Center Stage

November 30th, 2014
TrainingCampLovieDietrich

Look for a change at center

A minor Bucs transaction yesterday could be quite meaningful this afternoon against Cincinnati.

Tampa Bay promoted center Josh Allen from the practice squad to the 53-man roster.

Considering starting center Evan Dietrich-Smith had an undisclosed “illness” that kept him from practice last week, one could assume this move means Dietrich-Smith will miss his first Bucs game this afternoon.

Garrett Gilkey, who has seen time at right guard, has been the backup center all season. He would be expected to get the start.

Sadly, Joe can’t say with certainty that Dietrich-Smith would represent a significant loss.

20 Responses to “Center Stage”

  1. Kaptain Morgan Says:

    Sadly, Joe can’t say with certainty that Dietrich-Smith would represent a significant loss.

    I think anyone would be an upgrade personally. Maybe we can get the ball snapped to the QB that isn’t over his head or rolling to his ankles from the shotgun position! My only concern is that if this newbie is playing, neither of our QBs (Glennon or McCown) have had any significant practice time with him. That in itself is an issue.

  2. port richey george Says:

    maybe this guy can snap the ball higher than ankle level
    to mccown when in the shotgun. I have previously commented on the extremely low snaps by the center when in shotgun formation. will see today if this guy can do better. that really threw off mccown’s rhythm in the past weeks playing.

  3. DallasBuc Says:

    Last I checked Trash McCown was intentionally our starting QB so it is not like we are trying to win football games anyway. The stinkhole widens…

  4. SteveK Says:

    Hopefully the line will play better today. They have been such a damn disappointment this season. They collectively give up the booty too frequently, and are especially weak in run blocking.

    We should keep on plugging guys in until we find our “Jaqueis Smith” of the O-Line.

  5. LutzBuczFan Says:

    I’m ok with this.

  6. The Buc Realist Says:

    @Joe

    Before today’s blowout and all the comments are of “fire Lovie” and ” what a garbage roster the bucs have”. I have an idea you need to hear! maybe for the offseason,

    Its time for the First Annual JBF Awards!!! thats right, starting this year we will run ( thats means you will) run polls for such categories as the Sabby Goat award, ( that is for the biggest blown coverage play of the year)!
    other awards should be as my example as of my submission!

    worst buc moment – Tie 1. Hiring Lovie and 2. Lovie handing out starting jobs

    best buc moment – NFL Draft, the passing of Johnny Football and selecting Evans!

    Now that I started this you can take this and run with it Joe!!!

    Joe’s going to pass. Thanks. –Joe

  7. biff barker Says:

    The good news is there is room on the bench next to Michael Johnson.

  8. Brandon Says:

    Kaptain Morgan Says:
    November 30th, 2014 at 9:21 am
    Sadly, Joe can’t say with certainty that Dietrich-Smith would represent a significant loss.

    I think anyone would be an upgrade personally. Maybe we can get the ball snapped to the QB that isn’t over his head or rolling to his ankles from the shotgun position! My only concern is that if this newbie is playing, neither of our QBs (Glennon or McCown) have had any significant practice time with him. That in itself is an issue.
    ——————–

    Say what you want about EDS and his inability to block, but he’s had one bad snap this season. Of course it came at the worst possible time on national TV in an ugly ugly loss. His blocking is more than suspect, but his snaps have been fine. Almost all OCs have a bad snap or two during the season. Unfortunately for EDS and the Bucs, his cost us 7 points and further embarrassment in an already woeful game.

  9. Hawk Says:

    @ The Buc Realist

    Joe can’t ‘run’ with it. He has the Buccaneer O-line blocking for him.

  10. Bob in Valrico Says:

    bad snaps = below the Knees or skipping on the ground of which there have been quite a few. I would call a snap sailing over 6’5′ QB horrible.The other snap that went off the right side on Glennon I would put the blame on glennon.
    It was close enough for him to catch, but he was focused on defense to the left instesd of the snap.

  11. FowlBall Says:

    And speaking of the O Line, here are a few career “highlights” of George Warhop, Lovie’s choice to coach ’em up:

    2/98; OLC for Arizona. Not re-signed when contract expired at end of 2002 season.

    1/03: OLC at Dallas. Fired in Jan of ’05. Applied for FSU’s OLC opening- didn’t get job.

    1/05: OLC at SF. In 2006, his OL allowed a league’s worst 55 sacks. Fired 10/23/08 after OL had already given up league-worst 29 sacks.

    2/09: OLC @ Cle. Adapting to a new “system” in 2013 Browns gave up the league’s 3rd-most sacks and ranked 27th in rushing.

    Really Lovie? Your judgement on coaches is no better than your FA pickups.

  12. OB Says:

    If they pulled from the practice squads all over the league the position players they needed to improve, like amost all of the OL, the worst they could do is lose all the rest of the games instead of winning one in five, but they might also find some nuggets like they have in some places.

    The mentality of playing losers because we are paying them so much to be losers that we can’t afford to pay the minimum to those that want a chance has to stop.. Put the losers on IR if you don’t want to cut them and see what happens when they come back to training camp next year. In the mean time, we try out some new troops that just haven’t had the chance yet. As to learning the plays, the ones playing bad don’t seem ot know or care what they are, so what is the difference?

  13. Buccfan37 Says:

    It’s hard to get enthusiastic awaiting the Bucs next display today. Man, this team is sucking all the joy and expectations of winning right out of the fanbase. I want to see a hard fought competitive game, not the equivalent of walking barefoot through a patch of Florida sandspurs, now that’s painful.

  14. blakejohnson Says:

    @brandon I would have to disagree, last week I saw a minimum of 7 snaps that went right to McCowns feet. Plus there’s the one where he snapped it into his ass when we were in shotgun, the one he sent flying over Glennons head, and the time he snapped it into Vjax while he was in motion. That was on the drive from hell which directly caused us to lose the saints game. So he cant snap or block, EDS sucks.

  15. buc4lyfe Says:

    What if EDS is the issue? The pressure comes right up the middle with ease so personally I welcome the change, gives us all a chance to see which of lovie high prices free agents should get the boot

  16. ruggyup Says:

    FowlBall- those details for the O Line coach are mind numbing. My question, not to you alone, is, does Lovie make such a hiring decision all by his lonesome with no oversight by a GM? Are there no past performance data measures used for at least a hint of quality control. Does this bunch rely strictly on expectations and avoid reality in hiring coaches and FAs? The chief needs to step out of the way aka get out.

  17. Espo Says:

    Time for Gilkey to step up.

  18. jo_mama Says:

    The Buc Realist Says:
    November 30th, 2014 at 9:33 am
    @Joe

    Before today’s blowout and all the comments are of “fire Lovie” and ” what a garbage roster the bucs have”. I have an idea you need to hear! maybe for the offseason,

    Its time for the First Annual JBF Awards!!! thats right, starting this year we will run ( thats means you will) run polls for such categories as the Sabby Goat award, ( that is for the biggest blown coverage play of the year)!
    other awards should be as my example as of my submission!

    worst buc moment – Tie 1. Hiring Lovie and 2. Lovie handing out starting jobs

    best buc moment – NFL Draft, the passing of Johnny Football and selecting Evans!

    Now that I started this you can take this and run with it Joe!!!

    Joe’s going to pass. Thanks. –Joe

    ________________________________________

    I love this idea.

    How about an award for a coach turning the most former buc players into all pro players . Bill Belicheck.

    How about an award for the bucs coach who gave away players for nothing and those players ended up being studs somewhere else. Lovie Smith.

    How about the coach with the best evaluation of pre-season talent award. Winner – Lovie Smith for making a career back up our starting QB in April. No competition needed.

  19. MGM4Life Says:

    I have questions on the hiring of Warhop as well, the man has a track record of Failure, why on earth would they hire him? Was there honestly no one else available? Schiano is still under contract, hell I would rather have him out there than Warhop.

  20. billy buckaroo Says:

    Sometimes injuries and their replacements open the eyes of otherwise “contract” blinded coaches.
    Should be an interesting day at center