Lovie Looking At College OCs, Too
December 30th, 2014
Lovie Smith said the Jeff Tedford debacle has not scared him from hiring another college guy as his offensive coordinator.
If one could put a finger on just one element why the Bucs were the worst team in the NFL this season. Joe thinks it is clear: the mess that was the offense.
Lovie Smith initially went bold — always a good trait — and hired college quarterbacks guru Jeff Tedford as his offensive coordinator. We all know how that turned out.
(Joe remembers the day Lovie was introduced. Joe asked him if he had any reservations on how Tedford, who had zero NFL experience, would translate to the NFL, Lovie flatly told Joe, none at all.)
What made matters worse was the quarterbacks coach, nearly always next in line to an offensive coordinator, was Marcus Arroyo, who not only had zero NFL experience, but scant college experience.
The offense quickly went up in flames.
So one would think the experiment of having college guys run an NFL offense would have scarred Lovie and turned him off on college guys. Apparently, that is not the case. Yesterday in his 2014 season postmortem, Lovie said he certainly will also look at college guys to fill the coordinator opening.
“I would like to get the best offensive coordinator,” Lovie said. “I just don’t think you put yourself in a box. You look and you talk to as many people as possible. Every guy in the NFL was once in college, so I don’t think you can close the door on that. So I’m just going to – all available guys that I think we should talk to that would give us a chance to be successful offensively, I think I owe it to our organization to talk to them.”
As former NFL quarterback and current FOX NFL analyst Brady Quinn told Joe recently, there is definitely a learning curve for guys who come from college to run an NFL offense. The main thing is, college coordinators — unless they played in the NFL themselves — have never seen the types of defenses NFL teams run. There is certainly an adjustment, Quinn said.
So after getting his hands burned once, Joe finds it odd Lovie would be willing to reach back into the fire again. After running the Bucs into the ground like he did this year, Joe’s not so sure Team Glazer is going to be very patient allowing another college guy on-the-job training.
After losing 14 games this season, it doesn’t seem practical that Lovie would have much wiggle room next year to survive the bumps in the road a college guy would encounter, much less another pathetic season.
December 30th, 2014 at 4:03 pm
Look but to NOT touch!
December 30th, 2014 at 4:10 pm
Insanity is allowing Lovie Smith to hire another offensive coordinator and expect a different result.
December 30th, 2014 at 4:15 pm
Make any hire require approval of a well known Cardiologist first
December 30th, 2014 at 4:17 pm
It’s like the sexy bar maid with big boobs and you are out with the boys. It’s great to whoop and holler on a Saturday but come Sunday you are kicking back with the girl that knows how to cook a good Sunday dinner. Lots of big boobs out there but there are only a few who really know how to cook something special on Sunday.
December 30th, 2014 at 4:19 pm
I think right now there is a lot of smoke and mirrors. I think Lovie will 100% get an OC with NFL experience. I also think Lovie is looking for other Position coaches and how that chemistry may work with some of the available OC’s. Lovie may be a goat for screwing this year up but he is not stupid and contrary to belief is not a complete failure as a head coach. I think we will indeed see how willing he is to evolve next year. Next year could be his last year not just coaching the Bucs but coaching anywhere but a small college so I look for him to evolve at lest a little to maintain his professional career.
December 30th, 2014 at 4:21 pm
Glazers step in and ban Lovie from having anything to do with offensive plans. Stick to defense Lovie, your area of expertise. Let smarter heads prevail offensively. An inexperienced college OC would be a upgrade here. I know it goes against your control freak mentality Lovie, but butt out.
December 30th, 2014 at 4:21 pm
I’d be much happier getting an innovative NFL coordinator. Someone from GB Philly, Dallas, or Denver. Someone who knows how to score. Not just keep the ball. Keeping the ball is nice, provided you punch it in at the end of the drive.
December 30th, 2014 at 4:45 pm
Scott Frost
December 30th, 2014 at 4:57 pm
Which of course means that Lovie will NOT consider any college OC’s. The guy seems to say the opposite of everything he feels. I hate to call the guy a liar, but the shoe certainly seems to fit…
December 30th, 2014 at 5:14 pm
No need to make an issue out of it. Coach talk again and pretty Lovie is going with experience this time.
December 30th, 2014 at 5:29 pm
If the Bucs were to draft Mariotta ink his college OC too.
December 30th, 2014 at 5:32 pm
Aren’t there guys coaching college ball that once coached in the pros? I mean, Jim Harbaugh is in college ball now, right? In a few years, he could return to the nfl.
It’s okay to look anywhere he wants. The actual hire? Get it right.
December 30th, 2014 at 5:33 pm
We need a proven QB whisperer like Trestman, Turner, Shanahan, etc… we do not have the luxury to take a shot on a college up and comer.
Yes, all of you are right. Lovie needs to be a window shopper from behind the glasd. Lovie, you can look but don’t touch.
Equally as important is to hire a Marinelli like guy who’s good with xsand os to a pposition similar to.what Schiano hired Butch Davis.
December 30th, 2014 at 5:37 pm
How exactly is he lying????????
You people are complete idiots who cannot understand the english language. He said he’s looking at all options and it would wrong to rule any source out. That’s not lying, that is absolute common sense.
Cheese and crackers, Tampa has some of the dumbest fans I have ever seen (barring Atlanta and NYJ)
December 30th, 2014 at 6:06 pm
hmmm…what’s jeff jagodzinski up to these days? spurrier, chip kelly, schiano, jagz, tedford…..i think the bucs have been about as successful courting college coaches as they have been in finding franchise QBs throughout their history. if i recall correctly, the last time the bucs hit on either was in the 70’s with John McKay and Doug Williams. Let’s just cool it on NCAA coaching talent for a little bit.
December 30th, 2014 at 6:09 pm
*forgot to include the incomparable Ray Perkins….
December 30th, 2014 at 6:18 pm
why not get mariotas hc
December 30th, 2014 at 6:53 pm
you guys are dreaming tools..its gonna be a lovie mold guy, 2 yards and a cloud of dust.with a ray guy type punter for field advantage..really boring and predictable..making greg olson look innovative
December 30th, 2014 at 6:59 pm
@BuccaneerBonzai, You people is plural, if you got something to say to someone than say it to them.. You people go off on somebody for having there own opinion= do you get my drift?
December 30th, 2014 at 7:50 pm
John McKay….was a college coach…..led the Bucs to 0-26….then 2 short years later was….”one of three coaches to lead the Bucs to the NFC Championship”
December 30th, 2014 at 7:58 pm
Pancake, what you said!
December 30th, 2014 at 8:29 pm
Who else would want to run Lovie’s offense? Besides Lovie’s not likely to hire anyone who might get promoted as his own replacement when the brothers’ patience with Lovie-ball wears out.
December 30th, 2014 at 11:11 pm
If Lovie is serious about being open to hiring another college OC, I hope he is looking at Lane Kiffin. Lane may be lame, but the guy knows how to build an offense, be it around a pocket passer or scrambler or even around his WRs.
December 31st, 2014 at 6:38 am
Please Mr Glazer, fire Lovey the Looser! Why let him piss away another season? Ra wasn’t this bad.
December 31st, 2014 at 7:12 am
You know the colts lost there head coach two years ago during the season and Andrew luck still took them to the playoffs! So spare me the Tedford excuse mccown.
December 31st, 2014 at 8:09 am
You could bring in the second coming of Bill Walsh and it would not matter with this crap O-line and even crappier QB situation. Three distinct messes must be cleaned up. 1) A good OC 2) A good QB 3) A good O-line.
December 31st, 2014 at 11:28 am
Liar Lovie will screw up the OC hire, the draft & Free Agency. Here we go again. Thanks Glasers. Of course The Glasers & Dovie will be laughing all the way to the bank.