Posted by ESPN.com's Mike McAllister
HONOLULU -- Here's one reason why the Seahawks are confident than Jim Mora is the right guy to fill the head coaching vacancy when Mike Holmgren retires after the 2008 season:
Marcus Trufant, Pro Bowl cornerback.
In his first season working with Seattle's defensive backs, Mora was instrumental in raising their level of play. Nowhere was that more evident than Trufant (in photo), the former first-round draft pick in 2003 who had been solid, but not necessarily spectacular, in his first four NFL seasons.
In the last two years, Trufant had intercepted just two passes. Under Mora's guidance, though, Trufant intercepted a career-high seven passes this season, second-highest total in the NFC. He added another interception in the Seahawks' wild-card win over the Redskins.
"He challenged Tru ... and Tru stepped up," Seahawks linebacker and fellow Pro Bowler Lofa Tatupu said Wednesday. "The way he got Tru to play is a credit to him. We saw the real Marcus Trufant this season."
Of course, cynics might note that the biggest reason for Trufant's improved play was the fact he will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason and, thus, had incentive to raise his market value.
But Trufant is quick to give credit to Mora for turning him into a more imposing figure on the corner.
"He put it on me, to go out and play," Trufant said. "He didn't want me to play safe, but to just have fun."
Trufant said that while he hasn't been holding back in previous years, he might have been more cautious than he needed to be. But an improved ability to read the quarterback, an increased confidence and getting the green light to take more risks were vital to his improvement.
"You always feel more comfortable over time," Trufant said. "And your confidence level goes up. That plays a big part."
The news of Mora's impending promotion to head coach was something the Seahawks Pro Bowlers didn't learn until after practice Wednesday. In fact, Trufant didn't know about it until the media (OK, me) asked for his reaction.
"Mora is a great coach," Trufant said. "He has lots of energy. He's a player's coach. He has an aura about him; you can feed off his energy."
Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck praised both his current and future head coaches, but also took a more practical approach.
"I don't know what to say other than that's a year away," Hasselbeck noted. "I usually don't look that far ahead."
And while Holmgren, who turns 60 in June, may be planning to retire, Tatupu doesn't think it'll last long.
"I think he comes back to coaching," Tatupu said. "He's too young."
