Clear Attitude Shift By Bucs Coaches

May 18th, 2018

Joe cannot express how many times NFL coaches at this time of year won’t discuss the previous season. They’re not going there. Page turned. Old news.

Not this year.

It’s likely a conscious decision. Why? Dirk Koetter is a detail guy, precise in his approach to everything. That’s Koetter’s reputation, even if he appears on the surface to be a regular but intense dude with whom you just want to pound a few beers with and talk ball.

Take offensive line coach George Warhop, he was throwing darts left and right yesterday. Warhop came right out and said the mentality of the offensive line was far below par in the first half of last season.

Of course, Warhop loves and praises all of his players individually, but collectively he crushed their 2017 performance.

On grit and toughness, “We may have it but we weren’t playing with it,” Warhop said. “Either you’re going to be competitive or you’re not,” he added.

Warhop went on to say he’s still “pissed off” about last season and it’s good let the scars “bleed.”

Yesterday, offensive coordinator Todd Monken twice said the Bucs “chose to suck” throughout the season in the red zone. And QB Coach Mike Bajakian had no problem saying the Bucs didn’t know how to play basic “pitch-and-catch” in 2017.

There are several other examples from coaches on both sides of the ball.

It’s no coincidence. The powers at One Buc Palace want to keep that sting and stench of 2017 very fresh. Channel it and use it, Dirk.

Joe greatly appreciates the candor. It reflects where the fans are. Fans are ready and yearning to move on, but the gut-punch of last season still aches enough to get you fired up.

40 Responses to “Clear Attitude Shift By Bucs Coaches”

  1. MadMax Says:

    Every game starts with us down 21-0! At half time, if we’re up by 7, the other team is still up by 21! Two minutes left in the 4th qtr and we’re up by 14, the other team is still up by 21! Play with that kind of attitude.

  2. jmarkbuc Says:

    DK is a “detail” guy? But he can’t manage a clock as of yet..

    On the bright side the whole staff is feeling the pressure of $hitting the bed last year..

    On the downside it’s a lot of whistling in the graveyard. We all know how bad we were, whatcha gonna do this year…

  3. JJV Says:

    It is all talk. We now just want action with results. Frankly, there are too many doubts with the current regime. Hope I’m wrong.

  4. Lamarcus Says:

    There was one a poster a couple of days ago mention if was so easy for them to “pitch and catch” then why they made no adjustments during when it matter the most. I agree with this.

    The more I listened to these coaches sounds as to me they did blame it on the players and they (the coaches) deserve to be here. Borderline saying the players thru the games

    Vegas favored us 3 games for a reason……. The coaches here have a ceiling over this team and all this crap there talking now is gonna blow up in their faces.

  5. Fire the Glazers Says:

    I vaguely remember Peyton Manning once say in a Monday night football post game conference about beating the ever living pi$$ out of some team, “once we got up on them by 3 scores, I told our guys to keep piling on. We can smile when the games over.”
    Something to that nature.

  6. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    This one’s for 87……Miss you man!!!

    Running hot
    Running cold
    I was running into overload
    That was extreme.
    I took it so high so low so long
    There was no where to go like a bad dream.
    Somehow that wires uncrossed
    The table were turned
    Never knew I had such a lesson to learn.
    I’m feeling good from my hat to my shoe
    Know where I am going and I know what to do
    I’ve tidied up my point of view
    I’ve got a new attitude.

  7. DB55 Says:

    A garbage QB coach, a nobody “oc”, a oline coach that has been far below par for 5 years and a DC and HC who still think it’s 1995 and that Peyton Manning didn’t change the game forever.

    Poor craftsman blame their tools.

    #NoExcuses #NoIceCream

  8. unbelievable Says:

    Hmmm, so even the o-line coach talks about how pathetic and sub-par their play was last year, yet we’ve been hammered over and over that they were above average and not the problem on offense…

    Is it time for me to post about 100 “unbelievable reposts” saying the exact same thing all of last season????

    Nah, I’ll just sit here and smile instead. And wonder who the hell is our starting RG and RT will be in 2018…

  9. JJV Says:

    We really have no other choice. We drink the Kool And and hope for the best each season. Then reality comes.

  10. Mike Johnson Says:

    I think its absolutely great our coaching staff is feeling..the Heat. They should.
    I think we will win more than 5 games this upcoming season. The question is though..How many more than 5?? Better be 8 or more or Koetter and Smitty will be doin some Deeeeep Sea fishing the following year.

  11. JJV Says:

    *Aid

  12. Buccernutter Says:

    You know, there is a ton of criticism on this site from fans, most of which is justified, however I am glad we finally have continuity. It’s just never a good idea to move on too quick in this league. Our coaches have discovered the issues and now they have the opportunity to fix them. Licht has supplied the pieces and holes can be fixed because of a staff we retained of which has ample time now to make adjustments and identify weaknesses.

    I have a lot of confidence in this season and optimism that Mike Smith and Dirk koetter will shut a lot of people up.

  13. DB55 Says:

    Oh yea a linebackers coach who can’t get 1 sack from his unit all year. COMEONMAN WAKE TF UP!!!

    Do the Bucs have a secondary’s coach? You could have fooled me.

  14. DB55 Says:

    Bucnutter is in the sunken place, that’s cute.

  15. jmarkbuc Says:

    DB55

    Poor craftsman blame their tools

    ———————–

    Absolutely right!!

    These coaches have no shame, their desperation meter is running red hot. Even if their statements about the players are correct, you man up as a coach and an organization and take the blame for not coaching them correctly to get the most out of them.. Start by eliminating the Charmin soft TC, that’s where our problems began.

    And Smitty, I know it’s hot in Fl. but get your ass out of the pressbox on Sundays and coach your team.

  16. Lord Cornelius Says:

    lol i like the addition of #noicecream to #noexcuses

  17. Ptwalk Says:

    Sounds to me like these coaches are pissed because the players didn’t play with intensity and they’re gonna make it a point that that doesn’t happen again. If it’s your job to make sure it doesn’t happen this yr, it was also your job last yr.

  18. AKick'nTheBucNuts Says:

    This year, everyone….The coaches, the players, the GM….everyone knows their arse is on the line. They know there is no reason to sugarcoat anything anymore.

    This is it. They all know this year they either win or they better put down some good tape to get a job with another team next year.

    So now, they know, that we know, that they know, that this year is win or clean house.

  19. The Buc Realist Says:

    @ptwalk

    All the roster moves and turnover did not tell you that??????
    Coach Bajakian “Red Zone Struggles Didn’t Come From Bad Play Calls”!!!!!!!

    Go Bucs!!!!!!!!

  20. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    Some fans aren’t satisfied with any comments…..even though the remarks from Warhop and Monken mirror most fan’s sentiments…..yes I know, show it on the field….but its May, what can you do?

  21. ATrain Says:

    Well when the PLAYERS don’t stomp on a Team Leader who makes a comment like”Oh we were Flat today oh well”

    That’s what you get

    YOUR BEST PLAYER HAD TO HAVR A WINNING ATTITUDE!!!!!!
    Not a collect my check attitude

  22. Doctor Stroud Says:

    The GM and the coaches know that they are on the hot seat. If the Bucs don’t do well this season and Licht is fired, the obituary to his tenure as GM will include decisions to hire these coaches and bring in players like Swaggy and Aguayo, but more importantly, the decision to draft Winston. No risk it, no biscuit. Winning cures all!

  23. Lamarcus Says:

    Can the players criticize the coaches? What’s their side of the story?

  24. Oneilbucs Says:

    All we have to do is use the running back you just draft. We can have Todd Gurily but if you don’t use him then it’s mean nothing. We need about 25 to 30 carries a game , throw about 30 or 28 times a game. We need to stop throwing noms all the times to djax n start throwing the Tom Brady 3,4 , or 5 yards pass most of the time then the long pass for like 16 or more about 8 times at most a game. And if no one is open tell Winston to run don’t hold the ball. Defense stop backing up 5 to 10 yards off the wr bump in run then blizz and we will win .

  25. Dapostman Says:

    Bucs should be better in 2018.

    Defense should be better
    Special Teams should be better
    Running game should be better
    Winston should be better
    Kicking game should be better
    The only spot I’m not 100% sure will improve is, will the coaches be better?

  26. Ptwalk Says:

    @Realist, no it didnt. What the coaches are saying told me that.

  27. Pickgrin Says:

    The unhealthy negativity – much of the trolling –

    mostly all goes away if the Bucs can manage to win 10+ games in 2018.

    In the mean-time…. We are stuck with it because anyone who cares about the success of the Buccaneers is left with a bad taste in their mouth after last year’s $hitshow of a season following tons of pre-season hype. Not just last year – but the previous 15 years taken as a whole and then 2017 was just kind of the last straw – because EVERYONE thought we had turned that proverbial corner and would be playing winning football. And then…. SUCKS-ville

    So yes coach. Make the players wallow in that 2017 suckdom. Make them hate it. Make them angry as F___ that they lost all those games. Break down the final minutes of the Bills and Lions and Panthers games over and over and over again until those who were on the field are pulling their hair out wanting to get out on the field in the regular season to make up for what happened last year…

  28. Buccernutter Says:

    What’s truly cute is DB55 spending most of his day and time on the internet blogging about how bad his allegedly favorite team is going to be.

    You don’t get many female visitors do you?

  29. The Buc Realist Says:

    @pickgrin

    Not everyone!!!!! Some people in the know, tried to give warnings!!!!!! That this was the start of heading in the wrong direction for the team to succeed and put coaches and players in a position to win!!!!!!!!! OMG Its another “Realist Repost”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    The Buc Realist Says:
    April 10th, 2017 at 7:21 am
    If the owners signed up the Bucs and are forcing it on them, then that is fine!! they can sell more jersey’s and the Buc fans out west will love it!!! But I will think of the year differently!!! My expectations for the team has changed!!!! The goal of going deep in the playoffs will change to “just being national recognized”!!!!!!

    In other words I will give coaches and players a huge pass this year if we do the NFL’s longest commercial!!!!!!

    I do not see how this helps the team on the field, and I do not see NFL’s best head coaches lining up to be on it!!!!!!

    Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!

  30. DB55 Says:

    Nutter

    Only your mom and sister. 🤣😂😭

  31. Buccernutter Says:

    DB55

    I was kidding at first but with your 90s Nickelodeon humor, I guess I was more accurate than I thought.

    Maybe some day you’ll meet a girl with a blogger fetish.

  32. JL47 Says:

    It’s because they don’t want to lose their “paid vacation”. They want to do the bare minimum to squeeeek on by just to keep their jobs and steal from the glazers

  33. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    And the driving force behind this change?

    Dirk Koetter. Even though haters try to deny it.

  34. Eric Says:

    Candor is nice, but talking about the Division Title we won the previous year, and playoff game, with a plan in place to push us over the top to the big game
    would be so much better.

    can’t disagree that we chose to suck in red zone, our defense was way off and nowhere near good enough, and our Oline had no fire.

    Since the kicking game was the usual disaster, not much else left.

    If I was the owner paying these guys to coach I might be thinking WTF.

  35. Duke Says:

    LaMarcus,

    It sounds like the coaches are blaming the players.

    I don’t understand why you aren’t more definitive and simply state the coaches are blaming the players. I know you are aware of the multiple statements regarding the losing culture of the team. Well what do think the coaches to a man have been talking about the last couple days?

    Yeah I see various posters who will blame a player for the problem but when the staff mentions it, they blast the coaches. Frankly they’re f ing stupid as a pile of monkey crap.

    LM the entire post season FA and draft strategy is to replace the players who are not passionate about winning. It’s been a theme for months. So at this point, how can you not hear what the team is saying. It’s not a grey area.

  36. Reality-is-a-Beotch Says:

    It’s impossible to turn snowflakes into tough competitive men.

  37. Mike Johnson Says:

    Buccernnutter…You are 100% correct. I want my Bucs to shut my critical piehole tight..completely tight. But in order to do that, we gotta WIN. I dare my Bucs to shut me up. Win..and Win consistently? And I will!! WE..Are..Watching….

  38. I'm a Tandyman Bucs Fan Says:

    Man I tell you what!!!! NFL Pro Football Players don’t make it to this level by being soft!! Truth is your leaders were the ones being soft last year. Dirk & Smith were the ones being soft by turning their ears and eyes to a lot of things and lost control of their Team. They are even lucky to have a chance to correct this mess. Koetter is running scared this year and treating things like they should have been treated all along. Just don’t know if he and Smith have the demeanor to turn this franchise around. May have to wait another season and get someone else in here if Koetter can’t. I for one am tired of hurting because it kills me on Sundays when my Bucs don’t compete. Ready for some fun and positive vibes this year. We have the talent and are out of excuses. Perform or look for new leadership. Pretty Simple. I may be wrong but I may not!!!! GO BUCS…….

  39. Sandy R Says:

    I like Licht. I think he has put good players in place to succeed but it’s the HC and his coaches that need to make it all come together and they haven’t done their jobs. They should be running scared. Let’s see if that makes a difference this year or fire their asses and get someone who can make the difference.

  40. Dee Brooks Says:

    Hey at least they know they’re trash. Maybe Joe will be as candid