UW Coach Comparison: Sunseri Brings NFL Approach to Safeties
Jedd Fisch took over as University of Washington football coach and brought an entirely new staff with him, replacing one that was as successful as any in Montlake over a two-year span by winning 25 of 28 games.
So the immediate question is this: how do these new guys measure up in terms of experience and credentials compared to the corresponding members of Kalen DeBoer’s staff whom they just replaced and who scattered to the wind once the coaching change took place?
In looking at Fisch’s 10 assistant coaches who introduced themselves to everyone during 15 spring football practices, we turn to Vinnie Sunseri, who now oversees the safeties, taking over a job previously held by Chuck Morrell, who doubled as the UW co-defensive coordinator.
The immediate trade-off is 18 years — Sunseri is 32, still in the early stages of his career while Morrell, 50, is approaching the twilight years of his coaching pursuits.
Sunseri, a former Alabama and NFL safety, almost resembles a U.S. Army recruiter, all clean-shaven and disciplined, and fairly upbeat in his approach in selling himself and the Husky combat battles ahead.
Morrell, similarly a former University of Sioux Falls safety, DeBoer teammate and one-time Montana Tech head coach, preferred to wear a long, gray beard while on the job, resembling a Yellowstone park ranger, and comes across as serious-minded.
Experience-wise, there’s no comparison — Morrell is in his 27th year of coaching while Sunseri enters his fifth.
However, Sunseri spent his four previous seasons in the NFL with the New England Patriots on Bill Belichick’s staff, though he coached running backs, yet nonetheless building a connection sure to endear himself with his players who are seeking pro careers. Plus, he has that SEC playing background, which included him intercepting a pass from Johnny Manziel, the Texas A&M Heisman Trophy winner, and returning it 73 yards for a touchdown.
Sunseri hails from a coaching family. His father, Sal, currently is the defensive-tackles coach for Deion Sanders and Colorado, the latest stop in his 40-year coaching career, while his brother, Tino, is the co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Indiana, a UW opponent this fall.
Morrell, it should be noted, currently is a coaching analyst for DeBoer at Alabama and not a full-time assistant on the Crimson Tide staff, which means the SEC school likely wanted someone with a better defensive track record at the FBS level. It will be interesting to see if Morrell ultimately convinces people in Tuscaloosa that he’s deserving of much greater responsibility and ends up as a full-time Alabama assistant coach down the line.
The Husky safeties couldn’t have two more radically different coaches than Morrell and Sunseri from year to year. For now, Sunseri has some catching up to do to impart coach experience and leave a greater impact in Montlake, but his NFL background counts for a lot.
For the latest UW football and basketball news, go to si.com/college/washington
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