Schiano Man… Buccaneer Man?
April 16th, 2018
Direct link to Bucs’ past in the draft.
Back when former Bucs commander Greg Schiano led the franchise, he demanded his players be “Buccaneer Men.”
In the process, Schiano rooted out those he didn’t consider Buccaneer Men, including Michael Bennett, LeGarrette Blount and Aqib Talib.
They may not have been Buccaneer Men but they proved to be winners, each getting Super Bowl jewelry after they were run off from One Buc Palace. Bennett and Talib became Pro Bowl players as well.
Meanwhile the Bucs, who never had a winning season under Schiano, have only had one winning season since he took over in 2012.
Why does Joe bring up Schiano? Well, after he was ousted from One Buc Palace, Schiano took a year off and in 2015 became defensive coordinator at Ohio State, where he has molded one of the better defenses in college football.
Just prior to the 2017 season, Schiano made headlines while appearing on the Big Ten Network, saying his defensive line was the most talented he ever coached including a Bucs team that featured Gerald McCoy and Bennett.
“That’s no joke,” Schiano boasted.
The panelists openly scoffed at Schiano, who swore he was serious. One player on that Ohio State defensive line happens to be in the draft next week, defensive end Sam Hubbard.
So during the combine this winter in Indianapolis, Joe asked Hubbard about how he and his teammates reacted to Schiano’s bold words.
“We didn’t really talk about it,” Hubbard said. “We saw it in the media. We sort of knew we were getting high praise like that and it put pressure on us to deliver on that. When someone like Coach Schiano sticks his neck out like that, you have to live up to it. We did our best to have a great season and live hard and play up to that. It was a great honor that he said that.”
And while Bucs fans may have a sour taste in their mouths for Schiano, you won’t hear any discouraging words from Hubbard about Schiano.
“He’s just a great mentor,” Hubbard said. “He has so much experience and so much knowledge. When I asked him throughout this process about issues or how to handle things, he picked the phone right up and told me the best thing to do and how to handle every situation. …
“[Schiano] used me and my versatility to be able to stand up, drop, rush from different spots. He wanted to give different looks and surprise offenses and I was able to be the moving piece to do that. It also showcased to teams what I can do at the next level.”
Now Hubbard, a former safety and linebacker, didn’t have stats that blow people away. In part, that’s because Hubbard, a three-year graduate, had a lot of help and he was rotated as well.
“Yeah, we joke about it,” Hubbard said. “We bet each other $20 for whoever gets the first sack in the game.”
If past patterns of Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht hold, don’t be shocked if he selects a defensive end next week at some point.
Watch Hubbard highlights below.
April 16th, 2018 at 7:25 am
Pass
April 16th, 2018 at 7:30 am
UDFA
April 16th, 2018 at 7:37 am
He seems to be able to pick a hole like rb and get to the QB from the inside as well as from the outside and he doesn’t weigh in at 235 lbs. .
April 16th, 2018 at 7:55 am
Hubbard has been a consensus late first round mocked guy. I can see him on the board for the second round pick. That could represent a good value/need pick up. Saying he’s an UDFA, you aren’t paying attention. Worst I’ve seen him mocked is early third but that is an outlier.
April 16th, 2018 at 7:58 am
Kentavius Street at DE unfortunately tore his ACL during the private workout process, and he graded out pretty well prior to that, and now might be had for as little as a 6th rounder, YES…with taking a low round gamble on him recovering fully by 2019, but using as low as a 6th/7th maybe, with other front offices possibly removing them from their draft boards.
Go Bucs!
April 16th, 2018 at 8:12 am
DE not the biggest need now…need starters at CB and RB…G, SS too
April 16th, 2018 at 8:23 am
Blahak – Exactly!
April 16th, 2018 at 9:06 am
Sam Hubbard will be a solid starter and team guy for some lucky NFL club. He may not be a sexy pick, but he is very versatile. He has great measurables, game tape and was coached very well.
Ohio State heavily rotated their DL so most of the prospects didn’t have top end stats. In fact, there are 3 Ohio DEs that will get drafted this year.
If we somehow trade back (1 or 2 times) and get multiple 1st and 2nd round picks then he is absolutely someone you target. I like DT Tavon Bryan a little more than Hubbard in the late 1st, but Hubbard is a solid starter and could replace Golston.
April 16th, 2018 at 9:31 am
He isnt that spectacular. He is ok against some of the lower level tackles he went against. He is can be a solid starter but he isnt a pressing need for us. He is a mid-late rd draft is he is drafted.
April 16th, 2018 at 10:22 am
if he’s BPA in the 5th 6th round I’d be ok with him…..
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
April 16th, 2018 at 10:37 am
@Blahak
DLine is still a need. Sure, we added some band aids but we need youth. I’d say trade down if the Big 3 aren’t there and spend an additional 2 picks on the DL.
April 16th, 2018 at 10:44 am
After Schiano’s absurd comment I called my son in Columbus. Big Buckeye fan but he thought the comment was brain dead.
And so I only watched one entire Buckeye game last year. OSU vs OU at home.
So either Schiano was stupid…or he’s a bad game coach because Baker Mayfield made the Buckeye defense look wimpy. So either Schiano coached that NFL talent right out of them or Mayfield is the real deal!!! I think the truth is somewhere in the middle.
April 16th, 2018 at 10:47 am
Wow, ya’ll really don’t watch or know much about college football eh?
Hubbard will likely go in the 1st round and is basically guaranteed to be gone by at least the second round yet some of you are saying he’s a 5th round guy, 6th round guy, or even an UDFA? Come on!
I’d be disgusted if we took him at #7, but if we traded down and got #12 and #22 and we took him at #22 … I still wouldn’t be happy, but I could at least live with that from a value perspective.
April 16th, 2018 at 11:04 am
nut
imo, if he goes first round, that just shows how weak the DE class is this year…..I watched a few of his games…..good player…wasn’t really impressed….played with a decent motor but wasn’t stout against the run….teams often ran right at him, hence the reason why schiano moved him around so much…..he is very athletic tho…..I think he’s a better fit for a 34LB….
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!!
April 16th, 2018 at 11:08 am
Speaking about those 5-7 round picks what’s left from those picks during the Licht Era, Benenoch (potential starter) Steve T (yet to play), Bond (invisible), other than that nothing but wasted picks, I get its hard but to me it seems this coaching staff is impatient with development unless it’s a top round pick, these picks should be special teams and rotational, you draft them for a reason and that’s to develop for the future, 1 30 day training camp isn’t enough time to develop a late round pick, granted some picks just suck like McSnoop, but even him they wanted to practice squad
April 16th, 2018 at 11:08 am
Sam Hubbard is on my wishlist.
Anyone thinking he will go undrafted is insane. He’ll not get past round 3.
April 16th, 2018 at 11:09 am
Schiano will coach again in the NFL. And probably win. Watch him replace Bill in New England some day…and win.
April 16th, 2018 at 11:34 am
@betterbucinbelieveit,
You are a genius bro.
I love the concept of drafting injured BADASSES or “character” issue guys in the 6th and 7th round.
I love the idea of drafting an injured stud of a DE in the last 2 rounds.
Be him a DE, or a RB, or a RB or OL.
Take risks in the 6th and 7th!! Those picks rarely work anyway!
Now, I need to watch a video of the injured Ohio State DE that
@betterbucinbelieveit
mentioned.
April 16th, 2018 at 11:37 am
The Patriots will draft Sam Hubbard.
Bank on it.
Ninkovitches back up.
April 16th, 2018 at 2:51 pm
Here’s what’s said about him on NFL.com: “He’s missing the plus athleticism to take him over the top as a pass rusher. His tape is solid, but nothing jumps off the screen. Teams looking for a big time edge rusher won’t get too excited by him. Below average conversion of speed-to-power. Burst to the ball is just average. Doesn’t get early wins at the point of attack. Pursuit speed is just average and he’ll come up just short of the tackle at times. Can be run up and past the quarterback. Arc-runner rather than move-maker as a rusher.”
He was unable to place in the top 15 DE at any of the drills at the combine. If you’re looking for “just another guy,” here he is. Just what the Bucs need,
somebody interchangeable with Gholston.
April 16th, 2018 at 4:22 pm
no particular opinion on this guy, but schiano-coached players have a better track record than many other college players in terms of lasting in the league. Rutgers didn’t produce superstars but many schiano’s guys were solid role players in the league. lavonte and McCoy both had the best seasons of their careers as young players under schiano as well. i wouldn’t object on the bucs rolling the dice on a greg schiano coached player
April 16th, 2018 at 7:30 pm
What I guess I can’t degrade “Coach Toes On The Line” …