Report: Bucs Hired A Veteran Secondary Coach

January 30th, 2013

A scant few have better sources than Pete Roussel and his team at CoachingSearch.com. Yes, Joe talked to Roussel about the Bucs’ coaching searches a couple of weeks ago, in fact.

This morning, CoachingSearch.com reported the Bucs have hired former Saints and Jaguars secondary coach Tony Oden.

Oden’s got an interesting background. A linebacker in college, Oden once worked as an assistant defensive backs coach at West Point and was a longtime assistant DBs coach with the Saints before Sean Peyton promoted him to the head job there in 2011. Last season, he was the secondary coach in Jacksonville. He also spent time as an assistant in Houston.

It would seem Oden is stepping into a great situation. Production from the Bucs secondary, one would think, can only get better.

42 Responses to “Report: Bucs Hired A Veteran Secondary Coach”

  1. SeanyMac in SC Says:

    True that Joe, When the pass D is worst in the league, it can only get better from there. Hope this guys works out.

  2. Meh Says:

    Unfortunately neither pass defense he coached was very good. I think this is an underwhelming hire.

  3. Greig Says:

    Do not like this move at all.
    The 2011 Saints pass D was 3rd worst in the league and The Jags 22nd ranking isn’t exactly an improvement worth boasting about.
    Sure going from near histic levels of suckage to just being really bad would be an improvement but shouldn’t we want more than that?

  4. FlBoy84 Says:

    Curious if he can sway Derek Cox to coming with him.

  5. 911bucs Says:

    Not good

  6. PRBucFan Says:

    What’s up with these coaching hires???

    I’m still excited about the offseason…

  7. pewterpirate99 Says:

    It dosen’t matter what coach they bring in here to coach the D-backs, if they don’t go out and get some D-backs worth a damn it’s not going to make a difference. Other than Mark Barron and an old Ronde Barber, our D-backs BLOW DOG!!!!! The talent is just not there. They better be going out there and SERIOUSLY improve the defensive back field, or it’s just going to be the same crap we saw this past year.

  8. Rrsrq Says:

    Oden likely will teach db’s the way Schiano wants. Plus he does have NFL experience as well as coming from the Saints a few years ago with inside knowledge could help as well. I also agree, maybe he does influence Cox to come to Tampa.

  9. Rush2589 Says:

    Before anyone knocks the hire because of his past work consider a few things: one, we can only get better from last year, two, his talent to work with wasn’t overly spectacular, and three, who else were we to hire? I don’t know much about available coaches but of they hired him the market must be quite dry at this point.

  10. FlBoy84 Says:

    Would be curious to know if Ronde was involved in the interview process, much like Jackson was with the McNulty hire.

  11. stevek Says:

    Get the D-backs coach some better CBs. If not, he will be looking for work again next year.

    Our CB situation is putrid. Free Agency should cure that.

  12. the_buc_realist Says:

    I am still more worried about the front 4 and the pass rush. With all the blitzing we did and finished near last, does not matter who coaches, who plays CB. We will get torched.

  13. Macabee Says:

    I don’t know this guy, but I’ll take him. Like Joe said, we can’t get any worse. And for everybody who doesn’t like him, who do you think we were going to get a DB coach from a playoff team? What established coach is going to take a lateral move to the Bucs? We got the best there was from the unemployment line! I’ll give him a chance and hope for the best!

  14. JobBucsFan 1.5 Says:

    Ok, we’ve got ourselves a coach who has some experience in the same position for awhile in the NFL. Not that R. Cooper was a bad coach, it’s just at this particular time this secondary is so young they need a coach who has experience on NFL defenses. Goodluck and welcome aboard Tony Oden. ….and goodluck to Ron Cooper at USF.

  15. JobBucsFan 1.5 Says:

    @the_buc_realist

    You keep pounding sand about our pass rush, Please tell me who is available out there that can penetrate the backfield every play in less than 2 seconds to sack the QB. Unless we have corners who can cover their receivers and give our defensive front just a little more time to get to the QB, even Superman would struggle getting sacks.

    Get better secondary play and you will see more sacks, …period.

  16. BucNasty!! Says:

    Ezekiel Anasah. Next JPP Fact!!!

  17. BucNasty!! Says:

    Or Dwight free eh for the low I would deff take a flier on him his third down and obvious passing situational rushing would b to tier if his ankle is healthy

  18. BucNasty!! Says:

    Freeney ^

  19. Curmudgeon Says:

    Would love to see a pure pass rush machine drafted in round one, and a CB or 2 in rounds 2 and 3.

  20. PRBucFan Says:

    @Macabee
    We arent going to get different results with our current defensive scheme that leaves our CBs on an island consistently.

    It’s not a matter of defensive coaches not wanting to come to Tampa it’s the fact no respectable coach wants to come in and run someone else’s evidently failing system, they want to implement what they can offer and for some reason it seems Schiano is hell bent on keeping everything defensively the same.

    I love the Schiano as our coach, this is the only thing that’s bothering me about him.

    Maybe the scheme can excel with some good man coverage CB’s, I guess we will see if we can get any.

    And things actually could always be worse lol

  21. Macabee Says:

    PRBucFan,

    I agree, but I’m optimistic because I saw a different scheme in the Atlanta game. Hopefully everybody learns!

  22. PRBucFan Says:

    Yea, your right. I hope so too

  23. Mike J Says:

    Macabee , ditto. They zoned up quite a bit with very good results against one of the best passing offenses in the NFL. I hope Greg was paying attention.

  24. stevek Says:

    Ezekiel Ansah is the answer.

    We need a tenacious pass rusher with plus abilities.

    Mike Bennett is our best sacker, and in reality he is just a “solid” defensive lineman.

    Ansah is going to be a BEAST. We should definitely pull the trigger at the 13th selection if Mr. Ansah is still there.

  25. ShayneGoodfellow Says:

    We never seem able to bring in well known coaches that have coached high ranked position groups.. sucks. I guess were just going to have to start getting a bunch of wins and that will attract better coaches.

    @Curmudgeon

    I like that Idea, there are a bunch of solid pass rushers. Take the best on available with our first pick. Then draft 2 CB’s with our next 2 picks.. next 4 picks should be ( RT, FS, TE, LB ) all for depth obviously, unless we can find a steal in the later rounds that can come in and contribute right away.

  26. SilenceTheCritics Says:

    Ill definately not complain if we are lucky enough to grab Ansah at 13. Our D-line would be in beast mode for years to come.

  27. Curmudgeon Says:

    It’s getting ridiculous when people want a rock start coach for every position, and complain if they don’t get it. Mike Tomlin, Lovie Smith, Rod Marinelli, Gus Bradley, Raheem Morris were NOBODY, but the Bucs hired them and the rest is history. They all proved themselves at their position and most have proven that beyond (the notable exception being Raheem)… So, Schiano has hired this new guy based on his ability to teach, not because he’s well known by fans. Until this proves to be a bad move, why not assume that Schiano knows what the hell he’s doing with this guy. Such naysayers…

  28. Curmudgeon Says:

    I should also mention that nobody knew who P.J. Fleck was last year, and nobody had a problem with his performance, and the guy has a bright future.

  29. Jeff78280z Says:

    It’s tough to get a coach to come here for DB position because our only DB worth a damn is Barron. And Barber is just a question mark right now. No coach wants too be known as the guy that coached possibly the worst secondary in history. I totally disagree with everyone who wants a pass rusher in the first round. Right tackle is a much bigger need than a pass rusher right now. And Defensive Backs are our biggest need period! If people honestly think back to the play off and eventual Super Bowl team. Many of the sacks that paved the way were coverage sacks. A good secondary makes the linebackers better and helps the Dline. The DB’s are our biggest need. How many quick points were teams able to get cause somebody got beat deep. Its just ridiculous to me that anyone is talking about drafting a pass rusher. We had Dline men in the back field making tackles for a loss all year. To turn that into sacks you need coverage down field.

  30. Joe Says:

    Shayne:

    We never seem able to bring in well known coaches that have coached high ranked position groups..

    Guess you forgot about Jim Bates?

  31. PRBucFan Says:

    @Jeff
    I agree

    Besides if we can keep our current dline healthy and all out together with the exception of maybe a better DT next to GMC I think we are set.

    There have been plenty of sure fire “can’t miss” pass rush prospects that have proved quite the opposite way too often. We know that all too well.

  32. JobBucsFan 1.5 Says:

    Personally I think unless Dee Milliner falls back to #13 the Bucs will trade back and pick up extra picks until they land in a spot they feel comfortable in choosing another defensive back. If they play it right they could actually pick-up at least 2 additional picks before they make their first initial pick at the end of the first round.

  33. Dave Says:

    He will work out if they get better CBs . He is there to rn Schiano’s defense. They pass rush better and improve the CB play…. all is well

    EVERY coach is only so good – need talent

  34. ShayneGoodfellow Says:

    @Joe

    Yeah I did forget about Jim Bates, cause he did such a horrible job with us….

  35. Macabee Says:

    Joe,

    I told you about STs. Well Ligashesky took a direct hit tonight! We are still one coach short!

  36. Stevek Says:

    Ansah is the Answer!

    Line him up and let him after Bree’s, Matty Ice, and Scam NeWton.

    He is a Jason Pierre Paul kind of talent. JPP went 18th overall in his draft, I hope Ansah is there at #13 this April.

    He would instantly be our leading sacker, barring health.

    He is better than Bruce Irvin, and he had 10 sacks this year.

    What’s better than some pass rush? MORE PASS RUSH!

  37. PRBucFan Says:

    I’m glad you have so much faith in Ansah

    I have faith in the talent we have already spend draft picks on along our d-line and believe that once healthy they will be a force.

    I also believe we have gaping holes to fill eslewhere.

  38. JobBucsFan 1.5 Says:

    Unless Ansah is Flash Gordon, even he can’t get to the QB when throwing to open receivers in less than 3 seconds.

  39. stevek Says:

    @JobBucsFan,

    Free Agency will be used to get some CBs. We need to draft the BPA at #13.

    PRBUCSFAN,

    I don’t have faith in our current group of linemen. GMC had good year, Bowers has a jacked up kneee, Clayborn has a birth defect and is coming off of major knee surgery, Roy Miller is nothing fancy, and Teo’Neshiam had 4 whole sacks- whoooopdy doooooo!

    We had 27 sacks as a team this year, JJ Watt had 20.5 alone.

    We need a better pass rush, and this year’s draft features greater top end talent with D-Linemen than it does with Corners.

    CBs in this draft are 3 rounds deep, and after Milliner it is a wash.

  40. 4everBucsFan Says:

    @stevek

    Just because we have #13 doesn’t mean we have to pick anyone with that pick, if anything, just like JobBucsFan said, we could trade back that pick and pick up additional draft picks and choose a corner further down in a more appropriate spot.

    I agree with JobBucsFan and PRBucFan that our secondary is the cause for low sack numbers.

  41. 4everBucsFan Says:

    @stevek

    And by the way Houston has really good cornerbacks. If you want to make a good comparison, look at New Orleans. They had a bad secondary and as a result also had low sack numbers. I know you think you’re the smartest one in the room but this time I think you’re wrong.

    There will be quite a number of pass rushers to develop in the later rounds, and considering the Bucs track record on taking DT and DE in the first round is mediocre at best. If the Bucs choose Ansah and he has a subpar season when the few best corners taken first help their teams win, you’ll be the first to scream and yell for Dominks head after you conveniently forgot that you advocated for Ansah to be our first pick.

  42. PRBucFan Says:

    GMC is a probowler

    Bowers HAD a jacked up knee and so did AP btw…
    He’s back and showed the impact he can have when on the field

    AC’s a candidate for DROY last year birth defect has absolutely nothing to do with anything. He has played with that his entire career and is still a beast.
    His current injury happens in the NFL, it’s not unheard of, it will heal

    Roy Miller showed his value this year in the run game but like I said in my previous post i can see a desire to want an upgrade here.

    Teo is serviceable and is a project that so far has proven satisfactory

    Oh and I said what I said because i’m banking on Bennett being a Buc
    Don’t forget that guy, as of now he’s still a Buc

    Again, “once healthy they will be a force.”

    Injuries happen and no one not even Ansah is immune to them.

    IF Bennett doesn’t get resigned than by all means go for a pass rusher with the first pick.

    And even apart from the DB’s there’s still other positions that fit need and BPA we should go after. I know EVERY year it seems we should go after the best pass rushers available but it’s time we start addressing other positions of need and we can do that by continuing last years draft pattern.