Warhop: Bucs OL “Average” In 2015
May 19th, 2016
Irked by QB hits.
Last year the Bucs were tied for fourth-best in the NFL in fewest sacks allowed with 27, and the Bucs were fifth in total rushing yards (2,162).
Consider four starters on the offensive line were not even on the roster in April, and of those four, two were rookies (one a Division-III player) and the other two were picked up after the preseason started. That’s a helluva feat. Joe would call that exceptional play.
But Joe is not George Warhop. The offensive line coach of the Bucs would counter that the garish number of quarterback hits America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, absorbed last year (109), which was fourth-worst in the NFL, suggests the offensive line was anything but stellar.
So Joe wondered if the ghastly high number of hits were due to two rookies up front or two guys who did not have a full training camp working, or if a rookie quarterback was the culprit? So Joe asked Warhop this afternoon at One Buc Palace.
“That’s too many quarterback hits, regardless, I don’t care who is at fault,” Warhop said. “We all had a hand in that. As one of our points of emphasis this [offseason]. Our first meeting I said, ‘Hey listen guys, everybody is telling you what a great job you did, I thought we were just average, really.’
“At the end of the day we can play much better in all parts of the game, but the No. 1 thing is hits on the quarterback. We have to cut that down.“
If anything last year, it showed just what a tough SOB Jameis is to get blasted that many times in his rookie NFL season. He never once missed a snap.
And there were times last year Jameis got drilled so hard, it looked as if he was in some other world. He had his world rocked a few times.
Less hits on Jameis means more seasons for Jameis to be behind center for the Bucs.
Earlier in the afternoon, Bucs quarterback coach Mike Bajakian hinted Jameis was going to move more in the pocket this season, and it almost sounded like the Bucs may employ a moving pocket.
Joe guesses this is part of the strategy to cut the number of hits on Jameis.
May 19th, 2016 at 2:24 pm
I don’t understand why we don’t employ more slants…..after all every team we played scorched us with them…..it seems our bread and butter are the passes that take a bit longer to develop. Winston gets popped way too muor ch and sooner or later his luck will run out.
May 19th, 2016 at 2:33 pm
That’s too many quarterback hits, regardless, I don’t care who is at fault,”…but the No. 1 thing is hits on the quarterback. We have to cut that down.“
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In my EXPERT opinion it was mainly old man Mankins and Cherilus. Marpet got handled in STL but luckily he gets to redeem himself this year against the MAN BEAST DONALD.
our best ol BY FAR is @DSmith_76, his run blocking is superior and although he got beat once or twice overall he did an outstanding job of protecting the franchise.
May 19th, 2016 at 2:36 pm
I agree with coach that the Oline was “average” last year. Its just that average looked sooooo much better than what we had seen the previous 2 years that by comparison it looked good. – LOL (oops almost forgot – Thanks Dom!)
A great offense must have good to great play by the Oline. Lots of areas to improve in – and protecting JW from unnecessary hits has to be #1 on the list.
Coach up Warhop.
May 19th, 2016 at 2:36 pm
@tbbf
He refuses to throw the ball away. He will take the hit rather than lose a down. He’s like Farve in many ways.
May 19th, 2016 at 2:51 pm
Cam led the league in hits…it’s going to take a toll on him eventually, and he was the MVP. Buccs must get better in this area if we want to make the playoffs, and succeed in the postseason.
May 19th, 2016 at 2:53 pm
I get very worried that the new thinner Jameis won’t be as durable. There is legitimately something to being bigger and able to absorb more punishment. I hope Jameis is aware that he might need to change his playing style a little if he wants to keep those abs.
May 19th, 2016 at 3:12 pm
Off topic…
Jalen Ramsey has apparently torn his miniscus
May 19th, 2016 at 4:01 pm
Talk about bad luck with 1st round picks. I would hate 2 be a Jax 1st rounder next year
May 19th, 2016 at 4:05 pm
And what have they done to improve? Not a hellva lot
May 19th, 2016 at 4:09 pm
@Hire Jimbo
I have not seen such “Bad Luck” since the pop-star was pretending to be a NFL GM!!!! Maybe they “Knew knees” as well????
@Joe
No one ever got hit as hard as Old man McCown did!!!! We were throwing white towels at the TV to “Stop the fight”!!!!
Brain dead Rocky Balboa thought Old man McCown was beat senseless!!!!!!
May 19th, 2016 at 5:33 pm
Great run blocking unit and mediocre to bad in pass protection imo. Still better than the toilet paper we had the prior year but I expect improvement.
Most o lineman improve a lot their 2nd/3rd years. Similar to d line
May 19th, 2016 at 6:33 pm
Our O line was not great. But it did the job. Jameis needs to get better with his accuracy and pass completions. HE was good..not great.
May 19th, 2016 at 7:11 pm
with this being the first year the O line has been together and the first year for Winston I think their performance was better then expected. Winston wants to win on every play but I would rather see him throw the ball out of bounds at times then get drilled. It takes time for players (especially linemen) to learn the patterns of the people they play with I expect great thing from the O line and QB in 2016
May 19th, 2016 at 7:30 pm
Naw, man.
Jaboo was great.
V jax out, Dropsie ME13, close to non existent ASJ.
All the man did was have one of the best Rook seasons ever.
Puh-lease!
May 19th, 2016 at 10:51 pm
Impossible. Bucs gave up nearly double the QB hits than Carolina and Jameis took ever snap.
May 19th, 2016 at 10:53 pm
Good point.
May 19th, 2016 at 11:32 pm
The Buc Realist, MClown took a lot of those hits because of his own stupidity. Just like when Alexander blew him up in the preseason game.
I am not certain TampaBayBucFan, but we may not throw as many slants because Winston isn’t comfortable throwing them since it takes more accuracy to toss a short crisp pass. It could also be that unlike our CB’s, the other teams DB’s are more adept at defending the slant. Then it could be something else.
A lot of variables at work here.
Finally Rod Munch, soft fatty tissue does not absorb punishing blows as well as toned muscle. If it did, every fighter you saw in the ring would have a big beer gut.
Geeesh dude. The things some of you guys think and say.
May 20th, 2016 at 12:50 am
Someone wrote that “old man” Mankins may have had the most of the hits? Mankins had 0 sacks last year. The OL was 4th best overall for sacks at 27, 4th worst overall for QB Hits at 109. Where is the disconnect? The good news is that we are past the rookie growing pains with Donovan Smith and Ali Marpet. You probably can’t find another team who started and played two rookie OL all season. This year it will pay off. Penalties are a big problem too.
Logan Mankins 0 Sacks 8 Penalties
Donovan Smith 5 Sacks 11 Penalties
Joe Hawley 1 Sacks 4 Penalties
Ali Marpet 2 Sacks 7 Penalties
Gosder Cherilus 4 Sacks 11 Penalties
Demar Dotson (2014) 7 Sacks 14 Penalties