Building An Offense
January 12th, 2015
Bucs OC Dirk Koetter’s offense is based on the LaVell Edwards playbook, says Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune.
If recent history is any barometer, Bucs fans may very well like what they see in their offense this coming fall. That was the message from Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune last night, as he appeared on Sunday Sports Extra with local raconteur Dan Lucas of WFLA-TV, Channel 8.
The main topic discussed was, of course, the new hire of offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter, who served in the same position recently with the Dixie Chicks.
Cummings noted that the same high-powered offense Atlanta had is exactly the type of offense the Bucs are trying to build.
“We’ve seen [the Dixie Chicks] use their tight ends, we’ve seen them use their slot receivers,” Cummings said. “This is what the Bucs are sort of developing right now. They have some of those weapons: Vincent Jackson and obviously Mike Evans, they kept around Louis Murphy this year and if Austin Seferian-Jenkins works out as a tight end, you’ve got the receivers.
“And I think they’ve got a pretty good running attack, they have depth their at that spot with Doug Martin and obviously Bobby Rainey — we saw Charles Sims, that guy can catch the ball out of the backfield. That’s another weapon that works in that scheme.”
Of course, two elements left out are the two biggest concerns. First, the offensive line for the Bucs was a hot mess, not unlike the Dixie Chicks’. Then there is the elephant in the room:
Do you trust turnover-prone quarterback Josh McCown to lead the Bucs to anywhere but the basement? His lone win last year was against the sorry Redskins.
It’s nice to talk about throwing the ball to receivers, but if you don’t have a guy that can do that (sorry, Joe doesn’t count jump balls which anyone can throw), it doesn’t matter how pretty the playbook looks.
Oh, what was very interesting was Cummings’ note that Koetter’s offense is rooted in LaVell Edwards’ offense of the BYU heydays. Now that was some entertaining (and winning) football.
January 12th, 2015 at 6:47 am
All the more reason they need to draft Winston. The guy can flat out play!
January 12th, 2015 at 7:00 am
Speak on notlovinlovie!
January 12th, 2015 at 7:28 am
Jameis Winston is coming to Tampa!
January 12th, 2015 at 7:32 am
Atlanta have murdered us in recent years with well-disguised and executed screenplays. Huge chunks of yardage. Meanwhile, we’ve been hopeless at even this most basic offensive wrinkle. Looking forward to some change on that front.
January 12th, 2015 at 7:42 am
Cant wait to watch Mariota show everyone why he is the better pick tonight. Winston is a bust. Hopefully it’s not the bucs that learn this the hard way
January 12th, 2015 at 8:08 am
Self-proclaimed GM Says:
January 12th, 2015 at 7:42 am
Cant wait to watch Mariota show everyone why he is the better pick tonight. Winston is a bust. Hopefully it’s not the bucs that learn this the hard way
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Keep proclaiming yourself as a GM because you’ve got ZERO actual football knowledge. On the field, there is no comparing Winston and Mariota. Say what you want, off the field, but Winston can do it all on the field.
January 12th, 2015 at 8:08 am
Glennon
January 12th, 2015 at 8:13 am
If you remember last year at the championship game they switched offense a bit to get the ball out of Winston’s hands faster.
He was masterful with it. Throwing the ball before the receivers break.
Perfect for him.
I hope Marcus lights it up tonight also.
January 12th, 2015 at 8:15 am
Glennon was horrible in college, so don’t even go there. Winston will be our QB next year, so get used to seeing the greatness!
January 12th, 2015 at 8:18 am
Would you let your daughter wear a winston jersey? Not me. Never. Marcus is the obvious choice.
January 12th, 2015 at 8:25 am
Jeff, my wife and 2 daughters all want Winston jerseys.
Why?
Because accusations doesn’t mean guilty. I teach my daughters not to go back to apartments with 3 men they’ve never met before at 2 a.m. in the morning.
Obviously she just went back there for a friendly chat in your mind. Must be nice being so pure.
January 12th, 2015 at 8:26 am
Lol, gettem Brandon!
January 12th, 2015 at 8:40 am
Well….it’s starting early!!!……I am OK with either QB…my wife says it will be like constantly waiting on pap smear results to come back if Winston is our QB….
January 12th, 2015 at 8:43 am
For those of you that want to stick with Glennon. I hope you’re the first ones to buy season tickets next season.
January 12th, 2015 at 8:58 am
87forJameis, I have two daughters and basically told them the same thing years ago when they hit their teen years and Jeff, if you can tell any daughter over the age of 18 what to wear, you have more power than most dictators.
January 12th, 2015 at 9:03 am
Why is nobody talking about Peyton when he was in college? please look up Naughright Peyton
January 12th, 2015 at 9:09 am
I know my choice, Mariota, but I don’t care who Koetter takes as long as it is his QB.
We all know Lovie doesn’t have a clue in QBs with his playing McCown all year except when he was injured. Some day in the future Joe, please ask Lovie what was he thinking with McCown all year. Except for getting the number one pick, nothing makes any sense.
January 12th, 2015 at 9:11 am
Lovie has no choice but to draft Winston he doesn’t have time for the choir boy to develop after going 2-14.
I like the Koetter hire let’s just hope Lovie doesn’t get in the way with his dinosaur philosophy and delusional player evaluation skills.
They can always bring Saint Ritchie Incognito in to help mentor Winston that should remove any concerns from the purists who have never made a bad decision before. I love all the judgmental fools without all the facts passing death sentences on a young man’s life and career.
January 12th, 2015 at 9:15 am
Koetter was on the Atlanta staff when they traded too many picks to move up in the 2011 draft to get Julio jones.
here is what atlanta traded: In moving down from No. 6 pick, the Browns received three 2011 selections: the Falcons’ first-round pick (No. 27), the Falcons’ second-round pick (No. 59) and the Falcons’ fourth-round pick (No. 124). They also received the Falcons’ No. 1 pick in 2012 (No. 22) and their No. 4 pick in 2012 (No. 118).
maybe he can make up for that in tampa by getting a lot of picks for the bucs #1 overall !
January 12th, 2015 at 9:17 am
@Brandon
I suppose you are a GM? Blanket statements like “On the field, there is no comparing Winston and Mariota.” Prove you’re either an FSU homer, have never watched Mariota play or both.
I’m in the Mariota camp, but I’d never say Winston has no skill or there isn’t any comparison. There are strengths and weaknesses to both of their games. They both need work to get on the NFL level and they both possess a ton of natural talent.
Character issues aside, what sells Mariota for me is his improvement EVERY year, staying the extra year in college to iron out some of his kinks, staying late after practice to work on his under center game… signs that he is mature and has a good head on his shoulders. The guy has been preparing himself for the next level since day 1.
Jameis on the other hand, had a fantastic freshman year and then regressed considerably in his second year. Instead of getting himself better prepared for the NFL, he’s going after the paycheck and hoping he can get his problems sorted out in the NFL…good luck. Arm strength and anticipation alone will not make an NFL QB. I’d be a lot more comfortable taking Jameis if he stayed another year in college, kept his nose clean, improved his decision making on the field and showed he can be a professional.
January 12th, 2015 at 9:27 am
I have to believe that when our new OC signed on, he and Lovie and Licht discussed the Bucs QB and OL situations in depth.
I also have to believe that Dirk signed on knowing full well what position the Bucs were going to choose with their #1 pick: a QB.
Doesn’t take a psychic to take their ‘negotiations’ one step further. All three know exactly who they’re going to take as that QB. And it’ll be the player who has the best skills to execute the type of offense he’s planning on installing.
My guess is that it’s Mariota. But since I wasn’t in on those discussions, it’s still just a guess.
January 12th, 2015 at 9:34 am
@ port richey george,
That trade actually worked out pretty well for the Falcons if you consider what the Browns did with the picks they got back. Julio has had some health issues but he’s arguably one of the top 3-4 receivers in the league when he’s on the field.
Pretty interesting read here:
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/05/16/greg-littles-release-leaves-browns-with-one-player-left-from-julio-jones-trade/
Let’s just hope L&L don’t screw it up if a trade down does happen.
January 12th, 2015 at 9:39 am
I hope Koetter’s plan doesn’t include ‘uptempo and speed in space’. 😉
January 12th, 2015 at 9:39 am
Some serious jock sniffing by some folks. They know who they are.
January 12th, 2015 at 9:55 am
There is an adage in chess that applies to McCown, “A Knight on the rim is dim”.
January 12th, 2015 at 9:58 am
Jfat…I’m an FSU homer that would be more comfortable with Jameis if he stayed another year, but I’m also just as big a Buc fan maybe even more a Buc fan than Noles fan.
I’ve seen about 4-5 Oregon games and I’m in the camp that thinks Mariota is the product of Oregon’s system. Opposing defenses are constantly being kept off balance which leaves WR’s wide open. That won’t fly in the NFL. Ask Chip Kelly.
I’m actually happy as a Buc fan that Winston did struggle this season. It showed his moxie and ability to play under pressure , unlike the season before where HE (not the just the Noles) were blowing every team out.
I won’t be unhappy if the pick is Mariota, but unlike most people I think he will be the bust out of the 2. Then again what do I know? I was a big Freeman fan. I really thought he would turn the corner in Schiano’s 2nd season.
So I fully disclose that I was a big Freeman fan…and I’m a Nole.
I want what’s best for the Bucs first and foremost. Early in the season I was in here saying Winston needs another season at FSU for immaturity reasons alone. Then again last season I was calling him the LeBron James of football, meaning he could have skipped college ball if he wanted to. Not much has changed in my mind from last season to this season when it comes to Jameis.
Mike Golic(former NFL player) made what I think is a great point. He said Jameis will be surrounded by grown men in the NFL who will help him grow up.
Others have cited that it didn’t work for Manziel in Cleveland. Well all I can say to that is the jury is still out on Manziel and Jameis is nothing like Manziel’s personality. No money fingers and BS like that. All 4 Corso, Herbstreit, and Mike & Mike said Winston will go number 1 whether it’s Tampa or not.
I saw an instant DRAMATIC difference between Christian Ponder and EJ Manuel when Winston became the starter. I was and have been convinced since week 3 of 2013 that Winston will win a SB very soon.
January 12th, 2015 at 10:02 am
Port Richey George….are you going to buy season tickets again next year like you did this year if the Bucs trade down?
If the answer is yes…then you’re a glutton for punishment. I think 75% of the fan base will stay away from Raymond James next season if they don’t draft a QB with that first pick.
However if they do draft a QB with that pick…
January 12th, 2015 at 10:08 am
Imagine that, an air raid offense. Who would have thunk it.
January 12th, 2015 at 10:17 am
Lol the fact that people say “can’t wait to watch Mariota prove why he’s the better pick tonight” just proves the MM8 supporters are idiots haha.
January 12th, 2015 at 10:30 am
koetter has shown me (albeit vs some miserable bucs defenses) the ability to use every player on offense, adjust in-game, and find the mismatch. based on what the falcons ran, i think the offensive draft class with guys like ASJ, Herron, and Sims will still be able to be valuable cogs in whatever system we run next year. Evans and Vjax will thrive under most anyone, as evidenced by their 1000 yard season under no OC at all.
January 12th, 2015 at 10:44 am
Will be interesting tonight since Mariota is missing 2 of his receivers. That true freshman smoking weed is an idiot. Let’s see what happens.
January 12th, 2015 at 10:45 am
“It’s tough,” said Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner. “[Carrington] is a big playmaker for us. Next guy up.”
January 12th, 2015 at 10:50 am
@87
I can appreciate your argument. It’s the ones that give absolutes, as if there is no chance in hell that Mariota can succeed in the NFL that irk me. But, like you said, “What do I know?”. I guess, mostly, I just want to see something different… I have these visions of the Bucs running a spread and putting an exciting offense on the field for once. Not that we would run Oregon’s offense but watching teams like Indy and Seattle makes me covet the mobility of a guy like Mariota, it just adds that extra dimension. Not that Jameis is a statue but even the most staunch Winston supporters know he can’t touch Mariota’s legs. The young NFL star QBs (Luck/RW primarily) are guys that can flat out move when the situation calls for it.
I was in the Freeman boat too, which might be why I’m a bit sheepish on Jameis, similar build, same number, same type of player, bit questionable character…although Jameis has more fire, accuracy and better talent overall. He could be the second coming of Big Ben or Freeman all over again in my mind.
January 12th, 2015 at 10:50 am
pick6…excellent points.
January 12th, 2015 at 10:59 am
@87for Winston
Jeff, my wife and 2 daughters all want Winston jerseys.
Why?
Because accusations doesn’t mean guilty. I teach my daughters not to go back to apartments with 3 men they’ve never met before at 2 a.m. in the morning.
Obviously she just went back there for a friendly chat in your mind. Must be nice being so pure.
***********************
So what time do you teach your daughters to go back to a room with 3 men they never met? That argument is typical bs coming from FSU fans. Keep telling yourself rape is okay as long as its never proven.
January 12th, 2015 at 11:11 am
“Cant wait to watch Mariota show everyone why he is the better pick tonight.”
GM I’m with you but let’s not get too excited. Remember all the Jameis apologists claiming his int’s skyrocketed this year because he had bad receivers. LOL Well if that excuse works for Jameis Mariota has him beat in the excuse dept.
He lost his best receiver to a knee before the season…that kid could play tonight but coaches don’t want to waste an entire year of eligibility on just one game.
He lost his next best receiver to weed.
He lost his star tight end to a season ending injury four games before the season ended.
If anybody has ever had to contend with a depleted receiving corps it will be Mariota. Not to mention he also lost an RB to some undisclosed drug violation.
I think Urban Meyer is an excellent coach. He’s done this now at three different schools if you count Utah. He’s won big time everywhere he goes.
As much as I want to see Mariota shine I’m not counting on it happening tonight.
January 12th, 2015 at 11:16 am
If we pick that bum Winston as our next QB, the Bucs will have alot less fans
#MariotaorBUST
January 12th, 2015 at 11:37 am
I think it is kind of a knee jerk reaction to say we will lose fans if we draft Winston. If we trade down I think you will lose some fans though. I believe that they absolutely have to draft a QB with the #1 pick. If they trade back and take a QB that isn’t even in the same class as Mariota or Winston then they aren’t even trying or they are looking to next year.
January 12th, 2015 at 11:41 am
Lovie has been asked this several times and the answer was always the same. A variety of “I put the best 11 players on the field that give us the best chance to win.”
January 12th, 2015 at 1:14 pm
Im sure Koetter and L&L did talk about selecting a qb. But i dont think they kno which qb they want yet. Still alot of time from here to the draft.
January 12th, 2015 at 4:16 pm
I know many on this site will probably explode when I mention this…I believe Glennon will probably benefit most from the hiring of Koetter. It has been suggested by some national analysts that Glennon remindes them of a poor man’s Mat Ryan. Glennon has many of the same attributes as Ryan…Strong arm, smart, not prone to turnovers, and is the prototypical “in the pocket passer.” I wonder if Koetter came here partially under the guise he can help mold Glennon’s talent. That being said, I don’t know if the Bucs can pass up on a “possible” franchise QB in this draft. Winston reminds me of Freeman in many aspects (good and bad) and the jury is still out on converting a spread offense QB to a pro style QB in the nfl. Whomever the Bucs draft at QB, maybe Glennon will be Koetter’s insurance policy. I hope they send McClown back to Chicago!
January 12th, 2015 at 4:29 pm
Lovie loves everything about Mariota. He’s going be our new QB.
January 12th, 2015 at 4:35 pm
I think most everyone’s fear about Mariota is the fact that it appears he RARELY throws the ball down field, from inside the pocket.
I, for one, will be watching the game tonight and counting how many times he throws the ball downfield from the pocket. That is a BASIC functionality that he’ll have to do in the NFL.
January 12th, 2015 at 6:09 pm
Celly
Did you watch how many times the ball was thrown down the field from the pocket in the four playoff games. Got a count for us?
How many times did Wilson and others move out of the pocket to throw the ball downfield?
How many teams are now using the shotgun more than a QB under center.
Just asking.
January 12th, 2015 at 7:01 pm
I like the shotgun, I always have and why not if the QB is just going to drop back there anyways, It seems like the QB can concentrate more on the field and pash rush that way..It is easier to step up into the pocket if needed than if you are in motion going backwards..IMO