Bucs Find An Offensive Line Coach
February 18th, 2012
Former Wisconsin offensive line coach Bob Bostad is the new Bucs offensive line coach.
The Bucs continue to tap into the college ranks for coaching personnel and have hired former Badgers offensive line coach Bob Bostad.
FoxSports.com’s Alex Marvez must have One Buc Palace bugged because he has been breaking coaching news on the Bucs all offseason.
Bostad is leaving the Panthers to become Tampa Bay’s new offensive line coach, a source told FOXSports.com.
Bostad, who had followed new Pitt head coach Paul Chryst from Wisconsin in January, was a Badgers assistant the previous six seasons. Three of Wisconsin’s offensive linemen – Gabe Carimi (Chicago), John Moffitt (Seattle) and Bill Nagy (Dallas) – were chosen in last year’s NFL draft.
Now Marvez is correct is saying Bostad came from Pitt because in the offseason he took the gig of offensive coordinator at Pitt.
This is more than interesting to Joe. The Bucs have a veteran offensive line. While Bostad consistently built year in and year out one of the best offensive lines in college football, how will he mesh with guys who have been around the block more than a few times?
February 18th, 2012 at 2:05 pm
The lack of any NFL experience combined with coaching at vet o-line is a bit of a red flag. Guess we’ll see how it goes.
February 18th, 2012 at 2:14 pm
Can’t be any worse that last year’s group.
Now, get rid of Trueblood and sign Jared Gaither.
Sign Ben Grubbs, cut Faine and move Zuttah to C.
Draft another C to create depth and competition.
February 18th, 2012 at 2:15 pm
Not a bad hire
February 18th, 2012 at 2:44 pm
Another great hire for the bucs. Consistency in what these guys have proven they can do. I think the Bucs o-line has underperformed in recent years or they are just overly touted as being great. We have a great mesh of coaches and talent evaluators who have had no ties to these players and will make decision based on football ability. Can’t wait till free agency to fill some holes
February 18th, 2012 at 3:06 pm
I like this hire. I thought Wisconsin was putting out some studs on their O-line.
Their running game was terrific and we need some run blocking help.
February 18th, 2012 at 3:17 pm
Joe Thomas and Gabe Carimi are some products made from wisconsin, nuff said
February 18th, 2012 at 3:29 pm
OK by me! What coaching positions remain to be filled?
February 18th, 2012 at 3:46 pm
Special Teams and a QB coach
February 18th, 2012 at 4:07 pm
Qb coach, ST coordinator, and RB coach still needed.
February 18th, 2012 at 4:11 pm
the all “take no sh@# ” coaching staff ,i love it.
February 18th, 2012 at 4:13 pm
Draft Kevin Zeitler from Wisconsin, cut Faine, and slide Zuttah over to center
February 18th, 2012 at 4:14 pm
Maybe this guy can get Trueblood to play for once, He is use to dealing with BIG uglies at Wisconsin, and Trueblood is just that.
February 18th, 2012 at 4:18 pm
I like this hire. Bucs offensive line has some holes that need to be filled and needs to be bigger if they are gonna be a power running team. Move Zutah to center, and get a bigger, mean left guard.Faine consistantly got blown up last year. Wisconson routinely pumps out stud offensive linemen and always rush up and down the field. This guy was also their run-game coordinator. Maybe he’ll bring a couple of those Wisconson horses with him.
February 18th, 2012 at 4:19 pm
Couldn’t ask for an OL coach with a better track record of identifying and developing OL. NFL experience isn’t a major consideration when his job will be to develop NFL players, something he’s excelled at despite not being at the NFL level…
Coaching hires are never a sure thing but there seems to be a clear method to our staff-building as opposed to the complete randomness I feared (Raheem’s hires). Gotta love that we were able to lure guys like Sullivan, Bostad, and Cox.
February 18th, 2012 at 4:26 pm
Great hire! Hopefully this guy is loud enough to drown out ANYTHING Jimmy Raye has to add to this offense! I still have a bad feeling about them hiring Raye. The Badgers have been known for cranking out superior O-linemen for years, so perhaps this can make up for Raye’s obvious incompetence.
February 18th, 2012 at 5:20 pm
Awesome hire, hope they can run the ball like the Badgers. Major upgrade.
February 18th, 2012 at 5:37 pm
Don’t know the man but I know Wisconsin aka O-line U. I would love to see the Bucs’ actually get the O-line the fans have been promised year after year, as well as the one other sources write about. Maybe they could actually get a solid LG and a high quality Center–keeping Zutah where he belongs; in the multi-positional back up role.
February 18th, 2012 at 5:54 pm
Hey MJ…think they’ll ever get the message board back up on the Buc’s site?
I kind of miss all the back and forth on there too.
February 18th, 2012 at 6:03 pm
Paul Gruber came from Wisconsin, it’s a place pro football bound O Linemen go.
Not to take anything away from our new O Line Coach either. We will see how he does with crazy NFL Style Blitzes ?
I thought Pete Mangurian did a great job for us, but Tampa fired him, though he got us to 10 and 6 with a patchwork O Line.
February 18th, 2012 at 6:20 pm
I like this coach. Done a heck of a job at a big time university. Wisconsin has produced great lineman- year in and year out.
Along with Sullivan, probably the best hires
SteveK- if they did exactly what you said- we’d have a great O-line.
Love ta see it. Time will tell!
February 18th, 2012 at 6:29 pm
GREAT hire. Trust me…I’ve followed the Wisconsin program for a LONG time. Bostad wan’t just an O-line coach either in Madison. Also coached tight ends (think about how many Wisconsin TEs are in the NFL now) and also was the running game coordinator (John Clay and Montee Ball). Bob knows both the running and passing game and how to effectively block and scheme for either. His track record is stellar, as is the video tape on the athletes he’s coached.
February 18th, 2012 at 7:01 pm
Great news for Blount, I think! We now haw an OC and OLine coach that know how to scheme a power running game!
At least this part of the team looks to be greatly upgraded
February 18th, 2012 at 7:46 pm
Good hire. I disagree that Trueblood should be fired. He will make great backup. Zuttah is too inconsistant to start at center.
February 18th, 2012 at 7:55 pm
I am still baffled that Zuttah is “too inconsistent to start” yet Joseph is trumpeted around as a good to great blocker. Unbelievable.
February 18th, 2012 at 8:05 pm
You guys who arguing that Trueblood is bad don’t understand OLine play.
Trueblood is an excellent, top 5 NFL run blocking tackle. He tends to have whiffs in pass blocking every now and then bc he does nor have the best feet going backwards. This doesn’t happen often but it does happen too much.
The right side combo of DJ and JT is dominant in the run game – which is why Gruden loved John Gilmore on the roster bc when you line him up next to JT you will successfully run the ball.
I suspect that Bostad won’t do much roster juggling with the OLine – Gru and Allen built one of the NFLs best there. Faine is getting old and our leftguard play is decent but not great. Of course, pig Penn needs to keep his weight down but when he does he has great feet for a man his size.
Offensive football should be easy with the line we have – we just need a legit multi-dimensional tailback, a wr and TE. Free needs to mature this year as well.
I think his maturation will be enhanced with the teenage immature HC gone.
February 18th, 2012 at 8:08 pm
The pros:
Go back and watch tape of DJ and Zuttah. They are on different planets buddy. DJ is a beast, ask any NFL D lineman. Zuttah is okay, he is flexible but nearly as physical as DJ.
Zuttah probably a better fit at center but he is valuable bc he is capable at both center and guard.
February 18th, 2012 at 8:10 pm
jb what up with you and jimmy raye.
February 18th, 2012 at 8:12 pm
I did watch the tape. It shows Joseph consistently failing on run block and allowing Blount to get hit in the back field. It show Zuttah being solid and consistent in both aspects of his game.
February 18th, 2012 at 8:17 pm
Thats why Joseph went to the pro bowl right pro use?
February 18th, 2012 at 8:18 pm
Ugh, gotta agree with Thomas”homer” 2.2 on this one. Trueblood actually played pretty well this year. He had bad games at San Fran and Houston, but other than that, he did pretty good!
If only he had a gigantic Chin, he would be tommy’s favorite!
February 18th, 2012 at 8:18 pm
Went to YT. First Blount run video I saw was the one against the Packers where Blount went crazy. Right off the bat Joseph completely misses a block on Desmon Bishop and Blount has to break the tackle. Zuttah gets manned up with Hawk and wins the block.
February 18th, 2012 at 8:19 pm
@Clayburn lol You use the Pro Bowl as a legitimate tool of talent evaluation. lol
February 18th, 2012 at 8:22 pm
Trueblood led the league in pressures allowed…. but he had a good year smh
February 18th, 2012 at 8:29 pm
Im just saying he was the only buc that went and it was because of solid play.
February 18th, 2012 at 8:37 pm
Ugh again! I forgot to add- should keep him as a backup! Not starting!
I’m all on board with SteveK’s plan for the line!
February 18th, 2012 at 8:54 pm
The main upgrade from Trueblood I saw was his lack of penalties until late in the season. That guy used to be a one man drive killing machine. He’s always been a fairly good lineman but discipline was NOT his strong suit. Now if you want bad, terrible, horrible, atrocious and any other negative adjectives you can think of…I have two words…James Lee.
February 18th, 2012 at 9:21 pm
I think Bostad is an excellent choice as O-Line coach. But I’ll be disappointed if we don’t do something at LG. Zuttah filled in there last year, but is not the solution there. Carl Nicks may be a longshot, but a guy can wish.
With an off season, Zuttah could start at C, backed up by Larsen. If he worked on snaps in the shotgun, he would be a slight improvement over Faine. Faine can’t stay on the field and is paid too much to sit on IR every year.
Thomas is right about Trueblood (is most of the time if you edit out the Rah Rah drivel). He improved his propensity for penalities, is good at run blocking, but gets owned too much in pass pro. They tried to replace him last year before Joseph made his extortion play to get Trueblood signed also and Doug Free turned the Bucs down. His current contract will probably get him one more year.
February 18th, 2012 at 10:36 pm
Wow…people have forgotten what it was like before Faine came here. Memories are short in Tampa.
Center use to be the most frustrating position…EVEN when we had Kenyatta at tackle racking up penalties.
February 18th, 2012 at 11:16 pm
@ Pete
I don’t think most of us have forgoten that our Center play was bad before Faine got to Tampa. He was the highest paid Center in te league when we signed him and we have gotten nothing close to that in return. If we are in fact going to be a power running team then we need a Center that can hold the point of attack and can also get up to the second level and destroy Linebackers. Faine isn’t it and honestly, neither is Zuttah. Zuttah’s value is based on the fact that he can play multiple positions, problem is that he’s not great at any of them. This damn offensive line has been a work in progress for as long as I can remember. I pray that Bostad can bring it out of them because in order to truely be a top shelf team in the NFL you have to have stellar O-Line play.
Penn needs to quite worrying about whether or not he’s percieved as a top Left Tackle by the rest of the league and just go out there and try to prove it. We need to finally go out and find what we lost when Aaron Sears went off the deep end. Faine has lost it, time to upgrade. Joseph and Trueblood are both below average pass blockers and above average run blockers. Both of those guys are awful knee benders, that’s why they suck at pass blocking. Trueblood has one year and he’s most likely gone. Joseph would be helped out greatly with better Center play. For some reason, and I can’t understand it for the life of me, this offensive line is awful at passing off pass rush games and blitzes. Their comunication is ridiculously lacking in that department. Any time there are inside out pass rush games the pocket collapses like a house of cards. I played Guard and Center in college, it is not that hard to pass off games if you just keep track of eachother and talk.
As you can tell, this offensive line frustrates the living sh!t out of me.
February 18th, 2012 at 11:27 pm
Trueblood sucks because he gets so many sensless penalties, and its not his feet, so much as his leverage. He is 6’8″ and only weights about 310. So that means his center of gravity is way up high.
In run blocking, he is athletic and can get to the second level and light up LB’s, but going backward, he is nothing but an awkward giraffe.
DJ is very good but not great, we could do a heck of a lot worse, and usually its the coaches and fellow players that voted him in the pro-bowl the last couple years, bc he was not voted as a starter (fan vote). If other players and coaches vote you in to the pro-bowl, I think that says all that needs to be said.
February 18th, 2012 at 11:42 pm
hey Pete, I got your point, but look at the on-field performance and look at the numbers. Faine, for the last three years has not been able to stay on the field. His 2011 cap # was 6.575mil, Zuttah, 733k. Faine is 31yrs old is 6-3 and weighs 291lbs. If we’re going for a strong run game, how can we not look at Samson Satele, FA, Raiders, 27yrs old, 6-3, 300lbs and was paid 405k in 2011. Zuttah may not ultimately be the answer at C, but surely Faine isn’t 9 times better than Zuttah in terms of dollar value. There may be intangibles that I’m overlooking like reading defenses or helping Freeman, or whatever. I’m searching for reasons to keep the guy!
February 19th, 2012 at 12:12 am
We have never been quite the same since we lost Aaron Sears.
February 19th, 2012 at 12:31 am
Anything related with Wisconsin and O Line is a good thing…
February 19th, 2012 at 12:54 am
No matter who your QB, RB, or WR’s are, success still starts up front. And up front it starts in the middle. Faine could not hold the point of attack the last 2 years, and had trouble getting to 2nd level. Power running teams need dominators up front, and bucs need 2, at center and LG. You cant have a successful running game when the middle of your line keeps getting blown up and pushed into the backfield.
February 19th, 2012 at 11:14 am
Thomas 2.2 equals delusional.
February 19th, 2012 at 2:41 pm
Faine and Trueblood will be back. Trueblood is a good runblocker and played much better this last year without the penalties. Zuttah allows the Buc’s to draft the better center/guard on the board @ the slot they see value and get a solid change of pace RB either FA or draft.
Left Guard play has been TERRIBLE – too bad Arron Sears was sick….That guy was a beast!
February 19th, 2012 at 11:31 pm
Wisconsin has some of the best O-Lineman year in and year out… we’ll see how it pans out .
Wisconsin is also a power running team.
Byner was a power back coaching the RBs now.
Blount should be getting real excited about now.