Zyon McCollum Explains How Possessed Todd Bowles Is
August 18th, 2025
Takeaways obsession.
You’ve heard all offseason how Todd Bowles emphasizes the Bucs need more interceptions.
Last year the Bucs had seven interceptions in the regular season. This really has Bowles irked. So much so that at times, Joe thinks Bowles is channeling lousy Lovie Smith.
Lovie didn’t seem to give a damn what his defense did so long as they got a takeaway. Meanwhile, his defense regularly was getting dragged up and down the field to the point they were cashed by the fourth quarter.
After Saturday night’s second worthless preseason game of the summer in Pittsburgh, the Bucs led the NFL in preseason picks with six through two games. Zyon McCollum had one of Saturda’s three Bucs picks.
McCollum told Joe in the locker room how seriously Bowles has emphasized players becoming ballhawks this summer.
“It comes up every day,” McCollum said. “We’ll have meetings about takeaways, just specifically that you focus on takeaways.”
Yes, you read that right. Bowles has regular defensive meetings where the only thing discussed is takeaways. Not tackling. Not sacks. Not plugging gaps. Just takeaways and nothing else discussed.
That’s bordering on obsession.
August 18th, 2025 at 6:02 am
Shows how important retaking possession of the football is greater than taking the QB down, you want the ball back to your offense so you can score points and win the game.
August 18th, 2025 at 6:13 am
Getting off the field on third down would be helpful too.
August 18th, 2025 at 6:23 am
Lowkey sounding like Nagy after the Double Doink. Man was so obsessed with it he lost his job. He brought in like 50 kickers, constantly talked about it. The freaking Eagles player got a finger tip on it which caused just enough to mess up the kick. He went absolutely bonkers over it. Hope Bowles doesn’t do the same for picks.
August 18th, 2025 at 6:43 am
Bucs on pace for 51 regular season interceptions, lol. That would be utterly INSANE.
August 18th, 2025 at 6:55 am
You are what you emphasize. I hope the tackling is better than last year. But I never hear them talking about that.
August 18th, 2025 at 7:21 am
“Getting off the field on third down would be helpful too.” Preach it Stpete!!
August 18th, 2025 at 8:29 am
Bowles knows a Mayfield led offense will commit 15+ turnovers per year, so he needs the D to get turnovers for Bucs to have better chance to win more games.
August 18th, 2025 at 8:42 am
This is why people like me that don’t hate Todd B or think he’s the worst coach in the league get tagged as homers.
The second to last paragraph of this article is ridiculous. Congratulations Joe, you are now a troll
August 18th, 2025 at 8:56 am
I love the effort from the rookies. I hope their desire for the ball spreads like wildfire through the defense.
Good job Bowles!!!!
August 18th, 2025 at 9:12 am
i just hope it translates over to the reg season!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
August 18th, 2025 at 9:30 am
@BakingWithGrizz
I noticed that too, and agree with you. This would be a situation where ‘contagious” is a good thing, lol.
Joe, I seem to recall reading an article here a few days ago, where the entire defense had a meeting to talk specifically about one other aspect of being a ballhawk defender individually and as a defensive unit. I could be wrong about that.
Our head coach has talked a lot about making needed changes, since the end of last season. He’s acted on some of them as well. This is one of them.
I take this as a positive sign.
August 18th, 2025 at 9:50 am
Dungy and Kiffin stressed turnovers with the super Defense they built. Their Offense wasn’t as good as this one either. Still, the Bucs won their first SB.
August 18th, 2025 at 9:54 am
I’m glad the defensive guru finally figured out that getting off the field by taking the ball away from the other team as soon as possible and handing it back to your own offense is good.
August 18th, 2025 at 10:13 am
They need drills to specifically focus on takeaways, it is a skill to be developed, it is a mindset to be maintained.
August 18th, 2025 at 10:26 am
Probably should have more meetings on how to decipher this Einstein theory of relativity defense.
August 18th, 2025 at 10:28 am
Well if we continue to get picks in the regular season then what Todd’s getting at was necessary
August 18th, 2025 at 10:44 am
They go over so many finite things that for anyone to focus that they just go over this 1 thing isn’t seeing the big picture. The team goes over so many things that we know nothing about and they all go hand in hand. Turnovers and injuries are the 1a & 1b that coach’s talk about when asked about season predictions and when you look at the season at the end of the year it always bears this out. If one knows anything about football answer this: If we jump out of our chairs when we get a turnover what do you think that does for the team? Same thing with our offense turning the ball over? I know how everyone feels about injuries from all the posts here, which we can’t control to a large extent. There is a reason teams take longer to gel now a days, starters are playing against starters for the first month of the regular season and getting into real playing shape.
August 18th, 2025 at 11:08 am
One might observe, in order to intercept a pass, one needs to be in the vicinity of a targeted receiver. Crazy concept, I know. It’s too simple for Todd. He wants to disguise his defense and hope the QB doesn’t see the receiver breaking 22 yards wide open over the middle time after time after time.
It’s genius.
August 18th, 2025 at 11:58 am
Bowles’ meetings are getting more pics. Now he needs to include forcing fumbles.
I think maybe a forced turnover is better than a sack?
August 18th, 2025 at 12:26 pm
Aqualung
It’s Houdini coverage. It makes DBs invisible.
August 18th, 2025 at 12:33 pm
“I think maybe a forced turnover is better than a sack?”
Loss of possession > loss of down & yardage when you’re playing defense at ANY level of football.
August 18th, 2025 at 2:19 pm
Turnovers, explosive plays, run defense, red zone. That’s the important stuff.
6 picks so far…. Must be a defender/s in the vicinity somewhere. 👍🏼
Are the critics going to pee their pants every time a DB gives a cushion or gives up yards thru the air? You do realize it’s football, and we’re playing other highly paid and highly skilled professionals right?
August 18th, 2025 at 4:01 pm
Probably shouldn’t give highly paid, highly skilled WRs that run sub 4.5 forties a 12 yard head start.
Just saying.
August 18th, 2025 at 5:25 pm
@St.pete
I’ve gotta say that it’s refreshing to see you’re asking, demanding, expecting (whichever fits for you) a Far Better performance from our secondary and appreciate it when Todd steps up and coaches our guys to Focus on the teaching and as a Result, WINNING those matches in such an impressive fashion for a change.
Rossey colored glasses came off of you and the truth is setting you free.
I personally went out and picked fresh flowers for Todd for Stepping Up and HIM demanding and teaching the men just how to do it.
Just like they KEEP telling us …. ” IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING” ”
Apparently The Message from the Faithful, IS GETTING THROUGH!
And The Results Are FANTASTIC!
Now about that decision making…….. We’ll talk about that in a different article….
August 18th, 2025 at 5:26 pm
@ Drunk guy…
NO! That Actually makes YOU the Troll…..
August 18th, 2025 at 6:43 pm
Do you guys really think comments on a blog, by people with zero qualifications and limited knowledge of football, is influencing the coaching by the professional football coaches on this team?
Sorry to burst your bubble but that’s delusional thinking.
[Comments such as yours? — Joe]
August 18th, 2025 at 7:28 pm
lol @Joe 🙂
I’ve never, ever, thought what I say here has ANY impact on the coaches, or mgt of the Bucs ! That would be foolish.
August 19th, 2025 at 11:32 am
When I heard Joe asking McCollum this question in the locker room I just knew there would be an article just like this one. Joe was dismayed by the answer and you could hear the gears turning in his mind