Lavonte David Sheds Light On Defensive Coordinating Issues
September 20th, 2015
Back on Thursday morning, Joe shared Gerald McCoy’s explanation of how his leadership was in attack mode and he and Lavonte David led an intense film and instructional session to fix their widespread errors.
On Friday, David spoke out.
David was candid on WHBO-AM 1040. He said the defense wasn’t spending enough to time together on Xs and Os and required the players-only session.
“It was something that needed to be done. You know, we just had to get in the minds of each position group because, you know, we aren’t in each other’s meetings,” David said. “[Units] meet separate most of the time. But this was a time for all of us to get together because we’re the ones out there on the field. We’re the ones out there doing the communicating and the talking. So being on the same page, thinking alike and things like that. The game will go much faster and go more smoothly for us. And then the after part, playing hard and playing fast, will take care of itself.”
Of course, it’s the primary responsibility of the defensive coordinator to be sure the defense is on the same page and ready to execute the plays called, read their keys, adjust on the field, etc.
As Bucs fans know, Lovie Smith took over as defensive chief this season.
Joe really can’t explain why David felt this players-only time was “needed.” It smells like a big problem in September — especially for a defense filled with veterans experienced in the system.
September 20th, 2015 at 1:44 am
You really want to sway the sheeple your way don’t you joe!
September 20th, 2015 at 1:52 am
1st you were all aboard the fire shiano train then all in for Lovie and have gotten more access to the team under him than any other time. Yet your reason to want the masses on this site to scream for pithforks is perplexing, biting the hand.
September 20th, 2015 at 2:02 am
Don’t worry Lavonte, we all know the defense sucks. Go ahead and blame it on the call on the first play of last Sunday’s game, which you claim to have derailed the whole defensive performance. You are a “leader”, now act as such, and live up to the bunch of money you just got rewarded. We Bucs fans are tired of excuses and clichés. So Lavonte and company..DON’T SING IT, JUST BRING IT!
September 20th, 2015 at 2:21 am
This team is a joke and the laughing stock of the nfl…
September 20th, 2015 at 3:01 am
David stated “It was something that needed to be done”. Didn’t David or anyone on the defense realize in pre-season or in practice that players were not on the same page and that the defense was experiencing “widespread errors”. Why did it take until after the first game for the defense to understand there was a problem with communicating and thinking alike? Sounds like the veterans did not say much until it was to late. On the outside looking in it appears as though players may not be “buying into” the Tampa2 and may be unmotivated because a rookie is calling the plays? Last game was the first game that I had seen David disappear? Of the four TD passes Mariota threw 3 were on David and 1 on Banks. David only had 3 tackles and out of four passes thrown into his coverage, all four were completed? Melton, Moore, McDaniel and Johnson were absent last Sunday and need to pick it up this week. There is disconnect between Lovie, Frazier and the players and it is just a matter of time before something happens.
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September 20th, 2015 at 3:07 am
I agree that Lovie is the main problem and should probably be fired soon, but this meeting is also proof that the players on defense know they haven’t even been doing the subpar job Lovie has taught them to do. If this raises the level of accountability then I’m all for it.
These guys were freelancing against the Titans, lost discipline immediately after that first TD and lost their competitive fire soon afterwards. That’s on the players. Lovie can’t coach and play at the same time. At some point these players have to do their job and do it consistently, without excuses and with true professionalism day after day and week after week.
September 20th, 2015 at 5:51 am
Lovie is not the problem, the players are the problem. We have 3 players starting on our defense, and only 6 players on the defense that we drafted.The rest of them are another team garbage. You can lead a horse to the water, but you can’t make him drink it. And the reason why Lavonte made that statement about the penalty is that he knew that they were going to have a long day with the officials. And they made bad calls after bad calls, you can’t beat the opposing team and the officials. Jason Licht also has to be held accountable for not drafting any edge rushers and safeties. He have drafted 4 O-Linemen, 4 WRs, 1 TE, 2 RB, 1 QB, 1 LB. And that is crazy, he should have drafted 2 safeties and 2 edge rushers.
September 20th, 2015 at 6:08 am
The Bucs D thought they were better then they were because they were playing against JDub in practice.
Lovie isn’t the problem per se. The new NFL demands an offensive coordinator to run a team properly imo. The rules in the NFL now favor offense and clearly require that side of the ball to be at least above average to have success.
Lovie is an old school coach in a league where the rules have clearly changed.
September 20th, 2015 at 6:27 am
Well, at least after todays beating we can official chant the Bucs post Malcolm mantra.
“Oh No. We suck AGAIN!”
September 20th, 2015 at 6:30 am
It takes a stupid person to blame Lovie for our defensive problems. It seems like Jason Licht is setting Lovie up for the fall. In Lovie first 3 seasons in Chicago the Bears drafted 12 defensive players. In Lovie 2 seasons in Tampa they have drafted one Defensive player. But Lovie get’s all of the blame for this trash that we have on defense. He tried to get Greg Hardy, Alton Smith, but no one want’s to play here. In Tony Dungy first 3 seasons with the Bucs, we drafted 15 defensive players. During Raheem Morris 3 seasons here, we drafted 14 defensive players. During Greg Schiano 2 seasons in Tampa, we drafted 8 defensive players. But we draft one defensive player, while Lovie is Head Coach. And it’s his fault for our poor defensive performance, it takes a real stupid, ignorant person to believe that.
September 20th, 2015 at 6:38 am
Still not sold on Lovie.
September 20th, 2015 at 6:45 am
The players are trying to get their heads on the same page in the same book. The Bucs will not get blown out in today’s game.
September 20th, 2015 at 6:58 am
Coaching failure. This should be Lovies last year.
September 20th, 2015 at 6:58 am
The players need to man up and play some football. I would feel like a sissy if I was the Bucs defensive players after the Titans game. It don’t matter what defense the DC call, there’s no way in hell I would play that weak. The defensive players look like trash on the field. I don’t understand Jason Licht thinking, he gotta be setting Lovie up for failure. 2 drafts and you draft one defensive player, no team has ever did that in the history of the NFL. I’m still predicting that we win the NFC South,
September 20th, 2015 at 7:59 am
Well, Sapp, Brooks and other was here, they had player only meetings often. It’s about time the current guys take it serious. Don’t know what took them so long. They (our so called leaders on the players level) don’t need to be saying “if we have another meeting”. Real leaders makes the others participate or the other players risk looking like a slacker among his peers.
We had three coaches with this core of the defense there. It’s time to look seriously at the core for once. They sucked for all three coaches so far. A new coach/ gm would only push us further back.
September 20th, 2015 at 8:04 am
@newbucsfan – You are so misguided on so many levels.
September 20th, 2015 at 8:08 am
With our last two drafts being almost exclusively on offense, I am of the mindset that our offense will need to win us games, not our rag tag defense.
September 20th, 2015 at 8:50 am
It smells like the players holding themselves accountable. Honestly I don’t understand the goal of your narrative sometimes, Joe. You guys say on the air and in print, “The players need to be held accountable” or “The defense needs to do better” and then when the players try to fix during the week what was broken in week one the narrative is that the players meeting together “smells like a big problem in September.”
September 20th, 2015 at 9:24 am
Lakeland Buc says: First off, You must be a black person, Always blaming others if there White, Why would Jason Licht set Lovie up for, That’s crazy. Do you think that really happened, You don’t think Lovie has any say so on the team, And Lovie just went to a corner in the draft room and Jason Licht picked the players his self, How stupid does that sound, you know, I can tell whos white or whos black when I read all these replys on here , Why’S is that you say, because you think your better then every one else and want to blame white people for your down fall if you are a fellyer in anyway, MAN UP FOR IT,, DON;T BLAME OTHER PEOPLE FOR YOUR DOINGS…….
September 20th, 2015 at 9:28 am
Actually Joe, frazier is still the defensive coordinator. Lovie is only calling the plays. Teaching those plays are on the DC and position coaches.
September 20th, 2015 at 10:07 am
At least we’re not going against the #1 QB in the league like we faced Week 1.
September 20th, 2015 at 10:12 am
Most middle school football teams are better coached than the Buc’s. As long as Lovie is the head coach the Buc’s will continue to be the laughing stock of the NFL. Ugly uniforms and an incompetent coaching staff. What a great combination for us fans!
September 20th, 2015 at 11:05 am
Damn, the “fans” are quick to throw in the towel. smh
September 20th, 2015 at 11:30 am
I don’t think anybody is throwing in the towel but Lovie is 2-15. Worse yet, he’s been blown out and lost winnable games to teams with back up qbs. I think he has til end of the year to turn it around but so far he’s been a failure. You can’t blame people for complaining. I blame glazers too. Anyways if Lovie can get 6 wins I think he’ll be back next year.
September 20th, 2015 at 11:58 am
Can anyone tell me what Leslie Frazier’s job is?
It feels like that scene from Office Space:
“I have people skills! What’s wrong w you dam ppl!”
September 21st, 2015 at 12:38 pm
whatever happens this season, i get the feeling leslie frazier will not be on the bucs next year. he is not calling plays and he is not keeping the position groups in sync, so he is basically incredibly replaceable.