Steve White Gives Bucs Thumbs Up On Hires

February 9th, 2011

There are few people locally Joe pays more attention to, or whose football knowledge he respects more, than former Bucs defensive end Steve White.

Last night after pouring over the news, resume and backgrounds of new Bucs assistant defensive line coaches Keith Millard and Grady Stetz, White took to Twitter to explain why he’s on board with the new hires.

@swg94 After thinking it over I really like the Millard and Stretz hires by the #Bucs. I’m hoping however that they don’t literally try to split up… Run defense and pass rush responsibilities. There isn’t a way I can think of where that will work in practice. However if they are both… Coaching up all aspects with Millard really focusing on the inside guys I think the Bucs will have great success up front.

And there you have it. What better source locally do you need to know that it appears Bucs rock star general manager made yet another solid move.

And to think there are still some people who pine for Bruce Almighty and Chucky?

31 Responses to “Steve White Gives Bucs Thumbs Up On Hires”

  1. Capt.Tim Says:

    Steve White’s approval just futher seals the deal. Feeling real good about D-line now!

  2. CreamsiclePasties Says:

    Joe said: “There are few people locally Joe pays more attention to, or whose football knowledge he respects more, than former Bucs defensive end Steve White.”

    It goes: Justin Pawlawski, CreamsiclePasties, Steve White….in that order

  3. Guest#27 Says:

    CreamsiclePasties

    lol

    yeah that’s a respectable name… unless that is, you are the one and only Rachel Watson.

  4. Capt.Tim Says:

    I dunno, name gets my attention everytime I see it.

  5. Dave Says:

    I just try to keep it in perspective.

    We don’t know these guys or how good they are. The people they have worked with, got results. Sapp gives a big thumbs up as does the play of the Raiders and Broncos DTs when Millard was there.

    It looks great, but we shall see… to a point. At this level, coaches can only do so much, you have to have the talent.

    I am not trying to sound pessimistic by any means, just realistic in the fact that we don’t know these guys at all. It seems good though.

    As far as Millard: I remember him when he played. He was a beast but had a bunch of injuries and didn’t last long.

  6. Guest#27 Says:

    So, as someone mentioned yesterday, will these guys be considered scapegoats if Rah’s play calling is poor next season?

    How can you have a rush defense or pass rush with only 3 lineman and 3 LB’s (3-3-5)? Lets hope they can convince Rah to actually call stronger plays up front for run support and pass rushing.

  7. Dave Says:

    Guest#27

    There was not a lot wrong with Raheem’s play calling. The run defense was porous and the pass rush was non-existent

    So half way through the season he started mixing things up to get his best run defenders on the field or best pass rushers on the filed… regardless of whether they were DLs or LBs.

    My guess is we will see less of it this year IF the DTs and LBs step up against the run AND the DEs step up agains the pass.

    For a coach to take that young talent to 10 wins and get runner-up COY, it is pretty amazing how much you conpletely dislike him… for whatever reason.

  8. Not A Rocket Surgeon Says:

    Cart before the horse.

    3-3-5 is a result of a mixed coverage to confuse a QB, use talented players strengths and an attempt to compensate for a very inexperienced Oline.

    With the trained tools up front (4 downlineman) – I’d expect to see quite a bit less of the mixed coverages.

  9. Not A Rocket Surgeon Says:

    …dline… dur.

  10. CharlieB Says:

    That depends, guest. If the players still mess up simple line stunts, fail to abuse tendencies and weaknesses in opposing offensive linemen, and generally fail to shed blocks or develop pass rush moves, then yes they will be a scapegoat. Execution issues have nothing to do with the called formation. Under Wash, the players were not executing what linemen should be able to do.

  11. jvato24 Says:

    Just some info for people who think we are a cheap team .. this is from Stretz comments leaving AS

    It was going to take something special for me to leave,” said Stretz, whose base salary at ASU was $143,575.

    Also noted was he is also the teams Strength and conditioning coach

    http://www.azcentral.com/sports/asu/articles/2011/02/08/20110208asu-football-grady-stretz-buccaneers.html#ixzz1DUHX8WfM

  12. BamBamBuc Says:

    Under Wash, their bad technique never got better. Improving bad technique is the least of what we should see. Running stunts better and understanding tendencies would be a huge improvement.

  13. jvato24 Says:

    Sorry .. looks like he was actually a recruiter not the Strength coach .. But also interesting is he Coached New Mexico Lobos Safeties until 2005 .. I believe we got Quincy Black in the 2006 draft .. And I believe Black played a LB/Safety spot for NM

    For some reason I believe Quincy Black will be a Buc next season

  14. Gary Says:

    “And to think there are still some people who pine for Bruce Almighty and Chucky?”

    – Exactly what the sane among us has been screaming for a while now!

  15. Thomas 2.2 Says:

    How does the hire of two D-Line coaches that even SGW implies doesn’t make sense if you are going to “split-up” pass and run d-line play between coaches lead to some knock against Gruden or Allen.

    Lets see who coached under Gruden: How about Mike Tomlin? He was not bad as a d backs coach. Rod Marinelli? He was Gruden’s D Line coach. How about Monte Kiffin? How about Bill Muir? Richard Mann? Joe Barry? Biasaccia?

    And you guys are doing back-flips over Grady Stretz. Who? Did you watch any ASU games they were below .500 in the conference and were 72nd in FBS in stats? I know you want to make everything a huge deal but this is nonsense.

  16. Thomas 2.2 Says:

    72nd in sacks

  17. jvato24 Says:

    Thomas 2.2 .. You reek of an idiot .. Marinelli, Tomlin and Berry are all brought in by Kiffin and to mention Kiffins name as a Gruden coach is just awesome .. Keep doing what you do

  18. Dave Says:

    Thomas 2.2

    You mention a bunch of guys MONTE KIFFEN brought in. That defense and Kiffen, quite honestly, had nothing to do with Gruden.

    Notice all the players who talk about the love they have for Dungy and Raheem and Kiffen and Tomlin etc…

    Where is that for ANY former player of Gruden’s?

    The guy is a tool who is not better than any of us at assessing talent.
    He is a good offensive mind, but as a head coach, forming relationships with free agents and vets…. you can have him.

  19. oar Says:

    Sorry guys, but Muir, Biasaccia, and Morris were not Dungy guys.
    BTW Tomlin was hired by Dungy and under him for one year, but was under Gruden for 4 years.

  20. oar Says:

    Dave,
    Monte has said in interviews that, Gruden allowed him to do things on defense that Dungy didn’t allow him.
    I for one, am glad Gruden knew what he had in the defense and didn’t want to change or bring in new defensive coaches. Something that normally happens, when there is a head coaching turnover. Not to mention, they already had a friendship.

  21. Hawaiian Buc Says:

    @Thomas,

    If they brought in Jesus Christ to coach the DLine, you would still be unhappy. Weren’t you b!tching when they brought in Yarber last year too? You don’t know a damn thing about these coaches, so your input is completely ignorant. You point to a stat, not considering all the variables (namely, talent). Would it really kill you to support the hire and be a fan for once? At least until week 4?

    The point Joe was making is that Dominik > Allen. Allen and Gruden are a package, both unable to draft, and had only moderate success developing players. Do you seriously want to argue that point? Do you think Gruden and Allen would have drafted Freeman? How about Mike Williams or Cody Grimm? Would they have brought in Blount? Blount would have punched Gruden’s arse in the face like he was from Boise.

  22. Capt.Tim Says:

    CharlieB- really? You can set there, watching the Bucs on TV, and can tell that”they fail to abuse weaknesses and tendendencies in opposing linemen”??? Really? And that they” Fail to shed blocks or develop pass rush moves” really? You, “charlieB” can detect that?? Wow . . . That’s pretty impressive. I don’t think Vince Lombadi, Tom Landry, and Don Shula could detect that- even with a week of tape study. It’s a critical crowd here- are you sure you didn’t read that somewhere? Meybe that Damn Ian Beckles said that. It’s a lot of big words for him, but it’s possible! Lol

  23. BamBamBuc Says:

    Actually Tim, Steve White has said very similar things, he’s even broken down specific plays to watch at specific times of the game from the previous week, and if you watch the game again and look at what he’s pointed out, he seems pretty spot on with his assessment.

    I know you were talking to CharlieB, but even though I can’t spot them on my own, I can watch the game again with input from someone like Steve White and see exactly what he’s talking about. When Steve White finally called out Wash and said he finally had to say he “believes” there must be flaws with coaching of the D-line when he is seeing the same poor technique, he is seeing the DEs not defeating the kick out block, he is seeing that Stylez White is not using an inside pass rush move at all, even when the LT he’s going up against has shown tendencies to set up outside to prevent the outside rush.

    Can we see it? Probably not…. without help…

  24. Capt.Tim Says:

    I’ve read it on Steve’s site also. Thats why I was good naturedly ribbing Charlie a bit. Yeah, that’d be rough ta pick up without some serious long term film studies!

  25. Dave Says:

    OAR
    I understand when these guys were coaching and under who.

    I am simply pointing out that all these defensive guys were from Dungy OR Kiffen… Gruden had nothing to do with it.
    The Bucs essentially had two HCs for several years: one for Offense and one for defense. Nothing wrong with that, just don’t give Gruden credit where it is not due.

    I credit him for a couple things:
    1. Getting the offense going just enough to win a SB
    2. Keeping Kiffen (although I think it was part of the deal)
    3. Winning a SB

    Other than that… he sucked at drafting, he sucked at relationships, he sucked at being accountable and honest to his players, he sucked at developing a QB or even keeping one.

  26. Hawaiian Buc Says:

    “I credit him for a couple things:
    1. Getting the offense going just enough to win a SB
    2. Keeping Kiffen (although I think it was part of the deal)
    3. Winning a SB

    Other than that… he sucked at drafting, he sucked at relationships, he sucked at being accountable and honest to his players, he sucked at developing a QB or even keeping one.”

    ———

    Watch out Dave, Eric doesn’t like to hear that kind of speak about Gruden. There is smoke coming from his ears!! By the way, I agree with everything you said.

  27. oar Says:

    Dave
    My point is, Gruden did have something to do with the defense(NOT DIRECTLY), in the fact, he kept him and he let Kiffin do things Dungy didn’t.
    Where am I giving credit to Gruden for the entire defense? Please stop putting words in my post! All I said, was what I typed above. You need reading skills? If you got, Gruden deserves all the credit and is the reason for the defense, from what I actually wrote!
    BTW Gruden was the one that talked Kiffin into staying. Remember, Kiffin had interviewed for the 49ers. Look it up. Besides, I’m sure Dungy wanted to take/bring Kiffen to Indy.

  28. McBuc Says:

    In the long run the head coach gets the credit for the good and the bad of the entire team. Just the way it is.

    Why do all of you guys jump on board and agree with everything Steve White says with the exception of his opinion of the job Ruud has done? I am curious about this.

  29. oar Says:

    McBuc
    I have thought that same thing about Ruud, too.

  30. McBuc Says:

    Oar…It is really odd. Eveyone hangs on every word Steve says, until he points out why Ruud is a valuable player. He says he would like him to be a harder hitter, but that he does his job in this defense. He kind of convinced me with his writing on the subject.

  31. oar Says:

    McB
    I have to agree, and who doesn’t want their team’s players to hit harder? But, Rudd does his job!