Messages Clash From Lovie, McCoy
August 7th, 2015
What are the Bucs up to with Henry Melton?
Henry Melton lined up at defensive end yesterday, but Lovie Smith directly cautioned Joe not to read into that and, per Lovie, it likely only happened because the other defensive ends were tired.
First, Joe doesn’t buy it. Second, Gerald McCoy doesn’t seem to, either.
“We even saw (defensive tackle) Henry Melton play some (defensive) end today. It’s just – you try to see who can do what, and guys who are hybrids, it’s going to be huge for us,” McCoy said. “In the Tampa 2, especially under Lovie Smith, that’s been huge, ends that can play outside and inside, inside guys that can play inside but then go outside if necessary. So the competition has been pretty good, just going back and forth with everybody competing.”
And here’s what Lovie said when Joe asked the head coach if he’s changed his stance of few weeks ago, that defensive tackles would exclusively stay inside.
“No, same thing, training camp guys are going to be a lot of places. I think our defensive ends needed a blow,” Lovie said. “That’s probably why we did that. Don’t look too much into that. Henry is an inside player for us.”
Melton, an elite athlete when healthy, did his share of edge rushing in Dallas last year, and Lovie likes to have at least one guy available on game day that can be a swing player on the D-line — capable inside and outside. Melton and William Gholston fit that mold now, and perhaps (Gasp!) Da’Quan Bowers.
So why isn’t Joe buying what Lovie is selling? Because there are eight defensive ends on the Bucs’ training camp roster. There’s no way they all needed “a blow,” as Lovie said, especially the fourth-stringers.
Joe hopes McCoy is accurate. The Bucs could stand to be more unpredictable and versatile in their pass rush.
August 7th, 2015 at 10:37 am
lovie back to his old tricks, trying to be coy about stuff that will give opponents little to no advantage if known
August 7th, 2015 at 10:49 am
Not knowing who will line up at DE is a slight edge, put an Edge none the less.
Why tell Carolina Anything??
I have said all along, Melton is your DE. And will be a good one
August 7th, 2015 at 10:51 am
What is funny is that is Lovie’s big “wrinkle” on defense!!! someone will play DT and some else lines up as DE!!! The sad part is that there are yes men on the staff that will tell lovie ” that is just crazy! other offenses won’t know what to do if we do this!!”
Then half-way thru the year we will start to see a couple of stunts and the SHEEP around here will call Lovie a defensive genius!!
August 7th, 2015 at 10:53 am
Lovie was being honest in a presser the other day when ask a question and his reply was ‘I trying to think of how I’m NOT going to answer the question.’
August 7th, 2015 at 11:04 am
Animosity Amigos realist!! He is a genius. You didn’t see that first overall draft pick?
August 7th, 2015 at 11:05 am
BSPN going all in on Buccs camp right now.
August 7th, 2015 at 11:11 am
Yeah whiniest. Go be a fan of the Belicheats who’s head coach didn’t become a genius until he played Tom Brady! I hear he looks like you!
August 7th, 2015 at 11:13 am
Melton, McCoy, McDonald, Smith. That would be a nasty front 4 on 3rd down passing situations.
August 7th, 2015 at 11:15 am
As I’ve said many times, Lovie seems like a good man but when it comes to football, I won’t ever believe a word that comes from his mouth again. I just wait to see what his actions say instead.
August 7th, 2015 at 11:15 am
Buccs camp all day. D@$! where they do dat at..
August 7th, 2015 at 11:18 am
40bear these folks are not obligated to tell the public all their intentions. Put in an application and become a member of the staff if you wanna totally be in the know. I mean Belicheat mumbles a bunch of nothing at the podium and no one complains.
August 7th, 2015 at 11:19 am
A common sense pick doesnt make you a genius. And a 2-14 record ensures you are no genius LoL.
August 7th, 2015 at 11:20 am
See Animosity Amigos y’all done messed up,it looks like I’m attracting a few battle mates round here.
August 7th, 2015 at 11:22 am
Animosity Amigos couch well how would label Jimmy Johnson? You know that guy that went 1 and 15 his first season in Dallas.
August 7th, 2015 at 11:23 am
@The Buc Realist
You call Lovie’s defense passive, yet Schiano’s defense almost gave up the most passing yards in NFL history.
August 7th, 2015 at 11:36 am
From what I have been reading, Gholston is having a terrible camp.
Joe, do you really expect Lovie to hand you out game plans for the regular season?
August 7th, 2015 at 11:40 am
“@The Buc Realist
You call Lovie’s defense passive, yet Schiano’s defense almost gave up the most passing yards in NFL history”
Shhh he doesn’t like to hear facts like that. He knows more than all of us and more than any single person employed by the NFL. Lovie Smith is the worst HC in the history of mankind and any positive performance is an insane fluke.
It was an insane fluke that we had a top 10 defense the final 10 weeks of the year. None of the teams we played were trying and we basically played Johnny Manziel every week. Rodgers/Brees/Stafford/Ryan/Dalton/Bridgwater all purposefuly played bad against us. The only reason we had the lead in 6 4th quarters was because teams felt bad for us; it wasn’t because the team was actually competing hard. The only reason we had 8 losses by 1 score was teams letting us feel like we were actually competitive out of sympathy; not because the D was actually playing well despite the worst OC/QB/O-line combo in the NFL.
Finding Jack Smith was a fluke. His 6.5 sacks in 7 starts were just gifts to give us a hope from random OTs that are secret Bucs fans.
Bradly McDougald was another fluke. He was just guessing what to do each play and getting lucky to actually play decent ball.
In all seriousness it’d be fun to wage a bet on how the defense finishes 2015. They could probably finish the year top 5 and he would say that it was really a bottom 5 defense and the stats don’t reflect the performance because he sees things no one else can and that Lovie lucked into any win and was the root cause for every loss.
August 7th, 2015 at 11:41 am
Nole- That was also Johnson’s first year as a Pro coach. It’s not a accurate comparison. Lovie had years of pro head coaching experience and still failed miserably. He has a lot to prove this year.
August 7th, 2015 at 11:41 am
BucRealist rantsand hatred of all things Lovie is just so boring, tiresome and unoriginal.
August 7th, 2015 at 11:42 am
I bet 95% of you people are black that’s defending lovie, because your all the time throw a white coach into what anybody say about Lovie. LOL !!
August 7th, 2015 at 11:47 am
Everyone acts like the 2014 D was the 85 Bears for the last 10 games. They played better than the first 6 games but we’re far from dominate as they couldn’t beat a back up QB or protect late leads.
I hope things are diff but look at how Lovies defenses were without Marinelli and Rivera.
August 7th, 2015 at 11:59 am
Jimmy Johnson also went on to win several Super Bowls. If Lovie ever shows that kind of fortitude then he can be mentioned in the same breath. As for right now, he’s not even in the same universe…
August 7th, 2015 at 12:02 pm
Not to mention when Jimmy went 1-15 it was his first season coaching in the NFL. This however was not Lovie’s first season coaching in the NFL. Big difference.
August 7th, 2015 at 12:05 pm
Typical Lovie byline right there. Most likely, he wants the Titans OC to not be expecting to see that kind of rotation in game.
August 7th, 2015 at 12:09 pm
But if you must put a positive spin on it, Jameis just might save Lovie’s job and make him look good doing it.
August 7th, 2015 at 12:15 pm
And btw saying that we had a top 10 defense the last 10 weeks is a freaking joke. I dont care what the stats say. Our defense was garbage all year long. Did we improve as the season went on? yes. But there is no where to go but up when you are that bad. We still couldn’t get any pressure on the QB. 3rd and longs were automatic against us no matter who the opponent was. Top 10? LoL. Funny stuff.
August 7th, 2015 at 12:16 pm
I am white and I love and respect Lovie Smith as a coach. Why? Because I am a Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan.
August 7th, 2015 at 12:38 pm
And let the apologists begin with their excuses for everything anti Lovie. Answe this TampaTony. What happened to those coaches? Didn’t they go on to be head coaches? While with Lovie didn’t they have to implement his defense? So if Lovie was such a bad head coach then why were they wanted by other teams? Hmmmmmmmm? Could it be because they did a good job of implementing Lovies defense??? Their job title explains it all. They were DEFENSIVE COORDINATORS and Lovie was HEAD COACH.Please let your
August 7th, 2015 at 12:39 pm
[…] a sneaky guy, Lovie Smith, and I love it! During Thursday’s practice, JoeBucsFan.com spotted newly-acquired Henry Melton lined up at defensive end. Normally seen as a nose tackle, […]
August 7th, 2015 at 12:48 pm
Cerebral Cortex wraps itself around that to understand. They only had to worry about ONE aspect of the team and Lovie had to worry about EVERY aspect of the team. Of course a head coach is a sum of ALL the parts of a team, some already there and others he puts there himself. So if course common logic tells the average person that when you lose a very good DC then your defense and the REST of the team WILL be affected. Billeacheat sucked as a head coach in Cleveland and in the beginning in New England. He’s had a Hall of Fame qb for 14 years and now everyone calls him a genius. Go figure what you guys say you have tunnel vision
August 7th, 2015 at 12:55 pm
Ok to address some of you:
1) Racist comment guy – So one person making a comparison to one white coach’s 1st season = everyone defending lovie is black? yeah no racist undertone in that statement… I am white by the way. Canadian even.
2) NO ONE IS SAYING THE LAST 10 GAMES = 85 BEARS. Like seriously wtf learn how to read. The point was the defense wasn’t as terrible as they have been for YEARS now. The point is that it was probably the best they have played for a stretch in a VERY long time. The point was it was IMPROVEMENT statistically that has not existed in any prior regime. In points allowed / yards allowed / sacks / QB pressure – pretty much f*cking everything despite all the losses. The point is to look beyond W:L which most fans simply don’t have the patience or mental fortitude to do.
The NFL changes so much year to year as teams rise and fall. To look at a past seson and say “der 2-14 so der can’t be much better this year” is a simple minded and short sighted analysis. Not once have I claimed the Bucs D will be a top 5 unit and neither has anyone else. I’ve only been trying to find OBJECTIVE POSITIVE reasons to be excited about the potential for 2015. Wtf is wrong with that? Nothing I’ve said is outlandish. No one is projecting Super Bowls and 85 bears. People are simply optimistic for real objective reasons. Whereas a lot of you negative nancies literally don’t even have anything outside of your own weird biased perspectives and subjective BS comments to support your hatred
August 7th, 2015 at 12:56 pm
Oh yeah by the way Lovie now has a top tier OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR who is aggressive and a ‘potentially’ superstar qb . If Lovie wanted to take charge of the offensive side of the ball why would he go out and get those two important ingredients? Of course you apologists will not give him any credit even if we have a top 10 offense and even top 15 defense AND win the super bowl. You will simply try your best to avert our attention somewhere else.
August 7th, 2015 at 1:01 pm
Can’t fix it,your name says it all but as a black man I itinially was excited about the Shiano hire because he seem to have a fire in him that find attractive in sports athletes. It was only after news began to leak like making the players eat cold food that my sentiment began to change. These are grown men,handling them like students or kids will never work. Animosity Amigos couch your rebuttal about Jimmy Johnson not having NFL experience does not carry weight in my opinion because he came into this league with a championship pedigree that’s why the final results eventually became what they were. My imfasis was on “first season”. To pass judgment on a head coach after one season after we’ve already documented the many issues with this team prior to him taking it over says a lot about your true disdain for this man. I give-a-chit if you black or white. I don’t know what any of you look like. Attack Lovie and I got something to say to yo a$$. Simple and plain.
August 7th, 2015 at 1:02 pm
“And btw saying that we had a top 10 defense the last 10 weeks is a freaking joke. I dont care what the stats say. Our defense was garbage all year long. Did we improve as the season went on? yes. But there is no where to go but up when you are that bad. We still couldn’t get any pressure on the QB. 3rd and longs were automatic against us no matter who the opponent was. Top 10? LoL. Funny stuff”
Then wtf do you care about for judging something objectively if not points and yards allowed in what technically were a lot of close games? It isn’t a joke it’s simply a fact in points / yards allowed. Doesn’t mean we will be a top 10 D in 2015 but it sure as f*ck is enough to give hope that we won’t be a bottom defense in the league as we have for years. Top 15 defense would be great.
You negative animosity amigos might as well predict we will have a bottom 5 NFL defense. Is that what you guys think? Because that’s how you talk
August 7th, 2015 at 1:03 pm
LordCornelius I’m pretty sure that was one of the more aggressive anti Lovie crowd who simply changed their name so they could rant their own personal feelings because myself and Nole have pretty much have said that their intense dislike of Lovie Smith goes beyond football. I’m not even black but I can see the hints in their posts. They all use half stats to support their cases. When Nole and I spoke about race they were the ines coming out crying about the race card but not one
August 7th, 2015 at 1:10 pm
Spoke about the race card when that clown posted his garbage. You know what I’m sure there are a good number of black fans who support Lovie because he’s black and I understand why but I guaranteed they also supported Jon Gruden as well.
August 7th, 2015 at 1:15 pm
Oh by the way another proof they are only here for negativity is on Joes birthday article you don’t find not ONE of their names posting anything but everything positive about the Bucs they take time to point out negative things about Lovie! Go Figure!
August 7th, 2015 at 1:18 pm
Yes David I most certainly did support Jon Gruden. I did bro!
August 7th, 2015 at 1:24 pm
Boy, the anti-Lovie stuff is getting real tired. Lets get some perspective people. If you expected him to turn this franchise into a 10-6 team overnight, then you must have your head in the sand.
I don’t even understand it! What’s the big deal about Lovie being coy when asked about the team he’s trying to build. If you’re a Bucs fan, the only thing you should care about is whether we win games or not. You cannot blame Lovie for everything, players have to take responsibility as well. And, while we’re on the subject of LAST YEAR, that was LAST YEAR, let it go.
IF you are a fan, you’re excited about the possibilities THIS YEAR. IF you’re a fan, you can’t wait to see Melton switch from DT to DE and then back again. IF you’re a fan you support your team.
Try positivity! You’ll live longer and happier!
Go Bucs!
August 7th, 2015 at 1:26 pm
Lord Cornelius Says:
“don’t even have anything outside of your own weird biased perspectives and subjective BS comments to support your hatred”
2-14, its as simple as that!!!!
August 7th, 2015 at 1:30 pm
Animosity Amigos realist!! It’s clear homie a Superbowl victory last season wouldn’t have made you feel any differently about one Lovie Smith.
August 7th, 2015 at 1:34 pm
Man you guys crack me up (probably unintentionally). Are you guys related to Lovie? I Only defend my family the way you guys defend a 2-14 coach. Im a Bucs fan first and foremost. As long as the coach wins that’s all I care about and Lovie just didn’t win enough for me to defend him like family. Hope he turns it around as I’m sick of the losing, but I got zero confidence after 2-14
August 7th, 2015 at 3:27 pm
I’ll give you 2-14. It’s literally the only thing you guys have to hang your negative hats on. I just find it a sh1tty weird way to live your life.
And by the way; 2-14 doesn’t take away from a single argument I ever made about the defense. Doesn’t change the million other facts that you’d rayher ignore.
I can’t wait to see how this season goes and to see how you nuts react
August 7th, 2015 at 3:28 pm
Aldo Smith released from 49ers. Bit of a head case but he can defensively be the best edge rusher since Simeon Rice.
August 7th, 2015 at 3:29 pm
We defend him because you guys only look at the begative and some make it personal and call him incompetent. You would never call Jon Gruden incompetent even though his history with developing young qbs and talent evaluation prove otherwise he is in those categories . You don’t say much of anything about the good things he has done now always harping on last year. I know you guys think you are the only fans who watched the debacle of last year but we did too and we’re not blind to his short comings as coach last year and before the Bucs but at least we can see the improvements he has made to the team now. You guys oaint him to be such a bad coach but his overall record and career just don’t support that notion. You say your a Bucs fan first then why don’t you talk something positive about them then.
August 7th, 2015 at 3:36 pm
Lot more issues with Alden Smith then I thought. May have to rethink that. Pick him up on waivers if available and if not charged for the DUI then renegotiate a team friendly contract.
August 7th, 2015 at 3:41 pm
A “bit???!!!”
August 7th, 2015 at 4:24 pm
David- you say talk about the positives with Lovie…
After 2-14, horrible personnel decisions, bad in game adjustments, bad decisions during games, being out coached by first year coaches (Mike Zimmer) and a questionable second off season there is not much to be positive about.
I’m excited to have Jameis, but with a bad o line not sure how positive that’s gonna be…
This time last year Lovie was telling us he wasn’t rebuilding. That he had the pieces in place. All kinds of positive hype.
I’d love for him to replicate his success in Chi town here. But year 1 didn’t inspire any confidence or much of anything positive. I’m typically a optimist, but 2-14 killed my optimism. Time for the coaches n players to prove it to me as a fan. Nothing personal against Lovie I’m just sick of the losing, when you guide the team to 2-14 the insults and criticism is valid, until he starts winning. To me as a Bucs fan his Chicago record means nothing, his tampa record is 2-14, nuff said.
August 7th, 2015 at 4:33 pm
Lol at this point Aldon Smith may be in jail for awhile. What a waste of talent
August 7th, 2015 at 4:54 pm
Then wtf do you care about for judging something objectively if not points and yards allowed in what technically were a lot of close games? It isn’t a joke it’s simply a fact in points / yards allowed. Doesn’t mean we will be a top 10 D in 2015 but it sure as f*ck is enough to give hope that we won’t be a bottom defense in the league as we have for years. Top 15 defense would be great.
———————–
Does actually watching the games and judging for myself how good or bad our defense is count? Or do only stats count? Lol. Again more funny stuff. You can be a blind hopeful all you like but I will always call it like I see it and so far our Defense was putrid.
I also have hope that our Defense will be much better but thats really only cuz it couldn’t be much worse.
August 7th, 2015 at 6:40 pm
Henry Melton can play any position on the D-Line, he also can play some fullback. He played fullback at the University of Texas for 2 seasons.. he even scored 16 TDS. He converted to DE as a Junior, then played DT as a senior. He’s an athlete, he’s a freak.. ran a 4.54 40 at his pro day at Texas.
August 7th, 2015 at 11:53 pm
No TampaTony I said about the Bucs.We already know about your stance on Lovie Smith. You’re not the 155lb tick that Bucwhiniest is but still give you’re hate affair with all things Lovie a rest for a while. There are positive things that Lovie has nothing to do with on this team. Be a Bucs fan once in a while and give us a rest. Stop beating us over the head with the 2-14 we’re all very much aware of it man
August 8th, 2015 at 12:39 am
Tony you’re right and by his FA agents he proved he wasn’t rebuilding and he couldn’t forsee the FAs they signed becoming such colossal busts. They were the top choices at that time. Head coaches in Tampa Bay just can’t catch a break with its fanbase. When they spend money people whine and when they don’t spend it they whine. After the Tedford debacle he couldn’t see all that stuff happening with him. Lovie could have found an OC with more experience than Arroyo to implement Tedfords offense because thats what they kept but he didn’t. I think that was when the race for Jameis began. Besides he benched the best option to win in order to go with McTurnOver. Then the final game proved what we all knew what was going on. I can see he had to change the retooling to rebuilding that’s they why he got rid of the busts so quickly. I bet we see a more aggressive Lovie/ Frazier on defense this year and our d will be much better and our offense can’t help but be better. Tony I see and understand what you’re saying I’m just glad you look forward to him having the same success here that he had in Chicago. I go into this season with reserved optimism