Breaking Down The Offensive Coordinator Candidates
January 25th, 2023
Three OC candidates ID’ed.
There are multiple reports of Bucs coach Todd Bowles lining up three guys (so far) to take over at offensive coordinator.
Let’s take a look.
Jim Bob Cooter
Who doesn’t like a guy named “Jim Bob?” It’s right out of “The Waltons.” And any dude with the last name “Cooter” is alright in Joe’s book.
The good: Cooter was the Lions’ quarterback coach and offensive coordinator under Jim Caldwell. Joe thinks Caldwell is a damn good coach and Joe even tossed out his name as an offensive coordinator for the Bucs. If Cooter learned anything from Caldwell, this is good. Cooter worked for Eagles coach Nick Siriani as a “consultant” in 2021 and as the “passing game coordinator” with Doug Pederson in Jacksonville this past season. Smart coaches he has worked with.
The bad: He also spent two years with the Jets working for Adam Gase.
Klint Kubiak
The good: Worked with Kliff Kingsbury, Johnny Football (Joe loves Johnny!) and Mike Evans at Texas A&M so he has a background with new age football. Also coached Kirk Cousins and Dalvin Cook and Justin Jefferson. If he can design pass routes to get Jefferson open, who is often double-teamed, that’s a good sign for Chris Godwin and Evans.
The bad: Kubiak, son of former NFL quarterback and Super Bowl-winning coach Gary Kubiak, was Nathanial Hackett’s right-hand man in Denver and Hackett’s offense was so awful it made failed Bucs offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich look good. Hackett didn’t even finish his first year with the Broncos. Kubiak also worked three years for that pain-in-the-arse grump Mike Zimmer.
Keenan McCardell
The good: McCardell was one of Joe’s favorite Bucs players and way underrated. He played for Chucky when the Bucs won the franchise’s first Super Bowl. McCardell was Washington’s wide receivers coach when that staff was absolutely loaded with future successful head coaches including Sean McVay, Kyle Shanahan, Matt LaFleur and Mike McDaniel. Could McCardell be the next stud coach from that group?
The bad: McCardell spent a year with that overrated grump Zimmer.
The Bucs also tried to land an interview with former lousy Lovie Smith’s offensive coordinator in Houston, Pep Hamilton. He declined, thankfully.
Hamilton took over as offensive coordinator for Bucco Bruce Arians in Indianapolis but dang, when healthy, Andrew Luck would make Joe look like a decent coach. Hamilton has been meh ever since.
If Joe had to rank the three guys in the running (so far) in a personal preference, it would be McCardell, Kubiak and Cooter.
January 25th, 2023 at 12:06 am
None of these guys are getting Brady to come back. Can you really imagine on TV, seeing Tom Brady taking orders from Jim Bob Cooter? I mean it’s an awesome name and all, but I really can’t see Brady doing commercials for $100k watches one minute, then the next minute answering to a Dukes of Hazzard character.
January 25th, 2023 at 12:11 am
LOL!
“Hey Tom, if you follow my playbook, I’ll let you take the General Lee for a spin before them Duke boys get their mitts on it!”
January 25th, 2023 at 12:12 am
Out of the three, if these were the only option, I’d give the nod to McCardell as he’s a wildcard who hasn’t been defined down, yet.
But they all seem like 1-year fodder, just meant to fill the position until all the coaches are fired as the Bucs clean house after 2023.
Personally I’d just hire from within. The issue wasn’t the scheme, the issue was 100% on the idiot calling the plays. The Bucs, with that giant staff, have multiple guys who could take over the OC job, then you keep consistency in term of schemes. I don’t really like the idea of bringing in a new guy who is only going to be here for a year, installing a new scheme, etc, then doing it all over again next year. That’s just dumb.
January 25th, 2023 at 12:25 am
Moe, Larry and Curly.
Toad is not going to hire someone that will outshine him. I guess Monken, who is proven, is not an option. Because he knows Toad sucks and this here list means Toad has already been granted a “through 2024” stay of execution. Meaning we will see somewhere between zero and ten wins over the next 34 games.
Great times, Glazers!
Or, you could intervene and do something about it.
Naw. But hey, your franchise Germany vision? They don’t like Bowles of Suck any more than we do.
Congrats on sticking us with the worst head coach in Bucs history.
January 25th, 2023 at 12:33 am
is this a fuggin joke…jb cooter hauling azz down dale mabry in the general lee because he’s late for the game
January 25th, 2023 at 12:43 am
this info plus the guererro moves, and there’s really no point in discussing tom as being a buccaneer anymore
#ThatsReality
January 25th, 2023 at 12:43 am
What is this/that?
January 25th, 2023 at 1:04 am
All these names that the Bucs are interviewing are a laughing joke. I don’t understand why the Bucs can’t interview some legit OC’s . This organization likes doing things butt a$$ backwards !!!
January 25th, 2023 at 1:10 am
Why don’t we offer cliff kingsbury the job, that would be a great hire ?
January 25th, 2023 at 1:15 am
“uh……huh huh” ” He said ‘cooter’
In his best ‘Butthead voice.
January 25th, 2023 at 1:17 am
Joe Says:
January 25th, 2023 at 12:11 am
I really can’t see Brady doing commercials for $100k watches one minute, then the next minute answering to a Dukes of Hazzard character.
LOL!
“Hey Tom, if you follow my playbook, I’ll let you take the General Lee for a spin before them Duke boys get their mitts on it!”
…………. I lost it on that one Joe! You owe me a Bromosa the next time I come in to watch a game!!!
January 25th, 2023 at 1:33 am
The fact is the Buc’s OC position is Not something at the present time that will interest any familiar names or experienced OC’s.
Maybe the Bucs feel they have to take what they can get
January 25th, 2023 at 1:39 am
A hooker late in her shift says the same thing.
January 25th, 2023 at 2:07 am
Tom Brady as a Offensive Coordinator??? One can dream the possibilities…
January 25th, 2023 at 2:10 am
Hey Joe, what about Todd Monken, any indication the Bucs are going to interview him?
January 25th, 2023 at 2:21 am
As Joe has written a couple of times, given what Todd Monken has said recently, Joe doubts he would return without very specific concessions from the Bucs.
January 25th, 2023 at 3:59 am
None of these flunkies scream offensive genius or firepower. None sound like guys who will galvanize Brady or anyone else to come running to Tampa.
Just Bowles yes-guys who will obey Todd, and as Goatfarmer says, not outshine him.
January 25th, 2023 at 4:11 am
Bowles is living in an alternate reality. That he’s still employed is twilight zone.
Love his 95% disapproval rating from your readers.
This is the saddest era of Buc football I’ve seen.
Utter torture.
Owners support it.
Have fun reporting on it Joes. Loser franchise.
Sickening
January 25th, 2023 at 4:15 am
Brian Johnson QB coach Eagles. Coached Trask at Florida. That would be a smart choice, not going to happen.
January 25th, 2023 at 5:33 am
Hire Jim Bob. Even if we suck think of the fun we can have with that. Think of the good media questions Joe . Like. “ Uh Jim Bob, do you chew red man or Levi Garrett”. Or something like. “ What brand of suspenders do you wear”? It’s a win /win or lose/lose if you prefer.
January 25th, 2023 at 5:38 am
Rod … ‘But they all seem like 1-year fodder, just meant to fill the position until all the coaches are fired as the Bucs clean house after 2023.’
Yea verily; most likely scenario Rod. Bucs will probably use 2023 as their ‘get right’ year in terms of salary CAP, releasing ‘old’ players, see what we’ve got in the youngsters, etc. Could very well end up with a high draft pick at the end of 2023.
January 25th, 2023 at 5:54 am
Joke squad. These names are atrocious.
We won’t win 6 games next season.
Uninspiring, talentless clowns.
January 25th, 2023 at 5:54 am
It feels like we are watching a Netflix thriller where the fake is reality
In what world would anyone think Bum Bowles deserves anything other than a pink slip
Please wake me from this bad dream
No one worth two cents is coming here for dead man walking
January 25th, 2023 at 6:15 am
Who’s next. The University of Louisiana Cougars OC? I heard he did wonders with the “Water Boy”.
January 25th, 2023 at 7:30 am
Coach Cooter- the cooter coach. I wonder who the positions coach will be. Lol
January 25th, 2023 at 8:04 am
Top 3 reasons why a top caliber candidate will not consider Tampa.
1) With Bowles on the hot seat, they could be one and done
2) Quality candidates won’t wait (pass up other opportunities) for Brady’s decision
3) Will they have a free hand, or will Bowles put handcuffs on them to “protect” his defense?
January 25th, 2023 at 9:24 am
Hey, at least all these candidates will come to Tampa with a brain. A brain is a good attribute to possess when calling plays.
January 25th, 2023 at 10:24 am
Whoever comes for an interview should bring a lawyer with them. They need to make sure they can stay free of the defensive, no points scored style of Bowles cleaner.
Leftie looked like he was over his head, but it have been because of pressure from the HC.
Also gets some guarantees on draft picks, Bowles cleaner is going draft almost entirely defensively.
January 25th, 2023 at 10:41 am
Is any other teams interviewing these three I haven’t heard of any?
January 25th, 2023 at 10:42 am
If these are the Bucs best options, we are in trouble and Todd Blows should resign today.
January 25th, 2023 at 11:11 am
Jim Bob Cooter:
I don’t know this dude but part of me would really like for him to be our oc so I can hear that name more
January 25th, 2023 at 12:24 pm
Hamilton did ok with the chargers with Justin Herbert but in his defense he did not have much to work with at Houston. Kubiak is a waste, McCardell is ok as a wideout coach but has no experience at anything else, Cotter is the only one will real OC experience so he won’t be hired he probably be better off staying put.
January 25th, 2023 at 12:36 pm
More clowns to squeeze into the Bowles clown car
January 25th, 2023 at 1:09 pm
Wonder why Jeremy Bates or Chan Gaileys name hasn’t been mentioned.
January 25th, 2023 at 1:10 pm
I ❤️ cooter! As far as Pep Hamilton goes, he has 2 years on his contract PLUS a stud QB son still in high school…
January 25th, 2023 at 2:31 pm
How about a guy who orchestrated a 3 touchdown come back with 20 minutes to go in the playoffs against the Rams last year for offensive coordinator,? Oh yeah that was B. Leftwich who would now be head coaching material had not, with 47 secs left in the game, the defensive coordinator, a certain Todd, Bowles, called a defense in which the Bucs defended the sideline, leaving Cooper Kupp completely wide open to go over 60 yards down the field to the 10 where the Rams kicked a field goal and went on to win the Super Bowl. So what does the Bucs brass and the local sportswriters think is the smart thing to do? Make Bowels the head coach and get rid of Leftwich. Brilliant!!!!
As a result, we hit the express lane from Super Bowl contender to losing season and an embarrassingly pathetic playoff performance. A performance 100% consistent with Bowels past performance with as a head coach. On the bright side, if Bowels does stay as head coach I’m heading straight to Vegas for a 100% sure bet. The Bucs will lose more games this year than they did last year. I’m sure he is a really nice guy and very smart in a lot of things. But anyone who thinks that Bowels knows how to win in the NFL makes blind bats look like eagles.
And what makes this so agonizing for Bucs fans and players is that not only are these people who are stumbling around in the darkness the ones who own the team, they are also the people who write and talk about it in local media. Hopefully, after we lose more games next year than we did this year, these people will stop deceiving the public and remove the word “sports” from the definition of their profession as there should be some requirement a person actually observe what’s going on before they write about it.
January 25th, 2023 at 2:47 pm
It’s tough maintaining any real optimism with the future as it is. There are so many questions.
Whoever they hire should be a creative mind and critical thinker