Judgment Night
August 27th, 2021
Ronald Jones
Man, Bucs coaches sure have downplayed that there’s a running back battle at One Buc Palace, but a little spark was added to the discussion yesterday.
“Saturday night will tell a lot,” said Bucs assistant head coach Harold Goodwin, the team’s official run game coordinator, who also coaches guards and centers while O-line coach Joe Gilbert handles tackles.
Goodwin was chatting with media yesterday and at least acknowledged that there is a decision to make at One Buc Palace: Ronald Jones or Leonard Fournette. Goodwin said he is hoping both guys thrive against the Texans on Saturday night so it’s “a hard decision for us coaches.”
The running back approach can always be to rotate Fournette and RoJo and then go with the hot hand.
Interestingly, Goodwin praised second-year man Ke’Shawn Vaughn for his running but said he needed to work on various aspects of his passing game, including pass blocking.
As for who gets handoffs, Goodwin just has just one bar. “I’ll take whoever’s going to give me four yards or more.”
August 27th, 2021 at 1:46 pm
All this rojo Leonard talk I don’t really care about(rojo all the way by the way haha) I would prefer a better less predictable running scheme from Goodwin.
August 27th, 2021 at 1:56 pm
Ash – Goodwin doesn’t design and call the plays, that’s 100% on Leftwich and how insanely predictable he is. Also the plays themselves are mostly fine, it’s just the order they called in. Leftwich is nearly Dirk levels of predictable. All he has to do is mix up the order some, he doesn’t need to run less or run more, just don’t run up the middle on 70% of your 1st and 10s.
August 27th, 2021 at 1:59 pm
Rotate their starts. Rojo one week, Fournette the next.
It will either work itself out, or they rotate all season.
Why not? Both should be starters.
August 27th, 2021 at 2:08 pm
Rod – as the running game coordinator I would imagine he has a heavy hand in the design and implementation and it’s more the design of the scheme and it’s simple design that make it predictable not only the choice in when to call the play itself.
August 27th, 2021 at 2:11 pm
I am happy with where Fournette is but I think Rojo can elevate his game even more this year if he’s given the opportunity. I expect it will be a pretty even timeshare, but dependent on who’s hot.
August 27th, 2021 at 2:13 pm
Alternate starts. 10 starts each. Not that hard a concept to grasp. Lol.
August 27th, 2021 at 2:18 pm
Pete hopes no RB’s start & we add an extra Lineman & TE on Donovan Smith’s side to help him block
August 27th, 2021 at 2:20 pm
What good is changing up the plays when the line doesn’t block them well? This line is made for pass blocking more than run. TOO many runs ended at the line or just behind. Jones was our most effective runner last season but they kept pulling him and inserting Leonard, which I see them doing the same way this season. Baseball sluggers are allowed to go thru 0-42 slumps to hit out of it but not Jones even though he didn’t even have a slump. They refuse to have his back. We won’t be a balanced attack no matter what the coaches say so our receivers better perform even better than last year
August 27th, 2021 at 2:25 pm
I’ve gone back and forth on this one. I really want RoJo to be the player he can be but Lenny seems to have gotten his stuff together and is poised to take the lead roll. Worst case is one outshines the other but we still have good depth at the position. I think Jones was ascending last season before injuries but I watched most of the playoff run with a jags fan friend of mine and he said he was seeing a different side to Fournette. Either way I think the run game is in good shape.
August 27th, 2021 at 3:24 pm
I certainly don’t mind them getting equal opportunities. Roll RJ early in games and then Fournette late to bruise the tired D
August 27th, 2021 at 3:27 pm
Unless Fournette gets the jab, I wouldn’ let him play with the NFL rules. He could single handedly force all our RBs out of a game.
August 27th, 2021 at 3:38 pm
Goodwin made it pretty clear near the end of his most recent press conference IMO that regardless of which RB starts, ultimately it’ll be the RB with the hot hand who’ll get used the most. Kinda like it’s always been.
He also said near the beginning though that who gets to start will be BA’s decision. Just seemed interesting that he didn’t say BL’s decision. Got a hunch that when it comes to who starts on defense, BA leaves that entirely to Todd Bowles. My guess is that Jon Gruden used to leave that entirely to Monte Kiffin also. Smart move.
August 27th, 2021 at 4:13 pm
Rod Munch the stats are out there in NFL nextgen and other sites.
The Buc’s ran up the middle on 1st and 10 less than all but three teams last year.
August 27th, 2021 at 4:32 pm
This is such a win …
1. Competition kills complacency
2. Keep the tread on the tires.
August 27th, 2021 at 4:45 pm
Rojo’s job. Still ain’t sold on playoff Lenny being consistent.
August 27th, 2021 at 5:07 pm
I’ve said it many times before, and I’m sticking with it. RoJo is better than Fournette.
August 27th, 2021 at 6:30 pm
If there is an opening Rojo hits it quicker, thus his 5+ average. Too often 4net looks slow to get going. But he did look great in the playoffs. But hasn’t shown much yet this season. Not many touches so hard to say. May know more after Saturday.
August 27th, 2021 at 8:05 pm
geno711 – I’ll check it out. Maybe the numbers are heavily skewed by the Saints game. Also there is the definition of middle – most stats record anything behind the line as the middle – which means even running behind a TE is the ‘middle’, when I’m talking about literally up the gut, between the guards.
I just know when I sit home I can call out run and where the run is going just based off their formation and get it right at least 90% of the time – and if I can do that, DC’s can certainly do that.
But I’ll see if I can’t find that info you’re talking about. I always enjoy digging in more on the stats.
August 27th, 2021 at 9:08 pm
I really really like RoJo’s athleticism. To me it’s it’s almost a mind thing with him. If he just can completely focus on his job study film and just be himself I envision him as elite. I have said this before he is a rare player that gets better every year just a consistent upwards talent. Usually running backs come in the league like gang busters. I liked Dirk but he ruined RoJo confidence. Long story short I feel that Ronald is the best back we have. I think if he can get his mind and body in sync he will be a destroyer. College highlights Fournette is a way better rh than Ronald but as pros I like Ronald more. Go Bucs beat them sad stars of Jerry la la land
August 27th, 2021 at 9:15 pm
Also now that we have Gio B. Who is a consememt professional in the RB room his film study and practice habits will show the young guns how to do it.
August 28th, 2021 at 5:37 am
Design plays to put them both in Czonka & Kiick didn’t fare too badly for the Dolphins back in the day 👍
August 28th, 2021 at 8:51 am
Whomever gets four yards a carry. Meanwhile Fournette got 3.8 last season with Rojo getting 5.1 and 4.2 the season before and 4.5 YPC for his career… and Fournette has only gotten to FOUR yards ONCE in his four year career while averaging 3.9 YPC his career. Meanwhile, clueless Buc fans… I LiKe fOuRnEtTe bEtTeR!
August 28th, 2021 at 9:26 am
To those who say we run up the middle on first and ten too much, I urge you to look at the actual stats and noticed that it’s not out of the norm what the Buc do compared to any other team.
August 28th, 2021 at 3:26 pm
It should be determined by hot hand and by opponent. Rojo is a much better runner in between the tackles, fournette has more agikity and change of direction.Bernard I feel.may be the best back on the team as he has never played on an offense with this much talent at wr and te. I feel he has a huge year here