Jamie Morris facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Jamie Morris

Morris in 1987
No. 22, 24
Position:	Running back
Personal information
Born:	(1965-06-06) June 6, 1965 (age 60) Southern Pines, North Carolina, U.S.
Height:	5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Weight:	188 lb (85 kg)
Career information
High school:	Ayer (Ayer, Massachusetts)
College:	Michigan
NFL Draft:	1988 / Round: 4 / Pick: 109
Career history
Washington Redskins (1988) New England Patriots (1990) Minnesota Vikings (1991)* Hamilton Tiger-Cats (1991)
Career highlights and awards
Big Ten rushing champion (1987) First Team All-Big Ten (1986–1987) Fiesta Bowl Co-MVP (1986) Hall of Fame Bowl MVP (1988) NFL record Single-game rushes (45) Michigan Wolverines records Career rushing yards (1987–2000) Career yards from scrimmage (1987–2000) Career all-purpose yards (1987–) Career 100-yard games (1987–1994) Season rushing yards (1987–1995) Season yards from scrimmage (1987–1995) Season all-purpose yards (1987–2000) Season 100-yard games (1988–) Career receptions (running back) (1987–) Career receiving yards (running back) (1987–2002)
Career NFL statistics
Rushing yards: 777 Rushing average: 3.1 Touchdowns: 4
Player stats at PFR

James "Jamie" Walter Morris (born June 6, 1965) is a former American football player. He was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) and the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played for the Washington Redskins and New England Patriots in the NFL. He also played for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the CFL.

Morris was a record-setting player in college football for the Michigan Wolverines. He broke school records for rushing yards in a season and a career. He also set records for all-purpose yards. He still holds the NFL record for most rushing attempts in a single game.

Early Life and Family

Jamie Morris grew up in Ayer, Massachusetts. In high school, he was a great track and field athlete. He won the Massachusetts state title in the 200-meter race when he was only a sophomore.

Jamie comes from a family of football players. His older brother, Joe Morris, set rushing records at Syracuse University. Joe later played for the New York Giants. Another brother, Larry, played for the Green Bay Packers. Their father, Earl Morris, was a Green Beret in the Vietnam War.

College Football Star at Michigan

Morris playing for the Michigan Wolverines in 1987

Jamie Morris played college football for the University of Michigan from 1984 to 1987. He became a legend there. He broke the school's all-time records for rushing yards in a season (1,703 yards) and a career (4,392 yards).

Even though these rushing records were later broken, Morris still holds the Michigan record for career all-purpose yards with 6,201. All-purpose yards include rushing, receiving, and kickoff return yards. He was also the only player in Michigan history to lead the team in rushing for four years. He still holds the record for most career receptions by a running back.

In 1986, Morris got a knee injury during a game. He missed one game but came back strong. He had his best college game against Ohio State. He gained 210 rushing yards and 302 all-purpose yards. This helped Michigan win and go to the Rose Bowl.

Morris also holds the record for the longest run in Outback Bowl history. It was a 77-yard touchdown run in 1988. He was named the MVP (Most Valuable Player) of that game.

Morris' Top Game Performances at Michigan

Here are some of Jamie Morris's best games for the Michigan Wolverines:

His Coach, Bo Schembechler

Morris played for legendary coach Bo Schembechler at Michigan. When Morris first arrived, Coach Schembechler thought he was too short to be a running back. Morris was only 5 feet, 7 inches tall.

But Schembechler gave him a chance. In his third game as a freshman, Morris became the starting running back. He kept that position for all four years. Coach Schembechler later said he was glad he gave Morris a chance. He was amazed Morris became Michigan's all-time leading rusher.

Morris remembered how Coach Bo would push him. An assistant coach once told him, "He's not yelling at them, so he must think something about you." This helped Morris understand that Bo believed in him.

Morris spoke at Coach Schembechler's memorial service in 2006. He talked about how much he would miss their talks. He also spoke about Coach Bo's love and pride for Michigan.

Michigan Career Rushing Leaders

Here are the top career rushing leaders for Michigan:

Michigan Single-Season Rushing Leaders

Here are the top single-season rushing leaders for Michigan:

Michigan Career Kickoff Return Yards Leaders

Here are the top career kickoff return yardage leaders for Michigan:

Playing Pro Football

Even though Jamie Morris set many records at Michigan, his smaller size (5 feet, 7 inches) meant he was drafted later. The Washington Redskins picked him in the fourth round of the 1988 NFL draft.

He played three seasons in the NFL, from 1988 to 1990. His best year was 1988. He played in all 16 games for the Redskins. He rushed for 437 yards. During his career, he rushed for over 100 yards in two games.

Morris also set an NFL record. In a game on December 17, 1988, he had 45 rushing attempts. This is the most attempts by one player in a single NFL game. He gained 152 yards in that game.

After his time with the Redskins, Morris played briefly for the New England Patriots in 1990. He then played one final season of professional football in 1991. He joined the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Canadian Football League (CFL). In the CFL, he ran for 591 yards and caught 28 passes. He also returned kicks for 435 yards.

Life After the Game

After his football career, Jamie Morris worked for the University of Michigan Athletic Department. From 1998 to 2010, he was a Development Manager. He helped with donor relations and fundraising.

He also hosted the U-M Football Bust event in 2005. Today, he hosts a talk show called "The M Zone." You can hear it on Sports Talk 1050 WTKA in Ann Arbor.

See also

• Lists of Michigan Wolverines football statistical leaders