Bruce Arians Salutes Bucs
March 30th, 2016
Likes how Bucs develop rookie o-linemen.
In case you haven’t noticed, the spread offense is doing more to kill the NFL than all the bubblewrap/PC/soccer mom crowd ever could in the hysterical War on Football.
Just look how hard it is to find a decent quarterback from the college ranks.
And offensive linemen? Ha! That’s even worse.
So last week, when the Custodian of Canton, eye-RAH! Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune, was mingling with NFL coaches at the NFL owners meetings in pedestrian Boca Raton, Kaufman chatted with Cardinals coach Bruce Arians about offensive line play. Arians seemed to shake his head in amazement the Bucs found two rookie offensive linemen to excel, that being Donovan Smith and Ali Marpet.
“It’s extremely hard and you don’t expect those guys to play very well that first year because it’s such a different game,’’ Arians said. “So many of them now have never been in a three-point stance and have never heard a quarterback call a play in the huddle.
“The quality of the athlete is so much greater at those positions, but the quality of the fundamentals is much less than it used to be. They’re not fundamentally ready … they’re going to fail. And with only one padded practice a week, it’s really hard to get offensive linemen ready to play. The Bucs did a nice job with it and that’s why both of those players are going to be so much better next year.’’
Yet, if one was to listen to the calculator kids, the Bucs should throw Smith off a pier into Tampa Bay. For whatever reason, the PFF tribe can’t stand Smith.
But what the hell does a successful NFL coach, who has a Super Bowl ring as an offensive coordinator and once worked for Bear Bryant, know about football anyway, huh?
March 30th, 2016 at 4:17 am
I’d say there has been a definite improvement in talent evaluation and coaching on our offense. It appears that the defense is next. The Bucs will surprise some teams this season.
March 30th, 2016 at 5:49 am
If the Glazers had a brain they’d have hired Arians instead of Schiano. Dude is a great coach.
March 30th, 2016 at 6:03 am
And the same could be said about the 30 other teams… Tony tone tard..
March 30th, 2016 at 6:18 am
Tampa tony I agree arians is a great guy and hard to find head coach….but I feel the exact same way about koetter so Im good with it
March 30th, 2016 at 6:24 am
Joe, that’s what I really enjoy about JBF: those little tidbits that you slip in various articles. Like Bruce Arians being “an offensive coordinator and once worked for Bear Bryant”. How many NFL coaches have that on their resume? That makes Arians a national treasure in my eyes.
March 30th, 2016 at 6:44 am
I have to give it up for our O Line Coach. He did an excellent job last year.
March 30th, 2016 at 7:30 am
Donovan smith is a BEAST! Im harder than any on here but D smith is tough and he nevers quits..Cant really ask for more than that..Even the best get beat every once in a while.
March 30th, 2016 at 7:33 am
Do u guys know who found and hired Bruce Arians? Some guy named Jason Licht.
We are very lucky to have a guy like him. He has a eye for talent both players and coaches and that is why I think Koetter is the right guy.
We have one of the best GMS is the NFL and that is why Lovie got fired and Jason didnt. The glazers realized what they had in Licht. His resumes speaks for itself. He had the most successful draft out of all 32 teams last season and THAT is how you build a winning franchise from the ground up. I don’t think Bucs fans realize how good of a GM we have here in Tampa. We are in good hands.
-“In Licht we trust.”
March 30th, 2016 at 7:37 am
Ali Marpet is a future pro bowler. U can bet on it.
And Donovon Smith will be our franchise LT for probably the next ten years.
Not bad considering these guys weren’t even first round picks.
March 30th, 2016 at 8:07 am
Buc4life you on it my dude. I’ll say it again,soon we will be the most arrogant fan base in the entire league.
March 30th, 2016 at 8:36 am
We’re not giving this man enough props. You draft a rookie QB two linemen and a middle linebacker. They all start and play well. The QB was up for the ROY,the middle linebacker would have been in the running for the DROY. I hear what Arians is saying,the translation is “that was f@$!ing HUGE!” Some of y’all sleep man.
March 30th, 2016 at 8:45 am
So no one is going to give Warhop his credit because it was just 2 years ago everyone was calling him the worst O-Line coach ever. Now that everyone see that the OC and O-Line coach have to work in unison no apology for Warhop.
March 30th, 2016 at 8:45 am
Licht is dong a great job. He has a realistic plan and is executing it. I all think bucs surprise a few teams this year and with one more draft next year make serious noise. This draft is key. He will get a pick or decent player for glennon it wont be enough for some of the glennon crowd but it will be a solid pick or player and then execute his draft board and bucs will be relevant again. finally… I never liked the full control bit. A team needs good structure too much going on for a head coach to have full control. Koetter reminds me of the old school guys not caught up with power and titles. He seems like a just give me some talented players and I’ll go to work winning some games…
March 30th, 2016 at 9:51 am
Thank you, Defense.
March 30th, 2016 at 9:54 am
Be nice if our DEs transform to a strength just like our OL
March 30th, 2016 at 10:21 am
i’ll give warhop some credit…talent has a lot to do with it as well…d.smith and a.marpet are a lot better than a.collins and whoever was our rg at the time…i’ll also give credit to mankins and cherilus…both vets took the rooks under their wing and showed them how to be professionals…GO BUCS!!!
March 30th, 2016 at 10:32 am
It is my understanding that Warhop was the primary influence in drafting these 2 Olinemen. He apparently made it known to Licht that D. Smith and Ali Marpet were the 2 best prospects that he felt he could effectively work with and that would be realistically available for the Bucs to try and acquire in the 2nd round – knowing we would take a QB at #1.
And what did Licht do? He made it happen and got not 1 but BOTH!
Props to Jason Licht for the acquisitions, to Warhop for doing an excellent job of coaching them into effective starters in their rookie year, and to D. Smith and Marpet themselves for working hard to get to the point they got to so quickly. And also honorable mentions go to Logan Mankins and Gosder Cherilus for taking these guys under their wing, showing them the ropes and teaching them what it means and what takes to be effective NFL football players.
March 30th, 2016 at 10:43 am
813 – you beat me to it on the props to Mankins and Cherilus. No harm in reiterating the importance of that though.
I think Licht saw how well those “mentorships” worked for the OL last year – which is a big part of why they spent $ on Grimes, Ayers and Daryl Smith this year. To fill the talent needs in their positions for a year or 2 – but also to help the learning curves of the young players they plan to draft at those positions.
I would not be surprised at all to see CB (Hargreaves?), DE and LB (perhaps Kwon’s buddy form LSU Deion Jones?) be drafted by the Bucs in rounds 1,2 and 3 this year.
March 30th, 2016 at 11:30 am
I would have taken Arians over Schiano, Lovie or Koetter any day! The man has taken AZ and made them a playoff contender every year. Their secret is great balance on both sides of the ball. That’s where we are trying to get.
March 30th, 2016 at 6:06 pm
dont forget Logan Mankins!!!
He is a better coach than Warhop.
and thank Licht for bringing in a GURU like Mankins.
Mankins transformed our lockerroom!!
give thanks!
Teacherman is back.
the same guy who wanted to convert Mark Barron to LB.
March 31st, 2016 at 7:29 am
No doubt, Mankin was a huge help to our whole line but specifically the two rookies. And mainly D.Smith because he was right next to him. he pointed out all the blitzes and what guy he needed to block on almost every single pre-snap. Big ups to Mankins.
March 31st, 2016 at 9:49 am
Seemed like the latter half of the season Smith didn’t do too well. What if:
Bucs get Mo Wilkerson and a Tunsil or Franchise LT is staring us in the face. Love Hargreaves… but take that OT. Then move Smith to RT with Demar