Don’t Call Lovie’s Nose A Run Support Guy
March 14th, 2014
New Bucs DT Clinton McDonald
Lovie Smith wants his nose tackle rushing the passer and everything else is secondary. That’s what Lovie explained to Joe this week.
For those keeping score, that’s a polar opposite approach from the New Schiano Order philosophy.
Schiano even admitted Tampa Bay drafted Akeem Spence to start at nose tackle last year assuming he didn’t have pass rushing talent because they hadn’t seen it on his college film.
Lovie wouldn’t do such a thing, and that’s a big part of why defensive tackle Clinton McDonald was signed away from the Seahawks for a $
“Booger McFarland and Warren Sapp were the inside tandem, both of those guys had 3-technique or under tackle type ability. When I say under tackle ability, I’m talking about guys that are athletic, that can rush the passer. A lot of times you think of just a nose guard position as more of a run-support-only position. And that’s not the case.
“We have two guys [McCoy and McDonald] that can really rush. Again, playing a limited amount of times he had 5 1/2 sacks last year on a good defense. And he can run, excellent speed, strong man. You get a chance to shake his hand you’ll see that he has a little bit, you know, to him. And he’s on a mission, too. We talk about Josh [McCown] coming back from adversity, you know, for [McDonald] to get cut and be in that position and then to come back motivated to do something special.”
Yes, the Bucs upgraded their pass rush in a huge way this week. Michael Johnson is a leaps and bounds more dangerous and disruptive than Adrian Clayborn, and McDonald is a very different player from Spence.
Of note, headlines out of Seattle have called McDonald a huge loss, and the Seahawks are now interviewing Lovie’s old nose tackle in Chicago, Henry Melton.
This should surprise no one. Lovie will not tolerate a second-rate pass rush. Joe also expects the Bucs to continue fortifying the defensive line through the NFL Draft.
March 14th, 2014 at 9:41 am
“Lovie will not tolerate a second-rate pass rush.”
Truer words have never been spoken. It starts with the front four, and I’m thrilled to see the team prioritizing this.
March 14th, 2014 at 9:45 am
Its a very good beginning for the D. I will feel better when we add a guard and WR (Emmanuel, where are you and why did you leave without signing your contract?).
March 14th, 2014 at 9:49 am
yeah emmanuel, stop poking around in bangkok
come home to the bucs
March 14th, 2014 at 10:04 am
McPass-Rush!
March 14th, 2014 at 10:05 am
Don’t care about stopping the run,,hummmm I’d switch M.Foster to DL then.
March 14th, 2014 at 10:13 am
If this is true, Aaron Donald makes too much sense at #7. Picture Clinton or Gerald going down, there’s zero pass rushing depth on the inside. The inside depth, in general, is lackluster to say the least.
Donald will be the BPA (defensive) at #7 if both Clowney or Mack are gone, which looks more and more likely by the day.
March 14th, 2014 at 10:17 am
Now go draft Mack if he falls to complete the picture.
March 14th, 2014 at 10:21 am
Good. Can’t wait to see Gerald ans Co. get turned loose and let the linebackers and SS run stuff.
Still worries me that Foster will have to drop back into seam to cover.
March 14th, 2014 at 10:23 am
The whole idea of the Tampa Two Defense is to have a pass rush.
It all starts with the front four.
March 14th, 2014 at 10:36 am
Chris, it’s 2014. The NFL rule changes dictate every single defense generate pressure.
We’ll be blitzing some too if our secondary can cover.
March 14th, 2014 at 10:40 am
So is Claybourn going to be a backup now? Sure looks like it, because I believe Johnson is a right end and I thought AC couldn’t play left end full time because of his erb’s palsy.
March 14th, 2014 at 11:13 am
Joseph Mamma – I think CLAYBORN, Gholdston, and Bowers are going to battle for that LDE position in camp this year. I feel like he can win it but either way with those three plus MJ we have grea depth at DE right now. Also with Spence and Dawkins as back up DT I am feeling pretty good about the bucs dline right about now. Let’s all pray they can stay healthy.
March 14th, 2014 at 11:42 am
I’m more comfortable seeing Clayborn matched up against a right tackle as opposed to left, and that will be the case now with Johnson manning the RDE spot. I think AC gets more production this year than ever before. That is, of course, if he can hold off Gholston who seemed to end 2013 with a ton of momentum.
March 14th, 2014 at 1:25 pm
We need to go after Kelcy Quarles later in the draft. I would love Aaron Donald like the next Buc fan, but we can get a rotational guy in Quarles later in the draft. If Watkins isn’t there at #7 I’d want to see us move back and draft CJ Mosley or Mike Evans. Everything we draft on Dline is for depth so why not go after the #1 MLB or the #2 WR in the draft.
March 14th, 2014 at 2:33 pm
trade down and get Aaron Donald. Trade back up late into tha 1st and get Ryan Shazier if possible
March 14th, 2014 at 3:12 pm
This was a great article – great to see we’re getting back to solid football sense on defense. Looking forward to seeing what GMAC looks like when he has McDonald next to him and Michael Johnson applying REAL edge pressure!
March 14th, 2014 at 8:30 pm
Football has started in the trenches since the beginning and I’m happy to know we got a coach that finally realizes that. Kudos to L&L!