GAME ON

Morristown grad Quinn to be named Falcons' coach on Feb. 2

Jane Havsy

@dailyrecordspts

Dan Quinn is totally focused on guiding Seattle's defense through a second straight Super Bowl. But according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, he already has a new job lined up.

Quinn, a former Morristown High School tackle who is currently the Seahawks' defensive coordinator, will be named the Falcons' new head coach on Feb. 2 -- the day after the Super Bowl.

He has apparently begun building a staff, bringing Irvington native Raheem Morris -- one of his former players at Hofstra -- to Atlanta as a hybrid assistant-DC. Former Denver linebackers coach Richard Smith, who worked with Quinn in Miami, will also join him with the Falcons. Special teams coordinator Keith Armstrong, defensive line coach Bryan Cox, wide receivers coach Terry Robiskie and assistant offensive line coach Wade Harman are set to return, according to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution report. Armstrong and Quinn worked together in Miami, and he and Quinn were with the New York Jets simultaneously.

"Dan has tremendous character," Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll told The Herald of Everett, Wash. "He has great leadership qualities. He is an excellent communicator. He's had great experiences behind him. He has worked with a lot of people who have influenced him and helped him along the way, and he remembers them all. He's got a competitive nature that I think he conveys. Look at what he's done to our guys."

The Seahawks arrived in Phoenix, site of the Super Bowl, on Sunday. Defensive end Cliff Avril, who works with Quinn daily, had nothing but praise for the direct, aggressive coach.

Seattle has won 11 of its past 12 games following a 3-3 start. The Seahawks are the first team to lead the NFL in fewest points allowed for three straight years since the 1969-71 Vikings.

"DQ is awesome," Avril told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Monday, very similar sentiments to what the Seahawks players told the Daily Record a year ago, when the Super Bowl was in New Jersey. "He's a coach you can go and talk to at any time if you have any concerns about any plays or how your position is supposed to play it or whatever."