Zac Robinson Doesn’t Believe In Wasting Plays
February 5th, 2026
Each snap must have value.
Joe learned way back in high school that the mark of a good coach is if he knows all sorts of little things to help a player perform.
Add up enough little things and it turns into a big thing.
Last week when new Bucs offensive coordinator Zac Robinson had a sidebar with the local pen and mic club, he raved about how much he learned from his days in Los Angeles working for Sean McVay.
Robinson sounded like he got a master’s degree in football from McVay. One thing that hit close to home for Joe was that Robinson said he learned from McVay is you never waste a play. You only have so many snaps in a game and each one has value.
“I just think always having the solves for the players so that you just don’t want to waste plays,” Robinson said. That’s the biggest thing with Sean. I learned there is we’re not just running plays to run plays. Like we have to have an intent behind everything that we’re doing. …
“Our guys have to have an answer for [what the defense shows] every time that the ball is snapped. And so you learn so much about how to package plays.”
Robinson then detailed how his players have to have answers for everything they see when they get to the line. Robinson added he has no qualms that his offense may have a learning curve.
“There’s a ton of smart players here,” Robinson said.
This is music to Joe’s ears. Way, way, way too often Joe hears people say you have to run the ball to be balanced. This borderline outrages Joe because the inference here is you are running the damn ball just so you can say you ran it.
To Joe, that’s burning plays. An offense has only so many each game — what, 60 or 70, max? — And if a play isn’t designed for getting a first down or scoring six, then the offensive coordinator needs to go back to the lab and start over.
February 5th, 2026 at 9:18 am
The more times goes on this Offseason the more I like this hire in addition to the new QB coach hire. This Offense will be good-they are loaded and if they can get Pitts as TE they will be a scary team on O. There is no more beating around the bush. Spend the Money and get a STUD proven Pass Rusher this offseason by whatever means possible. We still have Todd and he needs help for our Putrid Pass Defense ASAP. GO BUCS!!
February 5th, 2026 at 9:19 am
Kinda sounds like he’s taking a shot at Grizz lol…
hope Zac gives Baker the freedom to change plays at the LOS…would love to see some of that “magic”
GO BUCS!!!!
February 5th, 2026 at 9:20 am
Robinson added he has no qualms that his offense may have a learning curve.
“There’s a ton of smart players here,” Robinson said.
Uh oh. The same could be said for Bowles defense. All this talking is nice right now but it still boils down to consistent execution and this team isnt great at that…on both sides of the ball. Funny thing is Grizz had lots of plans before the season too but at least this guy has called plays.
He sounds like Snoppy’s teacher to me. I’ll believe it when I see it on the field. But if Mike leaves and takes his HoF catch radius with him, then the offense is screwed.
February 5th, 2026 at 9:22 am
813bucboi
You dont think Baker has been able to change plays at the line this entire time? If not, thats not a glowing endorsement of Bake. I thought he was already doing that.
February 5th, 2026 at 9:41 am
“I just think always having the solves for the players so that you just don’t want to waste plays,”
Boy, did he come to the right place if he gets any type of gratification off of improving a units efficiency, because that’s one thing our offense was not last year.
Hopefully, Robinson has looked at our punt figures and maybe after wiping the barf from his chin, he’s going to work to improve that too.
Score more, punt less.
February 5th, 2026 at 10:02 am
BJ ,that’s where your confused ,QBs do change plays even in high school
February 5th, 2026 at 10:04 am
The 3rd and 28 defence needs to look into that same mirror.
February 5th, 2026 at 10:06 am
There’s only 32 people that are QBs,I wish you were on ,you’d be the best ever!
February 5th, 2026 at 10:15 am
Bee Says:
February 5th, 2026 at 9:22 am
813bucboi
You dont think Baker has been able to change plays at the line this entire time?
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No I dont…
during the game, i would hear, “can can” but i didnt see any formation shifts or motions….
defenses would have a loaded box, baker would say “can can” and run right into the teeth of the defense lol….
im not going to put it all on baker…maybe grizz’s offense didnt have that option to get out of a bad play…maybe Grizz didnt fully trust baker…idk..
but with Zac and bakers history, i expect to see some “magic” between the 2
GO BUCS!!!!
February 5th, 2026 at 10:21 am
With Zac and new QB coach im gonna pound$ Bakers props this year! TDS, Passing yds etc..now for team wins I’ll wait to off season and see if Blows side of the ball can do it’s part! The offense is feel will be humming again, especially if we stay healthy and maybe get Pitts or Falcons Rb to bolster an already stacked side
February 5th, 2026 at 10:22 am
The Bucs didn’t make the playoffs, so technically they wasted ALL of them this season.
February 5th, 2026 at 10:23 am
“im not going to put it all on baker…maybe grizz’s offense didnt have that option to get out of a bad play…maybe Grizz didnt fully trust baker…idk..”
Rachaad White confirmed on the LC Podcast that Baker had freedom to change plays at the LOS, but just having that ability doesn’t mean it made executing the plays easier.
February 5th, 2026 at 10:26 am
You would think this is common sense. One play can make or break a game. Every football coach should know and understand this. It’s a game of chess, and if you’re not outsmarting your opponent (the opposing teams DC), then you’re losing.
Unfortunately last year we had just an array of “wtf?” moments, like where the same exact play was called 4x in a row at the goal line.
February 5th, 2026 at 10:34 am
I think if this offensive line stays healthy and that we pick up a depth piece for the interior line that can come in and play at a much higher level than our turnstile backup guards did last year, this could be a very good offense.
If we can find quality replacements for White and for Cade otton I think this offense can get back to the level it was under Liam Coen. Tyler Algier is an obvious free agency signing that shouldn’t cost too much. Pitts, Njoku, Okonkwo, Likely are all available as tight ends and in my opinion would be upgrades over what we had. That doesn’t even include some more older veteran ones like Dallas Goedaert. Given that there are as many available I think it shouldn’t be crazy expensive to get our replacement.
Those two moves in free agency and perhaps a fourth or later round pick on a guard to develop would be all the offensive moves I would do and then focus the rest of the draft and one or two free agency pickups on the defensive side of the ball.
February 5th, 2026 at 10:37 am
Do articles about Robinson make anyone believe that he’s more than just an average/mediocre OC and the team’s 4th or 5th choice that we had to settle for?
February 5th, 2026 at 10:47 am
Robinson, “Hey, Coach Bowles, we really need the guys to understand the purpose and intent of the defense you have implemented”. Bowles, “I like turtles!”.
February 5th, 2026 at 10:50 am
They SORT of change plays–they go from the primary to the alternate (both of which were radios in)
February 5th, 2026 at 10:51 am
Well at least he didn’t say “we’re going to coach it better and we’re going to play it better”.
Of course each play matters. You don’t just run a play to run a play.
Let’s just hope and pray that Zac knows what he is doing and actually uses formation shifts to identify the defense called and adjust accordingly. Coen was very good at that.
February 5th, 2026 at 10:54 am
Nothing that happens on the offensive side of the ball matters. Our defense sucks and the Bucs have done nothing to improve it.
February 5th, 2026 at 11:01 am
The West Coast offense is all about a ball control offense. In stead of two yards and a cloud of dust you throw high percentage passes and worse case is 2nd and short.
February 5th, 2026 at 11:03 am
Coach Speak aside…I like what Robinson is saying & where his head is at….”Let’s not waste plays” – “Have answers to what the DEF gives us”….Great, now make it happen!
Also need Licht to restock the OFF cupboard & give Zac the tools he needs to fill up the scoreboard!
February 5th, 2026 at 11:05 am
“I just think always having the solves for the players so that you just don’t want to waste plays,” Robinson said.
Wonder if he said the same thing with the falcons.
I’m sorry, but Zac Robinso has a lot to prove to me considering he made very little difference in Atlanta. I’m finding it hard to become excited about him.
That doesn’t mean I hate his hiring…it means he’ll have a lot to prove during the season.
Unlike the previous OCs the Bucs hired, this one has a chance to be our next head coach…so I’m watching.
February 5th, 2026 at 11:07 am
Confido75 Says:
February 5th, 2026 at 10:47 am
Robinson, “Hey, Coach Bowles, we really need the guys to understand the purpose and intent of the defense you have implemented”.
Why would the OC ask about the defense?
If you’re going to make jokes, please have them make sense 😉
February 5th, 2026 at 11:09 am
813bucboi Says:
“…with Zac and bakers history, i expect to see some “magic” between the 2”
I hope you are right. I need a reason to get excited at this point.
Love my Bucs, but man…it was hard last season.
February 5th, 2026 at 11:15 am
“Why would the OC ask about the defense?
If you’re going to make jokes, please have them make sense 😉”
Any mention of how bad the offense was recalling 2025 it’s met with “well what about the defense?” some of it’s based on real performance issues/concerns, but a lot of it is used to divert accountability away from Uncle Rico/the offense. That’s the sense they’re working with lol
February 5th, 2026 at 11:19 am
@ Buccaneer Bonzai, hmmm, let me explain this. If you read what Robinson said, Sean M. has a philosophy of requiring his players to understand the “why” for the scheme/play and to adjust and pay attention to what the other side of the ball is giving you or doing. You can imagine at some point Robinson is going to wonder why this philosophy doesn’t apply to the defense and start questioning Bowles ability to effectively coach, thus the joke. Do us all a favor and stay in the right lane with the slow traffic!
February 5th, 2026 at 11:22 am
Wait until he here’s “run no matter what the defense shows” in his headset.
February 5th, 2026 at 11:24 am
Statloud leaving the eagles. Great O line coach Bucs should be all overvit
February 5th, 2026 at 11:34 am
Zac saying all the right things. Calling plays isn’t that hard. Just make the defense zig when you are zagging. Always keep the defense off balance. Those 1-2 yard runs on 1st and 2nd down between the guard and the center might have a point, just unsure what it is. Bucs offense with Grizz was so predictable you knew waht was coming before the ball was snapped.
February 5th, 2026 at 11:50 am
“You can imagine at some point Robinson is going to wonder why this philosophy doesn’t apply to the defense and start questioning Bowles ability to effectively coach, thus the joke.”
-If you have to explain the joke, it’s not funny
-I would hope that our OC doesn’t fall into the trap of using whatboutism like a petulant middle child, but I realize that way of thinking and discoure go hand-in-hand in this day and age.
-That would mean he’s really not that sharp, and we just hired someone with the emotional intelligence of a bowl of cole slaw.
February 5th, 2026 at 12:05 pm
Save us, Zac! Please. Then go make a ton of money because we let the good ones go!
February 5th, 2026 at 12:26 pm
Buccaneer Bonzai Says:
February 5th, 2026 at 11:09 am
813bucboi Says:
“…with Zac and bakers history, i expect to see some “magic” between the 2”
I hope you are right. I need a reason to get excited at this point.
Love my Bucs, but man…it was hard last season.
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I hope I’m right too lol…
you hit the nail on the head:
Buccaneer Bonzai Says: I’m sorry, but Zac Robinso has a lot to prove to me considering he made very little difference in Atlanta. I’m finding it hard to become excited about him.
That doesn’t mean I hate his hiring…it means he’ll have a lot to prove during the season.
completely agree!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
February 5th, 2026 at 12:27 pm
Warren Brooks Lynch
THANKS FOR THE INFO/CORRECTION!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
February 5th, 2026 at 12:41 pm
More offense talk..does it really matter? Even if this guy turns out to be as good as Coen (doubtful) with Bowles and Baker, we’ve seen that ceiling.
Make it stop
February 5th, 2026 at 12:55 pm
The Rams have been the league best at putting themselves in 2nd and short or 3rd and short and then converting. THAT shows McVay’s philosophy, don’t care how you do it just put yourself in a position to pick up 1st downs and then convert to TD’s. That is what Robinson was talking about having smart players to recognize what the defense is doing and then take advantage. I don’t care if it’s west coast and a combination of that and no risk it but those 2 together produce points