Mike Mayock Talks To Joe
January 15th, 2014
In Joe’s eyes, there is simply no other NFL draft analyst. Mike Mayock has no peer. Oh, sure, Mel Kiper has some good insight. But if NFL fans want the most pure, unbiased, deeply researched information on an NFL draft prospect, one can start and stop their research with Mayock.
The NFL Network analyst, who also is a color commentator for Notre Dame games on NBC, was kind enough to give Joe a few minutes of his busy time at the East-West Shrine practices Tuesday to talk Bucs.
JoeBucsFan: Some people think Mike Glennon had a good rookie season. Others think, well, he’s a nice backup but he may be not the guy to lead the Bucs to the playoffs. What’s your take on Glennon?
Mike Mayock: I thought he had a heckuva year. I think I would take the view that I would be cautiously optimistic that he would be your franchise quarterback. That doesn’t mean you don’t prepare and try to upgrade the position if you can. But I thought he played really well.
Joe: Da’Quan Bowers seems to be an enigma. When he did play, he did alright. But he never seemed to be able to get out of Greg Schiano’s doghouse. What is you outlook with Bowers?
Mayock: I think it is a little bit of what you saw at Clemson. There were questions of durability and work ethic. If he can be a consistent player down-in and down-out, he has the physical skillset to do it. But he hasn’t proven that yet.
Joe: Your overall take on the Bucs? A lot of people think former Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik did a decent job stocking the team with some talent and that they could bounce back fairly quickly this year with Lovie Smith. Is that a fair assessment?
Mayock: I thought they ended up playing some decent football. They lost some close games earlier in the year and I thought they did a good job of hanging in there and I thought the young quarterback did a heckuva job. So, yeah, I think Lavonte David is one of the best young linebackers in football and I think [Gerald] McCoy, they need to re-sign him. There are some pieces in place to bounce back quickly, yeah.
Joe: It seemed Schiano might have gotten a mulligan because of the Josh Freeman nonsense. Even Bill Parcells, when he lost Vinnie Testaverde in the first week of the season, had a team that fell apart before rebounding. When you lose your starting quarterback early and have to rely on a rookie, you are doomed. Did you see it that way?
Mayock: I just then, when you give — when you hire a head coach in the NFL, I am not a fan of firing him after one or two years. And if you are going to hire a guy, I think you have to give him four or five years to get his program in place. Worst case scenario it has to be three years. But I just don’t understand a franchise that fires a coach after one or two years. It doesn’t make sense to me.
January 15th, 2014 at 8:17 am
Firing a coach after 2 years didn’t make sense to me either. Not until Schiano happened.
January 15th, 2014 at 8:22 am
Good interview Joe, with a great get! I do wish you asked him to evaluate the o-line. Mike Mayock is one of the best in the business, He is also becoming a decent game day announcer.
January 15th, 2014 at 8:45 am
This guy is one of the BEST…..his analysis is terrific and easy to understand quickly. He really pays attention.
Also, Tampa area does not need 20 more analysts to come on the radio and tell us Lovie was a good hire. On paper it is great, now it is time to produce.
January 15th, 2014 at 8:48 am
I still don’t get the “league experts” and why they are held in such high regard. They have to follow 32 teams by watching parts of games on film. Does that qualify them to be an expert? Most of us here @Joe watch and follow 1 team, know all the players, and still have a wide variety of opinions. Why should we respect the opinion of anybody that has his nose buried in 31 other teams and 1500 other players? I don’t care how smart you are about pro football. There is only so many hours in a day for research.
January 15th, 2014 at 8:49 am
The Glazers over reacted firing Schiano
January 15th, 2014 at 8:58 am
The Glazers under reacted when they didn’t fire Schiano at 0-8.
January 15th, 2014 at 9:02 am
Mike ‘You kiddin me” Maymock is the best draft guy for sure.
January 15th, 2014 at 9:03 am
@Mumbles – They may not have fired Schiano at 0-8 but I am quite sure that they moved on from him then. There wasn’t any utility in ousting him at that point because bringing in a new coach then wouldn’t mean more wins but I would bet a great deal that they started their coaching search at about 0-6. In addition to the film study Lovie has done on other teams this past year I am pretty confident that he’s had a particular interest in TB for a while because he was notified that the position would be available.
January 15th, 2014 at 9:04 am
I agree with him. I think Glennon had a solid year and I’m optimistic about moving forward with him. I also didn’t agree with firing Schiano after 2 years. I agree there were some corrections that needed to be made and a come to jesus talk had to happen, but I think a coach needs at least 3 years to put their team in place and see if it is what we want going forward. It also sends a bad message to future coaching prospects that they have a short leash.
January 15th, 2014 at 9:05 am
Sounds like Mayock is the leader of the Glennon Mob….
J.A. – Mayock has forgotten more about football then you will ever know….how many years of college ball did you play? How many years in the NFL did you play? Do you have any pro bowls? Any rings? Do you spend 8-10 hours a day watching tape?
January 15th, 2014 at 9:06 am
No definitive answers from Mayock. Would have loved to hear an honest to God assessment of if he thinks Bowers will cut it in the NFL. Enigma is the perfect way to put it. Nice interview, Joe.
January 15th, 2014 at 9:08 am
I like his take on Glennon “cautously optimistic”…..upgrade the position if you can….
The if you can part is the debateable issue…..dosen’t sound like Mayock believes we shoud give up the farm to trade up for a QB.
January 15th, 2014 at 9:12 am
It seems that the national media holds Glennon in high regard and it’s only the local press that is ready to declare him a failure.
I am tied of the “4th best QB in the division” argument. If the Bucs mortgaged their future to trade up for Johnny Football, we’d still have the 4th best QB in the division.
January 15th, 2014 at 9:14 am
There will be no upgrade available
January 15th, 2014 at 9:16 am
I had a witty comment but then I saw that Espo put it better than I would. Other than that, Mayock sounds like the voice of reason, doesn’t he? I agree with his other takes. Great interview, Joe.
January 15th, 2014 at 9:28 am
Schiano was fired because of all the drama he couldn’t manage.
Idiot comment/action like:
-It works but since we didn’t practice it we won’t use it
-Bowers double digits prediction
-telling the press that he was outcoached in Saints game
-letting Sheridan ridiculize the fans because of chirpin
– betting the future with drafts picks on Revis
-stating that halftime adjustments are useless and overrated while getting blown in second half
-weird not working stunt schemes abuses
And ultimately the team never progressed during its tenute. We saw individual efforts.. Thats it
Nfl coach isn’t an union job.. Owners can do what they feel right and I think it was the good move
January 15th, 2014 at 9:30 am
can we please stop using the term “Franchise Quarterback” for every run of the mill Quarterback. Glennon is a Quarterback not a Franchise Quarterback.
January 15th, 2014 at 9:32 am
What’s amazing is that people think it is more important to upgrade the top rookie QB last year than it is to upgrade on Tiquan Underwood or T’eo Neshiem. These are positions that are bad that could be made really good but folks are lobbying for a position that’s already good to be made potentially more good.
January 15th, 2014 at 9:32 am
If somehow any of the top three QBs fall to us we need to draft them!
1) Bortles
2) Bridgewater
3) Manziel
January 15th, 2014 at 9:33 am
Maybe I am wrong on Glennon. Maycock certainly knows more than I do. But I just don’t see “it” in Glennon. His stats are fine. but I just don’t see the “wow” factor.
January 15th, 2014 at 9:40 am
I agree with Patrick in VA, we need the best/fastest receiver in the draft, then a boat load of OL. We have three proven running backs that are young, if we need to trade one with our number one draft choice to get whatever position Lovie and his crew think we need, do it.
January 15th, 2014 at 9:42 am
Glennon was probably restricted very much by Schiano….Schiano’s stance on fumbles probably extended to interceptions also.
I suspect Glennon was told to throw it away or take the sack and we saw a lot of that.
Notice how well he did on hurry-up, no-huddle & two minute drills….perhaps that’s because he took more chances.
I am sure Tedford will improve his game significantly.
January 15th, 2014 at 9:42 am
The best “scenario” for the Bucs long term success, would be a huge run on the QB’s before the Bucs pick. Then the Bucs have the best option to fix the D-Line or O-line.
January 15th, 2014 at 9:52 am
There’s an exception to every rule…..it’s Schiano’s fault he was to stubborn, ignorant or just plain dumb to realize he could have left Freeman PLAY his way out of Tampa. Cant be saying i told you so to your bosses because Glennon played ok but still only one 4 games. Rich folks aren’t rich because they give away money and the money Schiano gave away the last two years wow for 11 wins? Totally justified, he should have been one and done really…Mike mayock evaluates players not franchises
January 15th, 2014 at 9:56 am
I guess you know your in the off season when your players start getting arrested. Akem Spence busted with pot smh.
January 15th, 2014 at 9:57 am
I agree with everything he said espically about Glennon and firing a coach after 2 years. Thats why he gets paid the big bucks! He knows what he is talking about!
January 15th, 2014 at 9:59 am
Sorry yall didnt get the immediate satisfaction of seeing a frachise QB from a rookie that started almost halfway through the season, had two receiving options, outdated scheme, and was getting sacked once out of every ten times he dropped back. Could he be more elusive? Yes. Was he so horrendous that we should trade away the rest of our draft for Bortles, Manziel, or Bridgewater? Helllllllll no.
Give Glennon a shot where he doesnt have to play under horrific circumstances with a rejuvenated supporting cast and modern offensive scheme. Def bring in some competition but yall are crazy to write him off so quickly.
January 15th, 2014 at 9:59 am
@buc4lyfe – I think Freeman played his way out of Tampa on the first drive of the season. Being that clueless about what to do when he’d had months to prepare for the opening of the season said that he wasn’t taking this thing seriously. Schiano made a lot of bad plays during his time but he played the Freeman ordeal about as well as he could have. He gave him enough rope to show the public what the team already knew. He wasn’t the same #5 that we were hoping for
January 15th, 2014 at 10:15 am
Glennon is a mediocre QB at best. He does not have “IT”. He’ll manage the game well enough, but not once was he able to lead this team back into a game this year and actually blew several when he attempted to. At least w/ Free (even as a rookie) had the ball late you believed he could score and bring us back. Don’t take that last statement as me being a Freeman guy, cause I’m not and do not want him back.
Unfortunately for us there is not a good enough FA to gamble on, nor will there be one left with the 7th pick. I don’t see us making a move either. So that means another year of Glennon as Lovie builds up the D, brings in a speedy WR, and revamps an aging O-line. Remember he won with Orton and Grossman as he’s QBs. I think Glennon is in that mold…UGH….
January 15th, 2014 at 10:26 am
Mayock didn’t like Freeman coming out (not of the closet) saying he didn’t like his decision making. I like that he likes Glennon.
January 15th, 2014 at 10:43 am
Thanks Joe for the interview with the best in the business, I love Mayock.
Concerning Glennon, maybe I’m off here, but how many of us saw a Pro Bowl QB in Nick Foles last year when he was a rookie? He played well in spurts, but he wasn’t anywhere close to a “franchise QB” at the time. However, in year 2, development occurred and here he is in the Pro Bowl. Glennon has superior intelligence, a good arm, decent touch, and 13 games starting at QB in the NFL under his belt now. I’m anxious to see how he does with a full training camp as the starter and putting it all together… if he falters this year, then I’m all for looking to acquire another QB, but we can’t keep going back to square 1 with QB’s every year.
January 15th, 2014 at 10:47 am
Coach Schiano should have been given one more year. One full year without Freeman, without MRSA, without the largest IR list in the league. One full year without the local media dishing out falsehoods about him. That was sickening. Very few leaders in this world could have held 53 men together amidst those circumstances. And another good draft this spring would have been 3 in a row. The firing was a complete shame and downright wrong.
January 15th, 2014 at 10:58 am
For all you who are hoping to grab a “Franchise” qback at the 7th pick, two (awful) words:
Ryan Tammehill
1st round 7th pick Dolphins
The rest is silence.
January 15th, 2014 at 11:15 am
Lovie is about defense so we better get used to it.
It will be his re-building strategy to make what is good (the Defense) – Great and fix the Offense so that it will not lose games. He is Defense first and will not build a team to come from behind to win or just flat out outscore the other team.
The Defense is Strong and he will make it stronger through the Draft and Free Agency.
IF we draft Offense in the first round it will be because of BPA.
The WR S.Watkins and OT J.Matthews may be the only “safe” picks in the First Round at #7.
Glennon is the “leader in the clubhouse” and it will be his job to lose between now and the draft.
IF the Offense Staff views that he is serviceable over the next few months of working with him, QB will NOT be the Bucs first round priority.
QB may not even be until a Day Three of the draft priority.
So Glennon will not have the pressure of a First Round QB to compete with and will still be here for his Mob
January 15th, 2014 at 11:16 am
Schiano’s undoing was the coordinators that he hired and the fact that he would never be able to hire other more qualified candidates because they would have to run his idea of what the schemes should look like. I really think it is that simple. He refused to adjust to the NFL.
January 15th, 2014 at 11:17 am
I like Mayock, good interview although vague answers.
Captain Stagger Says:
January 15th, 2014 at 9:05 am
Sounds like Mayock is the leader of the Glennon Mob….
J.A. – Mayock has forgotten more about football then you will ever know….how many years of college ball did you play? How many years in the NFL did you play? Do you have any pro bowls? Any rings? Do you spend 8-10 hours a day watching tape?
@ captain
Mayock played in the NFL, has rings, and Pro Bowls? News to me
January 15th, 2014 at 11:20 am
Lou, I’d have zero issue if the Bucs had Tannehill. The guy was a WR at the beginning of college, only in his second year this season, and played very well for most of the season with a horrible o-line and running game. You should’ve used Gabbert, Ponder, Locker, Leaf, Akili Smith, Sanchez, Jamarcus Russell, and many others to prove your point.
January 15th, 2014 at 11:39 am
@Jason Thank you! Another point on Nick Foles – much like Glennon in his second year he plays in a completely different system, one that caters to his strengths and allowed him to develop. You gotta think Tedford is gonna do the same.
January 15th, 2014 at 12:02 pm
Who cares if it is one or two years, if it isn’t going to work, it isn’t going to work. It didn’t matter whether it was now or 4 years from now, that hire was a turd and needed to be flushed, the sooner the better because it was stinking up the entire house.
January 15th, 2014 at 12:26 pm
Glennon sucks and was a wasted draft pick. They could have drafted a good DL, OL or TE with that pick. So many wasted draft picks. I like Tandy and Goode, but really? Schiano took bad picks to another level of suck. Greg Schiano was a disaster from the first game when he rushed the victory formation. That was so embarrassing. Schiano may have eventually made the playoffs but I don’t think the Glazers wanted to wait another 25 years for him to figure it out.
January 15th, 2014 at 12:33 pm
Bucs need to take the best player on the board at 7. No reaching for a QB like Locker or Ponder mistakes. We need help across the board and can’t afford to miss. OL, DE, CB, TE – I am not part of the Glennon Mob but the kid worked hard and with more coaching can get the ball out to his playmakers. He might not be able to bring a team back from 14 down but with a few pieces on D he might not need to.
January 15th, 2014 at 12:53 pm
Some of these idiots will never understand that Bottles is a Bust waiting to happen..Blaine Gabbert 2.0
January 15th, 2014 at 12:54 pm
I meant Bortles
January 15th, 2014 at 1:15 pm
Not sure about Glennon? Google or YouTube old footage of either of the Manning brothers their final years in college and rookie NFL seasons. Strikingly similar to Glennon’s. If Tedford is all he’s reported to be, we have our franchise QB. Now go get Watkins!
January 15th, 2014 at 2:01 pm
YouTube highlight reels – making fans feel like talent evaluators for over 10 years!
There is nothing, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, that reminds me of either Manning when watching Mike Glennon. That comment is so absolutely absurd I can’t believe I’m even taking the time to respond. And the most hilarious part of it is that you site YouTube as a reference. SMH
January 15th, 2014 at 3:11 pm
People seem to forget last year as a rookie Foles TOURCHED us for 381 two touchdowns and a game winning drive in his FIRST start. He showed that it factor then. Say what you want about Glennon but when the chips were down they stayed down
January 15th, 2014 at 3:55 pm
I’ve gone on YouTube and compared pop warner video highlights of Glennon and Tom Brady. The similarities are eerie.
January 15th, 2014 at 5:27 pm
Mel Kiper was wrong about Cam Newton.
Nuff said.
Hes invalid now.
War Eagle!
Go Bucs!
January 15th, 2014 at 7:06 pm
Mayock is a great Football mind. I like his takes.
If a highly rated QB falls to us- ok. But I’m not afraid to go in to next season with Glennon.
Still need what I was screaming about last season!
A big Pass catching TE, who can block, and out muscle Safties. Tim wright looked good as a Pass catching TE mismatch, let’s team him with a 270lber
A slot Reciever. Who can wreak havoc in the middle of the field
Schiano said those posistions weren’t important in his offense.
Yeah, right. We sucked until Wright and underwood became part of offense.
Add guards to this years list of needs
January 15th, 2014 at 8:28 pm
I am now scouring youTube looking for the next Tony Gonzalez. This shouldn’t take too long.
January 15th, 2014 at 9:06 pm
I agree with you 100% Joe. Mike Mayock is the best. Period.