This Isn’t Rocket Science
July 30th, 2016
PFF tribe misses again.
Just when Joe broke out into a smile reading the latest PFF tribe offering, the smile turned to a frown.
Joe started to read the tribe’s season preview of the Bucs including Lovie Smith being rightly jettisoned because his defense was wretched.
Then, just as quickly as Joe began nodding his head reading the piece typed by John Breitenbach, Joe did a facepalm. Breitenbach is of the mind Team Glazer likely swung and missed with the hiring of Dirk Koetter.
However, is it somewhat contradictory that ownership decided to elevate offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter in his stead. It was Smith, after all, who brought him into the organisation. That side of the ball is only functioning so effectively because the former head coach brought the right assistants on board. The addition of Mike Smith might prove a masterstroke, but he has a tough task improving a defense largely devoid of talent.
Joe would argue the defense played below its talent, well below. Since, that talent has been greatly upgraded with Brent Grimes, Vernon Hargreaves, Noah Spence and Robert Ayers,
Is it really that difficult to figure out why Koetter was hired? The Bucs invested in America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, big time. Joe maintains Jameis’ selection was the most important draft pick this franchise has made since Lee Roy Selmon.
Look, the Bucs offense last year set a franchise record under Koetter. Jameis thrived for a rookie. The list of first overall quarterback picks with two different head coaches in their first two years is bleak.
The reason Team Glazer hired Koetter was to stay with Jameis, their massive investment, for consistency and growth. Joe swears people that don’t understand this have their heads up a laser jet printer. Shoot, Louis Riddick, a former scout and NFL front office man now peddling for BSPN, raves about this hire of Koetter.
Besides, the defense was so wretched, anyone with the possible exception of Lovie, would improve it.
July 30th, 2016 at 10:47 am
This guy is sooooooo off. Koetter is going to be a top rated head coach in this league. I will vet on that. His first year may have some.speedbumps but Im talking playoff bearth for years to come starting next season…..hell this season if the defense shows up.
I would be interested to know who the pfft would have brought in as head coach other than koetter.
July 30th, 2016 at 10:50 am
After lovies disastrous and embarrassing first year who is to say the glazers removed lovie from the hiring process for koetter. That first season was so embarrassing the owners would have had every right to turn over the OC search to Licht.
July 30th, 2016 at 10:50 am
How some of these people have jobs writing about football is beyond me.
July 30th, 2016 at 10:58 am
Agree with everyone
Strange why there is no heat with the Giants when they canned Tom coughlin, 2 time superbowl champion with their offensive coodinator Ben Mcadoo?
Its a passing Leauge and the QB is all that matters. Offensive coordinators will be the first to get head coach gigs to straightened out the QB ala Hugh Jackson, adam gase etc
July 30th, 2016 at 11:04 am
Joe
Is that lovie in camouflage in that picture. Looks like he is getting ready to hide in the corn fields in search of cursing violations.
July 30th, 2016 at 11:14 am
On second thought it is Lovie but not in camo it’s his scarecrow costume to protect his flock of sheep from being molested by his stalker bighog
July 30th, 2016 at 11:16 am
Just like anything.. Won’t know for 2-3 seasons of DK was the right choice. Nor will we know for another 2 seasons if JW will be great or just average.
July 30th, 2016 at 11:21 am
R.O.
Jameis has already proven he is far from average. Jameis has never been average at anything he does. Now will he become an Elite QB that is a fair question. Midway through last season jameus took over the team as a rookie that is hardly average. He is by far the most important buc player on the roster
July 30th, 2016 at 11:24 am
Good Lord.
“defense largely devoid of talent?”
WTF?
July 30th, 2016 at 11:35 am
I see a great amount of speed on this defense. A more aggressive scheme and attitude should put these guys in position to make plays.
July 30th, 2016 at 11:56 am
Cobraboy, I was thinking exactly the same thing. Bucs have 5 starters on defense who’ve been All-Pro: McCoy, David, Daryl Smith, Grimes, Verner. Several others on defense who could well earn All-Pro honors this year I think (Alexander plus 1 or 2 of our DEs if all goes well). That’s hardly what I’d call ‘largely devoid of talent’ as Breitenbach contended.
July 30th, 2016 at 12:13 pm
Pro bowls are not the same as All-Pro but your point is still accurate. All pro matters. Pro bowls are nothing more than a popularity contest with a flawed voting ststem.
July 30th, 2016 at 12:19 pm
Its simple my dudes,some are taking they’re final shots because they know this is the last opportunity they have to so.
July 30th, 2016 at 12:20 pm
I really never listen to any national media about the Bucs. They still think of us as the Yucs in cream sickle and dont look into anything we do. That is why I stick with Joe (smooches:) and the other locals
July 30th, 2016 at 12:24 pm
SOEbuc I kinda like the lack of any positive attention. Tells me we about surprise a lot folks this season. They currently don’t see us coming, that changes real fast tho.
July 30th, 2016 at 12:30 pm
Speaking of a defense largely devoid of talent (not true), I haven’t heard anything about Daryl Smith lately. I remember he got that pick in the first day of underwear, but after that nothing. Anyone know how he’s doing?
July 30th, 2016 at 12:30 pm
Yes, NOSBOS, before the season starts is indeed the last opportunity for all these jokers to trash our organization.
Once the season starts they will be forced to respect us.
July 30th, 2016 at 12:47 pm
Did anyone else notice how he spelled “organisation”? Brits spell like that. Take your egghead algorithms and stick to writing about soccer.
July 30th, 2016 at 12:49 pm
Did they also point the finger at Tennesee for firing their coach with Mariota at the helm??
July 30th, 2016 at 12:53 pm
lol of course not! they didn’t even mention that Tennesee had a new head coach……
July 30th, 2016 at 1:20 pm
Now that’s real talk Erik.
July 30th, 2016 at 1:47 pm
IMHO, the Glazers got it correct by keeping Koetter and Licht, and sending Lovie off to the cornfields. Keep the good, and ditch the bad. Some think that Jason Licht conspired to get rid of Lovie, behind the scenes. Some think he did Lovie dirty, since Lovie pretty much hired him. I hope he did conspire, because that is what a good GM does, he reports to the owners what the problems of their team are.
TMaxcon is right, Lovie would rather catch a player cussing, then to ever consider his scheme is flawed.
July 30th, 2016 at 2:21 pm
Solid point Kobe……..but my guess is that is a different story up in NY. Thre has to be a lot of love for what Coughlin did for that franchise and Im sure a lot of fans and media up there are ticked about it.
July 30th, 2016 at 3:23 pm
What was the punishment from Lovie after hearing a player use a cuss word? Ten lashes from a wet noodle coach.
July 30th, 2016 at 4:12 pm
I don’t read that as a criticism of hiring Koetter, but rather suggesting Lovie should get some credit for bringing Koetter here in the first place and perhaps should still be the HC. I personally don’t agree with that, but it is different than saying Koetter was a bad choice given that Lovie was let go.
July 30th, 2016 at 6:23 pm
Joe’s firing his last shots from the Bow at Lovie. Guess Buc Realist and Tmaccon and a few others are gonna have to go to..Jenny Craig once the season starts. You too Joe! There will be no more Lovie feedings for Y’all.
July 30th, 2016 at 9:19 pm
Thanks SOE.
July 30th, 2016 at 9:31 pm
Tom coughlin has a lot of respect from his players. the biggest reason is he started out like greg Schiano, a real hardass. with the possible exception of Tiki Barber
who resented him trying to correct his fumbling.The reason the team respected him was, unlike Schiano when team leaders went to talk to him he listened,loosened up a lot and the players have respected him eversince.
July 31st, 2016 at 4:38 pm
Maybe the offense is just better than the defense. Almost all the draft picks were offensive players during Lovie’s tenure, and those players all have some experience now. Great players make great coaches, and the cupboard is pretty bare on defense.