Top 30 Buccaneers Mysteries Of 2014 – No. 26
February 5th, 2015
Joe’s identified one of a few stains on Kevin O’Dea’s special teams
In many ways, Tampa Bay’s 2014 season was more bizarre than the MRSA-infected, quarterback-gone-mental, Fire-Schiano-billboards campaign of 2013.
There were plenty of real Bucs mysteries last year, and Joe’s revisiting the most interesting of the bunch.
No. 26 — Putrid punting
Early last season, Lovie’s Smith’s veteran special teams guru Kevin O’Dea hopped on the Buccaneers Radio Network and raved about Michael Koenen in great detail, as if he were the next Ray Guy.
So what the heck happened? Koenen’s miserable punting flew a bit under the radar given all the other heinous problems on the Bucs. But it remains a dreadful mystery. Koenen was worst in the NFL with a gross average of 40.4 yards per punt. His net was near the cellar.
The consensus take was that Koenen was asked to punt short to prevent returns, but he couldn’t get the job done. He struggled mightily before improving a bit late in the season.
Did the Bucs simply misevaluate Koenen, not realizing he was washed up?
Joe can’t understand why the Bucs, in a thoroughly lost season, didn’t at least give Patrick Murray a shot at punting, which he did quite well in college. That was a lost opportunity.
Koenen is due more than $3 million in 2015. If he can’t rush the passer, he’s not going to see any of that cash.
No. 27 — Defending three-step drops
No. 28 – Eight consecutive red zone runs versus Rams
No. 29 — Leaky Sean Glennon
No. 30 – Jorvorskie Lane
February 5th, 2015 at 4:02 pm
An absolute no doubt mystery……he shouldn’t be on the roster as we speak…..totally worthless…
February 5th, 2015 at 4:09 pm
Pretty good series JOE, thanks.
The crazy thing is we cut a great kicker bc he was expensive ( which actualy worked out) but we kept a bad AND expensive punter not just thru training camp but all the way thru the season.
February 5th, 2015 at 4:13 pm
Shocked he wasn’t cut prior to the season opener….another checkbook blunder by Licht’s Out.
February 5th, 2015 at 4:17 pm
Starting from the opponents 20 yd line. Run…Run…Pass….Punt from the 25 yd line to our 40 yd line. Return to about 50yd line. I think it would be interesting to see how often the opposing team started with less than 50 yds to go.
February 5th, 2015 at 4:24 pm
I think I bitched about Koenan more than I did Lovie.
February 5th, 2015 at 4:48 pm
Agreed. He should have been cut during OTAs. It was obvious to everyone except Mr. Smith
February 5th, 2015 at 4:58 pm
Now THIS truly was a mystery. Koenen was one of the best punters when we signed him and performed well for 2 years. He sucked in 2013 and was absolutely the worst punter in football last year. How he was not cut mid season and replaced even by someone walking the streets for the league minimum salary is beyond my comprehension.
Your suggestion that we should have cut Koenen and given Murray a good look at punter for 3 or 4 games at the end of last year when it didn’t matter and we were tanking games anyway is right on target.
If there is even a chance that you can get good enough punting, field goal and kickoff production from 1 guy – then you have a to take a look at that very intriguing possibilty and test to see if it is possible. The advantage of having 1 guy do all your kicking to free up an extra game day roster spot every single week could potentially win you an extra game – maybe 2 if you get lucky. It was certainly worth exploring and Lovie blew the opportunity.
February 5th, 2015 at 5:06 pm
And here’s more related food for thought which will tie into what I’m quite sure will be another of Joe’s top 30 Mysteries of 2014.
The amount that we paid Koenen this year to be the worst punter in the league is roughly the same amount that L&L chose NOT to pay in order to bring Hester to the Bucs. Chew on that one for awhile as we keep bringing in sub-par returner talent looking for someone who is even good enough to hang on to the job. Hester caught quite a few passes in Koetter’s offense last year as well which would have killed 2 birds with 1 $3.5M stone.
February 5th, 2015 at 5:07 pm
So was his illness made up then?
http://www.sportstalkflorida.com/bucs-michael-koenen-reveals-mystery-surrounding-punting-woes/
February 5th, 2015 at 5:15 pm
The guy had serious health issues (mono) and they chose to stick it out with him. He began to get healthier later in the year that is why is numbers improved. This was a health issue nothing more.
February 5th, 2015 at 5:31 pm
Andy Meyer Says:
The guy had serious health issues (mono) and they chose to stick it out with him. He began to get healthier later in the year that is why is numbers improved. This was a health issue nothing more.
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Plausible, but if that’s the case, why not use Murray?
February 5th, 2015 at 5:33 pm
Pickgrin…
“The amount that we paid Koenen this year to be the worst punter in the league is roughly the same amount that L&L chose NOT to pay in order to bring Hester to the Bucs.”
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Ouch! Ouch!
February 5th, 2015 at 5:45 pm
This right here should be in the top-5 or at least top-10. We have the top paid punter in the NFL, and he ranked like 34th overall. Beyond ridiculous. That means that not only was he the worst punter in the NFL, but also 2 practice squad and/or McDonald’s workers did better than him. If he is still on the roster come next year I will be appalled.
February 5th, 2015 at 5:49 pm
And… To think that Koenan was the biggest free agent signing that was given to Raheem Morris really makes me feel bad for the guy. Rah won 10 games with a garbage roster and the biggest FA Dom and Glazers gave him was Koenan. If that isn’t the definition of being set up for failure, then I don’t know what is.
February 5th, 2015 at 5:51 pm
@87
So was I. He was shanking punts like I hit my Driver, lol
February 5th, 2015 at 5:56 pm
Thanks for posting that Mitch. Its the 1st I’ve heard that Koenen had a legit and extended health issue. Not sure how I missed that piece of info that obviously came out last November. This must not have been very widely report because I keep up on all things Bucs related pretty closely. At least that helps take some of the mystery out of why Koenen was so bad at punting last year. his kickoffs didn’t seem to suffer too much though and I would think you would need even more leg strength to kick it 70+ yards off the tee like Koenen usually does than to punt it 45 yards.
February 5th, 2015 at 6:13 pm
Koenen….misevaluated…..washed-up? You mean like Donald Penn?
February 5th, 2015 at 7:30 pm
@Celly
I guess not everyone is an expert in all things like you. Could you give us the privilege of knowing how we can all worship you since you esteem yourself to be a God?
February 5th, 2015 at 8:26 pm
This series is off to great start!! Great off season idea, Joe. Almost forgot about all the things that ticked me off during the season. It’s nice to take a gander at all the BS that happened when your not in the moment and extra emotional about it.
February 5th, 2015 at 8:52 pm
That really puzzled and outraged me all season. He was pretty decent the year or 2 before IIRC.
What the fk happened?
February 6th, 2015 at 12:37 pm
[…] No. 26 — Putrid punting No. 27 — Defending three-step drops No. 28 – Eight consecutive red zone runs versus Rams No. 29 — Leaky Sean Glennon No. 30 – Jorvorskie Lane […]
February 6th, 2015 at 4:13 pm
one thing murray couldn’t do to the team’s satisfaction (at least i assume) is consistently deep kickoffs, so i think having just the one leg on your 53 man roster might still be a bit of a fantasy. still that didn’t preclude the team from relegating him to a kickoff specialist since his salary was probably guaranteed after week 1 (veteran rules) whether he was on the roster or not
February 6th, 2015 at 6:47 pm
I wish your guys really knew more about this team and the players, then I wouldn’t get so annoyed by you.
Koenan was never known for having a big leg, but rather for his ability to punt the ball inside the 20 when he was called upon to do it. I don’t remember how he did on that last year but he was also known for his hang time on his punt.
I did like Joe’s comment about the pass rusher though. Very funny.
February 7th, 2015 at 12:18 pm
[…] 25 — Glennon success without an offensive coordinator No. 26 — Putrid punting No. 27 — Defending three-step drops No. 28 – Eight consecutive red zone runs versus Rams […]
February 8th, 2015 at 5:00 pm
Just caught up on the Punter article.
Spencer Roth, Baylor. Big boy at 6’5 220 who can tackle if the returner makes it to him. 6th rounder maybe?