Banking On George Warhop
April 15th, 2015
If Joe ran the Buccaneers, the team would have added an A-list team of offensive line coaches and/or consultants this offseason.
Instead, the Bucs will return O-line coach George Warhop and his newcomer assistant Butch Barry, fresh out of Central Michigan University.
Man, Lovie Smith is a loyal, confident cat. Warhop’s unit last year was a train wreck.
Three veterans likely had their worst years in the NFL, Anthony Collins, Logan Mankins and Evan Dietrich-Smith. The unit never jelled and, frankly, got worse as the season wore on. But Lovie evaluated all aspects of team performance and is sticking with Warhop.
Especially intriguing is it sure smells like the Bucs will draft two or three rookie offensive linemen and push a couple of them to start on opening day. Warhop isn’t just returning, he’s got hopes and dreams and careers in his hands — including protecting the Buccaneers’ next franchise quarterback from NFL slaughter.
Warhop arrived in Tampa after five seasons with the Browns, whose offensive line seemed to improve without him last year. Or perhaps Cleveland only improved without Oneil Cousins and Garrett Gilkey, who found their way to the Bucs via, um, someone’s recommendation.
Prior to that, Warhop spent four years with the 49ers, and two years with the Cowboys. His NFL career dates back to 1996.
A warm ray of hope in Joe’s mind is comes from Warhop spending those two season in Dallas under legendary Bill Parcells. The Tuna wouldn’t hire a dead fish, right?
Regardless, the Bucs are banking on Warhop in a huge way. Lovie is no offensive line guru. It’s been a career struggle for him. Hopefully, Lovie has changed course and made the right O-line call.
April 15th, 2015 at 2:29 pm
Notice how the Browns went from one of the worst OLs in the league in 2013 to one of the best in 2014 with mostly the same players. Wonder what changed.
April 15th, 2015 at 2:29 pm
This is reminiscent of the Rays and their dedication to Derek Shelton (bc he’s a nice guy?)
O line was by far the biggest disappointment last year, Joe every point you’ve made is dead on. His history is nothing to brag about either. Under this regime, this team looks like it’s getting worse.
April 15th, 2015 at 2:30 pm
Like almost all of Loves decisions so far, regrettable.
April 15th, 2015 at 2:32 pm
Tony was loyal to Clyde Christensen
loyal shmyoal
April 15th, 2015 at 2:33 pm
Lovie is no OL guru, no HC guru and sure as heck NOT A PERSONNEL guru…sometimes being loyal is a negative against you, like tony dungy had going for him with his horrible offensive philosophy and continues support of the OC during his tenure here and then Lovie repeats that with arroyo last year and leaving him as the OC, I still cannot beleive how someone involved in fball as long as Lovie has been could not be more of the OC last year for the bucs….no faith in Lovie as an HC, the bucs may be 5-11 this year and that is a stretch, but looking at the opponents 5-11 seems plausible at the top end, 5 wins at the most with Jameis as the QB may be high
April 15th, 2015 at 2:37 pm
I can’t believe Warhop kept his job. He must have some compromising pictures of Lovie or something. He coached the worst offensive line in the league! Recommended scrubs to be signed to play on his line, etc. Not only was there miscommunication along the line, there was no fight at all. Guys were getting pushed back or run past on pass plays, and couldn’t open a jar of pickles in the run game. I can only imagine the job he’ll do with 2 potential rookies on the line. He needs to go and whoever does the OL strength and conditioning should pack their bags too. I never seen a group of big men get pushed around like those guys did last year. SMDH
April 15th, 2015 at 2:42 pm
And they made the ASSISTANT offensive line coach fall on the sword.
April 15th, 2015 at 2:43 pm
A 5th for George (who?) Johnson and banking on Warhop? T
Am I the only one that is tired of watching this incompetence continue unchallenged?
April 15th, 2015 at 2:47 pm
As a fan I feel like I am a worker on the deck of the titanic and I am being asked to rearrange the lounge chairs on the deck……… i do not see any light in the future
April 15th, 2015 at 2:50 pm
can’t put it all on him, A LOT yes……
but giving him a washed up Mankins who doesn’t want to be here and EDS acted about the same…….both guys were easily replaced on their teams and a LT that bombed.
so we got two old guys who were outperformed on their old team by young guys and a bum LT and whatever scrub they threw in accross from mankins.
throw on that the OC debacle and mcclown……… I can almost see why lovie kept him. almost. licht is to blame as is lovie. but damn warhop must have something on lovie. lol
April 15th, 2015 at 2:53 pm
A 5th and a 7th pulse and adequate contract ! What the heck is L and L thinking !
April 15th, 2015 at 2:55 pm
Hey Joe did I get blocked or something none of my post are coming up???
April 15th, 2015 at 2:55 pm
You people need to stop crying about who the coach is and talk about the current personal and future draft picks!
April 15th, 2015 at 2:56 pm
“As a fan I feel like I am a worker on the deck of the titanic and I am being asked to rearrange the lounge chairs on the deck……… i do not see any light in the future”
I am with you Virgil……
I was stunned last year and have not forgotten
April 15th, 2015 at 2:58 pm
Wyoming future? we are talking about the future and it is bleak…VERY BLEAK…arookie QB a crappy OL an incompetent head coach…not much future there
McClown is going to lead his browns to the playoffs in a weaker NFC north, then where does that leave Lovie as an HC
April 15th, 2015 at 2:59 pm
Fungi Nails, I long for the day we can all get a lil loothey goothey freaky deaky at the new Raymond Jameis Stadium
April 15th, 2015 at 2:59 pm
We really need to find a solid offensive lineman in the draft.
April 15th, 2015 at 3:06 pm
I would have kept Donald and Jeramy and then used my second and 3rd pick last year on on o line man/ we need a true gm
April 15th, 2015 at 3:07 pm
Well at least we can spend our 5th round pick on OLin…..wait nevermind we gave that up for George Johnson. A mid round pick, not a late round pick as had been suggested. Ugly.
April 15th, 2015 at 3:20 pm
warhop has been canned more than tuna
he’s been fired or not retained from like every job he ever had. top it off with the fact that he started as an OL coach in 86′ and is still in the same job.
so you have a guy with 28 year working who has never elevated himself and has been fired from like every job..
and that’s who lovie retains??????????????????????????????? FML
April 15th, 2015 at 3:20 pm
It was the 32nd pick of the 5th round (pick 168 overall) and we get their 7th round pick. I’d consider it a late round swap and am fine with it personally.
April 15th, 2015 at 3:24 pm
They went from 168 to 231. That is a huge trade back. For a player they didn’t need to give anything up for. Sorry, but objectively speaking that is very poor.
April 15th, 2015 at 3:26 pm
we got fleeced again…is management just downright stupid! 5th rounder for G.Johnson….no wonder we’ve sucked for so long…trading picks time after time 🙁 …I’m sure we could have added a solid starting O.Lineman for that price…ughhh
April 15th, 2015 at 3:43 pm
Off point but I know Winston was scheduled to visit bears today. Can’t find confirmation that he is there?
April 15th, 2015 at 3:48 pm
Don’t panic, Will be looking for a used up head coach at the end of the year anyway !!
April 15th, 2015 at 3:55 pm
this guy should have been fired. I can not believe he is still employed.
no o-lineman rated as #1 overall material this year. the bucs should trade down to get 0-linemen or stay and draft an aggressive pass rusher like
Dante Fowler Jr of the florida gators. mike mayock of nfl network has him rated as the #1 pure edge rusher in this draft.
I bet dante fowler jr. will be in Chicago at the nfl draft. jamies leftwich-winston is too special to attend..LOL
April 15th, 2015 at 4:02 pm
Being fired can be said for about 80 percent of the NFL coaches, Robert 9.
I believe, and I think Lovie and the rest of the offensive players according to Brandon Myers, fixed the biggest problem with the offense last year when they fired Tedford’s boy Mark Arroyo.
If you don’t think Arroyo was the main problem with the offense last year, you weren’t watching the same games I was.
The reason the unit got worse as the season went on was Arroyo ran the same set of plays and never changed the schemes. Not hard to figure out what the other team is doing when you see the same plays and schemes week after week on film.
Gee whiz.
April 15th, 2015 at 4:21 pm
so whats the projected O line look like?
What would you guys have as an ideal and realistic Oline?
April 15th, 2015 at 4:24 pm
Agree with drdneast’s take. The vast majority of our problems last year began with the OC. This is why I’m truly curious as to whether Koetter had any input in keeping Warhop.
April 15th, 2015 at 4:34 pm
A solid starting olineman with a late fifth round pick…that happens all the time. Think of it this way, we drafted Johnson with a late 5th and picked up an extra 7th. Something was obviously going the wrong way with the contract we offered, chances are he was going to be with the Lions unless we made a trade…pretty sure the guy values out better than a 5th round pick.
People complain that the Bucs didn’t address the position, then when they make a reasonable trade and make it happen…people complain some more.
April 15th, 2015 at 4:38 pm
I said earlier the OC had something to do with their failures, and yeah, most people get fired at one point or another…….
but to get fired from virtually every job he’s ever had? c’mon. you can’t rationalize that.
how do you keep the guy that let them bowl the ball, throw hissy fits, lay down on the team and suck in every aspect of the game. the OC could just as easily put it on the OL. there were zero hole to run through. agreed, the play calling was really bad though
April 15th, 2015 at 4:45 pm
Virgil- spot on.
That’s the feeling- knowing we face a certain and inevitable doom. Just sweeping the decks and waiting.
Unlike most, I have faith in Lovie, and now both our co-ordinators.
Last year should be labeled” how to acquire a once in a decade franchise QB”
Masterful job by all- and the smart play
Warhol, however, I believe to be a terrible coach. And at a Key position.
I said repeatedly last year that he should be fired.
And like the oncoming iceberg- nothing has changed- which means we will remain a floundering ship.
O-line is too important to leave in Warhops hands
April 15th, 2015 at 4:54 pm
Well if we didn’t have to give them anything for him then we wouldn’t have lol. It’s not like the options were “give them nothing or give them draft pick” and we chose draft pick. The arbitrator pushed that as part of the deal i assume and we decided that George Johnson for late 5th / early 6th and Extra 7th was worth it. The majority of late 5th/6th/etc picks don’t even last on the team
April 15th, 2015 at 4:55 pm
And why haven’t we signed OT Joe Barksdale, center Stepsn Weisnezki( um , Meybe), and Gurad Dan Connelly?
They aren’t superstars. But they are better than what we have- they would improve us.
And if they are used up- you’ll see it in training camp, and can cut them. No harm there.
Sign them, draft OT and guard with 2nd and 3rd pick, Boom!
Present is good- future is better.
And older offensive linemen don’t mind giving up snaps to young guys- believe me( even though older defensive linemen do- strange, uh?
April 15th, 2015 at 5:32 pm
@Capt.Tim said:
Warhol, however, I believe to be a terrible coach.
========================================================
Yeah, but he was a great artist.
April 15th, 2015 at 5:35 pm
@Capt.Tim
At least Warhol would have stacked enough soup cans in front of his QB to keep him from being completely demolished.
April 15th, 2015 at 5:50 pm
Not including things that happen during actual games, this might be my biggest problem with Lovie & co.
Warhop has proved to be nothing but hot garbage everywhere he has coached. Now you’re going to trust him to mold and teach a bunch of rookies?!?
April 15th, 2015 at 6:11 pm
complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain complain
not an original thought in the bunch
April 15th, 2015 at 6:11 pm
complain!
April 15th, 2015 at 6:37 pm
I’m hoping Koetter keeps him in check. I personally wanted the guy gone. At least most of the dead weight is gone off the OL.
MUST DRAFT OL!
Gotta keep JW5 upright and healthy. 🙂
April 15th, 2015 at 6:40 pm
Seems a fair reading of the situation starts with the instability and quality of the personnel on the O-line from the start, and then the loss of any offensive identity. Warhop wasn’t responsible for that. The HC evaluated the causes for the problems and fired the people responsible. He apparently felt Warhop did his job well enough under adverse circumstances. Frankly, I’ll take L&L’s opinions on the coaches before any of the people on this board. If it’s another crap year on the O-line without much improvement, then feel free to get out your pitchforks and torches, but until then, might make sense to give the Warhop-bashing a rest. Of course, making sense isn’t what this board excels at, so… Carry on.
April 15th, 2015 at 6:58 pm
If you pick at least 3 O linemen with a draft grade of 5.7 or higher I’ll bet at least 2 of them turn out to be pretty good. I would not take just 1 tackle and 1 guard and cross your fingers. Look at small school stars late, too.
April 15th, 2015 at 7:02 pm
Is there any news about Edwards/Pamphile/Omameh by the way? Any of them put on say 15 lbs of lean muscle mass in the offseason by any chance and double their bench and squat weights? That would be some good news potentially. Lol.
April 15th, 2015 at 8:34 pm
salish_seamonster ….. So have you found a place to barbcue yet????? We “all” are hoping ur 2nd year is better….just sayn’
April 15th, 2015 at 8:50 pm
Oh look, Joe has trained people to make BBQ jokes!
April 15th, 2015 at 9:02 pm
Senor Mofo- lol!
Soup cans, at least, would not have listed down on the job-I. E.- Anthony Collins.
Soup cans would have been an upgrade over that guy.
April 15th, 2015 at 9:20 pm
salish_seamonster .
Sorry you took that as a joke… I have read many of your posts.. maybe assumed wrong… I actually believe our young lineman will have a great year… just sayn’
April 15th, 2015 at 10:29 pm
Remember the #1 waiver spot till week 3??? I think that some good players will get caught in a numbers game. Sometimes these waiver guys end up making a big splash.
April 15th, 2015 at 10:31 pm
WarFLOP is incompetent and still is protecting the worst of his Brownies. He also got rid of better talent last year so his brownie pets would not get beat out. He knows the OC or else he would have already been replaced. He is lucky that Lovie is a bad judge as to Offensive Coaches and talent to draft on that side of the ball.
April 15th, 2015 at 11:07 pm
@Atlbuc28-
Sorry, it’s hard to pick up tone sometimes on these threads. I agree that we can expect good things from Edwards and Pamphile, and also expect Mankins to have a better year after last year’s adjustment. Fire up the barbecue!
April 15th, 2015 at 11:13 pm
Owlykat Says:
April 15th, 2015 at 10:31 pm
None of your claims can be supported.
1) protecting Browns? Oniel Cousins has not been re-signed. Gilkey remains, but he’s a young, bottom of the roster guy anyway, so who cares.
2) He got rid of better talent? Incorrect. The head coach and GM make those calls. This assertion is the most absurd of all – that he would keep worse players because he knew them from CLeveland. That’s just stupid.
3) He knows the OC otherwise he would’ve been replaced… Really, and you know this how. Seems to me that Lovie did his firings before he got around to hiring an OC. Besides, even if he stayed because of Koetter, I would take Koetter’s opinion over yours or anybody else on this board. every.day.of.the.week.
Your post is one of the dumbest things I’ve read on JBF, which is saying a lot, considering.
April 16th, 2015 at 10:24 am
Wonder if Tony Sparano is available to help with the OLine?
April 16th, 2015 at 1:31 pm
@BlogTalkFootball-
No, he took a job as somebody’s TE coach I believe.