Hawk Chirps About Being A Defensive Misfit
July 15th, 2015
The last two sets of Bucs coaches loved Dashon “Hawk” Goldson and his football intelligence and professionalism.
Hawk, however, is happy to be gone from Lovie Smith’s defense.
BSPN.com recorded some of Hawk’s recent chirpings as he prepares for his first season with the Redskins.
Goldson was not crazy about playing in the Tampa 2 scheme. Indeed, his lack of fit in that scheme under coach Lovie Smith was among the reasons why the Bucs traded him.
“Everyone knows I’m an aggressive player,” he said. “I like to be in the mix, to have gap responsibilities and all that extra stuff. I like to get my hands dirty. I like to be in the mix a little more often than I was in a Tampa 2.
“It was different. Last year was a little different based on some of the things I was used to and more how I felt.”
So was a Hawk a bad fit for Lovie’s we-don’t-adjust defense, or was Hawk a banged up, aging safety still shocked from his public neutering by Roger Goodell in 2013? Joe would say it was a little bit of everything.
Yes, the Redskins will let Hawk fly free, make plays and live on the edge of the rule book.
Joe just hopes that Hawk, in Week 7 against the Bucs, doesn’t decapitate Vincent Jackson or Austin Seferian-Jenkins over the middle. Those are some awfully big and somewhat slow targets.
July 15th, 2015 at 9:08 am
Good ridance “Hawk”.
You sucked.
July 15th, 2015 at 9:10 am
Wow!! Half of the secondary from last year has blasted lovie’s “passive” defense!!!
July 15th, 2015 at 9:51 am
i’m sure he will thrive in the redskins secondary, like all the other bucs rejects bruce allen and raheem morris have scooped up over the past few years
July 15th, 2015 at 10:37 am
The Buc Realist Says:
July 15th, 2015 at 9:10 am
Wow!! Half of the secondary from last year has blasted lovie’s “passive” defense!!!
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Funny, this defense/tampa 2 was not passive when it was winning the superbowl. You have to be disciplined to play this defense properly. Its as simple as that.
July 15th, 2015 at 10:40 am
Are you serious pick6!? Who are all these rejects that have thrived after being scooped up? Hope you’re not saying E.J. Biggers thrived. One pick,six passes defensed and fifty tackles in two years. Adam Hayward, 13 tackles? Who?
July 15th, 2015 at 10:53 am
Football evolves and changes…. 12 years ago the Tampa 2 was the rage, well so was running the football and drafting RBs in the first round, Lovie ans his defense passed him in his basement next year back in the basement maybe he will realize that
July 15th, 2015 at 10:58 am
Ya Joe, a bit of both. But it shouldn’t be a surprise he failed w the Bucs’ cover 2. In a perfect world, a safeties takes care of everything behind the LB’s. But I remember everyone scratching their heads when we signed Goldson then drafted Barron, both being ‘in the box’ safeties.
July 15th, 2015 at 11:03 am
@tiny tim
you are right, though back then commissioner Paul Tagliabue still allowed the secondary to light up WR, some offenses were still using 7 step drops, and something that you will like, the #1 song was nickleback ( how you remind me)
July 15th, 2015 at 11:08 am
He was never the center fielder type DB we were told he was when we signed him.
July 15th, 2015 at 11:28 am
Hawk didnt make an impact in Schianos defense either, where he wasnt confined to deep zone. All he did was hit people with his helmet! Guy never once stepped up and made a game changing play despite being payed like an elite safety
As for week seven, just run deep posts. We all know he cant cover deep. Be it lack of speed or not recognizing route development
July 15th, 2015 at 11:54 am
Can’t wait for my Chris conte jersey to arrive. YEY! #itsabucslife
July 15th, 2015 at 11:59 am
Hawks are supposed to fly aren’t they? That’s a bad nickname then. I saw way too many wide receivers fly by him when he had deep responsibilities as safeties often (should) have. There is NOTHING passive about the Tampa 2 when run properly.
July 15th, 2015 at 12:01 pm
…and Sefarian-Jenkins would absolutely FLATTEN him with a full head of steam.
July 15th, 2015 at 12:50 pm
Duthsty Rhothdes – I believe you passed recently. Rest in Peace! Maybe you can solicit some help from the afterlife to help the Bucs win!
July 15th, 2015 at 12:50 pm
Problem with Hawk is he can’t cover WR’s and the rule changes that aim to reduce injuries to WR’s diminished his worth. He was always known to be a liability in pass coverage even during his best years with SF but I do agree he wasn’t a good fit for the cover-2 scheme.
July 15th, 2015 at 1:11 pm
Gap responsibilities??? I can’t even count the many times he was out of range on his gap responsibilities.
July 15th, 2015 at 1:17 pm
pick6 Says:
“i’m sure he will thrive in the redskins secondary, like all the other bucs rejects bruce allen and raheem morris have scooped up over the past few years.”
Yes, and look where that has got the Redskins!
July 15th, 2015 at 2:16 pm
The Buc Realist Says:
July 15th, 2015 at 11:03 am
@tiny tim
you are right, though back then commissioner Paul Tagliabue still allowed the secondary to light up WR, some offenses were still using 7 step drops, and something that you will like, the #1 song was nickleback ( how you remind me)
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Lovie’s last year in Chicago 2012 his defense was still very good/causing turnovers in this “new” nfl. Also, the seahawks play some cover 2 today and seem to still produce at an high level. The scheme still works if played properly. What type of defense do you think the panthers run? You do know ron rivera is a disciple of Lovie right? You saw the cowboys get better last year with subpar talent, but they were more discipline in its second year. There is nothing wrong with the tampa 2.
July 15th, 2015 at 4:19 pm
Tiny Tim, looks like ATL will be running it too, since Morris is there now. It is not dead, and the Bucs run a revised version as well.
July 15th, 2015 at 5:06 pm
Some guys look for reasons to bash the cover 2/ Lovie’s defense even when they don’t know what they’re talking about. The defense will carry this team this yr.
July 15th, 2015 at 5:19 pm
McBuc Says:
July 15th, 2015 at 4:19 pm
Tiny Tim, looks like ATL will be running it too, since Morris is there now. It is not dead, and the Bucs run a revised version as well
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Don’t forget Atlanta’s HC used to be the Seahawks DC which again ran some cover 2. The Raheem take is just icing on this puppy.
July 15th, 2015 at 6:15 pm
@Joe Joe would say it was a little bit of everything.
Joe would be correct
@pick6 I’m not a Dominik defender but Bruce Allen? He sucks!
@ Dusty Rhodes I agree with your premise but I’m not sure the verdict is in yet. I felt just like you. Lovie was a dinosaur who was a decade behind. The Koetter signing and the Fameis draft have opened my mind enough to give Lovie another chance.
If he runs the same boring offense and doesn’t let Koetter get creative…how he manages the game and punts for position from the 50…IF he does all that you suggest Dusty then I’ll be right with you. For now I think he’s learned his lesson. But I may be wrong.
July 16th, 2015 at 3:22 pm
The Buc Realist Says
“Wow!! Half of the secondary from last year has blasted lovie’s “passive” defense!!!”
Dashon should have been shipped out sooner, and you know it. “Passive” to him is not being able to break the rules and rack up penalties. He never earned his pay and I said from the day he was signed that it was a bad signing.
In San Fran, he flat out told the refs they couldn’t stop him from playing the way he likes. Then, after painting that HUGE target on his back, he came to Tampa.
Using him for your anti-Lovie agenda is stupid. Stupid is as stupid does.
July 16th, 2015 at 5:42 pm
The Hawk should be called the Quail. The Quail was horrendous. He was ranked 58 out of 59 safties by Pro Football Focus. He could not cover like the Atomic Punks cover Van Halen. He could not tackle either, having amassed 20 missed tackles in limited playing time. Major Wright outplayed him. Good luck Skins…