Stability Allows Bucs To Move OTAs
February 14th, 2010
"This year we're going to be our best selves."
A quick flashback to last spring recalls Raheem The Dream all fired up to pridefully implement the systems of his new veteran coordinators.
That was going to be some good old fashioned downhill running and play-action passing, plus some quality two-gap defense.
Offensive linemen were losing weight to run the zone blocking scheme. Defensive linemen were bulking up to try to look more like Jim Bates’ space-eaters.
Jermaine Phillips was a linebacker. Veteran quarterbacks were battling to win a starting job.
Ahhh, the glory days. (Yes, Joe knows these were colossal screwups).
Back then Raheem The Dream, a rookie coach, was salivating to get his team into shorts at those organized team activities early in the spring, so they could start learning everything that would eventually get tossed in the garbage.
But for 2010, things will be a lot different. Per Buccaneers.com, Mark Dominik explained Friday that the Bucs have pushed back all their spring workouts to start in mid-May so their likely huge draft class can attend in full.
To give the coaching staff as much time as possible to focus on the draft, the Buccaneers have, for the first time, scheduled all of their “organized team activity days” (OTAs) for mid-May and beyond. Each team is allotted 16 OTAs during the offseason, which are voluntary but still structured much like an in-season practice. In previous years, the Bucs had held some of those OTAs in April and some in early May, spreading the rest out into the first half of June.
“That’s another element of why we pushed OTAs back, to make sure that all of our coaches and everybody is really focused on this draft,” said Dominik. “We’re just putting a stronger emphasis on this draft.”
Is this a good thing?
For enlightenment, Joe looked to his friend, blogger colleague and supreme Bucs analyst Steve White, the former Tampa Bay defensive end. White didn’t disappoint.
“The Bucs will still be able to have their workout program going and guys can still go out there and do some individual drills with their coaches so its not like they are just going to be sitting on their ass until after the draft,” White said. “If we draft well and end up with guys who are going to play and possibly start this year, moving the OTAs is the best possible way to make sure they have every opportunity to learn the systems and get mentally as well as physically preppared for the season. Since presumably we will be running pretty much the same offensive and defensive systems from the end of the year the vets should be pretty well versed on what we are doing anyway.”
The stability White references is critical.
Last year was such an over-the-top mess that the Bucs never could have pulled off this change in practice dates, which should help to bond the team and get the presumably multiple rookie starters up to speed faster.
The Bucs should be a consistently better team in 2010 just from the stability alone.
February 14th, 2010 at 12:40 pm
“The Bucs should be a consistently better team in 2010 just from the stability alone”.
Oh surrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrre they will. I remember when we kept Richard Williamson on for that exact reason.
February 14th, 2010 at 1:25 pm
Nice article Joe!
The Bucs will be a significantly better team in 2010. The front office seems to finally be putting it all together, but of course we will have to wait until the draft or even kickoff week to see. We will go at LEAST 500 next year. If we play our cards right we will go to the playoffs.
-GO BUCS!-
February 14th, 2010 at 1:29 pm
Good one Eric. How consistently better Joe, 5-11 instead of 3-13. Our coach looks like a deer in headlights.
February 14th, 2010 at 6:32 pm
Joe, I think ol Marc has been drinking way too many of those caybrews you like so well. hahahaha. Stability, Morris, Dominik, the Glazers. Where is that common denominator Joe? Because that is the most Unstable group I’ve ever known. 4-12 probably. Maybe 5-6 wins if Bisaccia is running the defense. Why else would they give him that promotion.
February 14th, 2010 at 7:50 pm
lol, well see.
February 14th, 2010 at 8:04 pm
Want to hear a stat nobody ever talks about?
The Bucs lost 4 games last year by 7 points or less.
In fact if you add up the margin of victory in those 4 losses the Bucs lost 4 games by an aggregate 15 points. Or basically by a little over a field goal.
Course that still would only have us at 7-9 but still its something most folks never point out.
Just sayin.
February 14th, 2010 at 8:40 pm
They were also beaten by more than 21 points four times, and had a seven game and five game losing streak in the same season…………….plus the 28th ranked offense, 27th ranked defense (dead last in rush defense)……………………..id say the Morris has his work cut out for him.
And, by way of comparison, the Rams also lost four games by seven points or less. NFL games are supposed to be close.
February 14th, 2010 at 8:58 pm
What you bet Eric will be cheering AGAINST the Bucs next year? LOL
February 14th, 2010 at 9:19 pm
Yea eric won’t jump on the bandwagon unless were above .500! He reminds of the fan on the movie ” Major Leauge” The Indians fan who kept sayin that the team will eventually suck after they were playing better and better. He eventually jumped back on the wagon lol.
February 14th, 2010 at 11:17 pm
Nah, I wouldnt cheer against the Bucs if they had Osama Bin Ladin as Head Coach. Still got the original ticket fromt the first home win in 1977 vs. the Cardinals, where me and my buddies ran on the field. However, I will admit that this current regime has me thoroughly pissed off. But if I am wrong and they win, you bet ill be on the bandwagon……………:) Hell it’s February and Im talking Bucs arent I?
February 15th, 2010 at 9:40 am
Eric isn’t alone in his thinking. There are thousands of us Buc fans that don’t really care to give the Glazer’s our hard earned money for the product they are putting on the field. The coaching staff leaves a little to be desired again this year. I’ve been on the “bandwagon” since the Bucs inception. But I’d not on the Raheem the Dream Bandwagon. He sucks as a Head Coach. And I, like Eric, question the whole regime. I do not want to go through any more Culverhouse years.