Noah Spence Not There Yet
August 1st, 2016
Tries to ease the hype.
His teammates are crowing about him. Fans are getting geeked about him.
It seems, however, that Noah Spence isn’t yet buying into his own hype. That’s what Joe took from Spence’s chat yesterday with the local pen and mic club.
Thus far, Spence is not exactly a quiet guy, but he’s not a talker either. Despite the accolades he is receiving, Spence cautioned he has a ways to go before he considers himself an NFL producer.
“I’m getting there,” Spence said. “I’m still trying to get to my full speed because I’m still thinking a little bit when I come off and everything like that. Once I get everything fully down I can go full speed.”
Joe appreciates the humility. Maybe he’s embarrassed by all the hype, who knows?
But what Spence said about when he can go full speed is something like what Akeem Spence said about the rookie from Eastern Kentucky to Joe yesterday, “By Week 5 or Week 6, his name is going to be known around the league.”
And Joe’s OK with that.
August 1st, 2016 at 9:22 am
By week 5 or 6? GOD I HOPE SO, GO BUCS!!!
August 1st, 2016 at 9:24 am
Joe’s been clamoring for a 10+ sack guy for years now.
Spence just might be the guy to quench his thirst.
August 1st, 2016 at 9:32 am
Ok Noah, I’ll try to temper the enthusiasm, back off the pressure a bit.
August 1st, 2016 at 9:37 am
My prediction: Noah Spence will break the rookie sack record with 15 sacks. (Jevon Kearse had 14.5)
August 1st, 2016 at 9:38 am
Hopefully next season he is a 10-12 sack beast. I’m just hoping for 5-7 sacks as a rookie.
August 1st, 2016 at 9:39 am
And another prediction: After so many years without a double-digit sacker, we will have 3 this year… McCoy, Spence, and J Smith.
Boom
August 1st, 2016 at 9:50 am
Wow, Erik Clean, that’s bold! Has any team ever had three 10 sack guys?
August 1st, 2016 at 9:57 am
Wow @Erik…
I thought my 12-4 prediction was bold, but…
I LIKE IT! that’s basically saying 52 sacks total for the D. In this I’m a firm believer
YO JOE!
GO BUCS!!!
August 1st, 2016 at 10:01 am
No disrespect but Spawn will eventually erase the memory of S. Rice.. And I so appreciate the humility. Quiet but bout that action boss.
August 1st, 2016 at 10:22 am
It sure would be nice to see all those guys approach 10 sacks. I like seeing the corner blitzes again.
I’m kinda worried about the oline, though.
August 1st, 2016 at 10:24 am
Humility is a good thing to have in Tampa, or on any other team. Joey Bosa, his team mate at OSU predicts he will be a star in the NFL, and so does Urban Meyer.
August 1st, 2016 at 10:24 am
@erik…I like it and i’ll say we’ll have 4 guys with 8 sacks or more….gholston, spence, gmc, and smith…. GO BUCS!!!!
August 1st, 2016 at 10:35 am
He’ll be all right once he gets his first sack out of the way.
August 1st, 2016 at 10:46 am
Jason Licht better make sure.he saves some.xap space for this guy. Hes going to want a long term deal and we BETTER be able to.keep him around!!!
August 1st, 2016 at 10:46 am
@Erik – You beat me to it. I was going to comment about J. Smith being a beneficiary of the added attention being paid to contain N. Spence and GMC. It’s a lot of fun to think about the amount of disruption they could cause. Add to that the reports that we’re doing some effective blitz packages that could bring LVD and Kwon’s speed getting in to the backfield in to the mix and it’s a lot of fun to think about what could be. I just hope that we’re grooming our heir apparent for the defense to take the reins once Mike Smith is picked up to be the next HC down in Jacksonville after they shuffle things up down there once the season’s done.
August 1st, 2016 at 11:26 am
Yup. That’s why you see a lot of vets signed to two-year contracts (Martin, Ayers, Grimes). Evans, Jameis, Marpet, Donovan Smith, Hargreaves and Noah Spence will be looking for paydays in the not-so-distant future.
August 1st, 2016 at 11:28 am
Don’t forget Howard Jones. I actually think he will have a bigger impact than Jac Smith. Good problems to have.
August 1st, 2016 at 11:33 am
Very good problem to have. This will also have a significant impact on our secondary if we can get the pressure.
August 1st, 2016 at 11:39 am
Excited about Spence, but erase Simeon Rice? Out of the University of Hard Knocks? It would take multiple double digit sack years and living in the backfield of your opponent in the Super Bowl to equal, much less eliminate Rice.
August 1st, 2016 at 11:40 am
He and Greg Spires won that Super Bowl, with Grudens offense.
August 1st, 2016 at 12:38 pm
Just wait and see Chris..
August 1st, 2016 at 12:55 pm
He is a quiet guy, but when he said that I think he just realizes he’s a rookie that needs to put in the work to become a superstar and thats what he’s trying to do.
August 1st, 2016 at 1:01 pm
tmaxcon Im really liked Howard Jones at some points last year and am excited to see what he can do this year
August 1st, 2016 at 7:48 pm
Erik don’t forget about BigDawg99 was the fire that lit up them coals! He had 2 sacks in the Bowl himself if I’m correct.
August 1st, 2016 at 10:17 pm
This is how I got my jersey….