Is Schiano Thinking About Turning To Page?
June 4th, 2013
Questioned today about the wide receivers depth chart, Greg Schiano tossed an unsolicited curveball out there while praising the versatility of free-agent signing Eric Page, the 21-year-old University of Toledo icon who was with the Broncos last season.
Page caught Joe’s eye two weeks ago, and it seems he might have a leg up for a roster spot.
“Page is returning punts and he’s also playing in the slot,” Schiano said. “[Wide receivers] need to have multiple functions if they’re not that first two” on the depth chart. And at times last year we found ourselves in situations where they couldn’t do that, and that handcuffs you a little bit. And unless you study it, you don’t understand the [negative] trickle down effect it has.”
Hmmm, so Page is playing punt returner, which is significant considering the Bucs don’t have one.
In his final season at Toledo (2011), Page returned 18 punts with one touchdown and an average return of 10.9 yards.
Joe has a small piece of advice for Page: Don’t fumble.
June 4th, 2013 at 2:39 pm
another Toledo on the roster: Danny Noble, TE. We have a good sized TE who last year stumbled with a hamstring but knows Schiano’s game and has a season of classroom under his belt and a small slot receiver who have played together in college.
I’d be interested to know how they did together at Toledo.
June 4th, 2013 at 3:41 pm
Another guy coming off a serious injury. I wont lie when I say the amount of players we have coming back from a serious injury bothers me. What are the chances they all come back at full strength? Or even 75%? The probability can’t be all that high.
We do have a talented team but they also are a injury riddled team with a history of having bad luck with injuries. Here’s to hoping this year we finally catch a break.
June 4th, 2013 at 3:58 pm
Couch,
There also seems to be a lot of drafted players who are nursing college injuries still. Quite a few want be ready by training camp. Last year as a whole there was an exorbitant amount of season ending injuries as well league wide.
June 4th, 2013 at 4:07 pm
I thought coach had the 5’5″ RB Matt Brown doing kick offs and punt returns? Sounds like coach is trying out as many bodies as he can.
June 4th, 2013 at 5:31 pm
TBT@OBP – which drafted players are nursing college injuries on the Bucs roster? Not Banks, not Glennon, not Spence, not Gholston, not Means, not James… That’s the whole draft class. Where do you get your information?
June 4th, 2013 at 5:50 pm
It seems we have a complete HC…..
June 4th, 2013 at 5:56 pm
Couch,
Your concern is understood, but modern medicine and a super competitive regime give us every reason to roll the dice on these guys.
I am just so damn happy to not have any loafing going on out there ever again.
June 4th, 2013 at 6:06 pm
Curmudgeon,
Throughout the league, but fortunately not us.
June 5th, 2013 at 10:18 am
Couch injury’s should never be an excuse. All NFL team’s have player’s coming back from serious injury’s. Let’s not forget the Packer’s won the superbowl with the most player’s on IR. The best year for the buc’s recently (2010) we had a ton of injury’s. It’s up to the GM to provide depth on the roster.
June 5th, 2013 at 10:42 am
Being an alumnus of UT, Page is very elusive, sure handed, and fast. Noble was more of a mystery, as Toledo’s gameplan is more outscore the other team than play defense. As a result, the WR’s get more attention than the TE’s, but we’ll be well off with Page as PR and a slot. Yes, it’s a MAC school, but we’ve had some gems come out of there (Michael Turner, Roethlisberger, Gradkowski (cough), and even Lance Moore) He’s got a shot at making a difference.