“Throw Deep” Rings In Dirk Koetter’s Head
June 26th, 2016
Buccaneers head coach Dirk Koetter was talking in Idaho this weekend.
Koetter and Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis attended an Idaho State football alumni event in the city of Pocatello, Koetter’s hometown. Lewis and Koetter met as grad students there in the early 1980’s. Lewis also was an assistant under Koetter’s father Jim, the former Idaho State head coach.
Idaho State Journal reporter Jeff Papworth interviewed the duo of NFL head coaches, who also happen to be close friends. Most interesting to Joe was Papworth sharing one huge coaching tip Lewis gave Koetter.
“Marvin’s the second-longest tenured coach in the NFL, done an unbelievable job at Cincinnati,” Koetter said. “Shoot, he’s an idol of mine. I’m proud of him.”
Among the bits of tactical advice Lewis has given Koetter was one simple piece that stuck out to the new Tampa Bay head coach — “Throw deep.”
“I’m serious,” Koetter said. “Marvin’s a defensive coach. I’m an offensive coach. He said offenses don’t throw deep enough.”
Joe can already hear the fantasy football crowd formulating draft strategies after all that “throw deep” talk.
More long ball would make a lot of Bucs fans smile, but does Tampa Bay have a wide receiver that can blow the top off a defense? (Joe just had a fleeting Joey Galloway thought)
Joe expects a lot more 50-50 type balls thrown to Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans this season, in order to take advantage of single coverage and their height and strength advantages.
Regardless, the throw-deep talk is something to monitor.
June 26th, 2016 at 12:24 pm
THIS is one of the things that worries me about Dirk having success as an NFL head Coach. Looking up to one of the biggest whiners in the NFL, who clearly has little to NO control and discipline over his players….is NOT a good thing. I understand their friendship and all, but as you can see I don’t find Lewis all that great of a head coach. If Lewis were coaching anywhere else in the league, no way would he still have his job after what happened in the playoffs last season. Lewis reminds me a little of Mike Smith as a head coach, a very good coach that just can’t seem to get his team over the hump. But in Smitty’s case it wasn’t due to him not being able to have discipline amongst his players….just the opposite. Some coaches are best at being Coordinators, rather than being a Head Coach. I hope Dirk turns out to be both. But I sure don’t want to see him turn into another Marvin Lewis.
Joe, I realize this wasn’t the crux of your article, but I’m just not sold on Marvin Lewis. Maybe this is the year he changes my mind. Anyway, keep it up.
June 26th, 2016 at 12:30 pm
That makes sense. There’s a lot less bodies down the field….lot more air space. Plus, taking more chances opens the defense up a bit.
June 26th, 2016 at 12:31 pm
“More long ball would make a lot of Bucs fans smile, but does Tampa Bay have a wide receiver that can blow the top off a defense?”
I hope Kenny is that guy.
June 26th, 2016 at 12:32 pm
@jb
He’s good enough to keep his job longer than the last 3-4 Bucs coaches combined.
June 26th, 2016 at 12:52 pm
Is is football season yet???
June 26th, 2016 at 12:53 pm
Air it out JW:)!
June 26th, 2016 at 12:53 pm
Great article Joe! Thanks
June 26th, 2016 at 12:55 pm
I actually think it comes down to Kenny Bell. If he can blow the top off the defense… #3 could have a arsenal of weapons if this offense can gel together. They are youngry. lol
June 26th, 2016 at 1:03 pm
Jameis had a tendency to overthrow…..that’s not such a bad thing….usually the receiver is the one closer to it….
June 26th, 2016 at 1:11 pm
As long as he doesn’t force it deep. 50/50 balls can’t be the staple of an offense.
June 26th, 2016 at 1:14 pm
What constitutes ‘deep’? 15 yards? 20? More? How many yards in the air until a throw is considered deep? Inquiring minds want to know.
June 26th, 2016 at 1:15 pm
Winston looked real good on the 20 yard “between the safety and corner” throws. He had a lot of nice “deep outs” too. It’s the short and deep stuff he needs to clean up. More so the deep than the short. He’s got the drive to make it happen. He’s definitely not lazy.
June 26th, 2016 at 1:17 pm
When I think of “throwing deep”, I think of the 9 route up the sideline. 40-50 yards in the air.
June 26th, 2016 at 1:19 pm
Also the double move up the sideline like the Rams did to us last season. I forget who caught that.
June 26th, 2016 at 2:02 pm
Throw deep to who? We have no deep threat, the TURTLES we have on the outside can’t beat a CB deep if their life depended on it.
June 26th, 2016 at 2:07 pm
Eric 75- agree entirely with your 1:15 post. Lakeland Buc- sorry to disagree but ME is perfect to throw the deep ball to. He high points the ball VERY well and while he does not posses elite speed, can definitely get down the field. Also ASJ ( assuming he gets his head out of his a$$, can beat most safety’s and LB’s deep. I also expect a fair around to miss matches involving Simms.
June 26th, 2016 at 2:32 pm
I like Marvin Lewis, wasn’t he the coach who almost landed in Tampa Bay? I don’t look at his connection with Kotter as odd or a jinx, I see it as a positive going forward.
June 26th, 2016 at 3:28 pm
I think Koetter has the respect of most other coaches around the league. Now is his time to get the respect of the media and fans.
June 26th, 2016 at 3:42 pm
A little bit off-topic….you know, I wish we go back to the previous logo, you know …kind of old, reage look…after all, you know ..buccaneers (?)…idk, probably this new one ; reminds me too much of the Lovely era. Uuugghh!
June 26th, 2016 at 5:27 pm
We have at minimum 3 candidates with enough speed and moves to get behind a defense. One of them is proven. Sims is my candidate for the modern day Lennie Moore. Sims is going to have a great season. He’ll frequently be overlooked.
We have two more possibilities…If Bell is the real deal then we can get behind the D from the WR position…if Vitale is the real deal we have a guy with enough speed to get behind the defense from any position on the offense.
I’m a relatively new Bucs fan…late 90’s when I moved here. But it’s been nothing but defense defense defense, I get that is our tradition, but I gotta be honest…I’m beyond jacked about breaking with tradition and going deep. Air Koetter!!!
June 26th, 2016 at 5:36 pm
We have a lot of “potential” at WR, but we don’t have any proven deep threats. We don’t have a Kevin House or Joey Galloway on this roster, maybe next season we will draft one.
June 26th, 2016 at 8:15 pm
I’m wondering if all this talk about koetter throwing deep is a giant smoke screen. I know he likes to throw but maybe we’ll be a running team. If not I don’t like all this info the bucs have been publicly talking about their plans to go deep every series
June 26th, 2016 at 8:56 pm
About time we decide to take advantage of the 6-5 frames we have out there. I think maybe Mike Evans got bored with those wide open passes maybe why he was dropping them. Make him fight for the catch give him a little motivation. I don’t know just talking out my arse right now
June 26th, 2016 at 9:26 pm
In order for a deep threat to emerge with the type of personnel that we have in the passing game, somebody is going to have to be able to work the middle intermediate part of the field or we’re going to see tons of deep safeties.
Basically for our offense to be successful our defense is going to need to give the O a few more possessions a game. 3 or 4 extra stops outside of field goal range will add points to our side of the board.
June 26th, 2016 at 11:43 pm
I wonder what Dirk and Marvin’s conversations about Jay Hayes entail…
June 27th, 2016 at 7:11 am
[…] Since Koetter has taken over, he has mentioned how he wants an up-tempo offense, and he claims to have heeded the words of noted offensive mastermind Marvin Lewis to “throw deep.” […]
June 27th, 2016 at 7:47 am
I think ppl forgot all the long balls that Mikey hauled in as a rookie with McClown and Glennon throwing to him for crying out loud. Winston and Evans had no chemistry built last season and timing is everything when it comes down to the long ball. They have been working together during the off season so hopefully we see that improvement this year. And just because Evans doesn’t run a 4.2 doesn’t mean he can’t win a jump ball down field or beat the defender. He did it game after game his 1st year, and the defenders knew it was coming but still couldn’t stop it. So what does that tell ya??
And not to mention adding a speedster like Bell this year will help stretch the field as well. And when u throw down field you increase the chances of getting a pass interference call wich is as good as a completion really, and is way to common these days with all the new rules that benefit the receiver.
June 28th, 2016 at 2:11 am
A winning strategy is based on exploiting the weaknesses of the opposition along with season-long good health for your team at the skill positions.
If Koetter, Inc are able to bring those factors to every game this season they will add up to a winning season. I’ll leave the specifics to the people responsible and hope that I am entertained along the way.
Go Deep?
Fine..!!
Run it down their throats all game long?
Yup..!!
Bust’em up..??
I’m cool with that..!!
Whatever works..!!
Just WIN, Baby..!!
And, of course, a little luck doesn’t hurt………
July 5th, 2016 at 8:47 pm
Evans is a great size-speed combo, but we really need a true sub 4.3 threat with real balls skills…. might’ve gotten one this draft had we not overreached for a kicker.