“He Knows Most Everything”
June 28th, 2017
Ira Kaufman, the most beloved and esteemed columnist in town, has hung his hat at JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters since July 2016. Tampa Bay’s only Pro Football Hall of Fame voter, Ira’s columns pop here every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and his award winning podcasts fire Tuesdays and Thursdays.
BY IRA KAUFMAN
It appears the Glazers have found stability where it counts the most.
Although he’s been an NFL head coach for only one season, Dirk Koetter has the look of someone will be around One Buc Place for quite a while.
That would set Koetter distinctly apart from predecessors Raheem Morris, Greg Schiano and Lovie Smith — an unholy trio who lasted a combined seven seasons.
Since Tony Dungy’s six years in Tampa and Jon Gruden’s seven-year reign, the Bucs have given their head coaches a rather short leash to turn the franchise around.
So here stands Koetter, who almost led Tampa Bay to a playoff berth in 2016, working in lock-step with GM Jason Licht. Koetter made his share of mistakes last year, on and off the field, but he also proved to be a quick learner who earned the respect of his players for a candid approach.
Professional athletes covet honesty, and Koetter delivers every day of the week — and twice on Sunday.
The son of a football coach, Koetter paid his dues as offensive coordinator in Jacksonville and Atlanta before joining the Bucs and promptly overseeing the most productive offense in franchise history in 2015.
“There’s 32 of these jobs in the world,” Koetter said when he was promoted to head coach 17 months ago. “I know I can do the job.”
One season doesn’t make a legacy and the NFL coaching suite is riddled with one-hit wonders.
Remember Tony Sparano? That’s Sparano, not Soprano.
As a first-year head coach, Sparano led the 2008 Dolphins to an 11-5 mark, finishing one vote behind Mike Smith in balloting for NFL Coach of the Year.
Fame proved fleeting, however, for Mr. Sparano. He didn’t make it through the 2011 season after losing 27 of his next 45 games.
You’d think the Glazers have had their fill of turnstile coaching changes. Dumping Morris, Schiano and Smith so quickly represented a brutal admission that they got it wrong repeatedly when selecting the man on the throne.
Full confidence
They’re not in the mood to turn on Koetter, unless the walls cave in.
“Dirk Koetter has paid his dues at every level of football,” says ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski. “You see guys who become head coaches, then change their personality. Those are the guys that don’t tend to last very long in the job. I can’t see that happening to Dirk. He’s a man who is very comfortable in his own skin.”
Marvin Lewis, a close friend to Koetter dating back to their Idaho State days, is the second-longest tenured NFL coach behind Bill Belichick.
He knows a little about survival in the fast lane.
“It’s hard to tell Dirk anything, he knows most everything,” Lewis says. “Dirk’s been a head coach before, so he knows the trials and tribulations. He was a head coach in high school. He was a head coach at a couple universities, so he understands.”
When the Bucs named Koetter head coach, Gruden labeled him “one of the best-kept secrets in football.”
Guess what? The secret’s out. And now, for the first time in his NFL head coaching career, Koetter faces the challenge of raised expectations.
If you’re worried about Koetter’s self-confidence, don’t bother. He knows the kind of talent Licht has assembled and he can’t wait to see what the 2017 Bucs can do for an encore.
Koetter’s hearty embrace of the Stick Carriers is a sign that he doesn’t intend to be aloof from Buc fans. He’s asking for their support, knowing that request means he’s got to play his part by delivering on the scoreboard.
Even Koetter’s harshest critics have to face the facts — he looks like a keeper.
June 28th, 2017 at 10:10 am
After the second season of the garbage fire that was coach my scheme!!! We wanted better!!!!!! We begged for the Glazers to become leaders and pull this franchise back to respectability!!!!!!!!! What a difference a year makes, when the head people make the “right” decisions!!!!!!! Its a “Realist Repost”!!!!!!!!! (days before the incompetent one was dismissed!!!)
The Buc Realist Says:
January 3rd, 2016 at 8:35 pm
@ The Glazers
These are not tough times!!! It is time to be Tough!!!! Stand up and pull this Franchise out of the garbage!!!! Do not do what is easy and keep the status quo and watch your business flounder!!!!
Now is time to lead!!! If you do what is hard and make the right decision, years from fans will talk about how the owners took over the situation when it looked so bleak, And carried this Franchise back to greatness!!!!
You have to take that chance Mr Glazers!!!!!!!!
June 28th, 2017 at 10:19 am
^it shows the Glazers read JBF!!!!
Koetter will hold the Lombardi trophy with the Glazers in February at the Super Bowl!!!
Go Bucs!!!
June 28th, 2017 at 10:37 am
It’s hard to boost Koetter’s standing much higher than what many Bucs already feel. Ira you just piled on.
June 28th, 2017 at 10:50 am
….Godfather….
June 28th, 2017 at 10:54 am
he did a decent job last year…hope he improves his play calling….GO BUCS!!!
June 28th, 2017 at 11:17 am
And to think that some fans thought Lovie was the second coming of Tony Dungy, and had major doubts about Koetter. And some thought Dom was a superstar and had major doubts about Licht.
June 28th, 2017 at 11:23 am
He’s the 22nd best coach in the NFL, that’s nothing to brag about.
June 28th, 2017 at 11:37 am
Lakeland…he is only ranked as such because we haven’t gotten to the playoffs or had more than one winning season under his leadership. Frankly, I believe he is at least in the top half. And of course, they never devalued a coach like Mike McCarthy who has had Aaron Rodgers, and BF before that as a QB….guys who could make up for questionable coaching decisions. Is it a coincidence that many of the top guys have historically the best QB’s? I think not.
June 28th, 2017 at 11:44 am
Dirk, when you gave your introductory press conference you asked for the fans to be with you and Jason….you have us. Fire the cannons.
June 28th, 2017 at 11:45 am
The incompetent one was “ranked” 14th in 2014 before he guided the Bucs to the worst team of the NFL!!!!!!!!!
June 28th, 2017 at 12:26 pm
“Even Koetter’s harshest critics have to face the facts — he looks like a keeper.”
harsh critics? aside from the typical playcall second guessing that every coach faces, and the largely unwarranted flack for not calling a timeout vs st louis*, Koetter has not faced much criticism, if any. Skepticism about his potential? Outside of Tampa, maybe. But criticism? I barely recall any
*Dirk has clearly said he wanted to exploit a mismatch before STL could change personnel. he did exploit it, but his QB overthrew an open VJax in the end zone. Complete that pass and there’s no debate about clock management. Bucs and Dirk would be lauded for getting the winning score and simultaneously milking the clock
June 28th, 2017 at 12:33 pm
@pick6
Your right!!!!!Head Coach Koetter was right in the St Louis game!!!!! It was the 5 plays with 2 penalties that started at the 15 yard line that did not result in a TD, that was the issue!!!!!!
June 28th, 2017 at 1:24 pm
“It appears the Glazers have found stability where it counts the most.”
The Buccaneers have a 3 pillared base of “stability” for this franchise. The GM, The QB and the Coach.
All due respect to coach K – but he is the 3rd most “important” element of that base and this team’s expected future successes….
Lovie had faults and his time as Bucs HC was difficult to endure – but Lovie hired Jason Licht, Lovie hired Dirk Koetter and perhaps most importantly – Lovie agreed to tank for Winston and then gave his blessing for Winston to be drafted despite his former boss and mentor (Dungy’s) loud objections.
No Lovie – No Licht. No Lovie – No Dirk. No Lovie – No Jameis Winston.
We owe the man a degree of respect for acquiring these pillars of our franchise if for no other reason. Food for thought to those who loathe Lovie Smith and still hold hatred of him for what he “did” here in their memories…
June 28th, 2017 at 1:28 pm
“LakeLandBuc Says:
June 28th, 2017 at 11:23 am
He’s the 22nd best coach in the NFL, that’s nothing to brag about.”
Dude random sport article opinions aren’t statistics to be cited as facts lol…
June 28th, 2017 at 1:41 pm
Also – The 2008 Dolphins are like the 2010 Bucs. You can’t just look at an 11-5 or 10-6 record without context:
Those Dolphins had an incredibly weak schedule. 9 of their 11 wins were against teams without a winning record. The two teams they beat were divisional opponent; and the Pats were without Brady in 2008 lol. Both the Pats / Jets winning records also came against tons of loser teams that year based on the schedule so even the best teams they beat that year had inflated records based on schedule.
Basically – Miami didn’t beat anyone that was a legit playoff team or playoff contender that entire year but somehow managed 11 wins which is insane.
When they finally faced a legit contender they were destroyed in the playoffs (27-9 at home loss to the Ravens).
That was a team that beat up on the 2-14 Chiefs, the 2-14 Rams, the 4-12 Seahawks, the 5-11 Raiders, and the 7-9 Bills/49ers; and mediocre 8-8 chargers/broncos squads.
June 28th, 2017 at 3:03 pm
Dude random sport article opinions aren’t statistics to be cited as facts lol…
then why do you think joe wrote an article about it?….it has some meaning….obviously, it doesn’t support your view of dirk so you claim it as “random opinions”….lol….
@Lakeland is right….we have the 22nd best HC in the league which is nothing to brag about….hopefully he can become top 5 very soon…
but who knew winning 9 games and missing the playoffs gets you so much praise and a statue outside 1buc place….LOL…GO BUCS!!!
June 28th, 2017 at 5:04 pm
As long as he doesn’t get too conservative and pushes the offense…he will be a great coach.
June 28th, 2017 at 6:06 pm
Great post Ira! Loved “the unholy trio”!
June 28th, 2017 at 6:28 pm
@813
Joe wrote an article about it because he thought it was bullsh1t. Did you even read the story? He detailed why he thought the rankings were bad. He referred to them as “drivel”
You’re taking some f*cking NFL.com opinion article by one person (Elliot Harrison) and professing it as if it is some non-debatable fact. That’s what Lakeland did and that’s what you’re doing now. It’s absolutely and utterly ridiculous.
If you just go by W:L record alone Koetter has a winning record which most the coaches ahead of him don’t.
I thought you only cared about wins and losses but when it suits your bullsh1t random Dirk = Tomsula narrative you’ll eat up any opinion article that supports it.
I see through your sh1t man.
June 28th, 2017 at 6:29 pm
When many* (vs most) of the coaches ahead of him don’t I meant to say. Not sure if it’s the majority
June 28th, 2017 at 6:36 pm
Saying that a particular HC is #22 out of 32 doesn’t tell me a thing; that’s several folks evaluation & it’s fairly meaningless. I suspect that Dirk Koetter would be the first one to tell anyone that a HC is only as good as his coaching staff and his players. In the Bucs case, Dirk Koetter has assembled what I think is a Top-5 coaching staff, one capable of getting us to the playoffs & SB. Jason Licht has stocked this team with some excellent talent; now it’s up to our HC & coaching staff to develop it and pull it all together. Last year’s 9-7 record, against a fairly tough schedule, gave us an inkling as to what this T-E-A-M is capable of. Onward & upward … the best is yet to come!
June 29th, 2017 at 12:07 pm
lc
I see right thru your BS as usual…..if he ranked dirk top 10, you and many other including joe would’ve ate it up….but since it doesn’t support your view of him you think its BS….the best part of the article was when he mentioned Tony Sparano!!….dirk aint out of the woods yet!!!!…..playoffs or bust….GO BUCS!!!