Joe doesn’t get why Booger McFarland thinks Roy Miller should be handed a starting job

The Bucs’ run defense has been historically dreadful since the December collapse of 2008. Guys like Maurice Morris, Ryan Torain and others have gutted and gashed the Bucs like Hall of Fame backs. 

(It reminds Joe how the Rays routinely make other teams’ second-rate starting pitchers look unhittable.)

The Bucs’ pass rush hasn’t scared anyone either during that time. And at the center of the Bucs’ mess for many of those games was Roy Miller at nosetackle. Spin it however you want, Miller has largely been ineffective during his three seasons. That’s almost too kind.

So it stunned Joe a bit this afternoon to hear former Bucs defensive tackle Booger McFarland take to the new sports radio airwaves on 98.7 FM and say the Bucs should give the nosetackle job to Miller because he’s put in his time.

Perhaps Booger is unaware the Bucs have Amobi Okoye and Gary Gibson on the roster. Joe’s not quite sure. But Miller is in no position to be gifted anything.

Today, per the Tampa Bay Times, Greg Schiano said those three (no mention of Frank Okam) will slug it out to win a job and playing time.

“I think Gerald, as I’ve said before, he’s got the ability to be an elite guy with get off and the motor he plays with,” coach Greg Schiano said. “Then we have to figure out how we’re going to deal with the other position and how we’re going to create depth at the three technique. As we work through it, Gary, Roy, Amobi and then whoever else we throw into that mix, it’s just going to be competition. Whoever performs the best will get the bigger chunk. Then next best will get a little bit smaller chunk and we’ll just roll it through.”

While Miller is healthy and doing some good things in practice, Joe still thinks he’s got a load to prove.

Yesterday, new Bucs left guard Carl Nicks said he wants to maul opposing defensive lineman. Joe caught up with fellow Bucs guard Davin Joseph today. He too echoed Nicks’ feelings for guys lining up across the line of scrimmage from him.

JoeBucsFan: Carl Nicks said he wants to maul people to establish a running game. Is that sort of the mentality of the offensive line this season?

Davin Joseph: Definitely. We are out here working hard to finish guys in the run game, working hard to finish guys in the passing game, working hard to be the most physical line we can be. Yeah, all of that applies.

Joe: Tell me how that physical play in the run game applies to blocking on pass plays.

Joseph: When you are able to be physical in the run game, it opens up your entire offense, really. It allows you to be so much more versatile once you get the run game going, especially when you have guys like LeGarrette who are home run hitters. You can do just about anything you want to.

Joe: So you agree with Carl Nicks that seeing a guy on his back motivates the entire line?

Joseph: Of course. Any time you can flat-back a guy it gets the juices going even more.

With near 100 names on the Bucs’ training camp roster, players, other than returning starters or coveted high draft picks, can get lost in the shuffle. That’s the predicament for defensive end George Johnson.

A third-year pro from the Land of Schiano, Johnson is aware that he has to stick out to make the team.

“There are always opportunities,” Johnson said. “I have to prove myself every down. There’s not one spot on this team that is guaranteed. You have to do something to impress the coaches.”

Aside from his college connection to first-year Bucs coach Greg Schiano, Johnson may have fate on his side. The Bucs are dinged up on the defensive front. Michael Bennett is hobbled. Amobi Okoye is hobbled. E.J. Wilson is coming off an injury. This is not lost on Johnson, who admits he is still learning on the NFL level.

“I learned things like pushing through,” Johnson said. “Like pushing through the heat, pushing through tired, push through being hurt. Learning that, it makes your job that much easier when you are not faced with those circumstances.”

To make sure he gets noticed, Johnson all but admitted he has to make splash plays. He has the past couple of practices. Johnson has been getting heat on quarterback Josh Freeman and today, Johnson was able to get his paw on a Freeman pass, deflecting the pass which set up an interception.

“Anything to help the team,” Johnson said. “We all have to do our job. If we don’t get to the quarterback, we have to get our hands up, that is something we are really emphasizing if we don’t get to the quarterback.”

Joe was out at muggy Bucs training camp this morning (what, you expected Joe to blow off a training camp practice?), which was closed to the public. Here are some observations:

* There is no detail too small under the New Schiano Order. While running red zone walk-throughs, everyone on offense runs past the back line of the end zone and then circles around the pylons.

* During place-kicking drills, Schiano stands directly behind holders and watches handing of snaps and holds intently.

* The defensive backs were doing a drill where they dive and slap at ankles, in order to bring down a wide receiver who may have burned them.

* Joe was not sure what drew the ire of Greg Schiano, but Joe could hear him hollering from the far end of the field.

* Despite Michael Bennett being unable to participate in drills, it didn’t stop Schiano from having Bennett and his mysterious illness suit up in full pads and go through what Schiano likes to call “mental reps” with his fellow defensive linemen.

* Receivers were working on coming back to poorly thrown balls along the sidelines. Joe wonders if this tactic is used by Brett Favre at the Mississippi high school team he coaches?

* Doug Martin running and pushed outside to left because of strong pressure up front by the defense.

* Josh Freeman was doing a solid job of stepping into the pocket to buy time.

* Anthony Gaitor had a solid breakup of a pass while guarding Mike Williams, which Williams even got his mitts on.

* Though working with the second string, defensive end Jayme Mitchell of Ole Miss raced in one play and nearly beheaded Dan Orlovsky before the backup quarterback just avoided Mitchell. Overall, Mitchell was getting heat on quarterbacks and playing disruptively.

* Overheard from another member of the Tampa Bay pen and mic club: “Look, Myron Lewis made a play!” He made a couple in fact.

* Bucs wide receivers were practicing stripping the ball away from defensive backs, simulating interceptions. The receivers tried to punch balls out from the would-be defensive backs.

* LeGarrette Blount  powers up through the one-hole for a score.

* George Johnson tips a Freeman pass which results in pickoff. Overall, Johnson consistently got heat on Freeman.

* Sammy Stroughter totally loses Myron Lewis in the corner for a touchdown. Later, Tiquan Underwood spun around Leonard Johnson in the back of the end zone to break free but Freeman didn’t see him.

Tim Hasselbeck and Sage Steele discuss which NFL quarterbacks need a bounce back season in this BSPN video. You can guess without much effort what local quarterback is in this group.

Bucs fans love debating the competition between LeGarrette Blount and Doug Martin.

Most of Joe’s media brothers have stated their confidence that Blount has little shot at being the Bucs’ go-to running back. Beat writer and WDAE-AM 620 personality Rick Stroud, and the dean of Tampa Bay sports radio, Steve Duemig, have been among the most vocal of late. They focus on Martin’s draft position as a major reason he’ll be the Bucs’ primary back.

Right now, under Greg Schiano’s loudly proclaimed clean slate, all the head coach has said is that both running backs look good and they complement each other well.

But ball security is one of Schiano’s personal obsessions and Martin lost the rock yesterday at practice. Joe has yet to see Blount fumble this offseason. On Sunday, long after practice, Schiano was not happy about a Mossis Madu fumble that appeared to come after the play was blown dead.

Does that mean much? Probably not. But Joe knows it would be national news if Blount fumbled in practice.

Joe’s wise enough to understand that Martin’s draft position at the end of the first round is a factor, but Joe also knows that Schiano’s credibility with his team is far more important.

If Schiano is telling players that they will earn their playing time, then that must apply to the running back position or he risks far more than not getting the most out of a first-round pick.

Think the players aren’t watching? Davin Joseph told the Tampa Bay Times this week that Blount is his favorite running back.

Joe just wants to make the point that he believes the running back battle is wide open at this point and that the most impressive RB in preseason will be the opening-drive guy on opening day.

Ronde Barber went out of his way this weekend to emphasize how much he appreciates Schiano’s win-now attitude and urgency. It’s comments like those and others that lead Joe to believe nothing is pre-determined — or already determined — in the running backs competition. Joe’s not buying that draft and personnel politics are a big deal for a new coach with a five-year guaranteed contract.

Hopefully, both Blount and Martin will thrive, allowing the Bucs to pound the ball 35+ times a game. That should translate into a strong season.

The sometimes sizzling, sometimes fizzling Rays are back home this weekend, which means it’s time to have more fun going to Rays games and save money.

Get your butt on the No Excuses Tour chauffeured luxury bus to Tropicana Field, courtesy of Paradise Worldwide Transportation and Lee Roy Selmon’s.

You get to ride in style — with beer and food in hand — and get dropped off right at the gate!!

Click on through to grab a seat, and get all the details at NoExcusesTour.com.

Don’t flush your gas and parking money down the toilet. More than 800 fans have enjoyed the Tour. Get on board!

They love them some Kellen Winslow in Seattle. And Winslow seems joyful too, especially since he says “I wasn’t happy” with the New Schiano Order, in this 710AM podcast out of Seattle. Click the arrow below.

Winslow talks about his health, having fun under Raheem Morris, Bucs fans, and more.

For those who listen, notice in this in-depth conversation how Winslow never talks about winning.

Man, when Mike Williams burst onto the scene as a rookie, it appeared the Bucs may have had their best deep threat since perhaps Kevin House. That’s a long time, folks.

But last year opposing defenses figured out a way to take Williams out of his game virtually each week and he struggled. New Bucs coach Greg Schiano doesn’t like to talk about the Bucs’ past (well, he doesn’t like to talk much, period), so Schiano can only speak about Williams in the present day.

And Schiano likes him, writes Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune.

“Certainly, that last play he made (Wednesday), that’s an NFL play right there,” head coach Greg Schiano said of a touchdown pass Williams caught in the back corner of the end zone to finish a two-minute drill. “That’s what we need to be able to do.”

It’s something Williams, in particular, needs to do. After leading NFL rookie receivers with 65 catches for 964 yards and a team record 11 touchdowns in 2010, Williams struggled to find the end zone last season. Though he again caught 65 balls for a respectable 771 yards, Williams reached the end zone only three times in 2011.

Joe has seen Williams make circus catches in the back of the end zone before. He did it in his NFL debut against the Browns and Joe watched Williams duplicate that move in this spring’s minicamp.

Williams may be the key to the Bucs’ passing attack. We all know Vincent Jackson is going to get hounded by two and perhaps three defenders. How Williams can take advantage of this will go a long way toward seeing the passing game rebound from a terrible season last year.

Now, Williams just has to rid himself of that Grady Wilson-like beard he has. It isn’t working, Mike.

Top-shelf reminiscing here between Warren Sapp and John Lynch on The Rich Eisen Podcast on NFL.com.

The Bucs icons share all kinds of stories, and even take playful yet serious jabs at Father Dungy because he didn’t hold the Bucs’ offense accountable. “Jonny didn’t wanna just punt,” said Sapp, explaining a difference between Dungy and Chucky.

Lynch also talks about how jealous and disappointed he still is that his Bucs didn’t win more Super Bowls. And Lynch tells the story of how he got up to fight No. 99 on a plane.

The fun starts at about 34 minutes of the podcast found here.

Now Joe knows that Bucs fans would have a hard time choosing between an intimate evening with Rachel Watson and a punishing running game where defenders are put on their backs time and again by a physical offensive line.

Well, Joe has just the guy for you and his name is Carl Nicks. The studly offensive guard nearly drooled over the thought of punishing defenders the way Joe’s good friend Justin Pawlowski salivates over a Buffalo chicken tender sub at Publix.

Nicks explained to the Tampa Bay pen and mic club after practice this morning how he gets off on running the ball.

“The first thing, running the ball gets the defensive line tired and it helps your pass protection,” Nicks said. “Another thing is, knocking a guy down and watching him get up and seeing the tiredness and the hurt in his eyes, you just thrive on that.

“If I can maul someone every play, that’s what I will do. I’m excited.”

While Chuck Bednarik is largely considered the last ironman to play in the NFL, a guy who played both sides of the ball who is largely forgotten is Roy Green of the 1980s St. Louis Cardinals.

Green, a cornerback, converted to wide receiver and played both sides of the ball on occasion, developing into an All-Pro wide receiver. In one game against the Redskins, Green caught a touchdown pass, had an interception and ran back a punt for a touchdown.

Why is Joe writing about Green? Because if Tiquan Underwood makes the squad, or finds himself as, say, a No. 3 receiver, it will largely be thanks to Green, who Underwood hired as a tutor.

Wednesday in practice, Underwood stood out big time. He made play after play and he constantly got separation on defenders.

This, Underwood told Joe, is something he learned from Green.

“The thing I learned with Roy is, just being patient,” Underwood said. “Just be patient running routes, be smooth, don’t be choppy and give any indications to the defensive back.”

Underwood also noted that working out with Larry Fitzgerald helped as well.

Underwood sure looks like a guy that if he doesn’t climb up the depth chart with the absence of injured Bucs receiver Arrelious Benn, he’s going to put the fear of the Grim Reaper in other receivers to improve themselves. Underwood didn’t deny this, though he brushed off any talk of being a No. 3 receiver.

We are pushing each other as a group,” Underwood said. “We just come out here and try to get better each and every day. It’s competition, sure, but it is working together.”

The cheerleader of every Bucs fan’s dreams, Rachel Watson, and her lovely daughter, were introduced to Joe this morning at Bucs training camp. Joe’s week is complete.

Devoted Joe readers might get quite a smile out of this one. Joe sure did.

This is a day at Bucs training camp that Joe will not soon forget.

Today at One Buc Palace, one of the all-time greats, Bucs icon Rachel Watson, was introduced to Joe.

Yes, that Rachel Watson.

What can Joe say? How cool was Rachel to tell Joe that she regularly reads JoeBucsFan.com and has no problem with Joe often referencing fantasies of her someday knocking on Joe’s door in the wee hours for unbridled pleasure.

It was odd. A representative of the Bucs media relations staff approached Joe, who was seated watching the final minutes of Bucs practice. “Joe, we have a celebrity here we think you would want to meet.” There were two women, one was Bucs cheerleader coach, Catherine Boyd. The second woman was carrying a child and even while wearing aviator sunglasses seemed stunning.

“You should know me,” Rachel said to Joe, or something along those lines. Joe didn’t recognize Rachel until she shed the shades.

Joe busted up laughing, as did Rachel, but it seemed no one got more of a reaction to this epic encounter than Woody Cummings of The Tampa Tribune, who nearly fell to his knees he guffawed so much.

Joe told Rachel he hoped he didn’t embarrass her much with his constant references to her. Rachel laughed, admitting she often reads Joe’s musings and genuinely seemed to get a kick of being a celebrity on this site.

And if you must know, yes, although much shorter than Joe envisioned, Rachel is just as ravishing in person as she is in front of the camera.

“Attitude’s a choice. We’ve had five practices and I’d say probably 2 1/2 of them have been at a level where that’s what we need to be. And 2 1/2 of them have not been. And you know I’m very honest with our guys. I told them from Day 1, ‘I’m not going to BS you. I’m going to let you know where we stand.’ Today, there was some really good stuff coming off a [day off]. I thought we started fast. We started with fresh legs. And we about midway through the practice we began to wane. And we can’t do that. As you get to the end of the game you have to be at your best. That’s when games are decided in this league. I read something where 72 percent of the games are decided by seven points or less. So that’s what we need to practice for, prepare for, and learn to be at our best, you know, in that fourth quarter. And that’s attitude. That’s a choice when you’re tired and you’re hurtin’. It’s also a habit. You gotta make it a habit by doing it every day in practice. There’s no double sessions anymore, so you gotta do it all in one practice, which makes for a little bit longer of a practice. Guys gotta fight through it.” — Greg Schiano following today’s practice.

Check out the whole interview below with Schiano on The Ron and Ian Show on WDAE-AM 620. Schiano touches on many subjects, including Gerald McCoy’s “elite get-off.”

Vincent Jackson grabs a pass in front of Mark Barron Wednesday morning.

Some observations Joe had from this morning’s training camp practice at One Buc Palace:

* If a player made a big impression on Joe time and again in practice today, it was wide receiver Tiquan Underwood. He seemed to always find a way to make a play, even if he was covered like paint by a defensive back. Joe will have more later, but Underwood (partly because of Arrelious Benn’s injury) was getting a ton of reps with the first team offense. Barring injury, not only is Underwood a lock for the roster, he may push Preston Parker and Arrelious Benn for the No. 3 slot.

* The defense had two players that made big impacts today. One was defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, who seemed to own the inside. Once, he burst through the line and dropped Muscle Hamster like a rag doll for about a five-yard loss. The second defensive player to stand out to Joe was Lavonte David. Man, is he fast. David had a nice interception on Josh Freeman and nearly had one earlier when Freeman rifled a pass to Sammie Strougher along the left sideline, just a hair before David got his mitts on the ball.

* Sans a couple of fumbles, the practice was crisp.

* Somehow, with cornerback Leonard Johnson draped all over him, Sammie Stroughter was able to make a nice grab on a ball along the right sideline. His nice play came with a price as Johnson leveled Stroughter with wide receivers coach P.J. Fleck barking “Finish the play, finish the play.”

* Overall, the Bucs defensive backs were not having a good day as not only was Freeman completing passes right and left, wide receivers were making crazy catches throughout practice.

* Intensity level was pretty high in Joe’s eyes. Walk-through running plays weren’t exactly walk-through, more like sprint-through.

* Doug Martin had better days. He twice put the ball on the ground, the second time timeout was called and Bucs coach Greg Schiano gave the offense a stern lecture.

* Wide receivers coach P.J. Fleck is an in-your=face kind of a guy. He often will cover receivers in drills. He also used some sort of hand-drill where receivers fight off handsy defensive backs. It looked like a class in karate or some martial arts teaching.

* Mike Williams never gave up on a play that Joe saw. Once, Freeman terribly underthrew Williams but Williams raced back to the ball and made a diving catch of the errant Freeman offering.

* Once, Freeman could have ordered a pizza he had so much time in the pocket, allowing a receiver to get open along the left sideline for a massive bomb completion.

* Dakoda Watson is explosive coming off the snap.

* Once, Lavonte David held Doug Martin to just a one-yard gain which got Greg Schiano all pumped up for the Bucs rookie linebacker.

Hopefully, it’s nothing head-injury related, but Bucs defensive end Michael Bennett, a surefire starter, left the training camp practice field dizzy today.

Greg Schiano made the revelation on WDAE-AM 620 following practice.

Schiano was unsure whether Bennett’s problem was heat related. Bennett will be thoroughly evaluated, Schiano said.

Former Bucs guard Ian Beckles (1990-1996) was out at Bucs camp today for the first time broadcasting his radio show, and Beckles is not upbeat on the Bucs defensive line.

Beckles repeatedly said there’s “no dog” in Gerald McCoy and that McCoy is too nice on and off the field and there’s never been a great defensive tackle that has that personna. “I don’t want no chess players,” Beckles said.

Regarding Amobi Okoye, Beckles call him “servicable,” but doesn’t think fans should be overly excited about him, especially if Rod Marinelli let him get away. “If he was spectacular, Chicago wouldn’t have let him go.”

Beckles is also down on Frank Okam, saying he’s what guys referred to in his era as a “slug,” defined as a lineman that takes up a lot of space but gets blocked all the time.

Of all the pundits that weigh in on the Bucs, John Lynch surely is among the most credible. The Bucs icon is a TV analyst for the team’s preseason games, and he spends time at practice and has an inside track to players and staff. Lynch also works some Bucs games for FOX.

Knowing what he knows, Lynch ranks the Bucs as the 26th best team in the NFL, per the Associated Press. Lynch can’t shake the demons from the Raheem Morris era.

John Lynch (Fox Sports, 26): Here’s hoping my former team makes me eat my words under new head coach Greg Schiano. I like Bucs’ talent, especially with additions of Vincent Jackson and Carl Nicks that will help QB Josh Freeman rebound. It’s hard to erase from my mind this team quitting last year. Attitude adjustment time in Tampa.

Among others surveyed, former NFL starts Cris Collinsworth and Rich Gannon had higher opinions of Tampa Bay; eye-RAH! Kaufman of The Tampa Tribune concurred with Lynch.

Rich Gannon (CBS Sports/SiriusXM NFL Radio, 22): From 4-12 to 8-8 in one season under Schiano.

Cris Collinsworth (NBC Sports, 22): Greg Schiano reminds me of coaches on the top of this list.

Ira Kaufman (Tampa Tribune, 26): Could feature eight new starters under first-year coach Greg Schiano.

Lynch’s pessimism synchs up with Warren Sapp’s contention that the Bucs have too far to go defensively in order to “contend.”

It’s hard to argue against. The Bucs should have a top-10 or top-12 offense assuming Mike Sullivan is a competent playcaller, but the defense is another story. There are so many legitimate question marks it’s impossible to be confident in the unit.

The Bucs simply cannot turn out much worse than the ole defense they displayed last year. It was so miserable, matadors were found hiding their faces in the palms of their hands.

Stronger secondary play? Sure. Better linebacker play? It cannot be worse. How about the defensive line?

It is there that Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune suggests the 2012 impact player can be found and his name is Gerald McCoy, so Cummings writes in a TBO Bucs Q&A.

Q: Who do you think will be the biggest impact player on the defense to turn us around after last year’s horrible effort?

Brian, Normal, IL

A: I think Gerald McCoy will make the biggest impact. He has to stay healthy, obviously, but he was a difference maker when he was healthy last year and he’s a smarter player now. This could be a breakout year for McCoy. The Bucs believe it will be. He does have to stay on the field, though.

— Woody Cummings

Boy, it would sure help if GMC could stay healthy for a change. He could be a difference maker. Per Ronde Barber, he was the difference-maker. Remember, with GMC last year the Bucs were 4-2. After he left with an injury, the Bucs were winless, including a grotesque 10-game losing streak to end the season.

Feel free to do the math on this as well.

Amidst the excitement of training camp kicking off Friday, the Bucs fired up single game ticket sales that morning. And via Joe’s look at Ticketmaster.com this afternoon, $30 seats (including service charge) are still available for every game.

Not surprising? Troubling?

Whatever it is, that’s the reality.

Yeah, the economy is still bad around these parts, but there are plenty of folks that can afford $30 and another $20 to get to and through opening day wihout fasting.

Hopefully, the Bucs’ performance in preseason games will make a positive difference.

Poor Roy Miller.

The kid came out of college in 2009, where he had a good career playing at 285 or 290 pounds, so Miller detailed last year. Then he was drafted by the Bucs and Jim Bates made him fatten up with all the other D-linemen to allegedly help them in his two-gap scheme that was kicked out along with Bates after half a season.

Miller got up to 325 in 2009, and never felt comfortable and has battled the weight ever since. During the 2011 season, Miller was asked to step on a scale for a Sky Sports (England) TV feature, and the digital scale readings popped 315 pounds.

Miller also was saddled with a MCL tear on the first play of the first 2011 preseason game. And Miller messed up his back so bad after that he could barely sit in a chair for much of last season, so he told WDAE-AM 620 Bucs beat writer Tom Krasniqi recently. Keep in mind Miller played every game in 2011.

But Miller also told Krasniqi his weight is down to 308, as of this weekend, and he feels great. Miller also drew strong reviews at Bucs practice Monday.

Renowned NFL Radio analyst Pat Kirwan, a former Jets linebackers coach and front office executive, said multiple times on the air during the offseason that Miller was among the best players likely to be released when final cuts are made across the league. But that was before Brian Price was shipped to Chicago for a can of Pringles. Kirwan is of the mind that Miller has a lot to offer.

Joe’s not about to pretend Miller has shown enough in his career to get anyone excited. But there are at least strong signs that he could battle the flashing Quincy Black for most-improved-Buccaneer honors in 2012.

One thing good about those fancy “Buccaneers Insider” videos on Buccaneers.com, outside of Scott Smith’s haircut, is the film look from training camp.

It’s one thing to see it in person, but it’s another to get a chance to slow down the tape.

 In the latest video, at the end, you can get a good look at Doug Martin’s footwork picking up a blitz, Dan Orlovsky making a precision throw, and Myron Lewis, well, doing what Myron Lewis does in coverage.