McNulty Hire Is Not Enough For Freeman
January 18th, 2013
The Bucs hired decorated NFL wide receivers coach John McNulty, the former Rutgers offensive coordinator, to be their quarterbacks coach today. He was a receivers coach for years under Tom Coughlin in Jacksonville and under Ken Whisenhunt in Arizona, where Larry Fitzgerald loved him so much he flew him to a Pro Bowl. McNulty also worked for Bill Parcells.
But Joe can’t say he likes this hire.
Josh Freeman could have used a QB coach who is a true quarterbacks guru, preferably one who played the position and who could really go deep on Freeman with his mechanics. In other words, the best QB coach — or team of QB coaches — on the market.
McNulty was a defensive back at Penn State in the 1980s. He volunteered to be Arizona’s QB coach last season, and Arizona’s quarterbacks situation was ugly.
Isn’t it allegedly all about No. 5?
And if competition is supposedly coming for Freeman, perhaps from a rookie, Joe really thinks the Bucs have shortchanged themselves with this hire.
Joe sincerely hopes the Bucs plan to hire a QB mechanics maven as a consultant to work with McNulty and Freeman during the offseason.
January 18th, 2013 at 5:34 pm
Mcnulty might be just right for Freeman…..from what I read he is all about the fundamentals and keeping it simple… Josh will flourish next year with an off season and the same system and Mcnulty…… BOOK it …
January 18th, 2013 at 5:39 pm
A little early to be stirring up crap about Mc Nulty don’t you think?
January 18th, 2013 at 5:48 pm
mcnulty was QB coach for arizona this past season and they had the worst QB play in the league. awful hire
January 18th, 2013 at 5:49 pm
I hope your right about Free for BucNation’s sake Ralphy,
I just don’t believe that’s gonna be the case
January 18th, 2013 at 5:51 pm
Maybe as an ex DB, he can teach Freeman how not to stare down receivers, at least he will learn something new.
January 18th, 2013 at 5:51 pm
Since the Bucs settled on Mike Sullivan after the unsuccessful attempt to hire McNulty last year, will this give Sullivan the “Yips” with McNulty in the room? Could this have a negative effect on Josh Freeman if Sullivan is hearing footsteps? This could be a soap opera or it could be the best thing that could happen – for Josh to have a cooperative braintrust to help him succeed. Only the shadow knows!
January 18th, 2013 at 5:52 pm
With all due respect Joe you have no clue what sort of QB coach McNulty will be, neither does anyone else. The best QB coach in the world couldnt have made chicken salad out of the chicken spit that is Kolb, Skelton, Lindsey & Hoyer.
January 18th, 2013 at 5:54 pm
I hope so too because a rookie qb will set us back with this defense no lead is safe he will make too many mistakes trying to keep up with what the other team scores
January 18th, 2013 at 5:55 pm
Why do we have to get the best QB coach, the best Wide Receivers, Lineman, Running backs, Offensive coaches. Sounds like we just need a better Quarter Back when you read this article.
” you can build a house out of mud, but it will be a lot easier and nicer with the right material and all the tools”
some guy that hung dry wall in my house, but no truer words were ever spoken.
January 18th, 2013 at 5:56 pm
McNulty hire is cool but our OC Coach Sullivan is a QB coach as well…another year w/ Sully Freeman will be good
January 18th, 2013 at 6:27 pm
I agree with Joe. They should have hired an ex-NFL QB, like the Chargers just did when they hired Frank Reich to work with Philip Rivers.
January 18th, 2013 at 6:37 pm
I was expecting him to be a wr coach since he worked with Arizona WR. Strange move in my opinion, however if this coach can give any positive impact I’m all for it.
January 18th, 2013 at 6:37 pm
So we ignore everything else and draft a qb because that is the biggest need Im sure there is a Brees ,Brady or Manning in every draft.Work with what you got draft best player available there is no upgrade over him available,so dont let your mud roof cave in.
January 18th, 2013 at 6:37 pm
I’m with the realist. As a QB you either have it or you don’t, regardless of your position coach.
January 18th, 2013 at 6:38 pm
Remember guys, Sullivan spends a LOT of time with Freeman and in addition to being OC is also a mentor to Freeman in many of the same ways he was to Eli. Stop panicking here. Schiano knows McNulty extremely well and knows what he’s getting in this guy. I trust his judgment, especially compared to the complaints of some stupid fan(s).
To the complainers and naysayers: get over yourselves. You know nothing. Just watch the game, read the articles and play your fantasy football. As for the decision-making leave it to those people who aren’t idiots (aka the Bucs front office and coaching staff).
January 18th, 2013 at 6:48 pm
At this point, either freeman has it he doesn’t. He’s been in the NFL for what, 4 years now? His mechanics are what they are. I’m more concerned with Freeman’s understanding of what defenses are giving him and when and when not to take risks.
Keep adding talent around him and get him comfortable in one scheme and I think we’ll be fine. Everything will feed off of the running game anyway.
January 18th, 2013 at 6:49 pm
…freeman has it , ( or) he doesn’t.
January 18th, 2013 at 6:53 pm
The best thing about it is that we will all find out next season.
January 18th, 2013 at 7:00 pm
This is a great hire. Schiano will work it out. I’d love to see them bring in Jeff Carlson as a consultant to work with Josh.
Smoking Brisket and Ribs, drinking Craft Beer, gonna be a long night. Work at 7AM.
Happy Friday Gang!!!
January 18th, 2013 at 7:20 pm
“I hope your right about Free for BucNation’s sake Ralphy,
I just don’t believe that’s gonna be the case”
……….. said Joe’s hand puppet!
Don’t be afraid to have a personal opinion man.
If you draft the best player(s) available then why wouldn’t you hire the best coach(s) available?
I still think Freeman has a chance, but to hire a coach for just 1 player is silly.
January 18th, 2013 at 7:20 pm
Racheal and Punk Rock Bucsfan yall some sissys know it alls. Shut yo punk a$$ up for one article.
You maggots lucky i cant even see your response until its to late..I cant argue back so it looks like you got the last word hateraid…THE ACID AND SQUEEZING THESE GROUPIES at the ac/dc concert made me say that.. Bonehead!
January 18th, 2013 at 7:22 pm
Another reason it is a great hire…if sully decides to leave we will have somebody here to take over…..very smart !
January 18th, 2013 at 7:22 pm
great hire! nice to see coach getting his guys, should help wide reciviers too
January 18th, 2013 at 7:54 pm
@Sombrero
Bitter isn’t better kid.
All this crying because I told you to get lost when you told Joe to STFU on his own site…
Tsk tsk tsk want a tissue???
Not once have I ever been called a “joe’s puppet” here, there have been numerous times where I’ve disagreed with Joe on certain articles and anyone whose been around long enough has seen it. I’ve always been critical about Free and last time I checked Joe has never outright claimed to be of the same mind.
Anywho, I don’t need to be giving you the satisfaction of a response.
I’m flattered by all your attention though lolol.
January 18th, 2013 at 8:08 pm
PRBucFan – There’s no place for what you were doing in this thread. Some of your comments have been deleted.
January 18th, 2013 at 8:13 pm
@Joe that’s fine,
I stand by what I said Lol
The guy is dual posting and following me from thread to thread and when I say something to him I’m the bad guy?
Am I supposed to feel bad?
You call me out yet don’t bother to post to him when he tells you to STFU lol.
Honestly that’s laughable Joe. But whatever, it is what it is.
January 18th, 2013 at 8:13 pm
Why interview every possible QB coach candidate when Schiano’s buddy is available? Typical clique crap. I hope I’m wrong and they did interview many candidates.
McNulty is a receivers coach. WTF?
January 18th, 2013 at 8:15 pm
@PRBuc – Joe doesn’t see every last thing here. But that’s the point. Joe doesn’t want to play babysitter, nor does Joe have the time to do that.
Who started it to Joe doesn’t matter. Act like an idiot and you get called out or run.
January 18th, 2013 at 8:23 pm
There is one comment I posted about sucking up to Free which I stated in a much more vulgar term and I apologize for that. I allowed him to get under my skin. My bad.
January 18th, 2013 at 8:25 pm
“Leonardo Da Vinci wasn’t at the last supper, but most people think he did a pretty good job of painting it.” -James Gamble Rodgers II
If the dude’s a good coach, he’s a good coach, he doesn’t have to have been a QB, and by the way Arizona’s o-line this year = 2011 Bucs run defence (second half of the season), the QB’s had no chance.
January 18th, 2013 at 8:55 pm
My sentiments exactly Joe D. The guy can coach, period. Him paired with Sully should be more than enough for Freeman. Although, I would still not be opposed to a sports psychologist or Carlson for the basics. It would be really difficult to change Freeman’s throwing mechanics going into his fifth year.
I think Freeman’s struggles are more mental than anything. A coach like McNulty should be able to help with that.
January 18th, 2013 at 10:06 pm
Everybody wants to whine and moan about coaching changes… as if they knew more about the subject than Schiano. Friggin’ crybabies and haters…
January 18th, 2013 at 10:57 pm
well said George
January 18th, 2013 at 11:40 pm
TAC Says:
January 18th, 2013 at 5:51 pm
“Maybe as an ex DB, he can teach Freeman how not to stare down receivers, at least he will learn something new.”
!!!LOL!!!
FLBoyInDallas Says:
January 18th, 2013 at 6:38 pm
“Remember guys, Sullivan spends a LOT of time with Freeman and in addition to being OC is also a mentor to Freeman in many of the same ways he was to Eli. Stop panicking here. Schiano knows McNulty extremely well and knows what he’s getting in this guy. I trust his judgment, especially compared to the complaints of some stupid fan(s).
To the complainers and naysayers: get over yourselves. You know nothing. Just watch the game, read the articles and play your fantasy football. As for the decision-making leave it to those people who aren’t idiots (aka the Bucs front office and coaching staff).”
+1
January 18th, 2013 at 11:41 pm
Where do they find a coach to fix stupid? Free’s a moron
January 18th, 2013 at 11:48 pm
nutsacbucs,
you just ramble on in your drug-addled mind. you just prove what a waste of space you are. seriously, i’d much rather have the overly positive slant of ralphy than the negative stuff you spew.
hey boob,
obviously they couldn’t fix you. you are a nobody loser calling out people in their professions. who are you? don’t forget, you are not only the short-bus driver, you are a rider too.
January 19th, 2013 at 12:25 am
You tell em lurker!! Free’s a moron? Really? Well that moron set franchise records this year.
January 19th, 2013 at 1:13 am
OC Coach Sullivan is a QB coach as well…You need to be patient Joe. It takes a lot of time. It’s the most difficult job in sports. The development of being a successful NFL QB year in year out is a process. Lot’s of moving parts every year. Every year is an adjustment. Every year there are challenges.
We all get frustrated with Josh. He really is still just a kid. He makes mistakes and will continue to make mistakes but also he has learn’t from many of mistakes already to.
You ask any QB who is 29 or older and ask them what they think of themselves as a QB at age 24 they will all say the same thing. Compared to today back then they really didn’t know much.
That’s the lesson.
Would you give up on your kids when they struggle to get it ? NOOOO
Josh has to to be Josh. Not Eli, not Payton, not Brady. Josh got to the NFL being Josh. He has been able to figure some things out. I have confidence he will be able to evolve into a very good QB.
Inhale faith Exhale fear.
January 19th, 2013 at 1:19 am
@Marques – This has little to do with Freeman and more to do with whether the Bucs hired the best possible quarterbacks coach for the job. On the surface today, it appears to Joe they didn’t do that.
January 19th, 2013 at 1:47 am
we knew he would most likely be a coach here either way. but now, who to coach receivers?
January 19th, 2013 at 2:24 am
@FLBoyinDallas,
Why the venom? You upset over there? Seems like your passive aggression towards other’s opinions on this blog is mounting by the article.
May I suggest: a deep breath, count to 10, and pinch yourself because you’re dreaming bruffa.
Freeman is under the microscope because he sucks. He either has “it” or he doesn’t. No way around it, and a QB coach isn’t going to be the one out there making the plays. Freeman needs to be at throwing lessons all offseason instead of the gun range. I believe in Freeman’s talent, I just doubt he wants “it” bad enough. IMO, he doesn’t love football enough to be a champion.
January 19th, 2013 at 2:32 am
Sombrero Buc,
You don’t hire coaches in the same theory of drafting players. How do you know McNulty wasn’t the best hire available?
And to those upset about no thriving a mechanics guru, why? Freeman has shown the ability to thread the needle on occasion. His problem is replicating mechanics and mental/physical consistency. IMO, Frreman needs a Coach that’s going to get hi, the most prepared for gsmes: physically and mentally.
I hope Freeman has the testicular fortitude to fight for his job next year, after we draft a QB, and doesn’t fold like a little bitch. I hope he proves what GMC has, probowl.
January 19th, 2013 at 2:47 am
“In other words, the best QB coach — or team of QB coaches — on the market.”
Who exactly would that be???
McNulty had to work with
-Ryan Lindley
-John Skelton
-Brian Hoyer
It doesn’t seem likely that any coach would get different results with that crop of QB’s lol
January 19th, 2013 at 3:40 am
Why give Joe grief? You don’t think Josh is any better than
-Ryan Lindley
-John Skelton
-Brian Hoyer
anyway, so you probably also believe McNultys the best hire for QB coach.
I happen to agree with Joe. McNulty, I’m sure is a good coach but not as the QB coach at a crucial time of Josh’s development.
Like Joe said, “preferably one who played the position and who could really go deep on Freeman with his mechanics”
…amen to that ..just what the doctor ordered.
January 19th, 2013 at 5:36 am
It depends 😉
Jekyll is better, Hyde is actually worse than the three…
And I don’t remember saying he was or he wasn’t the best hire.
“preferably one who played the position and who could really go deep on Freeman with his mechanics”
That suggests maybe that there’s an option out there that fits this description best to Joe and I was asking who that is in his eyes.
Thanks though 1.5
January 19th, 2013 at 8:46 am
Joe,
I don’t think hiring McNulty has anything to do with Freeman at all. McNulty is OC-in-waiting. If Sullivan wins big, then he’s on to bigger and better things. If he loses, then Schiano has the OC that he’s always wanted. Either way, Schiano is going to eventually have it his way.
January 19th, 2013 at 9:36 am
@Macabee – He could be OC-in-waiting as receivers coach. … Look, Joe has no problem with McNulty. We knew he was coming and he’s got an excellent receivers coach resume. Joe wrote about it Sunday in detail. Joe’s just not seeing any evidence that McNulty is the best QB coach they could find. … Joe hopes to hear about the exhausting search and interview process the Bucs went through to find the next coach for Freeman and his “competition.” Joe’s not holding his breath on that..
January 19th, 2013 at 9:37 am
Go trade for Flynn, he’s available.
January 19th, 2013 at 10:40 am
@stevek
Perfectly stated.
January 19th, 2013 at 10:55 am
@Architek:
Go back to bed, dude.
January 19th, 2013 at 11:22 am
Joe,
No need to respond. I agree that there were better QB coaches out there, that is if they would come to work here. What you’re saying makes too much sense. I’m saying there was not much sense that went into the hire. McNulty had just gotten a promotion from WR coach to QB coach. I’m sure after just getting fired he didn’t want to take a demotion too. Schiano wants this guy and wasn’t going to let him get away this time. Josh Freeman be damned! He’s our QB coach until further notice!
January 19th, 2013 at 2:11 pm
After 56 games I question will anything be enough to get JF beyond mediocrity!
January 19th, 2013 at 2:17 pm
Question to everyone: couldn’t they just move McNaulty over to WR coach when they find the guy they want at qb coach or are they married to McNaulty being the qb coach?
January 19th, 2013 at 2:38 pm
It seems when Schiano makes his mind up about something, he is to stubborn to look at any other options. I’m not saying this is a bad hire, or good for that matter. Just a bit odd is all. Even odder is the fact we are content to just sit pat with Sheridan. Hate to say it but seems as though Miguel’s opinion of Schianos “Napolean Complex” might have some teeth to it.
January 19th, 2013 at 2:39 pm
McNulty is the QB coach because QB coaches are involved with game planning. A WR / RB coach will rarely be in gameplanning situations and McNulty was the OC at Rutgers, so Schiano would love to have him in the game planning meetings.
January 19th, 2013 at 2:42 pm
Joe just out of curiousity, has there been any word out of 1BP about who we have been interviewing for WRs coach? Or QB coach for that matter other than McNulty. Things have been extremely quiet over there.
January 19th, 2013 at 3:32 pm
Wasn’t Mike Sullivan a DB in college? Eli Manning seems to think Sullivan was a pretty good QB coach.
Don’t understand the early hate on McNulty.
January 19th, 2013 at 5:10 pm
Silence:
Of course not. Schiano doesn’t do his business in the public light. If a candidate tipped off a reporter he was in the running, Schiano likely would cross said candidate off his list right away.
Schiano likely will hold interviews next week at the Senior Bowl as that is the biggest football job fair of the year.
January 20th, 2013 at 9:47 pm
The Little General hasn’t had a decent cup of coffee since he parted company with McNulty. “He knows just how I like it.”
I’m back, in case anyone missed me.
@ Joe
I can only access even numbered days in the archives, trying to catch up here.
January 20th, 2013 at 10:10 pm
The playoffs make my point. For all the whining about our defense letting TheMoron down, how many low scoring games have we seen? The NFL is now designed for offense.
In the playoffs only Manning and Brady have significantly more experience than Freeman Flacco & Ryan are virtual contemoraries Wilson, RG III and Kapernick have less. They are all smart. Freeman is the village idiot. You cant fix stupid