Comments on: The QB Blast: Simplify Offense For Freeman, WRs

By: BamBamBuc

BamBamBuc — Wed, 05 May 2010 23:32:33 +0000

oar, that’s why I say “contributed to” and not responsible for. Monte leaving was one reason the record was worse. Obviously the trend for a declining record was already in place. I couldn’t have expected Morris and Dom to turn that around in one season, just as I couldn’t have expected Sam Wyche to turn around a losing team when he was coach.

Louie, very good points. The Bucs were peaking when Gruden was hired. Dungy had built a team that was close, but not close enough. Gruden was the last piece of the puzzle. Unfortunately (and not Gruden’s fault), the price for the last piece was the future of the team. We couldn’t maintain the team Dungy built, we couldn’t replace the team Gruden inherited. We were stuck, unable to maintain or rebuild. Whether Morris is the coach needed to be successful or not, I believe Dom is the GM we need and the team is headed in the right direction. Morris may simply be the next Dungy that builds the team the next coach will push over the top.

By: oar

oar — Wed, 05 May 2010 20:41:50 +0000

Louie, Good points in that last post and I have to agree.

By: Louie

Louie — Wed, 05 May 2010 20:30:46 +0000

The Bucs were climaxing at the time Gruden was hired. I remember just before Dungy was fired that people were worried the window of opportunity would soon close and that Dungy couldn’t get the team over the hump and win a Superbowl. Gruden was hired and got the team a Superbowl, then the decline began because the team started to show it’s age. For various reasons (cap issues, lost draft picks used to get Gruden, lack of spending and yes, even poor drafting), the team couldn’t rebuild properly. They seem to be rebuilding now, but I personally don’t think they have the coaching in place to be successful.

By: oar

oar — Wed, 05 May 2010 20:29:37 +0000

“The record was worse, but the defense slipped significantly with the loss of Monte, contributing to the failed record.” Monte leaving was all? There were many other reasons and faulty decisions made by Raheem that contributed to the failed record, not just Monte leaving, lol!

By: BamBamBuc

BamBamBuc — Wed, 05 May 2010 20:11:37 +0000

In 2006, Gruden led the Bucs to a miserable 29th ranked offense. The team averaged only 13.2 points per game and just 270.1 yards of offense per game. This is, of course after Gruden has had a chance to draft offensive weapons for a couple years, and neglect the defense.

In 2009, Morris (with virtually nothing to work with other than Freeman, and no Monte Kiffin leading the defense anymore) takes the team to a horrible 28th ranked offense. Averaging only 15.2 points per game and 287.5 yards per game.

Obviously 2006 was not Gruden’s best year, but it sounds like many here think that Morris’ best year couldn’t touch Gruden’s worst year. Statistically, that’s not true. Morris’ first year was better than Gruden’s worst. Gruden’s best year was 2003 statistically (10th in ypg/18th in ppg). In 2002 we were ranked 24th in the league in offense, in ’04 we dropped back to 22nd, ’05 23rd, etc.

Saying Gruden is a guru for offenses is quite a stretch, based on his results in Tampa. That’s not saying he was a bad head coach, I liked him when he was here. The idea behind bringing Gruden in was for him to make the offense as potent as Kiffin’s defense. That didn’t happen, the team deteriorated, Kiffin left. A change needed to be made, the team made it, we have Raheem. Is he better than Gruden? Too early to tell, but I won’t say he’s not, as his first season ever as a head coach was better than Gruden’s 5th with the Bucs based on the performance of the offense. The record was worse, but the defense slipped significantly with the loss of Monte, contributing to the failed record.

By: Eric

Eric — Wed, 05 May 2010 19:34:52 +0000

@Gruss222

Look man, you and others got your way, no more Gruden in Tampa. The Glazers listened to idiots like you, along with Clayton, so there you have it.

The new regime is free to set all the offensive records and win all the championships they can and completely surpass Jon Gruden and his bad coaching.

So Enjoy!

By: oar

oar — Wed, 05 May 2010 18:25:01 +0000

Gruss222, No problem there, although it was the media that labeled him as such. I just disagree with his replacement.

By: Joe

Joe — Wed, 05 May 2010 18:24:37 +0000

Gruss222:

Adds up to failure as head coach of this team and time to move on!

There’s absolutely no way you can call Gruden a failure in Tampa Bay when he’s the only coach in franchise history to win a Super Bowl.

By: Gruss222

Gruss222 — Wed, 05 May 2010 18:18:38 +0000

@Louie

Please tell me if I’m wrong.

What was Gruden adamantly publicized as being and ultimately hired as head coach for? HIS OFFENSE!

What did everybody claim Gruden would turn around and make a strength of this team? OFFENSE!

Did he get it done? NO!
This offense stunk when he came in and stunk just as bad when he went out!

So let’s add it up.
Offensive minded coach.
Could not turn around an offense in 7 years!
Nobody wanted to play for him.

Adds up to failure as head coach of this team and time to move on!

By: oar

oar — Wed, 05 May 2010 18:08:21 +0000

Whoops…..meant Garcia threw 2 INTERCEPTIONS not tds.

By: oar

oar — Wed, 05 May 2010 18:05:26 +0000

jonny, Oh you mean the Redskin playoff game where Chris Simms and Edell Shepard got robbed of that game winning td? Or the one where Garcia(should have stayed on the bench) threw 2 tds? Niether was the fault of Gruden’s offensive scheme.
BTW Where did I say the offensive stats were overblown? I said it is funny how people look at the offensive rankings, when they are really only a few points apart.

By: oar

oar — Wed, 05 May 2010 17:54:17 +0000

gruss222, I’m sorry to disappoint, but I did not bitch or gripe about any of those. I will be a “class act” and answer them though:
This is the same coach that all of you were griping:
“why is Alstott on the bench?” Wow, multiple neck injuries do that!
“why did they cut Lynch?” Mis-dignosed neck, nice team Doctor.
“why is Garcia on the bench?” I was hoping he stayed on the bench.
“why is Galloway on the bench?” Again, injuries will do that.
“why is Graham not getting the ball?” Was un-drafted and small, bulked up and waits/gets a shot, but you could still say that NOW!
“why is Keyshawn not playing?” Well he was an A-hole! Bitch out your boss on national tv and see where that gets you.
“why is Sapp gone?” Well Monte Kiffin said Bugger could get it done. Bad decision by Monte.
“why can we not score more than 7 points?” A stupid question doesn’t deserve answer even a stupid one.
I also disagree. I think several ex-headcoaches or exp-coodinators out there could have made last years team more competetive. Not champions as you put it, but at least worth wanting to watch.
BTW I am a Bucs fan, since there inception in 76. But, after the Culverhouse days, I’m just not one of those ownership-can-do-no-wrong kinda guys anymore.