It looks like Nicholas Morrow has found himself in a niche in Ken Norton, Jr.’s defense, and he thinks he knows why.
Through the first two weeks of the 2017 preseason, Morrow has been lining up as hybrid linebacker, playing both inside and out, tracking down wide receivers and tight ends alike, as well as working with the Silver and Black’s special teams units.
“The game is getting faster,” explained Morrow postgame. “Running backs are catching the ball out of the backfield and not just running it. Tight ends are more receivers than they are blockers, so I think that’s really where it’s come from, the more athletic players on the perimeter, and tight ends and running backs are getting into perimeter passing downs, so you need someone who can run with them in the box, and so, there’s the birth of the hybrid linebacker.