“A Big Sigh Of Relief”
February 21st, 2015
Bucs GM Jason Licht has found some peace
Emotion runs through Bucs general manager Jason Licht when he strolls through a certain area of One Buc Palace.
That part of the compound would be the office door of new offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter.
Licht gets there and tension just flows out of him, as it represents an ugly chapter of Bucs history has been put to bed.
Licht talked about this on SiriusXM NFL Radio this week with Rich Gannon and Bruce Murray.
“Not having Jeff Tedford with us was tough. It was tough, not having that, you know, coordinator,” Licht said. “You can’t just throw somebody into that coordinator’s position and expect … really, it was Jeff’s offense. It was a little unfair to blame Marcus [Arroyo] because it wasn’t even his offense. You know, instead of talking about the bad, we’re really excited about Dirk Koetter. Every time I walk buy his office I get a big sigh of relief. ‘Ok, we got a really good one here.'”
Koetter’s arrival is a huge ray of sunshine. Devout Bucs optimists are convinced the Bucs’ woes last year fell largely on the loss of Tedford. And these types see a very rosy season ahead with a legitimate offensive coordinator in the house.
Joe’s not there yet. Joe will get excited when there’s a big time quarterback talent wearing a Bucs jersey and working with Koetter.
February 21st, 2015 at 8:48 am
Our defense can hold most teams to between 16-24 points a game. That gives out offense a fighting chance. With a new QB and a veteran coordinator I believe we will win more games next year.
February 21st, 2015 at 8:50 am
The Realist will be excited when there is a Big time QB, Talent on the offensive line. 2 real nfl DE, a very good MLB, 2 new safties and oh yea, A new Head Coach that is not scared to win!!!
February 21st, 2015 at 8:52 am
#1 craziest 2014 decision by Lovie was not hiring an OC advisor to replace Tedford. Incredibly stupid. BUT, as Joe likes to point out, it did net us the #1 pick in the draft, so something good, maybe great, came out of it.
February 21st, 2015 at 8:58 am
I am thankful for Arroyo and McCown. Without those 2, we never would have had a chance to draft a real qb.
February 21st, 2015 at 8:59 am
@lev in Philly
why then was the average 25.6 points per game in 2014?
February 21st, 2015 at 9:00 am
@Luther
you don’t know Lovie then, what till next year when the Bucs will have a top 5 pick in 2016!
February 21st, 2015 at 9:11 am
“It was a LITTLE unfair to blame Marcus Arroya”…?????. How about being ALOT unfair to him. Talk about setting someone up for failure! He was obviously not prepared to do this job at the NFL level. Moreover, no consultant was brought in to help him out??? My sincerest best wishes to him to land on his feet elsewhere in the NFL. Drafting all offense last year and then letting the offense go to pot? Someone please explain this to me.
February 21st, 2015 at 9:13 am
Haters gonna hate.
Bunch of miserable losers
February 21st, 2015 at 9:18 am
Real happy with Kettering. Dude is gone make glennon shine
February 21st, 2015 at 9:22 am
What is Koetter going to do to make sure he gets the right QB, were you able to ask him yet?
In the interest of balence, you post Winston articles every day, but skimpy on Mariota, if they pick Mariota, we will know more about someone elses QB than ours, so please. You might win an academy award tonight.
February 21st, 2015 at 9:31 am
@OB
To be fair, Joe did interview M Mariota, but he was so shy and quiet that no one could hear his answers!
February 21st, 2015 at 9:31 am
All joking aside, there really should be no blame laid at the feet of Arroyo. He was not hired to be an offensive coordinator. It wasn’t even his offense so get off the guy’s back.
Imagine being given a job and the first day on the job, your manager gets fired and his system is already set in stone and you can’t change it. Most of you would fail despite your best efforts if it is foreign to you.
February 21st, 2015 at 9:32 am
There is no doubt looking back with 20/20 hind sight that Lovie and Licht made some really poor choices last year. Not bringing in a offensive coach/consultant was among the top of the list. The ability to react and recover when unexpected circumstances arise is what makes good leaders. With all of the poor free agent choices and the failure to react and handle the Tedford situation, really makes you wonder if this staff has the right stuff to turn the franchise around. The hiring of Dirk Koetter seems to be a great step in the right direction. Having a NFL quality coordinator with years of experience has to help a lot. If the executive management and the coaching staff do not greatly improve in their second year, it won’t matter what great QB we get in the draft!
February 21st, 2015 at 9:34 am
The Buc Realist Says:
February 21st, 2015 at 8:59 am
@lev in Philly
why then was the average 25.6 points per game in 2014?
——
Do you not know? You have to be a little smarter than this, right? The team had over 100 points dropped on them in just two games… in the remaining 14 games the team gave up an average of 21.9… as a matter of fact, after giving up 48 points to the Ravens before the bye week, the team came off the bye and only gave up an average of 20.6 points a game for the next 10 games. So on the season the team gave up 24 points or less 11 times. So like the guy said, 24 points or less will give the offense a fighting chance.
February 21st, 2015 at 9:37 am
Dreambig Says:
February 21st, 2015 at 9:32 am
There is no doubt looking back with 20/20 hind sight that Lovie and Licht made some really poor choices last year. Not bringing in a offensive coach/consultant was among the top of the list. The ability to react and recover when unexpected circumstances arise is what makes good leaders. With all of the poor free agent choices and the failure to react and handle the Tedford situation, really makes you wonder if this staff has the right stuff to turn the franchise around.
—————
It really makes me wonder if there is any credibility to your statements at all if it’s true that you believe a team could find an NFL-ready offensive coordinator after week 4 of the season. If a guy was any good he’d already be with a team, college or pro. This has to be the dumbest statement I have read time and time again this past season. NFL coordinators DON’T GROW ON TREES!
February 21st, 2015 at 9:38 am
I caught a faint whiff of Joe being mildly impressed with Marcus Mariota…
February 21st, 2015 at 9:40 am
“Joe’s not there yet. Joe will get excited when there’s a big time quarterback talent (Winston) wearing a Bucs jersey and working with Koetter.”
Amen
February 21st, 2015 at 9:47 am
Im pretty much over this just waiting for a name. So much work to do with either of these guys. I dont think either will be great but one of them will be good. It boils down to this….which one would you trust with 25 million dollar guaranteed contract. Thats easy Mariota ….the guy with character. I just think Winston has flags for first pick. Thing that scares me is lovie factor. History of bad picks. Wish best for both QBs. What happens if its mariota v winston in next super bowl? Lol. Their names would be connected forever. Crazier things have happened in nfl.
February 21st, 2015 at 9:51 am
Winston can throw lights out at the combine today and there WILL be some fools in here saying he’s the next Jamarcus Russell. It’s automatic.
February 21st, 2015 at 9:51 am
@Brandon,
It is hard to find a good offensive coordinator, no doubt, but as a management staff you have to take some action rather than relying on someone who does not have the experience to do the job. Its your function to deal with adversity and come up with workable solutions. So even if you take the coordinator position off the table, there is still a number of things where this management team has underperformed. To name a few, anointing players as starters with out making them compete, releasing valuable players and getting nothing in return, trading players and getting very little in return, bringing in free agents who had minimal levels of success, paying them big $s and expecting them to perform at a level they had not previously demonstrated on a consistent basis.
Gutting the offensive line and replacing them with players like Oniel Cousins. I think you get my point. You can love Lovie all you want, and I hope that next year I can join you, but right now he has a lot to prove
February 21st, 2015 at 9:56 am
It’s so amusing to read some of you guys’ solutions for NFL programs.
It’s so easy on your keyboard to suggest such mind blowing, world breaking suggestions on how to fix an NFL team.
It’s so easy for you, but you’re commenting on JBF and not employed by any NFL team, NCAA team or are being paid by ESPN like Dominick and Polian.
Fact is, you really don’t know anything and the closest you’ve ever been to an NFL Front Office is watching Costner in Draft Day.
February 21st, 2015 at 10:03 am
One Billion Served….I get your point. I get a kick out of the ones that go into a long drawn out explanation as to how to fix this team. I guess some people have to be more than just fans.
February 21st, 2015 at 10:03 am
Dirk says MG8 is his MattyIce. The future’s so bright #MikeCannon
February 21st, 2015 at 10:07 am
As a fan of the Gators traditionally when speaking of the big 3 programs and as someone that rooted against FSU in every game except the last one that he ends up losing to Mariota’s Duckth, I am completely comfortable with the risks associated with this guy as the face of our franchise. Above all he can play the position better than anyone that has ever donned a Buccaneer jersey in the past. We will be legit contenders every season regardless of whatever else is going on with our football team because he is that good. As the face of the franchise he will deliver some much needed excitement and energy to a team and community that could desperately use star power and personality. If we don’t draft Winston it will go down as yet another sad turn in a long legacy of disappointment.
Go Bucs!
February 21st, 2015 at 10:08 am
It’s hilarious, #TheCreepyCrab marks get excited and pound their chests when the accused doesn’t do anything wrong.
February 21st, 2015 at 10:15 am
Never mind delusional people talking about Glennon as the future, I guess it was raheems fault he had to fire Jeff jagodzinski and take over the duties of him Bates? I swear half of you missed the boat and just became bucs fans when schiano for here. How did it work out for raheem? Yes blame the front office for not giving tedford a damn physical exam……. You guys are nuts. Who credible is going to take a job in that situation with a quarterback and team like the bucs had. Stop assuming they didn’t try because no one got hired
February 21st, 2015 at 10:19 am
@one billion and @87
ok, you guys are right, my comments on a comment board replying to the topic in the thread may have been a bit too verbose.
Let me rephrase for you:
Bucs record: 2-14, dead last in NFL, Lovie/Licht did a bad job.
no need to say more than that!
February 21st, 2015 at 10:57 am
Harry Says
“#1 craziest 2014 decision by Lovie was not hiring an OC advisor to replace Tedford.”
It was too late to get a good one, and they would have been stuck offering a contract and keeping him beyond this year.
It wasn’t the wrong decision. Arroyo had some experience and there was a chance he could handle things. Hindsight is always 20-20.
February 21st, 2015 at 11:06 am
Having a descent OC will for sure make a huge impact this season. Regardless of who we draft, I really think the mindset will be to sit a rookie for at least the 1st half of the season and let Glennon or a different veteran QB based on what transpires in free agency handle the starting duties while the future face of the franchise learns the ropes. Neither Winston nor Mariota would likely start from day one due to the vast amount of information and NFL skills needed to effectively run the offense. So people who say they will or will not buy tickets if we draft a particular QB are just delusional. You are going to have to watch the pre-season games to see your guy and that is based on how the NFL organizations typically do things except for a few exceptions. I do not want to have a rookie QB struggling right out of the gate especially since everyone is so divided on who we should take. People will have a field day dragging a struggling rookie down if they were not in his corner from the beginning and would most likely cause more harm than good. In the day of social media, it is next to impossible to keep a young player from hearing what the fans are saying about them and remember, these are humans first and foremost who can be psychologically impacted by what they hear about them.
February 21st, 2015 at 11:17 am
Rayjay- if we draft Winston and he is clearly the better QB in the offseason then he deserves the starting nod. Putting arbitrary timing on when the rookie starts limits everything. Let the competition dictate.
Now if we draft Maryota the maybe Glennon should automatically start!
February 21st, 2015 at 12:39 pm
@DallasBuc
I respect your opinion but I do notice how pro Winston your comments show you to be. I agree with your statement that Winston should start if he wins the job during camp but then again an objective fan would feel the same way if Mariota is our pick?
February 21st, 2015 at 1:06 pm
No one was fired “Luther'” Tedford got sick. I blame Arroyo but also understand he was put in a miserable situation. In all honesty, he wasn’t really qualified to be an NFL QB coach but got the job because he was a friend of Tedford’s.
Lovie haters say he never changes but if you notice the new QB coach has actual college OC experience at a Division 1 school.
I asked one of the radio sports guys who is very neutral if the Bucs could or should have hired an OC when Tedford went down and he said it wouldn’t have been possible at such a late date.
Even when Tedford said he could come back, he only wanted to do it on a part time basis late in the season. Take a hike you jerk.
You guys can cast all the ignorant barbs you want at the players performances but the fact Arroyo was the OC had a great deal to do with the units ineptness.
February 21st, 2015 at 2:17 pm
I’ll thank Tedford’s heart when we finally have Winston.
February 22nd, 2015 at 1:17 am
WHY we kept Warhop as our O Line Coach is beyond me ?
February 22nd, 2015 at 12:30 pm
[…] has been quick to throw blame at Arroyo’s inexperience, and general manager Jason Licht is finally feeling “relief.” (Funny how everything was fine in Weeks 4 and […]