What To Expect From Zac Robinson
July 8th, 2026
Players over plays.
Six words in this story made Joe’s ears perk up.
Veteran NFL scribe Dan Pompei of The Athletic may have made Joe’s week by typing six simple words on how the Bucs’ offense may change this year under new Bucs offensive coordinator Zac Robinson.
“Emphasizing the player over the play” is how Pompei laid out Robinson’s likely philosophy with the Bucs. Here’s the full excerpt on how Robinson is the new guy at One Buc Palace to watch out for.
The Bucs are hoping Robinson’s experience makes a difference in their offense, which went into a tailspin last season under Josh Grizzard. Robinson has been a play caller for two years, so he has a feel for what can work and what might not. He also has experience working with Sean McVay and is expected to bring Rams concepts to Tampa, including emphasizing the player over the play. That could bode well for Chris Godwin, Emeka Egbuka, Bucky Irving and others. Robinson also worked briefly with Baker Mayfield in 2022, when Robinson was the quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator of the Rams, and Mayfield spent five games with the team, so he has a feel for his quarterback.
Joe always loved the story Nick Saban told that he learned in high school from his coach, his first coaching lesson, Saban said. Down a touchdown in a do-or-die game. Saban, a quarterback who called the plays for his team even as a kid, came to the sideline during a timeout. His coach offered advice.
You have an all-state receiver and a track champion at running back, Saban’s coach told him. Find a way to get one of those two the ball.
Saban fakes a handoff to the track star/running back and throws a touchdown pass to the all-state receiver. Saban’s team wins.
Saban said he learned at that time, in crunch time, it was never how cute a play was, but that you get the ball in the hands of your best players. In other words, let your playmakers make plays.
And the Bucs have several playmakers. The options for Robinson are many (and typing this makes Joe sick that Mike Evans bolted).
Pompei is right about Robinson. Bijan Robinson was clearly Zac Robinson’s best player at Atlanta. Look what Zac Robinson did with Bijan Robinson.
Simple, yet effective.
@alabama__ftbl Nick Saban dialed up a game winning call at 15 years old?!?!?! LEGENDARY #NickSaban #coaching #RollTide #Alabama #Bama ♬ original sound – Alabama Crimson Tide on AL.com
July 8th, 2026 at 9:07 am
Zac Robinson VS. Todd Bowles on 3rd and 28 – ADVANTAGE Zac Robinson
Zac Robinson VS. Todd Bowles on 4th and 14 – ADVANTAGE Zac Robinson
Zac Robinson > Todd Bowles when it TRULY counted…
July 8th, 2026 at 9:17 am
While I’m excited to see what Robinson can dial up, he too was on an 8-9 team in 2025.
Part of the reason they got to 8 wins was his undressing of the Bowles schemed Swiss cheese defense. And he did it with a cadaver at QB. 3rd and 28!
Now he has to outscore that same defense he used to carve up.
Likely we will need to average 30+ points a game to even have a chance at victory.
That’s a big ask for a new OC that doesn’t have a HOF WR to use and a lesser RB1 at his disposal.
I’m in agreement with the stated philosophy. Let the best players make the plays.
I’d argue that you also need great coaching to coach those great players.
At the HC\DC position, we have an anchor dragging us to the depths of the bay.
Fire Bowles and you will see an instant turn around.
July 8th, 2026 at 9:27 am
AND – don’t forget – the WR that plunged the dagger into Todd Bowles heart is currently on the Bucs roster…
Welcome to Tampa Bay – David Sills.
I absolutely LOVE the IRONY…
July 8th, 2026 at 9:41 am
While I think he’s an upgrade over Grizz I’m weary of Zac. He was fired last year while their D Coord was retained. He had some good weapons to work with last year. In that players’ poll, he was the lowest ranked OC in the league.
July 8th, 2026 at 9:45 am
It’s funny, this weekend I was listening to the show Joe referenced a few articles ago where one of the hosts said the Bucs would go 8-9. The other one had the Falcons sweeping the Bucs this year because “they’ve taken 3 of 4 the last two years and in those 3 wins the Falcons have scored over 30 points”
Now, far be it from me to say the Falcons couldn’t sweep the Bucs this year. But if I could I would ask the “analyst” two questions:
What was different about the game the Bucs won?
Who are the three most important people in an organization when it comes to offensive production?
Answers are Kirk Cousins didn’t play and HC, OC and QB. The QB and HC are gone, and we have the OC. Like I said, of course we could get swept by the Failcons. But using the last two years as to why it will happen is just silly. And IMHO low effort analysis
July 8th, 2026 at 9:48 am
Joe, on Christmas Day of 2022 (Mayfield was leading the Bucs to victory opening day with Bucs at Vikings 2023) the Rams, led by Baker Mayfield and his QB coach Zac Robinson, put a 51-14 spanking on Sean Payton and the Broncos. That’s more than 6 words to make your ears perk up, Joe. But that oughta make them perk up again.
July 8th, 2026 at 9:51 am
Smart coach put the ball in the best player’s hands. Sounds easy, so in other words don’t keep putting Bucky out there as the lead back if he is not. Last year we kept trying to cram him down the throats of other teams as a lead back, and I feel like he was the number 3 back on this team most of the season. And I know Baker is one hell of a competitor, but if he isn’t healthy for F-sake get a back up in here that can at least win you a game or two if you need it. We need a healthy Baker down the stretch not a hobbled QB.
July 8th, 2026 at 10:07 am
Run,Run,Run..Makes life easy on the whole TEAM!
July 8th, 2026 at 10:20 am
If you want to have some real fun, put this in your AI Google machine:
how many different tackle, guard and center offensive line combinations did the tampa bay buccaneers use in 2025
Then when you get the answer ask how it compared to the rest of the league.
I learned 2 things. 1 – it wasn’t all in my head and 2 – the number 1 team kind of surprised me given I thought I was paying attention to things
July 8th, 2026 at 10:28 am
Finally, someone who recognized Grizzard was a nearly complete flop. Baker bailed him out in the opener against Atlanta, against Houston, and in Seattle or this team would have lost 12 games. Bowles has accepted the blame, but Grizz was awful.