Koetter Must Show Confidence
November 8th, 2016
Be confident.
A lot of fans are grumbling about Dirk Koetter. Losing tends to provoke such reactions.
Mainly, from what Joe can tell, fans are mad because Koetter won’t open up the offense. Some decisions he has made clearly tell Joe the head coach/playcaller does not trust his defense to get a stop and he’d rather, at times, eat three points than seven.
After watching this defense the past two games, who could argue?
And while Koetter’s occasional odd decisions can be logically explained, he may be Pearl Harboring himself. That is the word from long-time Bucs beat guy Woody Cummings.
While cutting his regular spot for the early Monday morning “Bucs Bonus” show on WFLA-TV Channel 8, popular among the divorcee, security guards and diehard drunkards demographic, Cummings said when Koetter doesn’t demonstrate confidence in his players, he creates fertile ground to grow distrust and resentment among the ranks. And that could blow up in Koetter’s face.
“He’s learning on the job,” Cummings said of Koetter. “It’s been difficult. He has had some very peculiar moments. Very strange, head-scratching moments. Had one in the Atlanta game where he doesn’t take a penalty. Doesn’t create a third-and-22 for his defense. He’s had a lot of situations where it seems he doesn’t trust his kicker, his offense, the defense, his running game, whatever it might be.
“He has got to show he has confidence. He says he does. He has got to show on the field that his decision-making in those moments that he does have confidence in his defense, in his offense, in his quarterback, his running game, all of those things. He’s got to show it. If he doesn’t have it, the players won’t have it.
“He has got to be a little bit better of a coach. He said it is on the coaching staff and indeed it is. It is on Dirk Koetter. He has to be better in the second half. If he is better, this team will be better.”
This does add up and sort of puts Koetter between a rock and a hard place. Damned if he does show confidence in a rattled kicker and a sudden sieve of a defense. Damned if makes odd moves in an attempt to avoid having a kicker or the defense botch a game.
At the end of the day, the last thing Koetter wants to do lose the trust of his players. That’s a sure recipe for an implosion.
The confidence angle always reminds Joe of a funny story. Back when Bobby Knight was the 500-pound gorilla basketball coach of the Big Ten in the 1980s, there was a guard (Joe can’t remember his name) Knight always pulled in and out of the starting lineup (Knight rarely had a set-starting five until the tournament began). And when the guard did play, Knight kept him on a short leash.
Once, after a game, Knight was asked if monkeying around with the guard would destroy his confidence? Knight quickly shot back, “What about my confidence?”
Touché!
November 8th, 2016 at 5:05 am
A lot of fans are grumbling about Dirk Koetter? News flash: That’s what Bucs fans do in Bucsville … they grumble. A lot usually. Grumbled about Lovie Smith. About Greg Schiano and Raheem Morris. Yup, about Jon Gruden and Tony Dungy. The list goes on, and on, and on. Comes with the territory Dirk so buckle up. Want to stop the grumbling? That’s simple: win.
Media folks will gleefully tell ya how to do that. No problem: have confidence Dirk. That’s all ya need: confidence. Start by showing a woefully under-performing rookie kicker that you trust him when the game’s on the line. Have confidence Dirk. And by all means trust your beaten-up and gassed defense to get a 3rd down stop against the highest powered offense in the NFL. That’ll boost their spirits … unless they give up a 1st down of course. But have confidence Dirk. All you have to do is “be a little bit better as a coach”. Remember that: coach better Dirk or the players might lose confidence in you. That 5th string RB who’s now starting but was sitting on his couch 2 weeks ago watching football on TV? No problem, coach him up better. It’s on you Dirk.
November 8th, 2016 at 5:08 am
I’m more confident that the offense will get back on track. Defensively, we need to develop a bend but don’t break philosophy. Mike Smith should focus on red zone defense and holding opponents to field goals , that will allow him to be more aggressive midfield.
November 8th, 2016 at 5:19 am
Lovie took this team backwards in his first season. From 4-12 to 2-14.
So I have no problem with giving Dirk another season or even 2 more.
November 8th, 2016 at 5:21 am
Move Verner to Safety, heck even Josh Robinson to safety, they are collecting $8 million a year on special teams (another brilliant move by our AC/DontCare GM) and a blind mouse would be a better option than contecoveranybody and mcdudeisuck, but then again, that makes sense and not much of whats going around Bucs(suck)ville these days
November 8th, 2016 at 5:34 am
Is it too early to talk draft, hopefully the Bucs won’t pass on Leornard Fournette just like we passed on Adrian Peterson in our Gaines Adams draft, how’d that workout, a dominant running game will do wonders around here, play action, keeps defense off the field, focus on the defense in free agency, not the bottom barrel washed up (Grimes n DSmith) or barely was (Ayers), always hurt (Dougie Sweezy), act like your damn job is on the line Licht (IT IS), spend some that cash on the top Safety and Corners, and the best D lineman, not close to retirement guys, but actual players that’ll have a chance to be here 3 years from now, the GM stuff doesn’t seem so complicated maybe I’ll put in my application, what’s the website to do that Joe? Is it still imanidiot@yucbuc.com
November 8th, 2016 at 5:46 am
I have a problem with Mr Koetter NOT having another season. I like how he coaches. I think he is going to be very good. Of course he is learning some things as he goes – he is a rookie head coach. Lovie had years of experience as a HC, what did that do for the Bucs? Lovie also made stupid decisions, but he refused to acknowledge them as such
Koetter needs to stay. The Bucs need stability.
November 8th, 2016 at 5:56 am
If the Bucs eventually get our overpaid, injury prone running back to play again sometime this year, then maybe the team can sustain drives, keep the defense off the field, and allow our predictable offense a chance to open up the playbook a little
November 8th, 2016 at 5:57 am
Yeah, he has had a few head scratchers, but he does get the first couple of years pass, we hired him to learn on the job
November 8th, 2016 at 6:00 am
Koetter is a joke but really what can any coach do with this terrible team?
Jason lichts assembled the 3rd worst talented team
It seems like licht and the front office is trying to find an excuse to give to the glazers. It seems like they pumping the injury card and going to use smitty as the scapegoat.
#smittyslivedoesnotmatter
November 8th, 2016 at 6:05 am
Koetters offense only works with a workhorse power back, Michael Turner is the reason Matt Ryan had a successful start to his career, once Turner slowed down, Ryan struggled, the ATL defense started wearing down, and then coaches get axed, I know everyone loves Doug as a person but dude gets hurt too often, pair him with a first round stud RB like Fournette or Cook, don’t get cute and pick the 2nd best DE or S, pick the monster that’ll carry your team and open up the pass via the run, we already have our Julio type WR, we need our stud RB
November 8th, 2016 at 6:50 am
Guzzle:
Interesting take about a power back.
November 8th, 2016 at 7:17 am
I want to see the Chicago game before I do any jumping on or off the bandwagon.
The Bucs have largely beaten the teams they should and got mauled by the teams that should. Can you say Denver? And I’m not sure but I think Atlanta’s stats on offense are not a mirage. JJ is simply the best receiver in the league right now and Matty Ice is Matty Ice. It seems the two additions to their OL have given them enough protection for Ryan. Toss in Devonta Freeman and you have a wicked offense.
We are simply not there yet although I certainly think if ME improves as much this off season as he did the last he’s going to be equal to JJ. If you are a pure football fan count your blessings. We are going to get to see two HOF level receivers in the same division for another decade.
Bottom line…we’re not as good as Atlanta yet nor Denver but we have some pieces falling into place…a great young #1 receiver and a franchise QB to get him the ball. We are not good yet…but if we beat Chicago we can definitely say we’ve improved from one of the worst of the NFL teams to a middle of the pack team. Beat the weaker teams but not the great teams yet.
November 8th, 2016 at 7:17 am
The moment Koetter opens up the offense and trusts the defense to cover his back? The defense will fail and TAMPA FANS will start screaming that he shouldn’t have opened up the offense.
So, scr#w them, Koetter. You do what feels right to you, and d@mn the torpedoes.
November 8th, 2016 at 7:52 am
Agree with Guzzie on free agency choices and success.Two of the best players to emerge this year were William Gholston and Kevin Pamphile, who were already on the roster.
team needs a free agency staff to evaluate the players talent, durability,
and value to the team.Take this process out of Jason licht’s hands until the final decision.I like licht, but given his track record on free agency,he would wise to delegate in this area.
November 8th, 2016 at 8:06 am
Turnover prone QB, mental midget kicker, awful defense and a d coordinator who makes Loser Lovie look like a genius. Can’t fault him for not being aggressive
November 8th, 2016 at 10:26 am
@87…lovie didn’t have half the talent dirk has in his first so why would you be ok with regression?….
@harry….dirk has been in the league for quite a while now….the mistakes he’s making are coaching 101 mistakes….
im being honest…I love my bucs but after watching football on sunday, I don’t see us winning another game….bears have a nice pass rush and capable qb, decent run game…chiefs, seahawks, cowboys are all flat out better than us….chargers and saints can put up 40plus in a heartbeat and Carolina seems to be coming around…..dirk is incompetent….GO BUCS!!!!
November 8th, 2016 at 1:07 pm
Tampa Tony Says:
November 8th, 2016 at 8:06 am
“… and a d coordinator who makes Loser Lovie look like a genius”
What world are you living in? In 2 years, Lovie’s defense played 2 good games, and one of those was against Dallas when both Romo and Bryant were not playing.
Some of you are far too eager to show your stupidity to the world.
November 8th, 2016 at 5:06 pm
@unbelievable…and how many good games have we played defensively?….please don’t mention the 49ers or the panthers…this defense is worse than last year…..GO BUCS!!!!
November 8th, 2016 at 5:07 pm
we gave up 30+ points to a rams team that has no qb and only scored 9 points in 2weeks….GO BUCS!!!
November 8th, 2016 at 6:49 pm
30 points is not realistic since Jameis set them up for 14 right off the bat.