It May Not Be The Scheme
May 13th, 2015
Bucs OC Dirk Koetter talks schemes and blocking.
After the Bucs won the Chase for Jameis, a lot of people tried to crack the atom and figure out why the team finished 2-14, other than the fact last year’s Bucs were a rotten lot.
Of course, the offense was the worst, in particular the offensive offensive line that couldn’t block a cool breeze and coughed up a sickening 52 sacks.
How bad was it? The starting left tackle was a healthy scratch the last month of the season and the Bucs drafted two guys in the second round the team has all but knighted as starters, including a Division-III prospect.
Friends, when a Division-III lineman is all but promised a starting gig before he has even stepped onto an NFL practice field, you have problems.
Some were of the belief that the lack of an offensive scheme under ill-suited backup offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo was the reason why the offensive line couldn’t block. It seems like a logical answer.
But when asked this week if a well-coordinated offensive scheme can relieve some of the ills on the offensive line, current offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter seemed to wave off the notion.
“First off, there is really no magic in anyone’s scheme,” Koetter said. “Everyone in the NFL is running very similar offenses. Secondly, way too many sacks given up last year. I’m not criticizing anybody by saying that. That’s just a fact. Where the Bucs, where we have to improve is first and foremost our quarterback play and second, we have to improve our offensive line play.
“As coaches, whatever scheme we end up putting out there, we have to do our best to give those guys the best chance to be successful. We’ll do our best to try to help it. That’s too many sacks. We can’t have that many sacks. We can’t have that many turnovers. Period. That’s not a promise. I just saying we need to improve if we want to be competitive and we plan on being competitive.”
Look, Joe is happy the Bucs addressed the offensive line in the draft. But it still scares Joe the Bucs are depending so much on two rookies to play like veterans in order to keep America’s Quarterback, Bucs signal-caller Jameis Winston, in one piece.
Is it too much to ask of two rookies?
May 13th, 2015 at 11:07 am
Nope! When you have good coaching anything is possible. After watching Koetter’s interview he seems like a pretty cool guy and a dam good coach.
May 13th, 2015 at 11:08 am
lol first beg the bucs to take offensive lineman in the draft because they have to improve as if rookies can improve then line then bang on the rookies for being rookies and question whether rookies can be productive starters in year 1 something which happens more frequently than any other position in football lol awesome joe just awesome work….had me curious about the article and ruined it with that last question
May 13th, 2015 at 11:09 am
And what do you know… he also mentioned that coaches need to tailor their scheme around their players strengths…. Who would think of such a thing? #Schiano
May 13th, 2015 at 11:11 am
Why would you be worried about the offensive lineman when we are asking a rookie to come in and lead the ENTIRE team. They all have to learn how to be pros. Some just need to do it faster than others. They all are getting paid to do a job. simple as that. No reason for us to be worried now, we have made our choices and they HAVE to pay off.
May 13th, 2015 at 11:19 am
So if I understand well, if the Bucs are not at The SuperrBowl next year, you will considered the season as a failure !
Come one, I remembered the Dallas Cowboys Jimmy Johnson period, they did 1-15, 7-9 and then 11-5 !
If the Bucs are doing the same, it’s ok for me !
But i’m not expecting more from this team than the one last year.
Rookies need time, “That’s just a fact” to quote Dirk Koetter.
May 13th, 2015 at 11:19 am
please stop with the America’s QB crap! we are not Americas team and may never be. Call him suncoast’s QB, the gulfcoast QB, West Fl’s QB, but quit on the Americas qb thing. Joe isn’t even known aside from some media and displaced bucs fans outside of the state, so don’t preach outside your neighborhood!
May 13th, 2015 at 11:29 am
Everything about this offense was wrong last year… The QB, line, tight ends, running backs and offensive coordinator were total garbage… If it weren’t for VJax and Evans we would of had zero offense at all…
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that this offense will be much improved regardless of how many rookies play…
How in the hell could it possibly be worse?
May 13th, 2015 at 11:41 am
We need the Coast guard to protect America’s QB Jamesis Winston!
May 13th, 2015 at 12:04 pm
The one thing that makes it not so scary is the fact you got some very solid veteran leadership returning on the line. Guys like Mankins, Dotson, and yes even Smith will go a long way in helping out the two rookies. If the line didn’t have the veteran leadership that it did there would be a cause for concern. IF we had a line full of young guys and inexperienced players then it would be a problem.
Some of the best lines in football the last few years had one or more rookies that were starters on the offensive line. If I remember correctly Dallas had two rookies on the o-line last year and they had the best o-line in the NFL. The reason being is the rest of the line consisted of veteran leadership. No need to panic yet, unless there are injuries of course. Knock on wood.
May 13th, 2015 at 12:18 pm
hmm yes because zack martin for dallas cowboys wasn’t a rookie last year…all the rookie lineman that start every year but of course it’s the bucs so theres nothing to do but be picky on a team that isn’t in the playoffs.
May 13th, 2015 at 12:24 pm
Im hoping for Pamphile or Edwards to emerge.
May 13th, 2015 at 12:31 pm
Protect America’s Quarterback at all costs!!!
May 13th, 2015 at 12:33 pm
Don’t forget that the Bucs have first pick off the waiver wire until the third game of the season. I certain that they will pick up a veteran OT and possibly a veteran G this summer. A big help for depth.
May 13th, 2015 at 12:36 pm
Joe, you begged for the Bucs to draft O-linemen. They did, and now you question if they’ll be able to protect their quarterback. I guess you have to write something on this site every day, but have some consistency.
May 13th, 2015 at 12:46 pm
Every player is a rookie at some point and the best way to develop linemen is to get them reps. You take the growing pains. Every good team gets good by developing their young players… So, let’s worry less and be patient more.
May 13th, 2015 at 12:50 pm
Yes!! It is too much to expect two first year players to just step in and measure up.
I have no idea what management is thinking, but I’m sure we’ll be disappointed if something more doesn’t happen.
May 13th, 2015 at 12:53 pm
I think he said that out of respect for his predecessor. Scheme matters. Play calling matters. playing to your players’ strengths matters.
May 13th, 2015 at 1:16 pm
I am not the type to troll to other Teams’s Fan Blogs.
Falcons fans…..what was their reaction to Koetter leaving? And leaving to a division rival to boot.
1. Happy to see him go
2. Doom and Gloom
3. Matt Ryan learned all he can and does not need Dirk anymore
4. What does this have to do with a 70’s TV show with John Travolta
On paper and in interviews, Koetter sounds like he knows what he is doing. Ryan put up some decent numbers in Atlanta. But until Pre Season and then the regular season starts who knows how good or bad the Bucs offense will be.
O-Line – on paper still very shaky
RB’s – Running back by committee
QB – Rookie, one with high hopes, but still a rookie
WR/TE – 1 proven vet, 1 2nd year vet that had a good rookie season and a TE that seems injury prone
May 13th, 2015 at 1:42 pm
Not throwing his predecessor under the bus with a non-answer is NOT the same as saying “scheme doesn’t matter.”
It certainly does matter.
Last seasons’ offense was the most bland, predictable offense I’ve ever seen in the NFL. The Bucs may have been the easiest offense for a defense to scheme in the history of the league. Seriously. Someone name worse NFL offenses than the 2014 Bucs…
May 13th, 2015 at 1:48 pm
@bucs4lyfe I agree 100%. Rookies have to play sometime,get them in there and get them the experience they need, Dallas has done that very successfully the past couple of seasons. No reason the Bucs can’t do the same. As for Ali Marpet, the guy can play football period. The guy is strong as an ox and very athletic, I don’t see him taking any longer than any other rookie lineman to develop, I don’t care where he played college ball, he can play.
May 13th, 2015 at 2:14 pm
@Joe
Is it too much to ask of two rookies?
Shouldn’t that have been THREE rookies. Fameis will have a lot to do with our offensive lines success as well. Football is still one of the greatest TEAM sports.
If a couple OL suck they can take the entire OL down with them. It only takes one defender to make a sack or stuff a run. But if a QB holds on to the ball too long then frequently what might appear to be bad OL play might be QB indecision.
@Cobraboy
Not throwing his predecessor under the bus with a non-answer is NOT the same as saying “scheme doesn’t matter.”
It certainly does matter.
Amen brother!!! Agree completely. Although we might be parsing scheme and play calling separately. But Sunday play calling can be as critical the scheme itself. You need to keep NFL defenses off balance if you really wish to have success unless. Are team was predictable to the point of all of us listening to our wives call the next Bucs offensive play before the ball was even snapped.
It’s a TEAM effort. Good OL…Good QB…Good coaching..and great playcalling and preparation, All the ingredients are critical. It’s like trying to bake a cake with the exact amount of perfect ingredients except for one…the one ingredient can spoil the entire cake even though everything else is great.
May 13th, 2015 at 3:01 pm
Hopefully the all three rookies still have to win the job by being better than the vets, and that goes for America’s Quarterback as well.
May 13th, 2015 at 5:51 pm
The Cowboys existed quite a while before anyone started calling them “America’s Team” and that was only after they proved themselves through winning seasons and playoff victories.
I think we may have to wait a while ourselves to see if Mr. Winston can become “America’s Quarterback” and that will depend on the Bucs having winning seasons and playoff victories, as well.
May 13th, 2015 at 7:35 pm
I think we are going to see some serious improvements on offense this year. Like someone else said – how could the Bucs NOT be better on O this year? Last year was a disaster.
If the OLine can play even half way decent this year – then we are going to see yards, plays and points every game. With all the weapons at skill positions, Koetter calling the plays within a proven NFL offensive scheme -and a QB as smart and talented as Winston running the show – we are likely to be winning some games with offense this year for the 1st time since… um….um…….
Well I guess it will be the 1st time in 40 years the Bucs can win with offense.
I’m definitely in “show me – I want to see it before I get my hopes too high” mode – but I am excited at the possibilities of where this offense can go – even in its 1st year.
An awful lot depends on the OLine playing decent though. After 2 years in a row with basically the worst OLine play in the league – its hard to be optimistic until you see consistently improved play.
This OLine play we’ve seen the last 2 years is exhibit A as to why a certain supposed rockstar GM is no longer employed (and is probably not employable ever again in that capacity). What team goes 5 years without EVER drafting even 1 Oline player???
May 13th, 2015 at 8:26 pm
@Pickgrin
I’m definitely in “show me – I want to see it before I get my hopes too high” mode – but I am excited at the possibilities of where this offense can go – even in its 1st year.
I think that is the sane way to look at it and agree completely. Yes “show me” but yes I’m already optimistic.
May 13th, 2015 at 10:06 pm
Every time I read “America’s Quarterback” I laugh out loud because it’s such a BIG JOKE.
May 13th, 2015 at 11:10 pm
did not know the clowns on here is all of America. hmmm. hey 87 joe has the good stuff. pinheads!!!!!!!!
May 13th, 2015 at 11:15 pm
GO TITANS!!! AND MARIOTA JOE! LOL!!!
May 14th, 2015 at 12:27 am
Wow. Koetter gave a 10 minute interview like three days ago and Joe has turned it into like twelve news stories by posting one nugget at a time…
May 14th, 2015 at 6:40 pm
AMERICA’S QUARTERBACK title belongs to BART STARR. And even if you’re going to call somebody from today “America’s quarterback”, it shouldn’t be someone who hasn’t taken a freakin’ NFL snap yet. Joe seriously has such a hard on for Jameis Winston, it’s even worse than the one he had for Manziel!