Horse Latitudes #10 -- 'Very important year for me'

The concept of playing to one's potential is an interesting notion.

Even if it's just you asking yourself that question in your mind, it can push you in several different directions. Some of those might not be comfortable. Not every moment in life is a triumph.

The question on the Big Ten football scale, with notebooks open and cameras rolling, is another story. It's a public measure, in the paper and getting a minute at 6 and 10.

Iowa linebacker James Morris was asked that very question this spring.

"That's a tough question to answer," the senior said. "I feel like I've given this program the last three years as much as I could humanly give. Have the results been what I wanted? No, it hasn't. That's part of life and I've learned that the hard way or whatever.

"If going 4-8 is the worst experience you have in your life, you'd led a somewhat of a leisurely lifestyle. I'm not all gloom and and doom. I'm focused on what I can do to make this year the best it can be.

"This is an important year, a very important year to me."

Morris walked into the fishiest of fish bowls.

He was a prep sensation at Solon High School, about 20 or so minutes north of Iowa City. He was the overdrive for a team that won three state titles. He committed to play football at Iowa, where his stepdad, Greg, is the long-time equipment manager, as a sophomore.

From that moment, he only sweetened the pot, three state titles, 6,646 rushing yards and 110 TDs.

Morris jumped into the starting lineup as a true freshman at Iowa, when the linebacker spot suffered a rash of injuries. He'll begin his senior season with 29 career starts.

On the student side of things, Morris is what it's all about. Check this post. On the playing field side, I don't think I've seen a player elicit such a range of reactions. (We've had the discussions in the comments section.)

Black Heart Gold Pants' guy (writer, publisher, honcho, something along those lines) Patrick Vint wrote about Morris in the site's popular preseason run-up "Assume the Position." It's a bruising assessment of what Morris has done on the field.

This isn't me marshaling readers to dump on another writer. You'll know when I do that (it's a hobby of mine on Twitter). I'm not poking holes here. I try never to tell you guys what to think. This piece articulates a frustration level with Morris.

(Morris and I had a good convo on this topic in spring '12. I asked a tough question and he handled it extremely well.)

I've thrown out variables that, I feel, have affected Morris' performance, including injuries and an inexperienced D-line (specifically referring to 2012's DL). He'll also have his third different LB coach this spring with Jim Reid. Not a huge deal there, probably, but continuity hasn't been a strong suit for the Iowa coaching staff the last two offseasons.

Here's Morris on health from this spring: "Last fall was up and down, but right now, I feel pretty healthy. I feel good. It was a long time after the season before I felt good again. I know coming back from that five-week break, I was still on shaky ground. Things are good. I feel like I'm practicing on a high level and I'm able to perform. That's good. Right now, things are full steam ahead."

And on what a vigorous D-line could mean: "That's an old football cliche, that it starts up front. It does, but you don't want to weak in any areas. If we can be better up front, we'll take it. But it's not like those guys are a bunch of slops. They're improving and if they can set the tempo, great. We'll take it."

Remember when former Iowa DE Adrian Clayborn said Morris brought a "nerdy energy" to the defense? This would've been during his true freshman year, when he was behind four future NFL D-linemen.

Morris is an incredibly smart, perceptive dude. He knows authenticity. Remember, fishiest of fish bowls.

"I think a big thing is leading by example," he said. "There are a few guys who are more vocal, but who don't back it up. It's hard to have credibility with your teammates if you're one of those guys. I think with our team and the culture we have here, it's more leading by example. Everything else follows that. That's one thing I try to follow, make sure I'm doing my business correctly and if I can help someone out, I'm going to help them out and I'm going to speak to them."

I'm not going to tell you what to think. The one thing that keeps me coming back to sports is unlimited possibilities. I try to keep an open mind. You never know what could happen.

There's another year, a very important year. Let's see where this goes.