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Cowboys CB Morris Claiborne relishes chance to return kicks
By David Moore
Morris Claiborne has been pestering Rich Bisaccia to use him on kickoff returns for the past two years.
The Cowboys special teams coach has finally relented. Claiborne worked there during the offseason program and was back returning kicks in the team's first special teams practice of this training camp Monday morning.
"I've been bugging Rich to put me on kickoff returns for awhile now,'' Claiborne said. "He's not been for it. Then he finally put me on it this offseason in spring.
"I'm pretty sure they like the way I was catching the ball and getting up the field with it. I've been on it permanent now.''
Claiborne was an explosive return man at LSU. He averaged 25.09 yards a return for his career — seventh in school history — and took one 99 yards for a touchdown.
It remains to be seen how many, if any, kicks Claiborne gets to return. The Cowboys have been reluctant to use him there given his injury history. The fact he's among the team's top three corners also makes it a risky proposition.
But it's something Claiborne wants to do.
"It's a big part of the game,'' Claiborne said. "You can change the game, change field position.
"I feel I'm capable of doing that. I'm comfortable with the ball in my hands.''
Even though Claiborne hasn't returned kicks since college, he said it's second nature. He hopes to get the chance to show what he can do in the preseason, even if rules today result in more touchbacks.
"I don't know what they're going to do with it,'' Claiborne said of de-emphasizing the kickoff return, "but for now I'm planning on catching it and taking it out.''
By David Moore
Morris Claiborne has been pestering Rich Bisaccia to use him on kickoff returns for the past two years.
The Cowboys special teams coach has finally relented. Claiborne worked there during the offseason program and was back returning kicks in the team's first special teams practice of this training camp Monday morning.
"I've been bugging Rich to put me on kickoff returns for awhile now,'' Claiborne said. "He's not been for it. Then he finally put me on it this offseason in spring.
"I'm pretty sure they like the way I was catching the ball and getting up the field with it. I've been on it permanent now.''
Claiborne was an explosive return man at LSU. He averaged 25.09 yards a return for his career — seventh in school history — and took one 99 yards for a touchdown.
It remains to be seen how many, if any, kicks Claiborne gets to return. The Cowboys have been reluctant to use him there given his injury history. The fact he's among the team's top three corners also makes it a risky proposition.
But it's something Claiborne wants to do.
"It's a big part of the game,'' Claiborne said. "You can change the game, change field position.
"I feel I'm capable of doing that. I'm comfortable with the ball in my hands.''
Even though Claiborne hasn't returned kicks since college, he said it's second nature. He hopes to get the chance to show what he can do in the preseason, even if rules today result in more touchbacks.
"I don't know what they're going to do with it,'' Claiborne said of de-emphasizing the kickoff return, "but for now I'm planning on catching it and taking it out.''
