Chucky Calls Mike Smith “A Pain In The Ass”
April 7th, 2016
“Facing this guy Mike Smith got under my skin like Simeon Rice and Keyshawn Johnson combined?“
Mike Smith arrived at One Buc Palace with a simple message containing little detail: He’ll run a defense that’s easy for defenders and confusing to quarterbacks.
It seems Chucky agrees.
Smith hasn’t been a defensive coordinator since 2007. Chucky hasn’t coached since 2008. But the Bucs’ ring-bearing former chief has a long memory.
While filming his famous QB Camp show for BSPN, Chucky, as documented by Emily Kaplan of TheMMQB.com, was grilling quarterback prospect Carson Wentz and pointed out Smith.
“How about this guy?” Gruden asks.
Silence.
“This is Mike Smith,” Gruden continues. “Now he’s back as a defensive coordinator [of the Bucs]. He’s a pain in the ass, too.”
Gruden scrolls through slides like he’s in a hurry-up offense, moving from the Bears’ Vic Fangio (“another pain in the ass”) to New England’s Matt Patricia (“he has one of the best three-down sub packages in the league”) to the Cowboys’ Rod Marinelli (“he’s getting into double-A-gap blitzes now.”)
Smith was a hell of a defensive coordinator with Jacksonville. How good? Remember this data shared by Buccaneers.com.
Top Five NFL Defenses by Yards Allowed Per Game, 2003-07
1. Pittsburgh: 281.6
2. Baltimore: 284.3
3. Tampa Bay: 289.8
4. Jacksonville: 300.1
5. Dallas: 303.0Top Five NFL Defenses by Points Allowed Per Game, 2003-07
1. New England: 16.8
2. Pittsburgh: 17.8
3. Baltimore: 17.9
4. Jacksonville: 18.2
5. Tampa Bay: 18.3
Those were Smith’s Jags teams in very elite company, despite not having Hall of Fame talent on defense, or a dominant offense.
Joe can’t wait to see with Smith rolls out to maximize the Bucs’ talent. Joe’s only concern now is what happens if Smith does a good job in 2016. If so, he’s likely a head coach again in 2017.
April 7th, 2016 at 8:27 am
I remember those Jaguar teams of the 00’s. They were tough.
April 7th, 2016 at 8:44 am
Bucsfanman
You said it, what I remember from those teams was sound fundamentals ans very physical defenses.
April 7th, 2016 at 8:45 am
chuckles from Chuckie,I like it.thats funny!
April 7th, 2016 at 8:52 am
why do I have a feeling we are gunna draft nkimedche(not sure how to spell it) somewhere
April 7th, 2016 at 8:59 am
I’m talkin bout say it again Joe, they did not have Hall-of-Fame talent yo. But d@$! they were good. SB convince me that Mike Smith was hands down our biggest acquisition of the off season.(Much like Koetter was last season)Hope we can convince him to stick around. Some of y’all sleep man. This D about to experience similar turn around to the one the offense had last season. Book it!
April 7th, 2016 at 9:03 am
I really hope some how some way we draft LSU’s Deion Lewis. He looks like Kwon’s mirror image.
April 7th, 2016 at 9:12 am
Lets worry about the team being good and getting to .500 before we worry what coach is going to go where!!!! Maybe Mike Smith gets a nice house on the water and falls in love with the area and great weather year round here!!!
I got to see Mike Smith’s defense live on a monday night game vs the Steelers. It was by far the hardest hitting game that I have ever seen or heard ( even more than the great golden age of the Tampa2 era!!!! Most have had to replace there helmets by halftime!!!!
by the way,,, was this you bucsfanman?????
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glCRe7cSqhw
April 7th, 2016 at 9:40 am
Monty Kiffin’s Defenses were good in those days too. Now he gets run out of every team when he gets a hold of the defense. So regarding Smith I’m keeping my expectations very low.
April 7th, 2016 at 9:49 am
Most likely, Jay Hayes gets promoted…
Which is why I’m assuming he was brought here with that understanding.
April 7th, 2016 at 9:51 am
They had some BIG BOY DTs, nasty down the middle
April 7th, 2016 at 9:51 am
@nole…you mean deion jones the lb…kid ran a 4.38 in the 40…him kwon and lvd would be great together for years to come…he may be gone by mid second round tho…GO BUCS!!!
April 7th, 2016 at 10:13 am
I love to see good defensive play. Last year was really hard to watch whenever the offense didn’t have the ball.
Looking forward to and expecting to see improvement from the scheme, coaches and existing players. I’m also eager to find out what young talent Licht will draft for the Defense and which of them can be instant upgrades and help right away.
April 7th, 2016 at 10:28 am
You right 813 my bad. Dag I would like to see him added to David and Kwon.
April 7th, 2016 at 10:35 am
813 I agree duke won’t last past the mid-second, I’m thinking with the initial success of Kwon Licht/Koetter and Smith have to be taking a hard look at the kid.. Would you be okay with drafting him with the second pick???
April 7th, 2016 at 10:37 am
@ jvato24
That was the key to the Jags defense, 2 huge bad-ass D tackles and fast linebackers. I think that’s what we may see here, so drafting a D tackle may not be a complete surprise. They can get a good DE in the second round, and the old Buc’s regime would never draft a cover 2 corner before the 3rd round (i.e. Ronde). Rd-1: DT, RD-2: DE, RD-3: CB, Rd-4: WR/FS, RD-5: WR/LB…
April 7th, 2016 at 10:49 am
It may be just the fact that they were teammates but Kwon is big on the Bucs grabbing Deion Jones too, I saw something on twitter or maybe here and then the guy ran that 4.3 40. His draft stock shot up after that.
April 7th, 2016 at 11:13 am
Was it Mike Smith or Jack Del Rio defense with the Jags?
April 7th, 2016 at 11:19 am
Why does an article on one topic have comments that digress to different topics all of the time?
Focus, people!
April 7th, 2016 at 11:22 am
USF man his workout was phenomenal. David/Kwon/Jones together. Woah..
April 7th, 2016 at 11:24 am
Idontwanna
April 7th, 2016 at 11:34 am
@Realist- LMFAO………my wife was out of town that weekend!
April 7th, 2016 at 11:40 am
LakeLandBuc
Exactly – No Matter where Jack Del Rio has coached.
He’s employed an aggressive defense. Mike Smith? Not so much
Was he riding the coattail of one the most dominate interior defensive line units in NFL history? Maybe.
In comparison – Its like saying the former Chicago Bears Offensive Coordinator Ed Hughes was some type offensive guru. When EVERYONE knows Iron Mike Ditka aka Da’ Coach; called all the plays. Of course playing with one of the most productive running backs of all-time. Coupled with a defense that completely annihilated the opposition; didn’t hurt.
Can’t wait to see how it all plays out.
April 7th, 2016 at 12:56 pm
I want them to take a flyer on Odel Beckham Jr. Cousin, workout beast. Check him out on youtube.
April 7th, 2016 at 1:36 pm
lmao Realist you’re out of control.
April 7th, 2016 at 2:00 pm
That’s why jay Hayes came from cin to the bucs if mike leaves for a HC job then I have no doubt that jay Hayes will be Tampa D coordinator so I personally think we are set
April 7th, 2016 at 5:57 pm
As a Steelers/Bucs fan I remember Rothlisberger, Ward and the bus not being able to do squat against Jville in Afc division round of the playoffs. How about Koetter with David Gerrard , Koetter and Smith had Jville happening.
April 7th, 2016 at 10:13 pm
interesting that on those jags defenses del rio still called the defensive plays and while head coach of Falcons mike smith didn’t call the plays . may not mean anything but mike smith doesn’t have much experience in calling defensive plays
April 8th, 2016 at 2:30 am
Marcus stroud and jonathan henderson they were beasts among children in the trenches
April 8th, 2016 at 10:02 am
Koetter better watch his back with Mike Smith…Glazer boys are known for backstabbing current coach and bringing in the flavor of the day.
April 8th, 2016 at 10:59 am
Some days I really miss Chuckie! But Mike Smith is a very good defensive minded coach and we were lucky to get him! Now we just need to upgrade the talent on our defensive line, and I think we will start to be competitive again!