Dirk Koetter’s Magic, Disturbing Number
April 1st, 2016
We all know Dirk Koetter is no stats guy and loathes spreadsheets, so it was noteworthy when the Bucs head coach volunteered a rarely-heard number last week.
Speaking to Joe and reporters at the NFC Coaches Breakfast, Koetter noted how little continuity he had on offense last year.
Sure, America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston, stayed healthy. But Koetter noted how the Bucs used 37 different personnel combinations.
Hard to believe it was so many, but Koetter emphasized the X-factor of needing to use versatile offensive lineman Kevin Pamphile as an extra tight end. Koetter didn’t talk go into injuries or try to use them as an excuse, but obviously, that was the driving force in all that on-field diversity.
It makes Joe wonder what the Bucs’ top-10 offense might deliver in its second season under Koetter — with added talent (hopefully) and better health.
April 1st, 2016 at 10:07 am
Makes you wonder indeed.
April 1st, 2016 at 10:08 am
Does anyone know what the average for personnel combinations is?
April 1st, 2016 at 10:24 am
timing is everything….GO BUCS!!!
April 1st, 2016 at 10:28 am
Wow 37!!!!!! I thought it was like 14-15 ish …..I’m still amazed Jameis handled the season the way he did and remember how in the first couple of games no 5 wideouts spread then later on in the season they did just that and Jameis is working on his craft to carve up defenses.
April 1st, 2016 at 10:46 am
So Lovie wasn’t the only one to use plenty different combos.
April 1st, 2016 at 10:53 am
Have seen too many times in the past where it takes opposing defenses one full season to get a good handle on a particular team’s new players and coaches. Once they’ve got a season’s worth of game film, they seem to do a much better job of identifying tendencies and finding weaknesses. Bucs had lots of new players on offense last year, and by my standards they did outstanding. Thus far we’ve got pretty much the same players on offense, but we’ve got a tougher schedule this year and all those teams have a year’s worth of tape to work with.
Dirk and Jameis and the rest of the offense has their work cut out for them this year. I’m not sure that we can expect much more out of Martin than he gave us last year (#2 rusher in the league?) or out of Sims for that matter. I tend to think that our WRs and TEs are the wild cards … especially VJax, Evans and ASJ. Those 3 have to step up big time to help Jameis.
April 1st, 2016 at 11:33 am
Koetter and jameis can score 50 points a game. But you’d better be able to stop somebody on Defense from scoring 51. Our Bucs have yet, as of lately been able to do this. If we don’t get some pressure on the opposition QB next year? Expect the same if not worse record than the last. Cause QB’s are gonna pick our secondary clean…Now magic that!
April 1st, 2016 at 12:17 pm
I’m looking forward to seeing what improvements Koetter can make for this offense in year 2. Last year was the best Bucs offense EVER with a rookie QB, 2 rookie Olinemen starting all or most of the year – and 2 undrafted rookie receivers and an almost rookie undrafted TE getting plenty of snaps.
Think about that. The best Bucs offense EVER with all those rookies and young players (Evans, Sims, ASJ).
AND – Koetter was likely partially handcuffed by Lovie’s desire for a conservative approach to the game.
Time to release the hounds Smithers.
April 1st, 2016 at 12:31 pm
When Mike Evans hands show up (which they will) And the offense gets some time to grow.
Mike will be snagging 150-180 balls a year for 1,800-2,100 yards a year.
!,200 yards with all those drops and missed games.
April 1st, 2016 at 12:45 pm
I highly doubt those 10 drops would have amounted to an extra 900 yards.
But I get your point. Year 2 of JW throwing to ME should be deadly!
April 1st, 2016 at 1:32 pm
Pertty sure the numbers are 18 and 17 respectively, of starting QB’s who missed playing time in the past two seasons. But no matter, Licht has them memorized. Thus the steep asking price for the Cannon.
We were lucky to have a 16 game starter behind center. Bum ankle and all.
Other teams struggled or sunk due to this.
April 1st, 2016 at 3:58 pm
I still strongly disagree with categorizing Koetter as a spreadsheet hater. He respond in that way because the local media guys were throwing some stats at him…kind of telling him that he called a bad game. So, he responded by telling them that he watched film. So, based on that one comment the media label him a spreadsheet hater…instead of looking at all the positive comments that he has made about stats having value. All I think he was saying is that a spreadsheet can’t call a game.
April 3rd, 2016 at 7:20 am
@pickgrin
This conservative approach to offense was the undoing of Tony dungy and it is easy to see that Glazers had been there done that.Just one strike against Lovie
and the lack of success of the defense would be another.You might be able to
get away with a conservative offensive gameplan but you better have a top defense to back it up.perpetual search for players to fit Lovie’s system would have held this team back for years.