Alexander Shares Lovie’s Headset Manner
August 25th, 2015
Rookie starting middle linebacker Kwon Alexander
Lovie Smith anointed a new quarterback of the defense last week, a 21-year-old rookie fourth-round pick, Kwon Alexander.
Against the Bengals last night, Alexander got his first taste of the big time with Lovie in his ear all game.
Yes, Lovie is the Bucs’ new defensive playcaller. It’s his voice in Alexander’s head.
Joe asked Alexander after the game whether Lovie tried to keep him loose at all via the headset. Is Lovie cracking a joke? Or saying anything to break the tension?
“No, sir,” Alexander said. “Straight business out there. There’s no joking around. You ain’t got time to play. Maybe you do, but it’s business going for victory. Coach is straight business.”
Alexander confirmed to Joe that the Bucs are taking the mike-linebacker learning process slowly with him, in part, to make sure he keeps playing fast and having fun.
Alexander gave himself high grades for his game against the Bengals.
“I felt good. I felt I did pretty well, better than last week,” Alexander said. “I was on most of my keys, and most of what I did, I feel I did well. The defense had great results.”
Gerald McCoy said Alexander shined for his poise.
“The thing about him is he got out there and he didn’t panic and he just played football,” McCoy said.”As far as his leadership skills and going out there and playing hard, definitely you could see that he was ready for it.”
August 25th, 2015 at 12:33 am
Lovie took over his D like a fcukin Boss tonight!
August 25th, 2015 at 12:35 am
@Joe
Chucky claimed that it was Hardy on the headsets. Perhaps they shared those duties? BSPN took a sideline shot with Hardy on the headphones…looking to Lovie for the play and then relaying it to Alexander…but that was according to Chucky.
Obviously Alexander would know who was in his ear.
August 25th, 2015 at 12:38 am
BTW speaking of Chucky and I the only one here who thinks Chucky has left the building. We now have the real Jon Gruden. Dude looks so comfortable in his skin, has such a joy, and can crack self deprecating jokes about getting fired for not finding a franchise QB and getting visits from Schiano and Monte Kiffin..talking about a group of fired coaches who wanted to get together.
I’m happy for Gruden. He seemed truly joyful in his job. Given that and what his brother Jay is going through in DC with Snyder and RGIII I suspect Chucky is gone and Gruden has coached his last game. Life is just too good right now.
August 25th, 2015 at 12:38 am
LVD kwon lansanna are going to be epic!
August 25th, 2015 at 12:39 am
Rookie QB plus Rookie Defensive QB equals Lovie as 2016 Head Coach!!! One more season…. Guaranteed!! He’ll get a second deal!!!
August 25th, 2015 at 12:47 am
McCoy was beastly even before the sack. Great game mr McCoy!!!
August 25th, 2015 at 12:52 am
Man I am so happy about the way we played. We looked like a team, O-Line blocked well, running back ran well, Quarterback played well, and defensive backs covered well enough for our pass rush to work. GO BUCS! 🙂
August 25th, 2015 at 2:41 am
@StPeteBuc,
I agree with your statement. Gruden even went as far as saying he got his nickname “Chucky” from coaching here in Tampa. He looks totally comfortable in his role as an analyst. I would expect thou that someone might try and lure him out eventually. I assume it would only be for his dream job, maybe the Bucs again? never know….it’s happened before! Seems like he enjoys the Tampa Bay area. A lot of pride pills would have to be swallowed for that to happen thou.
August 25th, 2015 at 5:19 am
Great presentation. Kudos to the Buccaneers and also to ESPN. ESPN produced a wonderful broadcast including great Buccaneers interviews and Jon Gruden at his very best. Very professionally done. I believe this was a broadcast that held the nation’s interest throughout. Very happy here.
August 25th, 2015 at 5:55 am
Ok, did anyone else notice the ad on this page with the brunette wearing the brown blouse and glasses?
Her hands are HUGE.
That’s got to be photoshop, right?
Yeah, I know: “Hands..?? What hands..???”
But, REALLY…???
August 25th, 2015 at 8:16 am
This kid impressed the hell out me last night. He was quick to the ball carrier, he was filling lanes and making great plays. He was sharp. I saw a little bit of Hardy there for sure. Just waiting to hit someone. I think our LB corp can be one of the best in the league. Danny Lansanah looked good too.
August 25th, 2015 at 9:06 am
geez, where is the Buc “RealAss”now?
August 25th, 2015 at 10:14 am
stpetebucsfan, i like the latest jon gruden. i think he has come to terms with the fact that he will not be roaming a sideline again, and he has stopped pulling punches in his evaluation of plays and players. i feel like his first few years on MNF he was all about constant (often unwarranted) praise 1) because he was a new broadcaster trying to endear himself to every fan, and 2) because he didn’t want to trash a player he might coach or an organization that might come calling in the offseason. his breakdown of the AJ Green\Dalton interceptions would not have happened 2 years ago. he would have just gone on about how green and dalton could be hall of famers and would have come up with some obscure trait at which dalton is the best in football (“NOBODY in football wears a head of red hair like andy dalton can! LOVE the guy”)
August 25th, 2015 at 10:28 am
@St. Pete
I think Gruden has the dream job right now…I mean, he replaced John Madden! He knows Madden had the job until he gave it up.
Just like Madden, I believe Gruden will return to coaching for a few years at some point, but then he’ll be right back on MNF.
August 25th, 2015 at 10:36 am
bonzai, the stories of guys who have taken 7+ years away from coaching and come back to be as good or better than they were are very few. i think after the 5 year mark he stopped being a candidate for head coaching gigs. his last best chance was probably replacing Jason Garrett in Dallas, but he finally broke through that postseason slump and looks to be the man for a while. i think gruden is the guy in the MNF booth until he retires from the public eye, just like his predeccesor
August 25th, 2015 at 5:09 pm
Gruden has it MADE! He’s living pretty much off of that Super Bowl win. He has his lore and he doesn’t need to coach again. He’s got his ring, money and fame. Why would he want to go back to working 18 hours a day?????