ESPN: Bucs Coaches Get A “D-“
October 17th, 2014
Joe hoped that after the circus the Bucs franchise had become since the jettisoning of Chucky, Team Glazer tapping Lovie Smith on the shoulder to take over the franchise meant happy days were here to come.
Joe understood Lovie’s defense takes a while to grasp but thought with his resume, demeanor and ability to work with players — all the qualities of a fine teacher — that the Bucs would climb out of the NFC cellar.
However, in Lovie’s first six games, the only thing missing from years past is the MRSA, chest-bumping players down three touchdowns, and having your starting quarterback go mental.
So far, Lovie’s defense has been more horrific than anything Greg Schiano trotted out on the field, and slightly worse than Raheem’s. It is for this reason alone that Pat Yasinskas has graded out the Bucs coaching staff with a “D-“ at the bye.
I say it’s still way too early to judge Smith. It takes time for a new system to take hold. I keep thinking things will turn positive for Smith the way they did for his mentor, Tony Dungy, later in his first season. Still, it’s hard to overlook what has happened so far. Although his defense has been getting torched, Smith has steadfastly stood by the Tampa 2, even though critics say that scheme is outdated.
On offense, the Bucs have been conservative and predictable at times and they struggled to get into a rhythm early in the season.
Speaking of the offense, Smith and the Bucs drew a tough break early on. Offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford had to have heart surgery at the end of the preseason. He was supposed to come back quickly, but that never happened. Tedford has taken an indefinite leave of absence and the Bucs are going on the assumption that he’s not coming back.
The Bucs indeed did get a bad break with Tedford. That very likely Pearl Harbored the potential of the Bucs offense.
Joe sometimes wonders how much Tedford’s health issue has hurt Lovie’s defense? We all know that without a decent offense, a defense is going to get fried more often.
October 17th, 2014 at 8:03 am
Raheem had a tiny payroll team vs. Lovie..
October 17th, 2014 at 8:05 am
Don’t forget we also no longer are trying to attack an opponent’s victory formation lol
October 17th, 2014 at 8:10 am
Jason Says:
October 17th, 2014 at 8:05 am
Don’t forget we also no longer are trying to attack an opponent’s victory formation lol
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If they did that, they would have to start in the 3rd quarter in a few of these games.
tickrdr
October 17th, 2014 at 8:11 am
David’s spot on. Rah had virtually no talent to work with, yet Lovie and Schiano had all the $ they needed…..and look where we are. Lovie had better hope this defense starts to click or fans will be leaving by halftime for the rest of the season, and next season won’t be showing up at all! Didn’t he tell us his goal was to make us relevant again…this season? He couldn’t have been more wrong!
October 17th, 2014 at 8:12 am
Tedford seems to be the smartest man Lovie hired, he saw the writing on the wall and took the escape hatch outta One Schmuck Palace…
October 17th, 2014 at 8:15 am
I just look at the schedule and wonder how many more beatdowns we’re going to have. That D- could look pretty good by the end of the season if this keeps up.
October 17th, 2014 at 8:24 am
The only thing that saved Lovie from a grade of F is that, unlike Schiano, Lovie was able to assemble the entire team for the team photo.
October 17th, 2014 at 8:27 am
Oh Raheem, the guy who has never been a defensive coordinator before here, and probably will never be again. Lovie’s D is worse than Rah’s. Ok, that’s the pinnacle of humiliation. One more thing, if a lot of fan’s and analyst’s are saying his scheme sucks, you know some of the player’s are saying the same thing to themselves. So brace yourselves folks.
October 17th, 2014 at 8:33 am
@joemama
Raheem was a d coordinator at Kansas State, why we drafted Freeman.
A number of teams play the Tampa 2, like Dallas so that’s false that it’s outdated. It sure seems to be if u don’t have pressure or the horses. At this point we don’t.
October 17th, 2014 at 8:34 am
JMamma – Good point. The players are likely grumbling to themselves about the D schemes. Can’t bode well.
October 17th, 2014 at 8:36 am
“Patrickbucs Says:
October 17th, 2014 at 8:33 am
A number of teams play the Tampa 2, like Dallas so that’s false that it’s outdated.”
I asked something similar and Joe said he was looking into if Dallas is actually running a T2. Joe, ever hear from your Dallas source?
That was my question, is the T2 outdated, or is a matter of personnel and learning the system? I honestly do not know.
October 17th, 2014 at 8:42 am
a D- is being nice. I would look for something lower than an F.
Schiano had more drama last year and less talent
Raheem had less talent as well
this guy comes in, hand picks his guys and players and has more talent than we have had in years. They look like untalented schmucks, but thats on the coahing staff. Revis himself could not cover these WR’s when he’s sitting 10 yards deep and their going slant all day. Manning himself couldn’t do anything when the are telegraphing plays and then pinning their ears back with a horrible O line.
I give the coaching lower than an F, whatever that is..
October 17th, 2014 at 8:43 am
Total failure for entire coaching staff. You can’t get blown out the way the bucs have and give a grade other than F. Lovie’s stubbornness is going to cost us fans at least 20 more months of this BS. Excuses and condescending answers to legit concerns and questions. Get used to it.
GMC would be a fool to resign with Bucs. Hell I’m not convinced GMC is the one to lead this team. Great player and even better person but does not have that killer drive to win and passion that the Brady’s, Jordan and George Brett had.
This team needs a junkyard dog. A Lyle Alzado type
October 17th, 2014 at 8:48 am
Lol the Schiano love on here is getting ridiculous… Some people really think that because we played the Seahawks tight for 2 or 3 quarters(when they score 24 unanswered it wasn’t considered tight during that span) that the team didn’t quit on Schiano.. It’s called the Seahawks were looking past a 0-7 whatever the hell we were at that point team and looking forward to the following week or felt like they could cruise past us… Which they did when it mattered MOST. Btw I guess because the Seahawks won the SB they didn’t improve during the season either they were already SB bound and the best team in the league when we played them right? smh
Guess people forget that D-line square dance every play? Or how we constantly had blitzes where we would have 2 players run into each other trying to rush the same gap and proceed to fall down… Or how we had one of the top CB’s in the league(possibly EVER) and we still didn’t let him do his thing and scheme a defense around his abilities… Maybe we could go back to the run run pass punt offense? Or better yet lets not only be one of the worst teams in the NFL lets rush the kneel down play and become even more of an embarrassment…
That is by no means endorsing Lovie… I personally wanted Ken Whisenhunt hired all off-season(beginning of the 13′ season actually) or to get another quality OC(Gase, Bevell, Roman, or Kromer to name a few) hired as our HC and said this nostalgia bullsh!t was to please the fans (who live in the past and think this isn’t a QB driven league) as we didn’t actually interview anyone else for the job and most likely had this pre-arranged marriage by week 5 honestly.
Flame away Schiano supporters lol
October 17th, 2014 at 8:50 am
Wow a nickle change, now how about a dime change and a quarter change?
October 17th, 2014 at 8:51 am
Sorry wrong post^^
October 17th, 2014 at 8:51 am
I think a D- is being generous with these guys.
October 17th, 2014 at 8:54 am
This was a middle of the pack defense last year, so to take this big a step back is rather shocking and falls on either the coaching or the scheme, more than likely both, but that all comes back to Lovie. I can be patient and wait but not when a bad team somehow gets worse, and much much worse at that. We are a stolen game away from 0-6 lest we forget.
October 17th, 2014 at 8:57 am
Patrickbucs
I disagree, I believe that Tampa is outdated based on rule changes. The new rules have taken intimidation/ big hits out of play and if you breathe wrong on a receiver yellow is flying. Yes you are correct other teams play a hybrid of cover 2. Lovie’s version has not evolved nor is adapted to new rules and style of play. The stats prove that.
October 17th, 2014 at 8:57 am
A D- grade is too generous of Pat Yasinskas. Someone in the media, needs to put a microphone in front of the non existent Hardy Nickerson, and hold him accountable.
October 17th, 2014 at 8:58 am
I am as frustrated as anyone and also tired of waiting for this franchise to be relevant but remember the saying…. Rome was not built in a day. I will day this though, if Love fails in his time here then I am going to choose a new team to root for until the Glazer kids sell to a new owner. Successful businesses start with excellent ownership and executives.
October 17th, 2014 at 8:59 am
Easy guide on how to start to clean up this mess
1 Fire Fraier
2 Take football operations away from Lovie
3 replace McCown(Pryor or Ponder)
4 replace return guys who barely ever get back to 20 with Eric Page
5 Bring in other teams practice squad players to replace under achieving players..Even if not better sends a message.
6 Glennon and Page have chemistry let them do their thing
7 trade picks for players although not #1 or 2
October 17th, 2014 at 8:59 am
D minus? Must be grading on a severe curve.
When I was in school, those kind of results got you nothing more than an “F”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
October 17th, 2014 at 9:02 am
Coaches are bad, but talent is worse! I took a stroll through the Buccaneer roster and believe these players and cap numbers will not return next year.
DaQuan Bowers 1,226,000 not met expectations
Jonathan Casillas 1,400,000 out played by Lansanah
Adrian Clayborn 2,612,000 not met expectations
Oniel Cousins 635,000 not an NFL caliber lineman
Dashon Goldson 9,000,000 salary exceeds performance
Mike James 520,000 not enough production
Mike Jenkins 1,875,000 injury prone
Leonard Johnson 570,000 too slow, no instincts
Mike Kafka 570,000 not an NFL QB
Michael Koenen 3,250,000 short punts, long salary
Luke Stocker 775,000 too much tub, no plays
Total Cap Savings 22,433,000
Current Salary Cap 8,250,000
Proj. 2015 Cap Incr. 10,000,000
Proj. 2015 Cap Space 40,683,000
Notes:
-Vincent Jackson could be added to this list if he fails to get 1,000 yards. He will be 32 in January and has a 12.2mil cap for 2015. At minimum, he will be asked to restructure to remain with the Bucs – too many drops.
-Doug Martin may also find himself on this list. If he does not improve his rushing stats he could be traded. Stevan Ridley/Pats has a torn ACL, if they have a mind to do it now would be a good time.
-There are others on this team, picked up in the off-season that do not belong on this team. Too many Crezdon Butlers, Jacquies Smiths, Brandon Dixons to name.
-Cap increase due to CBS and DirectTV contracts.
Free Agency
-The Bucs need to make 3 free agency moves. They will have the dollars to make it happen.
-Bucs should pursue a defensive game changer in FA – DT Ndamukong Suh. Here is your junkyard dog. Stomps people, doesn’t help them up!
-Bucs should secure O-line in FA to improve the run game – OG Mike Iupati, all-pro from 49ers.
-Bucs should add a veteran CB with man coverage skills – CB Perrish Cox
2015 Draft
-Round 1 – Draft DE Randy Gregory/Nebraska. We need a speed rusher off the edge.
-Round 2 – Draft FS Cody Prewitt/Ole Miss. We need a hard-hitting FS that can cover deep.
-Round 3 – Draft WR Dorial Green-Beckham/Okla. Another 6-5 WR to groom as V-Jax replacement.
-Remaining rounds, draft MLB, CB, OT, OG, C
October 17th, 2014 at 9:07 am
Phillip is right. Just because lovies first few games have been pitiful doesn’t make schiano a good coach. Neither are good. I wanted whisenhunt too or another innovative college coach like Bob stoops or summon but unfortunately got lovie bec schiano was so bad they had a pre arranged deal by week 5. Smdh.
October 17th, 2014 at 9:08 am
It just continues to point out how clueless the owners were to actually hire Smith as head coach. Obviously their expertise was counting money. Snuffy is too old, blase and irrelevant anymore.
October 17th, 2014 at 9:26 am
How would you guys feel about bringing in Rex Ryan as a DC?
October 17th, 2014 at 9:34 am
Wouldn’t mind drafting Gregory if he comes out in the draft. He might stay though.
October 17th, 2014 at 9:36 am
Theres an old saying all this reminds me of.
The boss ain’t always right
but he is always the boss
October 17th, 2014 at 9:36 am
Skyline
Rex would be amazing D-Cordinator but if you think for a minute he would fit in with the Choir boy coaching staff that Lovie has put together, you are mistaken. No doubt the Ryan boys know Defense and have won with it multiple cities but Lovie is not going to have a personality like Rex on his staff. I like the way you are thinking though. Replace Lovie first then bring in Rex. The other factor is Rex will need his type of players.
October 17th, 2014 at 9:42 am
What exactly is it that is keeping them from receiving an “F”
October 17th, 2014 at 9:42 am
He will only come in to the draft if he is projected at #1. Maybe we could trade up and get him in the late 1st rd. Or hope he drops to the 2nd rd.
Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott and former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow draw comparisons for a number of reasons. They’re both capable of 100-yard rushing performances on any given week, and at least at the college level, they’re proven as dangerous passers, as well. They play in the same offense, in the same league, and even wear the same jersey number (15).
But it’s the difference between them, not the similarities, that have one NFL general manager intrigued. “He’s just like Tim Tebow, but he can actually throw. Interesting prospect,” the GM said, according to NFL Media insider Ian Rapoport.
October 17th, 2014 at 9:45 am
^^^meant projected in 1st round.
October 17th, 2014 at 9:47 am
I think the GM/Glazers would have to say that Ryan is coming and Lovie will have to deal with it. That would come in to the part where they take control of the team away from Lovie and tell him to deal with it. You are right though, they probably wouldn’t get along.
Lovie isn’t going anywhere unfortunately due to the Glazers screwing us over with 3 HC currently on payroll.
October 17th, 2014 at 10:00 am
Let me throw this out there….
We are focusing on Defense for obviously reason the D is atrocious. Looking at the roster one could argue the Offense could be built quicker.
The offense is a couple of O-Lineman and a QB away from being dominant. I like what I have seen out of Evans and ASJ so far. Factoring in their youth and inexperience, they will only get better. Both seem to play with a hunger and passion. I believe VJax has one or two good years left but needs to restructure. Let’s see what Smith has when he returns. Unfortunately, we don’t have any trade bait of value. Sorry but Doug Martin has no trade value and either does VJAX with his contract. Remember Martin is going on almost 2 years from when he was productive. To me he is running hard but scared and I don’t think he will fix that soon. Between Free agency and the draft it should be fairly easy to upgrade QB with a top 5 pick and grab a dominant O-lineman round 2 that can start right away. A dominante o lineman will make the guy next to him better as well. Fill in the rest of the needs with Free agents and draft picks.
Instead of being a minority and trying to win with Defense only. I feel the bucs should jump on the O bandwagon get a decent QB (no we don’t have one). We have 2 backups currently on roster and 1 arena league qb.
Obviously, I know this is a fantasy and will never happen while Lovie is in charge of everything. Which I completely disagree with.
All you people bashing Licht it’s totally out of line when LOVIE makes all decisions. I like Licht but we will never be able to judge him as a GM when he is more or less Lovie’s personal assistant. Licht has an impressive resume and has been with winning teams the majority of his career so why not give him a chance to build the team he wants. The glazer clowns made a panicked decision to give lovie full control. That never works out in my opinion. Lovie has not EARNED the right to have full control.
Unfortunately I’ll be miserable on Sundays for at least another 18 to 20 months or until this dysfunctional team sees the light.
Please sell the team Glazers. Please!
October 17th, 2014 at 10:07 am
But it doesn’t take an offensive “guru” to call the occasional bubble screen, does it? Get the damn ball out of Glennon’s hands and into the hands of the receivers. I’ve watched this year as a handful of QBs threw balls to WRs so quickly that they didn’t even get their fingers on the laces of the ball. You NEVER see anything that creative here.
Did you hear how many times Brees yelled “kill” to get out of a play? How many times have you heard us do that?
October 17th, 2014 at 10:10 am
Damn how bad does your team have to be to get an F
October 17th, 2014 at 10:48 am
Can’t blame the offense when the defense lets up 5 straight TD’s and a field goal to start the game.
October 17th, 2014 at 10:49 am
Does anybody want Lovie to be involved with the draft?Based on free agency I don’t.
October 17th, 2014 at 10:50 am
@macabee
Good thoughts but some major flaws in them:
Suh and a franchised McCoy will invest too many $$ in DTs.
In general, big $$ free agents don’t pan out.
Need to invest some high draft picks in the OL.
Dominik made a huge error a few off-seasons ago when the CB market was low; coulda had Sean Smith, Brent Grimes pretty reasonably. Need to see which position has the “buyer’s market” this year and invest. Whatever it is, we need help.
Prewitt will never make it into the 2nd round.
If we’re going to lose VJax and DMartin, better have someone better lined up.
October 17th, 2014 at 10:58 am
Johnny manziel might be avaolable
October 17th, 2014 at 10:59 am
Does anyone think our Defense can stop the backup from Minnesota next week.
October 17th, 2014 at 11:02 am
Maybe when we play the Browns they will put in their backup to play as well. Think we can go 0-4 against backups?
October 17th, 2014 at 11:20 am
Phillip …Seattle was just an example of the team not quitting on Schiano. One example. There can be many more examples pointed out…. It’s also an opinion and your entitled to yours and what you saw. I saw it differently, and many saw it the same way. I saw no quit in that Bucs team last season and so did many on these pages. As it was well documented in here by numerous fans during last season.
Raheem’s team quit on him. That’s called quitting on your coach. Blowout after blowout after blowout. That was obvious for EVERYONE to see. That didn’t happen last season even though the team supposedly hated him.
October 17th, 2014 at 12:07 pm
Joe
Were the defensive starters playing out of position? If they were where they were supposed to be and just the new meat thrown in out of position, that is a big difference, of it was all of them different story.
October 17th, 2014 at 12:17 pm
D-? Was F- not available today. What Lovie has put of on the field is garbage. Why anyone on this coaching staff still has a job is beyond me.
October 17th, 2014 at 12:44 pm
NewTampaChris -Martin has not done anything going on 2 years. Even before he was hurt last year he was doing nothing. Martin has been horrible again this year, yes the oline has sucked but he has been running scared. you can get a 5th to 7th round back to do what martin is doing. Great Rookie year just like Clayton. How’d that end up.
October 17th, 2014 at 1:08 pm
I wish Lovie would get a D, that’s the problem with the team, he didn’t get one.
October 17th, 2014 at 1:08 pm
Jason Said:
Don’t forget we also no longer are trying to attack an opponent’s victory formation lol
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I thought that was kinda cool.
October 17th, 2014 at 2:11 pm
BoJiim ….I saw the Pats attack an opponent’s victory formation last season in a game. No one said a word.
October 17th, 2014 at 4:21 pm
This was posted by a Chicago Bears Fan about Lovie – As a Bears fan Ill tell you this, his D needs a STUD MLB and either a weak or strong OLB, a stud DE, DT and at least 1 corner who can lock down on the #1 receiver in order for the Tampa 2 to have a prayer of working. Urlacher would be out with injuries, offenses would light us up. Tommie Harris went down, teams ran right over us. Tillman would get injured and there would be record passing games against us. There was no money to invest in decent #2s and #3s. Our money was invested so heavily in starting defense that when the Bears made it to the Super Bowl in 2006, we got there because our defense willed us there. Unfortunately against Peyton Manning, all of our flaws got exposed and we got torched. Our offense? Ha, what offense. All the money was tied up in defense… so we had a decent Oline but Grossman at QB who was terrible, we had Cedric Benson starting over Thomas Jones (miss T. Jones) at RB, an old Moose Muhammad and Bernard Berrian as our starting WRs…. Lovie is a good Coordinator with a good Defensively stocked team and a good man. If I was the GM of TB, hate to say it but one and done.
October 17th, 2014 at 7:50 pm
@buc1987
Thank you, I mentioned the same thing last year and was starting to think nobody else saw a couple Patriots players blow up the Bengal’s victory formation last year. The camera almost immediately went to another game and there was no mention of it or video anywhere. Thank you for assuring me I wasn’t imagining it.
As for arguing with Phillip about Schiano…not worth the typing. Neither of us will ever change the other’s mind.
October 18th, 2014 at 9:20 am
defense has no depth. if a key defensive player goes down it exposes our defense.we were terrible after McCoy and Banks were injured.lack of offense
in first half, except when given short field by defense as in new Orleans has also exposed defense. Glennon is like timex watch, he has taken a licking and kept on ticking. but is not leading enough long drives to win games.they have to start in the beginning of game not when defense has let up and game is out of reach. a step in his maturation he needs to take is seeing receivers that are open with potential for big plays.I watched one play where one recieiver was running down the sideline and
had several steps on defender with plenty of green in front of him. Glennon
chose to throw it to trailing receiver that defender stopped almost immediately.
both were open but checkdown was chosen instead of potential big play.
October 18th, 2014 at 9:24 am
If the bucs don’t think tedford is coming back this year. then it is foolish to
not get arroyo help. come on Lovie, you as head coach should have corrected this gross mismatch.