-training is to keep the players fresh and get them out of the stadium, and ``to do things everybody else wasn't doing.''
Morris hasn't let the success the team has had so far go to its head. The Monday following the Miami game the Panthers were out running at 6:30 a.m. in the form of 12 70-meter runs up Schenley Hill in nearby Schenley Park. Then at 3:30 that afternoon, the team was in the weight room doing heavy leg work.
Morris has the full support of Harris.
``I had his full support,'' Morris said. ``We wanted to refresh their memories on what it took to win. He's a fanatic on strength and conditioning.''
The results of the hard training have been obvious. In the Panthers' win over Houston, in 90-plus degree weather and unbearable humidity, Pittburgh's defense came through with key interceptions late in the fourth quarter to preserve the victory. The team is as strong in the fourth quarter as it is right at the opening kickoff.
The credit for that goes to Morris.
``It makes me feel good anytime we win,'' Morris said. ``Conditioning is one variable. The last couple of weeks I've gotten the exposure. I'm just doing my job. It's a great honor and a privilege to be coaching again.''
Then there is the atmosphere of working with the young kids again and being part of the turnaround of the Pittsburgh program.
``It's a privilege to be back coaching and be a part of Harris' staff,'' Morris said. ``I didn't get any support at Horizon Hospital System. Around here, people support me. It's a real honor. I've been running on adrenaline since January (when I was hired).''
The Panthers will be running on adrenaline this January, in the form of a bowl game, if they continue their success under Morris.
