Liam Coen: Running Game “Is Priority No. 1”
February 6th, 2024
Todd Bowles
Todd Bowles is saluting his new offensive coordinator today.
Liam Coen sang Bowles’ favorite song.
The chorus goes like this, Run the ball. Run the ball. Oh, my, let’s run the ball. Run it if it works. Run it if it don’t. Run the ball.
Coen was asked about reviving the Tampa Bay rushing attack on WDAE radio today. Hosts Jay Recher and Zac Blobner were kind enough not to remind him that the 2023 Bucs were the first team since the 2006 Cardinals to have consecutive seasons ranking last in yards per carry.
“It’s Priority No. 1. It’s always been Priority No. 1 at every stop I’ve been,” Coen said of running the football.
“You go back to [the University of] Maine, we had a freshman [that] led the country in rushing, Josh Mack. And then you go to Kentucky and we’re second in the SEC in rushing in 2021. We want to run the ball. It’s about balance. We want to be explosive in both the run and the pass. But hey, how do we get running into better looks? How do we change the math on the defense? Put ourselves in advantageous spots to be able to, you know, maybe it’s one or two playcalls that we’re calling that we can end up in good positions to run the football. … It’ll be a huge focus point when we get here all together.”
Obviously, running the ball well is a great thing. Teams can’t pass every down or wide receivers would get worn out and lose effectiveness. Joe is sure Mike Evans doesn’t want to run 60 sprints a game.
Joe is not anti-run, but this Buccaneers team as constructed is built to pass.
Now if the Bucs’ new offensive line coach gets Tristan Wirfs run blocking like he did early in his career, and the Bucs add an impressive running back and better run scheming, then Joe will be all in favor of making running the ball “Priority No. 1.”
For now, Joe prefers it as Priority No. 2
February 6th, 2024 at 7:52 pm
There goes Baker.
February 6th, 2024 at 7:54 pm
Who cares????
Let Baker walk and get paid
…..ITS KYLE TRASK TIME BEBE!!!!
February 6th, 2024 at 8:00 pm
He talks about getting the ball into the hands of his playmakers. He knows who those guys are. I expect this version of the offense to be less predictable, but people are going to complain any time they run on 1st down.
February 6th, 2024 at 8:05 pm
I listened to Coen today and to me he didn’t say run run it was more of we will run the ball but the offense will be 50/50 run pass. One other thing I got from him today was, he wants to build the offense around what his play makers do best and that’s individually for Evans, Godwin, Mayfield and White. Also sounds like he gonna try to keep the offense from being predictable at all time
February 6th, 2024 at 8:12 pm
So… a new center
February 6th, 2024 at 8:18 pm
Like it. Run baby run!
February 6th, 2024 at 8:22 pm
Bucs need a new C, new LG, new TE and that should be enough with new run blocking scheme to improve. Add another RB to pair with White too.
Bucs need to throw all their marbles to improve every aspect of the running game this off season.
February 6th, 2024 at 8:39 pm
so 1,500 yards for rachaad next season…?
i would think so…….maybe more…
watch out mccaffery
February 6th, 2024 at 8:44 pm
i’d like to see them hang onto edmonds in the room as well…
he was kind of reliable when called on, and a bit of a change of pace from rb1
February 6th, 2024 at 8:47 pm
As long as they run it up the middle on first down, we should be fine.
February 6th, 2024 at 8:57 pm
Shore would be nice to have a big bruising full back in the stable for White to run behind.
300+lbs of quick, agile, able to catch, with some experience running it too.
Now where could we find someone like that?
VV
February 6th, 2024 at 8:58 pm
Its a double edge sword….
If Bowels run philosophy fails (which much of this season it did), we will FINALLY be free of this failed HC and the Bucs will finally be in position to go get a quality/winning HC!
If he can somehow produce a successful Offense, the the Bucs should at least stay above water and get .500 or better…
Although, Worst case scenario, be another season like this one: just good enough so you can’t justify firing Bowles but bad enough you know the Bucs can’t be more than mediocre with him running things!
February 6th, 2024 at 9:07 pm
Why almost every thread is used by posters to wish for the failure of the head coach is mind boggling. They should turn their misplaced and juvenile hatred towards someone into a more positive outlook.
February 6th, 2024 at 9:10 pm
Running the ball effectively sets up the play action pass.
Unfortunately you need a QB that is accurate beyond 20 yards.
February 6th, 2024 at 9:12 pm
Bucs need better players at Center and LG as well as a TE who is very good at blocking.
THEN we could be a good running team.
Even stellar Xs and Os have a hard time overcoming a lack of Jimmys and Joes….
February 6th, 2024 at 9:26 pm
gp- Read my mind! Give me a FB!
February 6th, 2024 at 9:59 pm
Different ways can work in the NFL
3 of the 5 top rushing teams…Baltimore, SF, and Detroit made the final four. One is in the SB.
OTOH the Chiefs were 19th. Bills 7th Eagles 8th.
Some teams that ran were stinkers…Bears 2nd place Cardinals 4th.
Running is no guarantee of success, but more of the successful teams had top run games than did not. The exception of course is KC at 19th. Can you say Mahomes?
It’s not about running. Its about running well! The Bucs SUCKED…LAST FREAKING PLACE! Coen has nowhere to go but up.
February 6th, 2024 at 10:32 pm
Dust off Ray Perkins playbook for some good plays to call.
February 6th, 2024 at 10:43 pm
Interested to see who our new OL coaches are, who the new O-linemen will be, and who we can get to be the thunder to Rachaad’s Lightning.
February 6th, 2024 at 11:11 pm
There is already enough in place on the OL for the running game to be successful. Most good running teams are not based on 5 dominant run blocking lineman. It’s timing, execution, play selection etc. If the best player on the board is an IOL in Round 1 or 2 by all means take him but it’s not a must have that early.
February 6th, 2024 at 11:35 pm
“HC Grover Says:
February 6th, 2024 at 10:32 pm
Dust off Ray Perkins playbook for some good plays to call.”
I remember that (season?) We started out hot, running traps with Gary Anderson. Sadly, they all figured it out
February 7th, 2024 at 12:38 am
No! Bowles has already corrupted our new OC 😩
February 7th, 2024 at 12:47 am
LoL, this is not a run the ball type league anymore. And proof again Bowles, wants to prioritize running the ball when the BUCS don’t have the O-line or RB’s that are capable of producing in this league. Not to mention the BUCS were dead last in rushing. But yeah let’s keep beating that dead horse running game. Maybe they’ll be 30th next season.
February 7th, 2024 at 2:44 am
OHH NOO!
More “Balance” BS. How about we score more points than the other guys? No matter how we do it.
Go Bucs!
February 7th, 2024 at 3:54 am
He should try running up the middle every 1st down. It works great.
February 7th, 2024 at 6:28 am
“”As long as they run it up the middle on first down, we should be fine.””
Hahaha that was a good one bro!
February 7th, 2024 at 6:52 am
Draft the all american RB out of Missouri
February 7th, 2024 at 7:25 am
Fantasy land gp
February 7th, 2024 at 8:27 am
Sounds like Bowles will STILL be calling the plays.
February 7th, 2024 at 8:40 am
Name dropping the Maine Black Bears is not helpfull unless you coached the Hockey team
February 7th, 2024 at 9:02 am
Welcome to the 3rd Todd Bowles puppet.
Passing is the strength of this team – the playmakers. But let’s continue to push the weakness.
On to 2025….
February 7th, 2024 at 11:08 am
TheBucsAnthem Says:
February 6th, 2024 at 7:54 pm
“Who cares????
Let Baker walk and get paid
…..ITS KYLE TRASK TIME BEBE!!!!”
The above is presented as the idiocy post of the day. New OL post degenerates into a Trask (who?) fantasy.
February 7th, 2024 at 11:11 am
Run the Ball isn’t a Bowles thing.
Of the 4 teams in Championship Games
Baltimore passed 50.08 % and ranked 32nd (fewest passes) 1st in Rushing
S.F. 51.82& and ranked 30th 3rd in Rushing
Lions 56.55 and ranked 21st 5th in Rushing
K.C. 60.24 and ranked 7th 19th in Rushing
Of the top 10 pass heavy teams only KC made the playoffs and Maholmes has dominated in the Screen pass game since 2018. Mostly by drawing the rush deep into the backfield and buying time to have secondary’s get farther down field.
Bucs were ranked 14th and barely made the playoffs. 32nd in Rushing
Folks that are down on Bowles because he hires coaches that want to be proficient at running the ball helps me understand their desire to keep Mayfield. Box of Rocks.