Lovie On Jeff Tedford
January 6th, 2014
Jeff Tedford has Lovie Smith’s confidence.
After Lovie Smith, the 10th Bucs coach in franchise history, had his introductory press conference, Lovie made his way to the press room for a more laid back and casual give-and-take with the Tampa Bay pen and mic club.
Joe was able to get two questions in to Lovie about his offensive coordinator, former Cal coach Jeff Tedford, who has zero NFL experience. Many of his pupils read like a sordid list of quarterbacks in some horror flick meant to torment NFL fans to a painful, tortured existence.
Though Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers learned quarterbacking at the feet of Tedford, so too did the likes of Joey Harrington, Trent Dilfer and the notorious Kyle Boller.
JoeBucsFan: Was Jeff Tedford not having any NFL experience a concern at all?
Lovie Smith: No. No, what is looked at more is that his background at developing quarterbacks. And really, to me, you look at college and there are pro-style offenses that you have. Jeff had that so I was very comfortable with him. His knowledge as a football coach more than [Tedford’s lack] of knowledge in the NFL [was impressive].
Joe: Tedford has had a lot of quarterbacks who were picked high in the draft. Their careers in the NFL have been mixed. What do you make of that?
Lovie: I don’t make anything of it. I look at one, Aaron Rodgers, alright? He’s had a pretty good track record. Trent Dilfer – [Tedford] had, what, six first round guys? As a team, that’s what we want. As a coach, we want athletes coming in for us to be able to work with. That is what Jeff has done.
Joe sure hopes Lovie is right. Because if the Bucs offense struggles, or whoever is at quarterback struggles, the Bucs are going nowhere. While Lovie stated a good defense can win you 10 games, we all know what 10 wins can get you (remember 2010?).
And Joe will keep banging the drum on this little fact: In a division with Drew Brees, Cam Newton and Matty Ice, if you cannot find a quarterback who’s an equal or better, winning a division title to secure a playoff berth is a monumental if not futile task.
January 6th, 2014 at 6:15 pm
Oh boy, here we go again.
January 6th, 2014 at 6:26 pm
I heard the Lovie interview just now. Lovie was asked why Tedford and resoponded cause we have a young QB here and he is a QB guru. Glennon will be starting next year.
January 6th, 2014 at 6:39 pm
I think Tedford will be a plus for our Buc’s offense. Glennon will improve, he won’t meet some peoples definition of a franchise QB. Glennon will have competion, Tedford will advance his game.
January 6th, 2014 at 6:45 pm
Glad we drafted Glennon last year! Like I said now we can draft another position at 7th overall
January 6th, 2014 at 6:46 pm
Rodgers fell in the draft, Breesus was a 2nd rnd pick, Matty ice can’t win without an Oline either. Superman 2.0 will be long gone in this draft.
I don’t know anything about Johnny Football, so won’t comment on him as a prospect, but will see how he is evaluated in the combine.
Sammy Watkins sure did look like a future star playmaker, but will probably be gone before the 7th pick.
Glennon is going to get a shot as a Starting QB, but there will be another QB here one way or the other.
DE was the most glaring need, but maybe that was all scheme related. Oline needs some upgrades, they regressed.
Not worried about the secondary anymore with that piss poor D scheme gone.
We got a good Coach, press conference was great. Nice to see Alstott interested enough to be there.
Relevant again, Buc brand of Football, yea looking forward to next year already.
January 6th, 2014 at 6:46 pm
Carolina won the division with Cam. Is he better than Brees and Ryan? No. So the team with the 3rd best QB in the division won. Why? Mainly their defense.
January 6th, 2014 at 6:50 pm
I wish Lovie would have known Norv Turner was going to get fired, that guy is a really good coordinator with a lot of pro coaching experience. I hope this works out with Tedford, after last year, I am a little worried about non-pro experienced coaches.
January 6th, 2014 at 6:52 pm
Good point Snook
January 6th, 2014 at 6:59 pm
Heard Lovie on the radio this afternoon. He said he likes when players ask questions about why they are doing something, because a coach’s job is to explain they whys. Big change there.
January 6th, 2014 at 6:59 pm
cam is a better qb at scrambling and throwing on the run. that seems to be what is needed t the position nowadays. do we have that? no.
January 6th, 2014 at 6:59 pm
A guy who got run after a 10 Win season because of incoherent Offense I’m sure took a year to correct that issue.
January 6th, 2014 at 7:08 pm
I would take Cam over Ryan this year.
January 6th, 2014 at 7:09 pm
Tedfod was hired because Lovie knew we would have a young QB that needs developing….whether it be Glennon….a draft pick in 14 or a draft pick in 15…..we don’t have, and won’t have an older/established QB.
January 6th, 2014 at 7:10 pm
Than you would have taken Matt Ryan over Drew Brees and Cam last year is what your saying?
January 6th, 2014 at 7:43 pm
This just in, we’re not going to have a QB equal to or better than Newton, Ice, or Brees. That’s the murders’ row of quarterbacks. A competent game managing QB that doesn’t turn the ball over and can throw accurately (Glennon) and a dominating defense could easily win the division. You know, the same way the Bucs won their first Superbowl. I’m glad we’re going to focus even more on the defense. Watching these playoff games were the last team to have the ball wins is ridiculous. I remember the good old days when a John Lynch interception would seal the win for the Bucs. That’s fun football to watch. To me at least.
January 6th, 2014 at 7:45 pm
The problem is football has changed over the last 11 years. Lynch couldn’t play at his pro bowl level now. That’s why you need an offense.
January 6th, 2014 at 7:47 pm
Lurker. What about Brady and manning.
January 6th, 2014 at 7:53 pm
Jesus Vern, way to pick out the only unimportant part of my whole point. Lynch being able to compete today has zero to do with what I’m saying, just an anecdote about the good old days. Obviously you need an offense, but you don’t need a Denver offense that breaks every scoring record in the books. I’ll take an average offense and a top defense any day.
January 6th, 2014 at 8:11 pm
6 of the last 10 Superbowl winners were considered as “dominant defensive” teams and what one would probably call a “dominant defensive” team made it to 9 of those Superbowls (excluding the Saints vs. Colts). The Saints didn’t have a great defense that year but they did cause a lot of turnovers which was one of the things Lovie talked about. Offense is important and I think that he knows that but I don’t think we need to average 35pts a game to win a Superbowl. Defense is the key and always will be!
January 6th, 2014 at 8:13 pm
I would give up the farm to get Houston’s #1 pick and draft Bridgewater. Just sayin…
January 6th, 2014 at 8:13 pm
I would too lol
January 6th, 2014 at 8:23 pm
The Glennon love is sad.. please draft a QB.. please
January 6th, 2014 at 8:31 pm
First of all, the panthers win because of their defense not because of Cam. Secondly, Matt is a good QB and look how far that got them. The point is you win because of team not an individual QB. The saints sucked last year because they had no D.
January 6th, 2014 at 8:40 pm
Harry, do not, ever, give up your day job.
January 6th, 2014 at 9:15 pm
We do have the foundation for a great D in place and with the addition of a few of pieces it will be a reality. The offense is the side of the ball that needs the most attention which I hope it gets.
January 6th, 2014 at 9:46 pm
We’re in a bad pickle offensively due to the ineptitude of former Bucs GM Mark Dominik.
The worst offense in pro football.
I agree we need a QB, but were at the seven slot and foor or so teams ahead of use may want a QB.
Is the 4th or 5th best QB in this draft good enough to be a Newton, Brees, Ryan type player? They are saying the QB class hasn’t turned out to be that good.
So it seems to me we either trade up and go for Johnny or stand pat and forget about a QB this year.
January 6th, 2014 at 10:10 pm
Looking at the first round of the playoffs.
Kaepernik had a good game but Aaron Rodgers played better than any other QB this past weekend. Aaron is sitting at home with his brother Jordan.
Hotshot Andy Dalton looked great for a 2nd round pick didn’t he? The Bengals management was leaning towards Kaepernik but Jay Gruden talked them into Dalton instead.
Again for those who believe the 1st round is the answer…NO it’s a gamble.
Any AMATEUR in the draft is somewhat of a gamble, but especially at Q.B. where other attributes become as important as physical tools…brains…composure…leadership…attitude..you know all the things that made JFree such a brilliant choice.
January 6th, 2014 at 10:15 pm
Let’s not forget that the best QB I this division was a cast off from a team who didn’t think he could be a franchise QB Nd they replaced him with Phillip Rivers. Joe, you and the rest of the no it ally’s need to step back and learn the game before you beat a drum off any sort
January 6th, 2014 at 10:22 pm
Aaron Rodgers completed 17-of-26 passes for 177 yards and a touchdown
That was one of the least productive outputs by a QB this weekend.
Dalton had arguably the worst game out of any QB’s this weekend…
Come on now, not trying to be mean, but really?
January 6th, 2014 at 10:32 pm
I say we build around Glennon and if he doesn’t pan out then we look to Draft a qb next year or the year after.
January 7th, 2014 at 1:58 am
A few comments regarding QBs:
1) Brees is 34 yrs old. He’s only got a couple more elite seasons in him. If a QB is drafted and developed (typically takes at least 3 yrs), Brees will be a non-factor
2) The Giants of 2006 won the Super Bowl with the worst QB in their division
3) When the weather gets bad in the playoffs you count on your D and your running game. Look at the 3 games in bad weather – the winning teams all won by being able to run the ball and have their defense make stops.