“Oh, It’s Very Different”
April 28th, 2016
All smiles playing defense for Mike Smith.
Joe is getting a lot of questions on Twitter from readers about what Mike Smith’s defense looks like. In particular, readers want to know if Smith is running any 34 schemes.
Joe will be honest: Perhaps.
When the Bucs run 7-on-7 seven drills — remember, this is underwear football. There are no pads, no hitting — it appears sometimes the Bucs were running a 34. For example, Daryl Smith seemed to be at middle linebacker.
But as Mike Smith himself said back in January, depending on splits, a 43 can morph into a 34 and vice-versa.
Yesterday, Bucs cornerback Johnthan Banks spoke after practice and naturally he was asked about playing under Coach My Scheme and now playing for Smith.
“Oh, it’s very different,” Banks said. “Everything is different. You won’t see anything of what we did in the past in this defense. It’s going to be fun, we’re going to fly around and make a lot of plays, a whole lot of plays. I’m excited about it and I think every guy in the locker room is excited about it.
“It’s fun. They let playmakers be playmakers, football players be football players. You fly around. He puts you in a position to go out there and win. … I think we’re going to be great in the secondary. If you can play, this is the defense you want to be in. It’s going put you in a position to go out and make plays and have fun.
“I haven’t backpedaled in three years and now I’m backpedaling.”
It is tough to figure out which member of the Bucs’ secondary suffered more under the boot of Lovie, Alterraun Verner or Banks. Even after Banks led the Bucs in picks in 2014, Lovie did his best to run off Banks, trying to replace him with [still unemployed] Toast Jenkins of all people, if you can imagine such a thing.
If one is to bank on anyone making a turnaround, it would be Banks. Now free of Coach My Scheme’s shackles, Banks will be free to make plays. In a contract year as well.
April 28th, 2016 at 8:05 am
I get the strange feeling that Banks didn’t get along well with Lovie. I can’t put my finger on it, though.😀
April 28th, 2016 at 8:16 am
I’m so excited to see this defense and how it will look. We finally are playing to our players strengths and that will certainly help get the most out of our players talents.
And did I hear a 46 defense? That would be cool to see on 1st and 2nd down obviously. I always used that defense on Madden and it would shut the opposing teams running game DOWN. Our offense will probably have to carry us thru the 1st seven games or so till our defense can get accustomed to running our new scheme, u can’t expect them to go out and dominate right away. Although I don’t expect it to be like the growing pains we had with coach my scheme. It shouldn’t be nearly as bad. That scheme was doomed from the beginning.
April 28th, 2016 at 8:26 am
My bad, guess I didn’t hear a 46 defense, I would love to,see us use it on 1st down tho. I guess Tennessee use to run it back in the day. While it’s great against the run, its weak against the pass. So it has its strengths and weaknesses, I think why it’s not used any more is the QB will audible out of the run and go to the pass every time. The bucs have the LB’s and the right DL to be successful tho. But we’re a good run stuffing my to begin with so I don’t see that as a problem anyways
April 28th, 2016 at 8:26 am
That man was so incompetent it is almost criminal. I expect the Cryin Illini will be feeling snake bit in two years.
April 28th, 2016 at 8:57 am
Obviously Lovie had no idea what he was doing, and we’re moving in a better direction now. But ti seems strange that Banks is behind Grimes and Verner (I know it’s only after 2 practices). It’ll be fun to see how that whole part of the defense develops.
April 28th, 2016 at 9:21 am
“I haven’t backpedaled in three years and now I’m backpedaling.”
Wow. Just wow.
April 28th, 2016 at 9:24 am
@Joe
Who were the 3 down linemen?
April 28th, 2016 at 9:39 am
I have to admit, I NEVER(IN A MILLION YEARS) thought we’d be seeing EYE TO EYE(Yes, i’m talking about our wangs)!
Joseph, I might start RIDING Banks WANG just like you if you keep posting articles like this!!
It’s time to get excited Ladies and Gents!!
WOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
April 28th, 2016 at 9:56 am
Hey, One Love is back. Good to see you man.
April 28th, 2016 at 10:22 am
Well for what it is, this is absolutely good news… I can’t say for sure that “The Real Coach Smith” is putting us in any better position to win on D…. HOWEVER…. Remind me when the last time a Bucs team collectively was excited and jacked up about the system and coaching they had…. Tried my butt off to support “The Fake Coach Smith”. But its painfully clear… THANK GOD (THE REAL GOD) “THE SORRIEST COACH IN BUCS HISTORY IS GONE.”
I mean at least Coach Perkins was fun and the players kinda liked him at times… And when asked about the execution of his team… He was, “ALL FOR IT.” Lovme would have found a way to accuse the reporter of not making sense or just said something stupid…
April 28th, 2016 at 10:36 am
@Jab
That was Coach McKay
April 28th, 2016 at 10:37 am
The “love” for Coach Smitty has just begun, wait until preseason!!!!
I am so excited this year!!! They may not win the division, but they will be finally watchable again!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!
April 28th, 2016 at 10:42 am
That’s pretty much the same thing everybody says about every defense every time they are asked. Probably will be a better defense but not because of scheme. If it’s better it will because of preparation and (hopefully) coaches who will bench non-performers.
April 28th, 2016 at 10:43 am
Jab83….the players hated Perkins.
April 28th, 2016 at 11:34 am
Yeah my bad it wasnt Perkins… But that was kinda my point… Lovme sucked worst then the two worst coaches combined….
April 28th, 2016 at 11:37 am
And no one can say I am a Lovie hater because One Love and myself where the only two that I recall on this message board that kept trying to sell the BS because thats what die hard fans do… They play theyre role no matter what like any good team mate…. Now that he is gone… I am at liberty to say… LOVIE SMITH… YOUR FIRED…. Thank GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
April 28th, 2016 at 11:39 am
Be careful what you wish for, Johnathon Banks is not a good fit for man-cover schemes, either.
April 28th, 2016 at 11:47 am
i’ll admit he was becoming productive until lovie showed up….lets hope he can recapture his mojo….if not, I hope they try him at fs….tired of seeing our players leave and becoming pro bowlers with another team…GO BUCS!!!
April 28th, 2016 at 12:02 pm
Virtually everybody here has played on sports teams at sometime growing up. Heck some of you even have collegiate experience.
I’ve only got HS and Army experience but I think you all have seen this as well.
Some coaches just develop favorites and it’s not always based on production or talent. Lovie seemed to suffer from that horribly. Mix in a lack of flexibility and you understand how Lovie is now coach the “Fighting Illini”.
Good for Lovie! He might have a chance in the college game. If he and his sons can use Lovie’s NFL fame to recruit some studs to Urbana he might at least make them competitive. In college recruiting skill may be more important than even coaching skill. If you can consistently line up better talent it’s a winning formula no matter what kinds of schemes you run. Saban, Urban, and Jimbo are perfect illustrations. Different philosphies but one thing is consistent…all three continually get the best talent in the nation. Ultimately the best talent wins and that’s Lovie’s only hope.
The NFL is just too freaking balanced….hence Spurrier failed..Saban failed..I think Urban would fail as well. Perhaps Jimbo could make the jump.
April 28th, 2016 at 12:30 pm
It’s good to see the defense excited about playing football again. Tampa loves good defense and it has been missing. Hope to get it back.
April 28th, 2016 at 12:34 pm
Lovie is a good fit at Illinois. The last time the Illini were relevent was when they went to the Rose Bowl in the early sixties as the winner of the Big Ten Conference. He could go 8 and 8 and still would be adored by their fans. That’s where he needs to be. Although Michigan, Iowa and Ohio State will run the tampa 2 into the ground.
April 28th, 2016 at 12:43 pm
Love and Warrick Dunn Says:
April 28th, 2016 at 9:21 am
“I haven’t backpedaled in three years and now I’m backpedaling.”
Wow. Just wow.
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That is what I took from this article as well. Corners arent going to be 10 yards off the receiver every snap. Finally some competence. GO BUCS!!
April 28th, 2016 at 12:54 pm
Ok Mr Banks..so its different. The question is though, Will you be different? Will you play better? Will you stop showing up in plays after..you have been beaten? We shall see if Mr banks improves. Personally I have no confidence in him.
As for the new DC mr. smith? He’s done zero yet. And as my recall serves me, His defenses in ATl were not that great overall. You guys had better pray, he’s had a re-tooling. cause his Defenses took some serious beatdowns in ATL. There is a reason he was let go from there. But..nobody recognizes that huh?
April 28th, 2016 at 2:06 pm
Here is my interpretation:
Lovie: I know the ball’s thrown over there, but don’t you dare move from your spot, cause you gotta trust me…they will come 2 u.
Mike: Attack the ball, do not stand around! Fly y’all!
Like that old Seinfeld…”RELEASE THE HOUNDSĎ” Go Bucs!
April 28th, 2016 at 2:19 pm
I’m hopeful that Banks and company can turn this thing around. Time will tell.
It sure is fun to talk about though!
April 28th, 2016 at 5:57 pm
I hope Banks can be the player we all are waiting for him to be. Its his contract year so he has to shine. Not heard much how Brent Grimes and Jon Robinson are doing?