Schiano Says Bucs Still Figuring Out Blount’s Role
September 19th, 2012
Joe’s made it extraordinarily clear for many months that LeGarrette Blount is a dangerous offensive football player who needs a coach that understands how to maximize his talents.
Greg Olson failed at that in 2011, and to date the New Schiano Order is in the same boat.
Monday on his radio show on WDAE-AM 620, Greg Schiano offered insight into Blount’s role and acknowledged that the Bucs’ staff must challenge their minds to find a way to better incorporate Blount.
“LeGarrette Blount, you will see run again,” Schiano said. “He’s going to be a part of our offense. He did play a couple of plays [Sunday], but you know in that game when there’s only 52 plays, and I never felt like our running back, Doug [Martin], got at all winded. And, you know, we have to figure a way to work him in there better, even in a situation like that. Because he brings a unique skillset to that position and definitely can complement Doug and make our run game better.”
Frankly, Joe was left rather speechless by the coach’s comments and choice of words. That Schiano had the mindset to talk about Blount’s role in relation to the aerobic fitness of “our running back” is mind-boggling. First, Martin isn’t exactly setting the league on fire, and the right call, as Schiano said, is to get the most out of Blount and Martin to maximize the rushing attack.
Joe hopes the Bucs have learned their lesson moving forward. Using all your weapons makes the offense less predictable and more dangerous.
September 19th, 2012 at 11:10 am
I guess we just don’t see the same thing as the coaching staff. It seemed to me that Blount was at his best late in the games busting into winded D-Lines. I suppose the Giant’s D-Line wasn’t that winded on Sun. I suppose there is also a school of thought that to be good in the 4th quarter you have to be in the “flow” of the game. I hate to see Blount sitting when we have seen him do so much good stuff on the ground for this team. But to be honest it infuriates me when he runs at the line, takes a stutter step and goes no where. I haven’t seen where much has changed in the preseason or last week’s game in Carolina.
September 19th, 2012 at 11:11 am
I love Blount, but if your not going to use him trade him while he is worth something! Detroit is looking!
September 19th, 2012 at 11:18 am
I’d rather see Blount run three times instead of three incomplete passes in the 2nd half, stopping the clock each time and then giving the ball back to the other team. That’s a great way to get OUR defense tired!
September 19th, 2012 at 11:22 am
Martin’s TD on Sunday was everything I want to see from a RB and you know damn well that if it were Blount, he’d have ran right into the pile for no gain.
Putting Blount in the game makes the offense more predictable not less; he simply isn’t as well-rounded in the passing game as either Martin or DJ Ware and other teams know that.
September 19th, 2012 at 11:24 am
These are very confusing remarks from a NFL Head Coach. The best I can remember Blount has attended all preseason practices, mandatory and volunteer. To say at this point the coaches haven’t figured out a role is alarming to say the least. Sounds like there is not much confidence in his coaches. Do the young man a favor and play him or trade him.
September 19th, 2012 at 11:25 am
I almost feel sorry for Blount. He is from Oregon, and Boise State is where Martin is from.
Blount gains nearly 1000 yards, and yet has to sit on the bench, and watch a rookie from his hated rival school, take his job.
I say trade him, while we can still get something for him. Schiano is hard headed, and has clearly picked Martin.
September 19th, 2012 at 11:39 am
I also believe we should trade Blount if we aren’t going to use him more. I stll don’t understand why we don’t line them both up. We could run so many options from that formation that it woud be difficult for defenses. Surely, we have practice that and have some plays.
I agree that having Blount in the lineup by himself is pretty much targeting the run but we can still play-option to him or run a screen
I also agree that the Martin touchdown shows what can happen when we get Martin outside. I beiieve we are running too many plays up the middle.
We would get a pretty high pick 2-3 for Blount and considering we didn’t use a pick to sign him…that’s a pretty good deal.
The Buc fan in me wants to keep him and use him.
September 19th, 2012 at 11:40 am
Oops!….Play Action
September 19th, 2012 at 11:45 am
I have nothing against martin because to me it seems he is making the most of what our line is giving him (which is not much) but I think Blount has shown he can make some big plays so I dont see why he should not see 5+ carries a game.
September 19th, 2012 at 11:46 am
Blount is with his last year with the Bucs IMO, especially if Ware and Smith can develop. Martin, Smith, Madu, Ware…all these guys are fast, hit the hole type runners. Blount is not. Isn’t Blount in a contract year? If so, I don’t see him hitting pay dirt here.
Schiano comments are standard. Truth is, there is only 1 football to feed Martin, Blount, Clark, VJax, Willams, …and so on.
September 19th, 2012 at 11:47 am
Guys, it would be idiotic to trade Blount.
First, you act like we’d get something decent. We wouldn’t. RBs are a dime a dozen in this league. The best we could hope for is a 7th rounder.
Second, what happens if Martin gets hurt? Then we’re stuck with the lethal combo of D.J. Ware and Michael Smith?
Our offense is a work in progress, we all know that. Blount will get more work at some point, but we’ve got more pressing matters at the moment.
September 19th, 2012 at 11:55 am
2 games – 4 halves, 1st half in each game stellar, 2nd half in each game less than stellar.
What am I missing? What’s wrong with this picture? Is anyone capable of answering these questions? Is there something in the gatorade they’re drinking at halftime? Are the coaches hitting the Bong at halftime? Are there toilet fairies in the restroom? Will it be like this for the rest of the season? I don’t know, please explain!!!
September 19th, 2012 at 12:06 pm
Everyone needs to take a deeeeep breath and try not to panic. New head coach, new coordinators, new offence, new defense, several new players, this thing is going to take some time to gel. Coach said last week that he is not calling the plays, the coordinators are. He tells them what he wants to do and they pick the personnel and the play. They just need to keep communicating about who to get more involved like Clark and Blount and then work them in. When you think about how far this team has come since the end of last season, playing well against the Patriots in the 3rd pre-season game while the starters were in there, beating Carolina and going toe to toe with the defending Super Bowl champs in only week 2 . . . that’s a lot of progress. They are all learning and growing together, and even though they may not be playing flawless football right now, you have to admit for the most part it’s been pretty entertaining to watch. GO BUCS!!
September 19th, 2012 at 12:09 pm
You know what, Schiano and the coaching staff botched the second half of both of these games and there is no argument there. But after the loss Schiano has said all the right things in my opinion.
He acknowledge his game plan defensively is to blitz occasionally but admitted in a way that it was probably innappropriate at times. The offense has completely ignored the majority of it’s weapons and now he admits that Clark, Blount and others need to get the ball more.
I think this shows that he is learning and hopefully they will start to pull it together sooner rather than later.
@ Drew. The problem with the reason we are coming out flat in the second half is because the offense is being shut down after the halftime leads and the play calling is ridiculously vanilla and conservative. On defense there are no adjustments being made period no matter the score. We start the game aggressively and end it aggresively even if the situation calls for bend but don’t break style. It’s a perfect storm that allows opponents to get back into the game. They are playing scared as a coaching staff that much is obvious. They don’t trust the offense and they either refuse to or they are not good at making the necessary defensive adjustments appropriate for the flow of the game. The coaching staff is full of young , less experienced coaches so I’m willing to give them time but they can’t make these stupid, common sense mistakes anymore.
September 19th, 2012 at 12:19 pm
Call me crazy but I say they need a package of plays with blount in reciever. Screens and blocking and overall confusion.
September 19th, 2012 at 12:22 pm
No offense Garry but I will take you up on that and call you crazy. Blount isn’t the greatest pass catcher nor is he a great blocker. Now I will agree and say that throwing more screens in is a good idea. Get Blount in the open field with a few blockers is just where he would excel in my opinion.
September 19th, 2012 at 12:34 pm
Maybe schiano needs to put pads on and try to tackle blount head up just to realize he is a threat to ARM tackles and hard to bring down. Or maybe he needs to watch the 2011 film from the green bay game and sit back and say damn he can do that for our ball club. I’m starting to think Greg olsen said whatever u do don’t use blount I can’t shake it. Maybe his week one hurdle got em very confused how to use em. Maybe shciano said we don’t have a running back but we have a hurdle back…how do you use a hurdle back in the NFl sullivan?
September 19th, 2012 at 12:36 pm
Historically we tend to go all out n use our weapons when we’re trailing n the last quarter. We usually move the ball well… Y can’t we do the same for the other three quarters?
September 19th, 2012 at 12:38 pm
Um, Coach Schiano, the reason Martin wasn’t winded is because he wasn’t running very far before being tackled on most plays. Hard to work up a sweat when you get 2 yards on most plays. I hope they get him involved, because this is getting as annoying as when Gruden quit using Alstott.
September 19th, 2012 at 12:43 pm
Well it’s also hard to useall of your playmakers when all your second half drives are three and outs. There are a lot of issues with the team but the terrible play calling on both sides of the ball has to be fixed first. Sully has to open it up on offense so the team can extend drives and get other players in on the game. You can’t get Blount, Martin, Clark, Williams, V Jax, Ware, and Benn the ball when the offense can’t stay on the field due to conservative, predictable, vanilla play calling.
September 19th, 2012 at 1:37 pm
Jbrooks I know this. For one pushing a corner down the field is much different then blocking a blitzing linebacker or passrushing line men. Getting that one on one is the ultimate goal.
September 19th, 2012 at 1:42 pm
Although I love Martin;s toughness and versatillity, he’s not done a helluva lot, especially for a team hell bent on running the ball, including pre-season. I think his longest run in 5 games in 15 yds. I just hope we dont have a coach to stubborn to realize he’s not doing what in the best interest for the team. Yes, those remarks are strange. Blount has been the best offensive weapon we’ve had for 2 years on a team that had very little offensive creativity and still averaged 5 yds a carry. IMO, he’s a poor man’s Earl Cambell. And yes, given the opprortunity to go elsewhere I’m sure he will, and couldn’t blame him. I love the direction Shiano’s taking this team, but also have a strange feeling about him…Napolean?
September 19th, 2012 at 1:47 pm
I do have one question outside of Blount. Why doesn’t Mike Sullivan run the offense, types of passing plays that the Giants run. Those quick slants and back shoulder passes are almost impossible to defend.
Free should be doing exactly what Eli is doing because those routes work so darn well… I mean Sullivan should know this.
September 19th, 2012 at 2:06 pm
@Bucfan237- sully and the rest of the coaching staff are afraid to let Free play. There’s no trust there obviously so they are calling a conservative game. That will change eventually after they realize you can’t beat any good teams playing like that.
September 19th, 2012 at 2:09 pm
@Buc Fan #237
Eli’s been the same system for 8 seasons, Freeman has been it for 6 months, give it time…
September 19th, 2012 at 2:25 pm
Is it just me or have others noticed during the post game press conferences? Freeman has the lost in the head lights look? Appear to be wearing a transparent bit and bridle? Is not sure how to read a defense to audible into a counter play?
September 19th, 2012 at 2:32 pm
Some of you need to buy a clue.
September 19th, 2012 at 2:35 pm
@Drew- I still have faith in Free. As evident by the early game and late game drives he can lead an offense down the field and put points up. They just need to let him.
September 19th, 2012 at 2:47 pm
How to defend the Bucs offense. watch for run with Martin, , cover V Jax , Williams And maybe Lorig. If Clark shows up you can figure that’s where it’s going. If Blount comes on the field, run blitz. Ok. planning over.
September 19th, 2012 at 3:02 pm
I’m hearing a lot of intelligent fans questioning what the Hell is going on?
I’m also hearing intelligent fans and sports writers trying to assign a logical explanation for what is going on?
People, there is no method to this madness! The NSO does not know what they are doing. It’s becoming more apparent everyday.
In the off season, everyone put words into Schiano’s mouth, imagined that he was creating magic and compared him to the greatest sports legends and leaders of all time. While he actually said nothing and hid in secrecy. Hardly anyone has recognized who this guy really is, an empty suit.
The Little General has never succeeded anywhere, at anytime.
Benching Blount was premeditated, he is in the doghouse, setting an example for anyone who might displease this locker room tyrant.
Why is Tiquan Underwood not a Buc?
Why can’t the Bucs sign anyone who hasn’t run the dreaded and unnecessary 110X16 torture tests?
Will D’Quan Bowers have to run the gauntlets or should his agent be shopping him around? Maybe, the Bears will give up another 7th rounder?
Why can’t the Little General admit he is wrong and meet with his OC and DC at halftime and tweak the game plan? After all, this is the NFL, he’s not at Rutgers anymore.
I predict that these intelligent fans and sports writers will be carrying pitchforks and torches by the bye week. That might be good, it may bring some transparency and accountability to this team.
September 19th, 2012 at 3:26 pm
Miguel, WTF was that all bout? Where do you come up with this sheet?
I will however THANK YOU for the reference to INTELLIGENT FAN. You did well on this statement.
September 19th, 2012 at 3:42 pm
Probably, what Coach Coughlin was yelling at Schiano for at the end of the game was Schiano not pounding the Giants with Blount in the second half.
-You blew it coach. By not pounding our defense when your team is up late in games with LeGarrette Blount, you forced us to take a stupid kneeldown play. When you don’t play your best running back, you have no right to try to win games at this level, especially on the final play. You could have wrapped this thing up in the third quarter. I expect better from my NFL peers. Enjoy your flight home.-
September 19th, 2012 at 3:44 pm
It seems our fan base is seperated between the Blount supporters and the Blount haters (maybe a bit harsh). I am still on the Blount bandwagon and although he frustrates be at times, you can’t ignore his upside! Iv’e seen interviews of other players saying he is a handfull to tackle. We need to use him, along with Martin. Just like when the Giants had Bradshaw/Jacobs combo.
It’s a little alarming to hear the coach unsure of his role, maybe reading too much into it, but they know what they have in him and what he brings to the team!
Hope this conversation is ended quickly w/ a heavy dose of Martin and BFT….starting with the Cowgirls!
September 19th, 2012 at 3:44 pm
I for one have never advocated trading Blount. I have seen the destruction he can cause defenses. In the same breath, if I was his Agent I would be looking forward to next year away from Tampa. RB’s in this league do not have many years of productivity and Blount is in his 3rd year. His body does not have the abuse due to lack of carries but he is 25 years old. I have said for some time he will not be in Tampa because they will not pay what he should command. Martin has talent but he still has not shown 1st round talent. If I had my team and was given a choice of Martin for $5,000,000 or Blount for $500,000 you all know where the value is today. Of course I don’t have my own team lol.
September 19th, 2012 at 5:12 pm
Will D’Quan Bowers have to run the gauntlets or should his agent be shopping him around?”
———
I wasn’t aware agents shop around players? Silly me thought teams did that. No joke Miguel, you are literally killing this site. Hell, I think it’s actually a great thing for the site to have people who disagree with what’s going on with the team. That keeps it exciting and keeps the debate going. But 90% of the crap you say is so far fetched, or just downright wrong, that it’s not even worth arguing. My 8 year old’s best friend got furious with me the other day because she told me Georgia Tech was the best football team, and could beat the Bucs. That’s pretty much what it’s like arguing with you. Your statements are so insanely stupid, that I just shake my head in disbelief. I promise you if you were to ever be banned, not one person would put a “Free Miguel Grande” on their post. Nobody ever agrees with you, and nobody would care if you never posted again.
September 19th, 2012 at 5:17 pm
I know a couple of non-football fans that don’t even know who our qb is but know about Blount.
September 19th, 2012 at 5:43 pm
It seems pretty clear that Schiano is gonna ride muscle hamster unless he is injured.
He’s not interested in a two headed monster, he’s a bell cow guy.
I’m more worried about the D rebounding after that nightmare on Sunday.
September 19th, 2012 at 5:52 pm
Schiano might need to open his mind a bit.
Blount scares DB’s. Nobody wants to tackle him. Why cant we have a few shotgun sets with Martin and Blount?
Why cant we just give a few series to Blount in the first half?
I am really shocked by all of this. Maybe they are playing nead games with Blount to try to piss him off for later in the season.
I dont know. But I love Blount. He won us those 10 games in 2010!!
September 19th, 2012 at 5:53 pm
Blount needs to give Alstott a call so can he learn how to stand on the sidelines and resist urges to strangle his coach.
September 19th, 2012 at 6:13 pm
Sounds like someone is in the doghouse!!! Blount > Martin PERIOD!!!
September 19th, 2012 at 6:14 pm
@Hawaiinbuck
Free Miguel Grande !
I certainly tend to agree with a lot of his posts. I love Chip Kelley and the Ducks as well. U tend to be a little ignorant and intolerant of other’s views and u attack people personally with name calling + insults.
I would like to know why the Coach Shiano doesn’t adjust his offenses and defenses at half-time like a normal NFL football coach would do. Halftime is not breaktime. I’m noticing many other fans are questioning this on many other buc sites.
Miquel and many others have as much a right to there opinions as u do.
September 19th, 2012 at 6:46 pm
Blount has made great plays occasionally but lacks consistancy to be great. Martin has huge upside and makes plays where there are none. Blount only makes plays when there are big holes that allow him to the 2’nd level. I like Blount but he is expendable and I would not take less than a 3’rd round pick for him. It would be nice to see Martin and Blount in together, but some
September 19th, 2012 at 6:50 pm
Someone has to be able to block. Another week to see if they improve. Aqib should be running wind sprints ever minute of every practice until he wakes up. You could almost say Aqib single handedly cost them the game but McDonald had a hand in it and rush couldn’t get there.
September 19th, 2012 at 7:16 pm
@Oregano (aka Miguel Grande in disguise),
I only call names to trolls like Miguel Grande. Read every one of his posts, he calls Schiano names in every one. Funny how that’s okay with you, don’t you think? I can disagree with a logical person and be very civil. I’ve had disagreements with many on this site without giving any personal insults. I think Pete is absolutely crazy for his declaration that Mark Barron should have been fined against Carolina, but I respect him and don’t call him any names. When I said earlier this week I felt we shouldn’t have gone after the Giant’s knees on the last play, I didn’t call one person a name or disrespect them. I will, however, not hold back when you are trolling, and that’s exactly what you, I mean Miguel, does. He’s even said that in not so many words. And by the way, if you really were a Buc’s fan, you would know to spell my name without a “K” at the end. We aren’t deer.
I actually like Oregon too, and think Chip Kelly is a tremendous college coach. He’s very innovative, and his teams are a lot of fun to watch. On the pro level, he would be Steve Spurrier 2.0. His offense takes advantage of their superior speed by spreading out weak Pac-10 defenses. Let me know when they beat Alabama or LSU. That doesn’t work in the NFL, because the NFL defenses cover too much ground. Kelly made the right decision, because he is a tremendous college coach – one of the best in the country.
As for Schiano, I think he is changing his gameplan, but the other teams are paid to play and coach too. It’s very difficult to dominate a team from start to finish in the NFL, unless you have superior talent, which we don’t have. Teams make runs in the NFL. We aren’t playing Arkansas State every week. It’s funny because most people that say “make adjustments” have no clue what that really means. Do you mean have better playcalling? Should they draw up plays in the dirt? Do you mean change schemes? Do you mean put in different players? Teams go into games with gameplans. They practice that gameplan all week. Do you want them to practice 3 or 4 gameplans every week, then change gameplans after halftime, even if the original gameplan is working? Reality is, you stick with your gameplan as much as possible. Why change it if you are winning? I would agree the playcalling needs to get better, but it’s hard to say if that’s on Schiano or the coordinators. You can speculate all you want, but none of us have any idea on how much influence he has on playcalling. Just like players, coaches take time to get comfortable, and I suspect that is what we are going through now. But you would have to be a fool to think we aren’t coached a million times better than last year. We aren’t even having to burn all our timeouts because we can’t get lined up correctly. What a concept.
September 19th, 2012 at 7:46 pm
@hawaiinbuc
“I think Pete is absolutely crazy”
“trolls like Miguel Grande”
“aka Miguel Grande in disguise”
“you would have to be a fool”
“Your statements are so insanely stupid”
“weak Pac-10 defenses”
I don’t want to question your encyclopedic football knowledge, but I don’t believe there is a “Pac-10”. I could be wrong, please don’t call me bad names.
September 19th, 2012 at 7:52 pm
Oregano,
Excuse me for not calling it the Pac-12. My mistake. It was, however, the Pac 10 until 2011. And I’m pretty sure you are smart enough to get my point.
And I’m not sure why you put those things in quotations, but great job!
September 19th, 2012 at 10:04 pm
lol a miquel payasito and his trollete/alter. this dude is in a sad state.
love how duck people keep bringing up wishy-washy chip the dip kelly. we are better of without him since he can”t even make a decision.
September 19th, 2012 at 10:26 pm
Be careful there lurker. You don’t want to call anyone names or insult them. If you do that, you will offend the Oregonians. They may even put your words in quotation marks, so watch out! The sissy police are on the prowl on JBF.
September 19th, 2012 at 10:39 pm
i know, miguel supposedly ignores my comments anyways, so i have the freedom. as i, and others, including you, have pointed out, miguel has always called people names, especially the coach and players.
i know, it’s childish, “he started it”, but after reading some of his posts you understand it is only a childish approach that he appreciates.
September 19th, 2012 at 10:59 pm
He’s probably ignoring you because he’s watching his DVR episodes of Hard Knocks Miami. It’s where he gets all his information. I wish Schiano was more like Philbin.
September 19th, 2012 at 11:30 pm
Clips on the local news were great today. Coach was all over the DBacks. He was not a happy camper. I know we have a DB coach but he had assistance today. He also blames the coaches to for not making the adjustments and said they must get better there too. So yes. They are working on it.
September 20th, 2012 at 12:04 am
the whole team is still learning, including the coaches. this won’t be a 1 year turnaround. coach is learning what he has in his coordinators. he said he wasn’t calling plays, and it was new to him (hands off), after week 1. but damn, run some blount, man. lol
September 20th, 2012 at 1:44 am
The d wore down late.No depth on the d-line is a problem.I think they called that time out in the 4th so that the d could rest.