Mike Smith Talks Noah Spence
August 8th, 2017
Bucs DC discusses. (Photo courtesy of Buccaneers.com)
Yesterday, in Joe’s post showing second-year defensive end Noah Spence blasting camp meat offensive lineman Cole Gardner, Joe noted Spence has had a rather quiet training camp.
Bucs fans quickly picked up on this and reacted in a variety of ways, including claiming Joe is taking potshots at Spence, which is simply flatout untrue and pure rubbish.
As Joe often points out when he is asked how (Player-X) “looks,” Joe sometimes can only say, “so-and-so hasn’t flashed but that doesn’t mean he is practicing badly.” Unlike the coaches, Joe doesn’t have access to video to rewind a play 20 times.
But Joe had noticed (if that is the proper word) before the fight that Spence, through nine practices, has been rather nondescript this summer. Again, the defense is not going full-speed anyway so that may have something to do with it.
So after practice, Joe asked Bucs defensive coordinator Mike Smith to assess Spence now in his second NFL training camp.
Smith has high hopes.
“We think Noah has got a chance to be a ‘four-down’ player for us,” Smith said. “We don’t feel like he’s just going to be a designated pass rusher. We’re going to be a rotational group up there with the defensive line. We want to make sure that we don’t play the guys as many snaps as we did last year. That was one of the things that we looked at, we felt like we have to do a better job of rotating the defensive line. But, Noah has progressed. He missed the offseason, but thus far through camp he’s done a really good job.”
Look, Joe is hardly going to throw in the towel on Spence, who Joe likes. He’s a good dude. Joe can’t soon forget the impact Spence made in the final game of the 2016 season when he literally was playing with one wing.
That blew Joe away and Joe will always admire the heart and nads it took for Spence to play through a separated shoulder and still have the fortitude to drag down a huge man like Cam Newton for a very short gain. Spence’s shoulder had to be jammed back into place so he could stay on the field.
That’s savage!
August 8th, 2017 at 10:52 am
Joe, Has anyone on the D line besides GMC really jumped out to you at practice?
August 8th, 2017 at 10:52 am
Oh what am I in the freezer now too with 87? You guys sure are sensitive sometimes.
August 8th, 2017 at 11:11 am
That’s the “standard protocol” answers from yet another pro. They wont say he sucks. Nevvveerr. I don’t buy into those responses cuz they all sound the same.
But what I see if Spence is having a good camp we would know. I don’t think he is or just not standing out. But he will be ok
August 8th, 2017 at 11:18 am
@Joe
Maybe, Just maybe that since he had a small procedure on his shoulder, that they are having him take it easy until the “real” bullets start flying!!!!!!! He is already blowing by DS76 in practice with just a speed rush!!!!! No need to re-injure his shoulder in practice throwing out inside moves!!!!!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 8th, 2017 at 11:19 am
Not really. Baker seems to be OK.
August 8th, 2017 at 11:23 am
What I been hearing from Koetter is he doesn’t want them going full speed. He doesn’t want anyone getting hurt. It’s hard to shine like that.
August 8th, 2017 at 11:31 am
I thought some OL were stating Spence was almost unblockable, and his DL mates were saying Spence is a nasty beast…
August 8th, 2017 at 11:35 am
Jenna Laine on BSPN reported this:
“Up until this point, the Bucs have been really excited with the way Spence has come along. He hasn’t been blocked yet in a team period. Based on who I’ve talked to within the organization, it doesn’t change their perception of him, except that they don’t want him punching helmets.”
I even recall one of the joes asking robert ayers and gmc and possibly a coach (hayes or smith) about the d line and all of them has said he looks great so far and is really ready to turn some heads. Or something along those lines.
Now it seems that all that goes out the window when someone swings at another guy. Now he is nonexistent and invisible? It seems that there are 2 different joes opinions on this subject, just my thought.
All in all, I still love the site and the info you bring. I love the opinion based journalism, and am glad you write what you think Joe’s. Keep it up, happy birthday!
August 8th, 2017 at 11:40 am
Spence is gonna break out this yr and so is Kwon. VH3 and BG24 are gonna have a Much easier season this yr with an improved Pass Rush!
BTW we now have over 30 fans enrolled now in the JoeBucsFan.com Pickem League!!! Keep em coming guys!!!!
http://games.espn.com/nfl-pigskin-pickem/2017/en/group?groupID=99276
#Free87 and give gat r buc his name back
August 8th, 2017 at 11:45 am
Punching at the camp meat guy’s helmet was really stupid. Glad Spence didn’t break his hand. Surprised Noah has not stood out more in TC after all the off season hype about what a beast he might be in season 2.
August 8th, 2017 at 11:46 am
I just hope they both apologized to either other. It’s a physical game and these things happen from tint to time but they’re teammates and they gotta stick together (like gel).
August 8th, 2017 at 11:47 am
*time to time
August 8th, 2017 at 11:47 am
looks like he’s getting ready to deliver a mean elbow drop to someone
August 8th, 2017 at 11:48 am
*to each other
damn I need my coffee
August 8th, 2017 at 11:49 am
That simply isn’t so. Outside the fight he had, the last time Joe noticed anything about Spence in training camp was him getting owned by Donovan Smith. Damned near pancaked Spence.
August 8th, 2017 at 12:02 pm
Noah “Manos de Piedra” Spence, will be just fine.
Recovering from shoulder surgery, he probably needs about five or six weeks…
…to get into football shape; no worries.
August 8th, 2017 at 12:10 pm
Joe can only go by what he sees. He’s written this several times: Just because a guy doesn’t flash in practice means he is having a bad practice. Joe does not have access to the practice video where he can rewind each play 20 times.
Roy Cummings yesterday wrote the very same thing Joe did: that Spence is having a quiet camp. If Joe saw Spence flash or have a fantastic play, Joe would have written about it. Joe is pulling for Spence and is a fan of his. Writing what Joe actually sees doesn’t always dovetail with what fans who aren’t at practice want Joe to write about.
Joe isn’t going to invent ghosts just to make people happy.
Perhaps — perhaps! — one reason why Spence isn’t flashing is that the defense has a muzzle on it.
August 8th, 2017 at 12:12 pm
I am going to wait to judge any of the positions/players until they start hitting in games.
Noah will be fine. Don’t forget that he may be in some 34 alignments this year.
Perhaps D. Smith has improved? There are a 1000 reasons and scenarios as to why certain players are not “flashing”
August 8th, 2017 at 12:19 pm
Spence has a lot of work to do to become a solid 4 down player as coach Mike referenced. They “think” he can be 4 down player….is different that he is a 4 down player. I think we need to translate the coach speak sometimes when reading their quotes.
I think Gholston (bigger-stronger-more experience) starts over him (Spence) anyway with Ayers on the other side. Spence will be backup to Ayers or come in 3rd down. This will be a good thing for him to watch a little and not be pressed into duty like he was last year due to injury.
August 8th, 2017 at 12:41 pm
He’s a sub-package guy right now. The defense is still evolving, but keeping him fresh for passing down and distance plays is what the priority should be to start the season. He’ll be fine.
Get off his sack about the damn practice fight already. Tempers flare at practice, it happens in the NFL and it happens in college and it sometimes happens in high school. There’s a reason Koetter doesn’t want to talk about it, because it isn’t worth talking about.
August 8th, 2017 at 1:41 pm
SB – Keon has been the best player on defense for 2 years now, there is no breakout to be had, the kid _lays amazingly well saying he’s been the best player isn’t a knock – GMC has been great and David started off slow last year but ended up playing great one he settled into the new defense – but Kwon has been outstanding regardless of what the Irish drunks at PFF write.