Pamphile Penciled In As Starting LT
May 11th, 2015
Bucs OL coach George Warhop stated rookie left tackle Donovan Smith will have to beat out Kevin Pamphile for a starting nod.
If the Bucs regular season kicked off this week, newly drafted left tackle Donovan Smith would be a backup.
Instead, it is second-year tackle Kevin Pamphile who would be the starter.
That’s the word from Bucs offensive line coach George Warhop. While he is high on the talents of Smith and thinks the Penn State product has a high ceiling, Smith is still behind Pamphile on Warhop’s depth chart.
In early May.
Speaking to a gaggle of Tampa Bay pen and mic club members today at One Buc Palace, Warhop noted Smith has yet to make a mistake in minicamp but still has to leapfrog Pamphile.
“We are putting in a lot of stuff and I don’t know of a true mistake [Smith] has made,” Warhop said. “So far, he has had a good start. But you know, Kevin Pamphile is in front of him. He has to beat Kevin out to be the starter.”
Again, Joe will point out it is early May. From the words of Bucs general manager Jason Licht, and Bucs coach Lovie Smith, it’s difficult to fathom that the No. 34 pick overall will be backing up a fifth-round pick from 2014, a guy that has yet to prove in a game situation he is an NFL starter.
But in the words of Warhop, Smith still must prove he belongs in the starting lineup. In short, Warhop isn’t going to gift Smith a starting gig.
May 11th, 2015 at 1:59 pm
The way it should be. He should earn that spot
May 11th, 2015 at 2:00 pm
While we all see this as coach speak it’s not a bad thing. It wouldn’t be bad if Koetter had said the same thing about Fameis and MG8.
But we all know that if Famies isn’t successful as a starting QB very quickly fans will be unhappy. It’s not quite as bad for Smith but there is no doubt Smith better find a starting spot at either right or left tackle. He’s a freaking 2nd round pick!!! He should have far more upside than either Pamphile or Dotson.
Ditto for the new right guard!!!
May 11th, 2015 at 2:04 pm
in warhop we trust!
May 11th, 2015 at 2:05 pm
So Pamphile “earned” the spot? Nah
May 11th, 2015 at 2:10 pm
This is good news to me.
Even though he was a 5th rounder he still has more NFL experience than Smith whether it be on the field or watching film.
May 11th, 2015 at 2:14 pm
Every time I see Warhop’s name it makes me cringe. He was not only in charge of last year’s Oline disaster, but I have no doubt he hand picked the FAs the Bucs chose. Why Warhop is still on the Bucs coaching staff is a complete mystery to me
May 11th, 2015 at 2:18 pm
Arroyo gets tossed under a bus by Lovie yet this Warhop clown is still receiving a paycheck. D Smith will quickly inherit his rightful place. I am glad they are working last year’s pick at lt.
May 11th, 2015 at 2:18 pm
Same guy that allowed Collins to wear a uniform last year. At this rate jameis will get killed in the preseason
May 11th, 2015 at 2:19 pm
Warhop was a terrible hire, and he should have been let go.
May 11th, 2015 at 2:28 pm
Warhop will help Jamesi go thru his progressions quicker… 🙂
May 11th, 2015 at 2:32 pm
having a veteran ahead of a rookie is a good thing….it would not be the worst thing in the world if last years late round pick was too good to bench for a second rounder….get in where you fit in smith, im glad no jobs are being given away on the o line they were terrible just turrible
May 11th, 2015 at 2:33 pm
good lord!, that’s a scary scenario…Pamphile at LT
May 11th, 2015 at 2:36 pm
Does that mean that Ali Marpet will have to back up Gilkey???
May 11th, 2015 at 2:39 pm
I think that is smart, not just for Smith, but for Pamphile, to fight to keep the rookie off the field, it will make him better, the issue may be, do we have DE’s to truly test either of them.
May 11th, 2015 at 2:41 pm
Warhop did invoke Gilkey’s name, and not in a negative way either.
May 11th, 2015 at 2:42 pm
Warflop, the less I hear about this guy having any input in this team the more I like 6 wins next year….Even if the OC had a hand in bad OL play last year, this warflop character has probably been around more pro football than arroyo and coudldn’t help? OL coaches usually tend to be the better coaches on a team from technique and understanding how to develop run games and obviouslly basic protection schemes well they are supposed to
May 11th, 2015 at 3:25 pm
Pamphile earned the top spot based on seniority and not much else. Smith should be able to win the fairly handily though. I like it. Smith will have to work in training camp and pre season and earn his snaps. Get the juices going and be ready to hit someone come opening day.
May 11th, 2015 at 3:27 pm
Can some of you Oline coaching experts explain to me why the players seem to think he is a great OL coach and why he has coaching in the NFL as an OL coach for 20 plus years. Yes he picked a FA last year that was awful even though he looked good the starts he got in Cinci. I would think the lack of OL overall talent and no OC last year might of effected his performance as a coach a bit. But I’m no expert like some around here seem to be.
May 11th, 2015 at 3:33 pm
Stanglassman
His record speaks for itself. Look up warhop and you find that warflop is actually more accurate.
Second point do you really think a player is going to badmouth a coach. Yeah, you hear it every day during every interview.. Our receivers coach tries hard but we could upgrade… Or man I’d be healthy if my coach did not suck. Dude come on you can make your point other ways but to use the player “Say he is a good coach” that is the same of all of us judgmental non-experts who post our opinions here daily.
May 11th, 2015 at 3:35 pm
I hope the best guy is playing first Preseason game. We can’t afford to send a message while the Vikings DEs are smashing America’s QB.
May 11th, 2015 at 3:36 pm
stanglassman,
I should have clarified. I am a drinking expert not an expert on oline coaches. Although, I do find it easy to dislike the job that warhop has done and the players he has developed or recommended. I hardly think developed is the rigt word but you get the point.
May 11th, 2015 at 3:55 pm
Tmaxcon
No one is asking them about their coach, they a volunteering to saying it. Much different but I get what you mean though.
I still don’t understand why he keeps getting re hired if he is so bad. I have looked him up and most of his firing comes from overall coaching changes. He has had some good OL and some not so good I’d say he is a more NFL proven coach than the Bucs often hire. The last few were from college and now back coaching college. You don’t like his development of who? The 1st year 5 and 6th round guys? The GM cut all his other players? I think we should reserve such harsh judgement til the guys has some decent talent, like this season and a OC that’s all.
May 11th, 2015 at 4:04 pm
Talk of actually having a player earn the starting role. Wow. Not much of that happening so far under the current regime.
May 11th, 2015 at 4:08 pm
Stanglassman
i understand your points I am just not as understanding with any Lovie offensive staff hires. The one thing I said at the begging of Lovie fest, and to be clear, I drank the Lovie kool aid initially, is if he truly learned something in the basement it will reflect in his staff. I personally did not see enough change in philosophy to continue supporting him. I am also disturbed for whatever reason Koetter did not have more of “His” guys brought on board and I obviously don’t know if he was forced to keep the staff or was cool with it but you know I just am hesitant to give Lovie offensive hires any credit given the long history of failures.
May 11th, 2015 at 4:21 pm
Just did a quick search on Wikipedia for George Warhop and its not looking so good. I hope this isn’t a “this guy is a friend of mine hires”. From looking at his history it doesn’t look like he accomplished much as an offensive line coach over his career. Can anyone help me out and tell me if he has developed any decent lineman in the NFL?
May 11th, 2015 at 4:36 pm
Wow, SO i’m high and low bc of this:
High: I’m catching a scent that they might get how it should work, you earn your spot, you’re not anointed it… And that maybe we will not pigeon hole guys for a certain spot in a scheme
Low: The title alone made me puke in my mouth
Hearing a “high ceiling” is the same thing as has “potential”. I can’t think of the last time we gambled for a high potential guy that paid off.
May 11th, 2015 at 4:56 pm
Mr Warhop needs to demonstrate his value this season or he needs to pack it up. If he had a whole lot to do with the clowns we brought in last year (A. Collins, L. Mankins, E. Smith) then there is no way he would have a job. I think Lovie and Jason were ready to fire themselves over that debacle. I’m still shocked that two of those guys still have a roster spot. I’m hoping Mankins will bounce back with a full off season to grasp the playbook, but Smith is pretty terrible and there’s not a whole lot of film out there that shows he can be anything but pretty terrible. For the love of God, Coach Warhop please make this team relevant again by providing us with an average/below average offensive line. Because if we have the WORST again.. well I don’t even want to think about what will happen.
May 11th, 2015 at 4:58 pm
let’s see if it’s more than lip service as we get into training camp. albeit with a limited sample size, this regime has shown a problematic willingness to hand people starting jobs the same day they hand them their bucs jersey
May 11th, 2015 at 5:21 pm
It shouldn’t be that difficult for Smith to “earn” the starting job from Pamphile… However, I like that there is at least somewhat of a competition for the starting LT job… If Smith doesn’t beat out Pamphile by mid camp Smith may be on his way to bust town…
May 11th, 2015 at 5:21 pm
I believe the samething happen with Mike last year
May 11th, 2015 at 6:07 pm
So, my question is:
Did Koetter approve of Warhop …. or did he have no choice ?
May 11th, 2015 at 6:49 pm
Atlanta had a worse OL than the Bucs over the last few years and you all want Koetter to bring that guy with him?
May 11th, 2015 at 9:42 pm
JoMag88 Says:
May 11th, 2015 at 4:56 pm
“For the love of God, Coach Warhop please make this team relevant again by providing us with an average/below average offensive line. Because if we have the WORST again.. well I don’t even want to think about what will happen.”
Ha ha ha ha funniest post of the day award goes to!
May 12th, 2015 at 12:50 am
Proving the spot?
Pamphile is an unproven guard, let alone Lt.
This is like putting a cheeseburger on the ground and Smith if he can jump over it can win the spot.
May 12th, 2015 at 3:05 am
You lost me at George Warhop.
May 12th, 2015 at 10:09 am
So Pamphile is suddenly a veteran? As if Smith should have to beat out a guy that hasn’t earned it. Warhop should be in even hotter water than Lovie. Better get the O Line straightened out