No Running Game Hurt Koetter
December 30th, 2018
Consider these numbers.
What do 871, 423 and 560 represent? Those are the total yards rushing the Bucs had from their leading running backs in each of the past three seasons. Those were accomplished by Peyton Barber the past two seasons and Jacquizz Rodgers in 2016.
Folks, when Rodgers is your leading rusher for a season, you have an issue.
And despite draft picks spent on running backs, one of which being a second-round selection, the Bucs under Dirk Koetter as head coach could not develop a running game. And to be honest, not quite 900 yards rushing in 16 games this season is nothing to brag about.
SnoopDog McPlaybook was a bust and Charles Sims was a misplaced slot receiver before he was hurt and released. Ronald Jones sure looks like a bust.
And while this may be a chicken-or-egg argument, after a while it’s no longer an accident but a pattern. You have to wonder if Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht and his scouts are really that inept at selecting running backs or was Koetter and his staff just that bad at developing young backs?
Either way, the fact Koetter couldn’t develop a consistent running game and relied on washed up Doug Martin time and time again (like sticking with defensive coordinator Mike Smith) did not do his offense or his young quarterback any favors.
Yes, the Bucs offense was dangerous, but they were terribly one-dimensional because of virtually no ground attack. Throw in a bad defense and Koetter had no choice but to throw the ball and throw the ball and throw it some more.
So when fans are sizing up why Koetter is no longer the coach of the Bucs, never developing a running attack in three years is a big reason why Koetter will be fishing this week instead of breaking down Bucs tape.
December 30th, 2018 at 10:19 pm
Remind again why Licht is still employed?
December 30th, 2018 at 10:25 pm
and that is his fault ?
December 30th, 2018 at 10:26 pm
Go get Kareem Hunt. We live in a world of 2nd chances. Pro-Bowl in rookie year. Had more than 800 yards in 11 games this year….avg 4.7 yds per carry and 15 rushing TD’s in 25 games.
That would go a long way to fixing running game.
December 30th, 2018 at 10:27 pm
When the most important aspect is pass pro for a back… this is what happens.
December 30th, 2018 at 10:27 pm
Wrote this in the last thread, but Winston was the Bucs leading rusher in 3 games.
Anywho I don’t actually have an issue with this. Marino would always have a RB with around 700-800 yards and that was about it – and that offense was really good. The Bucs used Hump as an extension of the running game after Sims was let go (which was still a stupid move in my opinion). Barber is the Sammie Smith for the Bucs, a guy who will get you some yards, but isn’t going to ever lead the league in rushing.
To waste a 2nd rounder on a RB to “fix” the issue, when you had Chris Conte and Ryan Smith as starters… that’s why Licht shouldn’t have a job right now.
December 30th, 2018 at 10:31 pm
It was Koetter who refused to hold George Warhop and the Offensive line accountable for the lousy running game.
Koetter only hurt himself by allowing mediocrity to be a commonplace, even praising the offensive line more often than not.
December 30th, 2018 at 10:33 pm
Also our defense stunk today. Todays game should be GMC’s last in a Bucs Uniform.
December 30th, 2018 at 10:33 pm
Rod.. like your post and I’m just still fired up about this season but remind me how many Super Bowls the Dolphins won with the best pure passer of all time and their mediocre running game?
December 30th, 2018 at 10:33 pm
Good thing we kept the only guy that can find RBs that can’t find the field.
December 30th, 2018 at 10:34 pm
Yah
Quinton Nelson
Let’s win
December 30th, 2018 at 10:36 pm
Licht stinks as a GM.
December 30th, 2018 at 10:38 pm
Can we fire the scouts?
December 30th, 2018 at 10:40 pm
Does the GM stink or did the coaching staff not utilize players properly? Koetter made almost no changes to his staff when they brought him back last season.
December 30th, 2018 at 10:42 pm
In the meantime, Luke Stocker just ran a TD for 9 and 6 Titans….dudes not bad.
December 30th, 2018 at 10:44 pm
Hey Joes, Roy Cummings trashed you on Twitter without naming you guys. LMAO.
Go grind that ax.
December 30th, 2018 at 10:45 pm
Ok so we can’t develope RB. Can’t develope DBs either. OL is a laughing disgrace. This is a pattern and it’s toxic.
December 30th, 2018 at 10:45 pm
tnew – LOL! How many SB’s did Trent Dilfer win? I guess that’s what you want to build your offense around if that’s the judge of success – and I’m pretty sure we can get Blake Bortles this offseason for quite the low price.
December 30th, 2018 at 10:51 pm
Yes that’s the head coaches fault. Peyton barber is capable more than enough to get the yardage. People think you have to have first round talent at every freaking position to be relevant. I bet the barber/Rojo combo will be lethal with a competent head coach that simply allows players to play to their strengths not put them in a box and say I know you never did this in college but come to the professional level and do it well anyway
December 30th, 2018 at 10:51 pm
Wild cats
December 30th, 2018 at 10:52 pm
Koetter always liked to throw the ball around a lot in his previous stops.
Here, he just got Way too pass happy.
Hopefully the next Bucs head coach will feature and favor a strong running game.
Bucs will need a couple of horses up front and a featured, dynamic running back
December 30th, 2018 at 10:53 pm
Hu hu hu my name is finch and as you know I used to sit on the bench
December 30th, 2018 at 10:56 pm
Trent Dilfer has 1, 1 Super Bowl ring.
Oh, you meant when he played for the Bucs?
December 30th, 2018 at 11:00 pm
^Not there, and a Guard like Nelson….watching him in this Colts game….man, what couldve been, and yes he was the pick if there!
December 30th, 2018 at 11:06 pm
Some more fun facts….
Winston vs NFC South… 4 games, 62.5% comp, 1202 yards, 12 TDs, 4 INTs
Winston vs NFC… 8 games, 68.0% comp, 2194 yards, 18 TDs, 7 INTs
Meanwhile….
Winston vs AFC… 3 games, 56.2% comp, 798 yards, 1 TD, 7 INTs
That tells me coaching is a huge issue, that the team isn’t prepared when facing non-familiar opponents.
I haven’t seen breakdowns of facing 3-4 vs 4-3 defenses, if anyone has that, let me know what the numbers are – I’d be interested in seeing them.
December 30th, 2018 at 11:08 pm
GJ Rod!
December 30th, 2018 at 11:08 pm
Nelson was gone way before the Bucs picked. It’s like saying the Bucs should have taken Randy Moss in 1998. OK, that’s great and all, but he wasn’t on the board.
December 30th, 2018 at 11:10 pm
Who would want this job, if you had a choice? Steaming dumpster fire requiring a defensive rebuild, with 14,000 fans disguised as empty seats weekly.
December 30th, 2018 at 11:13 pm
NewTampaChris – It’s literally one of only 32 jobs in the world where you get paid millions. Who wouldn’t want the job? Stay away from the boring cliches.
December 30th, 2018 at 11:14 pm
So more stuff
Munch
What r you talking about. If we lose we got him
B !much
December 30th, 2018 at 11:15 pm
He was picked 6th last year, where we couldve been if we had lost that meaningless last game….
December 30th, 2018 at 11:15 pm
Flashback to last draft
Munch likes donkashane
December 30th, 2018 at 11:16 pm
Cupcake
He is bob Fletcher , Geico
December 30th, 2018 at 11:21 pm
Ass munch
What r you talking about ?
It would have been pick
December 30th, 2018 at 11:30 pm
Just listen to Pat Kirwin on Sirius, QB or QB draft mistakes get coaches fired.
How many head Coahces does JW have at this point?
If we miss the playoffs again next season, does JW get a new contract? Are we about to give a 80+ million contract to a 6th year prospect QB? Ask the Vikings how that works out.
Mr. Kirwin also says, you are what the tape says you are.
12 months from now, the 80 million JW debate begins as the team misses the playoffs under a new coach and “rebuilding”
December 30th, 2018 at 11:30 pm
Doug Martin had another 100 yards today on 21 carries but I’m not saying that our O-line is terrible at run blocking.
December 30th, 2018 at 11:31 pm
I was hoping Barber would be better than he is. He’s great to have because he plays hard, makes some pretty good cuts to free himself, but he’s just not dynamic enough to be an every down back in today’s league. I don’t know what is going on with Ronald Jones but maybe the next coaching staff can coach him up. Cappa could develop and help as well, but we still need to draft some OL this year.
December 30th, 2018 at 11:45 pm
We had close to if not the worst running back stable in the nfl
December 31st, 2018 at 2:59 am
We could’ve drafted better running backs last year but we made a luxury pick and drafted a DT. I still believe the wise and safe move for the next coach would be to draft a running back early.
December 31st, 2018 at 4:43 am
Koetter was a panic hire. He should’ve been fired last year.
December 31st, 2018 at 4:44 am
Oh gosh. Conte Hate. Forgot about that. C
December 31st, 2018 at 6:58 am
A player is drafted in April and training camp starts in July. Players are at the facility very infrequently between then. Coaches don’t “develop” players during training camp. They try to get them NFL ready. Ronald Jones is not good enough and that’s on Jason Licht.
December 31st, 2018 at 7:09 am
Why haven’t we sign Kareem Hunt?
December 31st, 2018 at 7:42 am
Get Cody Ford from Oklahoma and Jonah Williams from Alabama in the draft and sign Tevin Coleman from the Falcons.
Bucs running game would be significantly better.
The bad running game is a huge reason the Bucs struggled scoring tds at times in the red zone.
December 31st, 2018 at 10:35 am
Lol yea guess Winston screwed this season by winning a game last year on a last second touchdown. Nelson would have erased the line issues or he would have been just as bad under Koetter as everyone else. Koetter came out and said they needed to run the ball more at the owners meeting, cut Martin then drafted Rojo. Because of the type of back they drafted I have to believe that is the type of back Koetter wanted which is the way Licht drafts according to the coaches needs. Koetter sucks and wanted a fast back to catch out of the backfield, a complement to barber not someone who was a dual threat. That’s the kind of stupidity That has me happy he is gone.
December 31st, 2018 at 11:51 am
You know who had a good rushing year? The Vikings.
You know who they picked? Dalvin Cook.