Splash
January 5th, 2019
Bucs GM Jason Licht.
It may be his most important move.
Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht has one more year left on his contract. Per Team Glazer, he is in full control of the coaching search to fill the vacancy left by the removal of former Bucs coach Dirk Koetter.
If Licht hits a home run and the Bucs have a winning season next year (or, dare one dream, a playoff run), Licht likely locks up his job with the Bucs for years to come.
That’s why, per the creator, curator and overall guru of ProFootballTalk.com, the great Mike Florio, Licht needs to make a splash hire.
Ultimately, the goal will be for Licht to make the kind of hire that secures his own future. Unlike most General Managers, Licht is getting a chance to hire more than two head coaches. He’s getting a third, and he surely won’t get a fourth. This one needs to count, and that’s what the Bucs are trying to do.
Well, let’s remember Licht did not hire inept Lovie Smith. Licht was hired by Smith. The general rule in the NFL (not always, but general rule) is that a general manager gets two chances to hire a coach. The general rule is two swings-and-misses and you are out.
However with Team Glazer, that is not always the case. Rich McKay had one chance to hire a coach under the watchful eye of Team Glazer, and that was Father Dungy. Former Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik had one shot to hire a coach, and that was former Bucs commander Greg Schiano. So Licht is entering uncharted waters of sorts with Team Glazer.
With many fans and others howling for Licht’s head (maybe unfairly), he’s got to nail this hire. Not just for the future of the franchise but for his career.
Joe is just going guess one reason why Licht is running the coaching search is that he and Team Glazer share the same vision. Licht is a big believer in big personalities. His philosophy and experience tells him people with big personalities are prone to worker harder and maybe exceed their ceilings.
Team Glazer loves big personalities because that often means sizzle.
Derrick Brooks Talks Wild Card Weekend, When Tony Dungy First Emotionally Called Out A Buccaneer In Practice, And More
Derrick Brooks and Ira Kaufman talk playoffs today on this new TAMPA TWO episode presented by Caldeco Air Conditioning & Heating. TAMPA TWO is a production of The Identity Tampa Bay and JoeBucsFan.com.
Enjoy! (Another episode still to come this weekend!)
January 5th, 2019 at 3:07 pm
Misleading title, shame on you, Joe. (sarcasm)
January 5th, 2019 at 3:07 pm
He didnt hand pick koetter. Yes he hired him but it wasnt his guy. If Arians comes to tampa and makes this team a winner it will be because of two out of the three most hated people with this organization….Winston and Licht.
Haters will have a hard time swalowing that lol
January 5th, 2019 at 3:07 pm
We saw the decade-plus streak of double digit sacks broken last year, maybe this year sees the end of the decade-long playoff drought.
Wishful thinking…
January 5th, 2019 at 3:09 pm
Cart before the horse….
Don’t count your chickens before the kittens scratch…
January 5th, 2019 at 3:12 pm
BUCEMUP
Just curious you would consider #3 (most hated people within the Bucs’ organization).
January 5th, 2019 at 3:17 pm
Arians interest in TB makes perfect sense, he knows the GM and has known Winston since his high school days and also knows Winston’s HS coach. Arians offense is also the 4 Vert offense so Winston should be able to transition after adjusting to the verbiage. Arians famous saying is “no risk it, no biscuit” in other words loves to go for it. As Monken has shown this year the play caller can make all the difference.
January 5th, 2019 at 3:18 pm
The only splash Licht wull make is his turd in a toliet bowl at OBP.
Licht was hired by lovie…horrific
When Jason Licht became the Bucs’ general manager, Tampa Bay was the worst team in the NFC South. Five years later, the Bucs are still the worst team in the South
Updated resumes:
Licht = 27-53
Winston = 21-33
Since Malcolm’s Stroke = 77 – 131
New HC = 0-0 (but he will have to coach Licht’s picks)
When Jason Licht became the Bucs’ general manager, Tampa Bay was the worst team in the NFC South. Five years later, the Bucs are still the worst team in the South
Updated resumes:
Licht = 27-53
Winston = 21-33
Since Malcolm’s Stroke = 77 – 131
New HC = 0-0 (but he will have to coach Licht’s picks)
January 5th, 2019 at 3:22 pm
Licht’s first two years as “GM” Lovie had final say and Licht worked for Lovie. Licht do not assume control over the roster until after lovie was fired in other words the last three years.
January 5th, 2019 at 3:23 pm
@Jameis…me hell no. Jameis is going to win games, PLAYOFF games. Imagine if he had a defense like Baltimore or just above average. Imagine if he had a coach that knew clock management and how to get the most out of ALL of his players.
Overall though yes, I would say that Jameis, Licht, and McCoy or the most hated, or under appreciated may have been a better choice of words, people playing or working for this team.
I didn’t list Djax because thats just a given.
January 5th, 2019 at 3:24 pm
@Tex,
I can’t wait to see the No Risk it NO biscuit on the defensive side a little more. No more giving away free slant routes and maybe running some more of their own on offense.
ARIANS OR BUST!!!
January 5th, 2019 at 3:28 pm
Lol Pete your entering stalker territory.
I don’t like the word splash being used by owners or to describe players because it just says means the player makes a ply every once in a while the flashes potential but nothing to do with consistency but for owners it’s just foolish talk. How about saying Arians is the best coach available not a splash hire. What’s more important for the head coach is getting competent assistants to deliver the message something Koetter failed at miserably.
January 5th, 2019 at 3:28 pm
JOHN Harbaugh. The most sweeping change to all sides of the ball, with the longevity, discipline, and permeating work ethic the ENTIRE organization needs!
Please Team Glazer.
January 5th, 2019 at 3:41 pm
BucEm
Would rather lose a game giving up a score while blitzing than allowing 70% completions to opposing QBs.
January 5th, 2019 at 4:09 pm
I said in another article. You people that wanted Licht gone but Bruce Arians comes in and takes us to the playoffs, are going to look very dumb. Only reason 2x Coach of the Year is looking a lot like a lock for the Bucs is because his relationship with Jason.
January 5th, 2019 at 4:26 pm
Let Licht make a splash in his pool and swim away !
January 5th, 2019 at 4:29 pm
worst gm in the nfl
January 5th, 2019 at 4:40 pm
Don’t you love how talking heads can just say whatever they want regardless of how little they actually know?
January 5th, 2019 at 5:05 pm
Arian Buc-erhood baby!!
January 5th, 2019 at 5:24 pm
Arians I’m okay with
I think He can give even dumb dumb Jamies a brain larger than a grain of sand
January 5th, 2019 at 5:26 pm
You can’t say Koetter needed to be fired and say Licht needs to stay. The roster issues, the talent brought in, the knucklehead QB, that’s on Licht.
That being said, I like Licht. He’s a solid GM and can fix issues (pass rush) and though I’d rather kept both, I’m happy Licht was retained. God help us if the Glazers were doing the hiring
January 5th, 2019 at 6:17 pm
@westernbuc
I was firmly in the camp of getting rid of both Koetter and Licht together. But if had a gun to my head and was forced to keep one it would have been Licht. And if he somehow manages to land Bruce Arians then I’ll be a lot happier about not firing him.
January 5th, 2019 at 6:55 pm
westernbuc, tell me, how can you judge the talent on a roster that has veen poorly COACHED??? We have seen it countless times over the years where coaching changes turn “bad teams.with bad rosters” into winners.
How can anyone accurately determine exactly where this team.lacks talent with bad coaching ACROSS THE BOARD for over a decade?
Asking for a friend….
January 5th, 2019 at 7:16 pm
To the Licht apologists: You are delusional and a joke.
Licht hired Dirk Koetter. You think the Glazers fired Lovie and hired Koetter over Licht’s protests? If you do you’re an idiot.
The only thing Lovie had absolute control over personnel wise was the final 53. Coaches want to be able to keep players who play well for them over busted draft picks. This idea that Lovie was sitting in Licht’s chair telling him what to do is insanity and a desperate attempt by delusional Licht apologists to explain away his every failure. I can’t even tell them to root for the Browns since the Browns are actually better than the Bucs.
January 5th, 2019 at 8:11 pm
The Glazers said that Licht was leading the coaching search. The never said he was making the decision
January 5th, 2019 at 11:31 pm
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no…freakin stop!
The Glazer children are attracted to big personalities because they don’t have a conviction between them. They love the income, they want full seats, they want wins, they want fan adoration, they want the playoffs, but they couldn’t find their way to any of those goals on their own if they tried.
THAT is why their attracted to big personalities.
Gently remember the spindly uncoordinated kid in high school who found a creative way to endear himself to the hallway bad ass. That’s exactly where we are.
So freakin hire Bruce Arians! Does it matter the cost?
January 5th, 2019 at 11:34 pm
The best thing about Arians will be his ability to hire a good staff
January 6th, 2019 at 3:37 pm
BucEmUp Says:
January 5th, 2019 at 3:07 pm
He didnt hand pick koetter. Yes he hired him but it wasnt his guy. If Arians comes to tampa and makes this team a winner it will be because of two out of the three most hated people with this organization….Winston and Licht.
Haters will have a hard time swalowing that lol
=========================
Your argument falls apart when you consider Winston a winner. In college he was a winner. In the pros, not so much. Bring in Arians, hell bring in God to coach this team. You still can’t make Magoo into a franchise winning QB. Magoo is a mental case.