Despite nearly 3,000 rushing yards, 20 touchdowns, and a Pro Bowl appearance in two seasons — all of which have embedded him into top running back discussions – Alfred Morris' mindset each day is that he still has a great deal to accomplish.
That mentality starts in practice where he simulates game-like speed.
A countdown of the top-12 images of RB Alfred Morris during the 2012 season.
No. 12: Dragged Kicking And Screaming. The 200-yard rushing performance by Morris vs. Dallas in Week 17 was a Redskins rookie record and is the first by any Redskins since Gerald Riggs' team-record 221 yards on Sept. 17, 1989, vs. Philadelphia.
No. 11: Morris Makes Something Out Of Nothing. On a day when the Redskins could never get started on offense, Morris still produced 59 yards on just 13 carries on the ground. He lost opportunities in the second half when the team fell behind.
No. 10: The Start Of Something Special. The third preseason game was Morris' first opportunity to start in the NFL, and his performance (10 rushes, 34 yards) made him the front-runner in the preseason competition.
No. 9: Finishing Strong. Morris contributed heavily to the Redskins 28-18 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17. Ending the season 10-6, Washington is the first NFL team to rally from 3-6 to make the postseason since the Jacksonville Jaguars in 1996.
No. 8: The Untouchable Alfred Morris. Morris registered his longest rush of the year in Tampa Bay, going 39 yards untouched to put the Redskins up by 18 before halftime. He rushed for 113 yards en route to a 24-22 come-from-behind victory.
No. 7: Three-On-One And Morris Isn't Done. Morris went up against a solid Giants' defensive front in his first NFL division game, and walked away with 120 yards on the day.
No. 6: Morris Makes Wilcox Whiff. Morris went on to tally 200 yards and three scores, leading the way in a Week 17 victory for the NFC East title. This was their first division title win in 13 years.
No. 5: Battle Of The Beltway. Morris rushed for 122 yards on 23 carries with a touchdown vs. Baltimore. With their fourth win in a row, the Redskins marched closer to the playoffs and recorded their first season with six 30-point games since 1996.
No. 4: Can't Stop, Won't Stop. In a game where the offense struggled to keep pace with the high-flying Falcons, Morris exploded for 115 yards on 18 carries.
No. 3: Inter-Division Dominance. Morris broke out his homerun swing against NFC East opponents more than once last season. His Week 12 score put the Redskins up 7-3.
No. 2: Monday Nights Are For Morris. Alfred Morris closed out the game in the critical 17-16 win over the Giants in Week 16. He added 124 yards to his season total, pushing him past 1,000 yards on the season.
No. 1: A-Train Keeps On Rolling. Morris went on to score three touchdowns in the 28-18 win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17. It was Morris' 13th and final touchdown of the season.
"I'm always alert and I'm always ready," Morris said. "Say we have a walkthrough, I'm actually sprinting. Whether it's a big game or not, I'm finishing all of my runs. I do that sprinting to make sure I get that extra conditioning that will be helpful down the road."
Morris burst onto the season during the 2012 preseason, when, in three games, he ran for 195 yards on 39 carries, proving that regardless of being a sixth-round pick, he had the talent to keep up with the veteran players.
After earning the starting nod against the New Orleans Saints in Week 1 of his rookie season, Morris helped the Redskins eclipse the 40-point mark for the first time since Week 7 of the 2005 season when he ran for 96 yards and two touchdowns in his professional debut.
It was the start of a "fun ride" for Morris.
"It's been a whirlwind, really," Morris explained of his first two seasons. "It's been a blur almost, but it's definitely been fun and a roller coaster ride.
"First year, we had some ups. Last year, we had some down times, but overall it's been fun, and I'm excited about this upcoming year about what we have accomplished, I'm so excited about the future for us."
Morris will be joined this year by Robert Griffin III, Pierre Garçon, DeSean Jackson and Jordan Reed as the headliners for a potentially explosive offense.
In fact, Griffin III said any teams that focus on the Redskins' passing game and forget about Morris in the backfield will be making a huge mistake.
"I think everyone would lean towards DeSean or Pierre or Jordan Reed," Griffin III said when asked who the biggest weapon in the Redskins' offense is. "I think it's Alfred. With him, defenses have to make a decision whether to puts guys in the box to stop him or leave the box light and allow Alfred to go between the tackles and lure in the safeties. I think it will be interesting to see what defenses do against him."
Although the combination will cause opposing defenses to worry on gamedays in the fall, Morris said their work together — which started during the offseason — must be augmented by an unparalleled will to succeed.
"It comes down to execution, focus and how bad do we really want it." Morris said. "We just have to stick together as a family and go out there and work for each other.
"It takes all of us doing our job, and if one person isn't doing their job it makes a difference of being a big play or a loss, so we all just have to go out there each play, each day and be all 11 together. We all have a job to do so we all have to go out there and do it."
While Morris has proven fully capable of carrying a heavy workload on the ground, he has been preparing himself both mentally and physically for a larger role in the passing game.
"I'm just building that trust with the quarterbacks and the coaches to get that confidence that I can catch it to be a viable option in the passing game," Morris said. "Even within myself, I'm building that confidence that I can handle the pressure of a 3rd and 5, and I'm running that choice route to win and catch the ball to keep us on the field.
"It comes down to confidence in myself, confidence of the coaches and quarterbacks in me. Just working hard, making sure I look the ball in before I catch it. I like to run before I secure the ball, but I just have to work on securing the ball before I run."
Whether he's carrying the ball 10 times or 30 and being an active threat in the passing game or not, Morris said his goal for the season is simple: win.
"My mindset is always winning no matter who we are playing, no matter what our record is, or what I am doing individually," Morris said. "We're winning every game, that's my mindset. I do everything I can to help my team accomplish that goal of winning every game."
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