Zac Robinson: Bucky Irving Needs More Touches
September 17th, 2026
The guy in charge of Bucky Irving’s workload wants the Bucs’ No. 1 runing back more involved.
Joe is all for it.
No need to save Irving for a rainy day. The Bucs need wins in a hurry, hopefully wins in the next three games in a row — all at home.
Offensive coordinator Zac Robinson was gushing about Irving this afternoon and how much energy he brought to the offense from the first play of the game on Sunday against the Bengals, a nine-yard run with a nice cut-back read.
“He’s an exciting football player. We’d love to get him even more touches,” Robinson said of Irving. “You know, he has some plays in the pass game. But we got to find as many ways as we can to keep getting him the rock.”
Now it’s time for Robinson to make that come true. Irving is a weapon. He finished against the Bengals with 8 carries for 45 yards and a touchdowns, plus 7 catches for 48 yards. Irving caught every ball thrown his way.
September 17th, 2026 at 2:56 pm
For the love of god run the ball we have zero identity
September 17th, 2026 at 2:58 pm
For the love of god — passing teams score more TDs than running TDs over the last 15 years.
Someone pushing for a run identity of Bucky Irving just sounds like they have him on their fantasy team.
September 17th, 2026 at 2:58 pm
More Bucky equals less Baker. That’s a great idea.
Look at the Chiefs. They’re going to run the ball down your throat.
Run the ball, don’t give the ball away, play solid defense.
That last one will have to wait until Bowles is fired.
September 17th, 2026 at 3:01 pm
Geno712 Says:
September 17th, 2026 at 2:58 pm
Someone pushing for a run identity of Bucky Irving just sounds like they have him on their fantasy team.
__________
…or they’re stuck in Dungy ball (which was already 10-20 years out of date, even back then…
September 17th, 2026 at 3:05 pm
DS
I AGREE!!!!!
thats has always been a winning formula!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!!
September 17th, 2026 at 3:05 pm
lol look at the Seahawks and successful teams in the playoffs they run the ball also it put less stress on the qb some ppl don’t know ball
September 17th, 2026 at 3:06 pm
Last year we were reminded just how durable Warrick Dunn was. There has been times Bucky has reminded me of Dunn. But always in the back of my mind was how durable would Bucky prove to be? Well last year showed us that Buckys body was not able to hold up. Time will tell, but the bottom line is can Bucky stay on the field, if he can, the first year showed he can be special. Last year showed us the reality of being a little guy in a sea of big men does not always work out so well. I hope for the best, the first year version of Bucky is needed bigtime.
GO BUCS!!!!
September 17th, 2026 at 3:06 pm
CosmoKramer says:
More Bucky equals less Baker. That’s a great idea.
Look at the Chiefs. They’re going to run the ball down your throat.
Run the ball, don’t give the ball away, play solid defense.
**********************************************************
BINGO!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
September 17th, 2026 at 3:07 pm
I would love to see the odds when the qb is dropping back 40x a game
September 17th, 2026 at 3:08 pm
They started off running the ball well, but those 3 consecutive turnovers that put them down 21-3 really forces them to start passing more…..
I wanna see Bucky with 18-20 carries…
September 17th, 2026 at 3:10 pm
I’m not saying Bucky has to be a bell cow but spread the rushing attempts around to the other backs an effective run game would be nice for any qb and oline
September 17th, 2026 at 3:11 pm
“For the love of god — passing teams score more TDs than running TDs over the last 15 years.”
OOF the only person on this team who caught a pass for a score was an LB
September 17th, 2026 at 3:11 pm
Not a good idea..long season and playoffs it better not to get a small rb beat up early
September 17th, 2026 at 3:13 pm
The idea that a team can only be run or pass, not a combination, is as stupid as the belief that a dominant running team cannot win.
The 2 SB wins involved Offenses that could run or pass, and they did both.
September 17th, 2026 at 3:13 pm
DS
say it louder buddy!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
September 17th, 2026 at 3:18 pm
I wish ppl knew ball you have to have a rushing attack to win in the nfl not saying running 40x a game but you have to have a threat if you don’t the defense will sit back and drop 7 guys in coverage and dare you to run. But then again many ppl don’t know ball
September 17th, 2026 at 3:19 pm
I’d like to see more pony packages and more Gainwell, too. Keep the defense guessing.
September 17th, 2026 at 3:27 pm
When Trent Dilfer is your QB, Dungy Ball is the only kind of offense you can run.
September 17th, 2026 at 3:29 pm
Smoke screen. Look for the opposite on Sunday. Unless it’s raining like crazy.
September 17th, 2026 at 3:38 pm
GENO712….
Yeah actually Bucky is on my fantasy team, haha!!!!
Another reason why I wanna see him with 18-20 carries every week and catching a bunch of balls 😬
September 17th, 2026 at 3:42 pm
So then we spend that money on Kenny? We could have just signed Tuck and elevate Williams. Then use that money elsewhere.
September 17th, 2026 at 3:44 pm
Want to see us pound the ball AND sling it depending on the opponent and individual game.
More concerned with our run defense than our run offense after one game.
September 17th, 2026 at 3:48 pm
Kenny Gainwell needs more touches
Why give him $7 million a season to watch Bucky run
I don’t know about what Licht and Bowles are doing
September 17th, 2026 at 4:11 pm
If Baker could possibly not turn the ball over 3 times and Bucky with 1, you should be able to run when your not 3 scores behind.
September 17th, 2026 at 4:26 pm
We probably would’ve ran the ball more. We only threw 28 times. But 4 turnovers and trying to play catch up ball doesn’t equate to running the ball and controlling TOP.
September 17th, 2026 at 4:58 pm
Don’t break him, please.
September 17th, 2026 at 5:52 pm
i think bucky had a good opening weekend except for one play obviously. glad he got his weight up a bit he’ll need it.
September 17th, 2026 at 6:45 pm
We had 52 snaps. Bucky had 15 touches. 93 yards. 93×17 =1,581. That’s a bunch of total yards.
With all the weapons we have, I don’t see Bucky getting used much more than that. I don’t think we’ll see Bucky getting the ball 30 percent of the time many more times this season.
Oh. And we won’t win alot of games getting 52 snaps. Unless we get alot better-and quicklike.
September 17th, 2026 at 7:26 pm
Generic coach speak. Watch the video yourself. He’s not planning on over using Bucky
September 17th, 2026 at 7:29 pm
Ideally you want Bucky to have more touches, but there is a reasonable concern that he won’t be able to handle the load. His usage last week was about right in my opinion. 7 or 8 targets and 10 carries. A little less for Gainwell and get Tucker involved as well.
September 17th, 2026 at 8:09 pm
Geno712 Says:
September 17th, 2026 at 2:58 pm
For the love of god — passing teams score more TDs than running TDs over the last 15 years.
Someone pushing for a run identity of Bucky Irving just sounds like they have him on their fantasy team.
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I will say in general I agree… but there has clearly been a turn in the NFL over the last two years, more towards running the ball again. It’s like a pendulum, the NFL always swings back and forth, and right run running is all the vogue.
Then in a few more years, teams will discover – again – that it’s easier to score through the air as teams focus more on stopping the run. Back and forth it goes.
September 17th, 2026 at 8:55 pm
Get Gainwell more to use too.