Koetter/Licht No. 28
December 8th, 2016
“Hey Dirk, want to see a good joke?” (Photo courtesy of Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Some head-scratching decisions over at USA Today.
In an article ranking the best coach/general manager combos, Steven Ruiz ranks a duo that has their team in first place in December with one of the lowest grades in the league. That would be the tag-team partners of Bucs coach Dirk Koetter and AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht at No. 28.
Yes, damn near the worst!
28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Coach: Dirk Koetter
GM: Jason LichtIt’s hard ranking these first-year coaches, which is really the only reason Koetter is this low. He’s done a nice job in 2016. Licht has made some poor choices as Bucs GM, but now the team is winning, so maybe he’s done something right.
Licht has made some poor choices? Such as? Sure, Licht goofed (and it’s not clear it was his call) selecting a known headcase like huge bowel movement ASJ in the second round based only on the fact his scouting staff had him graded so high (there was a reason such a highly-graded prospect was still on the board when the Bucs chose in the second round).
Surely Ruiz is not trying to bury Licht for drafting Roberto Aguayo? First, the jury is still very much out on Aguayo (much to the angst of many fans). Joe wouldn’t yet call it a “poor” pick, especially if he pans out. Misguided? Sure. Poor, not yet.
Doesn’t Licht get credit for a third-day draft pick who has made a major impact like linebacker Kwon Alexander?
How about trading up for a Division-III player who in his second year has “Pro Bowl talent” written all over him? Or all the scrubs Licht has pulled off the street this season who have made key plays?
Not to mention damned near every self-righteous person in the United States begging and screaming — screaming! — at Licht to stay away from America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston. Um, how’s that turned out?
How exactly does Ruiz justify having Koetter/Licht at No. 28 when he lists Sean Payton and Mickey Loomis at No. 13? What exactly have those guys done the past, oh, five years?
Ruiz even has Jeff Fisher and Les Snead ranked ahead of Koetter and Licht. Hello? Have you seen the standings dude much less Snead’s picks? Good grief!
December 8th, 2016 at 8:10 am
Because, like every other synopsis of the Bucs by the media, they do no research what so ever. They think of the Bucs like the 61 Mets. I kinda think at this point it’s just fuel to the fire. Flying under the radar usually pays dividends.
December 8th, 2016 at 8:14 am
LOL
That guy shouldnt even be a football writer. The saints ranking cracks me up. Theyve gota have made up near the worst decisions over the last 5 years. Always in cap hell and if not for the rankins pick their defense still wouldnt have improved a lick. I feel lichts gota be closing in on top 10, dirks improving. What a bad article to write when youre obviously not very intelligent on the subject. Go bucs, whoop those number 13 aints
December 8th, 2016 at 8:18 am
I judge Licht based on this: How are we going to afford his draft picks. Kwon, Evans, Marpet, Donovan, Jameis. Plus its too early to judge VH3 and Spence, but they seem like they’ll command a decent payday in their own rights.
Hell, Jameis and Evans will probably be 30 mil a year just for those two!! Franchise left tackles aren’t cheap either.
So thanks to Licht we have a franchise QB AND a franchise LT.
December 8th, 2016 at 8:42 am
It’s hard ranking these first-year coaches, which is really the only reason Koetter is this low. He’s done a nice job in 2016. Licht has made some poor choices as Bucs GM, but now the team is winning, so maybe he’s done something right.
That’s something I would expect my 8 year old to say or write. Please tell me these “experts” don’t get paid to be this stupid.
December 8th, 2016 at 8:44 am
Is this the same USA Today that endorsed Hillary the Horse for President, breaking their 34 year tradition of not endorsing Presidential candidates? Consider the source!
December 8th, 2016 at 8:47 am
Just the same anti-Buc bias we’ve seen for 40 years…
December 8th, 2016 at 8:47 am
Wow. When nobody read your texts you can really say anything
December 8th, 2016 at 8:50 am
Typical no respect for the BUCS by the media. Guys still licking his wounds over his election predictions I’m sure, LOL
Bucs need to stay under the radar and “let’s keep winning”, “let’s keep winning”, “let’s keep winning”.!!!!!! GO BUCS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
December 8th, 2016 at 8:51 am
It’s pretty fair when looking at the season as a whole. 4 out of 12 games doesn’t erase all the bad. Bucs need to be consistent this franchise is only consistent at being bad.
4 games doesn’t erase that
December 8th, 2016 at 9:13 am
Bucs have been under the radar even when they snuck up on the whole country and won a SB. Good. We’ll just keep it that way. 🙂
December 8th, 2016 at 9:15 am
Even if Aguayo was the best kicker in the NFL it would be a poor pick, and Aguayo isn’t even close to the best. In fact, he’s the worst.
December 8th, 2016 at 9:21 am
it feels like the second round has historically been the source of greatest disappointment for the bucs, at least since the superbowl….dewayne white, sabby, arron sears, benn, brian price, dexter jackson, d’quan bowers…the list goes on, sadly.
licht hasn’t been immune to that curse and we can add ASJ and potentially Aguayo to that list. i imagine those are the types of moves that have stuck in the mind of someone who hands out a #28 ranking to licht. but he’s also done way better than his predecessors in that round by grabbing 2 linemen who look like long term starters and a potentially dangerous pass rusher in noah spence
December 8th, 2016 at 9:31 am
Despite his bad moments, I defend Roberto Aguayo. As unpopular as he is, he’s a Rookie. Next season, he should be more accurate than what he was this season. Jason Licht in general has done a good job, and Dirk Koetter is the right coach.
December 8th, 2016 at 9:33 am
Seems like those USA today guys always throw hate towards the bucs. That’s ok by me… Fly under the radar!
December 8th, 2016 at 9:46 am
The Brown’s were higher. Why? Their losing is by design and that’s brave.
December 8th, 2016 at 9:52 am
What’s more shocking is the USA Today is still around. I thought it just morphed into MSNBC or something.
December 8th, 2016 at 10:03 am
Licht is an average GM at best, he whiffed so bad in the draft this year in terms of need for the bucs and then this is the only year he has hit during FA, so it makes sense of the low ranking, but koetter would have to be higher up on his own
December 8th, 2016 at 10:44 am
Of course the national media won’t give Bucs credit and jury is still out on both guys IMO. Licht has hit with Jamies, Kwon, Donovan, Ali and Noah. What’ll be telling is who they can keep on the roster down the road. Roberto should pan out but the whiff on Sweezy bears mentioning, but if he comes on next year and does well, that’ll look good in the rear view also.
December 8th, 2016 at 10:47 am
Wow guys…half the people in these comments are just as bad as the subject of this post. We all know that one of the major prerequisites to be a Bucs fan, or at least a Bucs fan on joebucsfan.com, is a Masters Degree in coaching, managing, pocket presence, throwing accuracy, decision making, blocking, catching, running, kicking, holding, and analyzing, but damn…Licht is a great GM. Aguayo is a rookie who has struggled and has shown bright spots. Chill with all the substandard fanhood and support your guys. Oh, and Lichtenstein gets credit for actually having Dirk as well….but he’s average. Gimme a break. “I’ve been a fan since…”. “I sat through…….” get over it. Go Bucs!
December 8th, 2016 at 10:52 am
Typical case of a national writer talking out of his ass, cause he actually has zero clue what’s going on with the Bucs.
December 8th, 2016 at 10:57 am
Swap the Saints and Bucs positions and it would be much more accurate.
Who cares what this obvious idiot thinks anyway?
December 8th, 2016 at 11:22 am
Let’s be honest with ourselves, the national media is just getting reacquainted with the Bucs for the first time in a decade. Of course they have no idea what we’re really doing. Let’s give it some time. Let them do some looking in to it during the off season. Maybe we get in to the playoffs and they’re forced to do a little research. It’s understandable. If I were a national guy, I wouldn’t put much time in to a franchise that’s been as irrelevant as we’ve been for so long.
December 8th, 2016 at 11:27 am
usual pundits that don’t actually know the team aside from looking at the win loss record and “I hear their kicker is really bad.” Fk these guys.
December 8th, 2016 at 12:00 pm
Jason Licht has done a great job with our depth and pulling player off the street. Peter Shrager from good morning football seems to think so too.
December 8th, 2016 at 1:06 pm
When you said Jeff Fisher, I f I would saw that first I would’ve stop reading right there, the fact that he has a job as well as just got an extension pretty much cancels their argument
December 8th, 2016 at 1:54 pm
Every free agency move Licht has made since he became GM are part of his legacy too.
December 8th, 2016 at 5:51 pm
“Its hard to rate these first year coaches”…. That is the same stupid corporate mentality that a lot of big companies have, including the one I work for. You can’t give a first year employee a great review because they have not been there long enough. Pure silliness. If someone is knocking it out of the park, they’re knocking it out of the park. Its a total cop out.
December 9th, 2016 at 3:51 am
“Speak quitely and carry a big Motherf**king Stick!” 🤐😈
December 9th, 2016 at 6:41 am
Steve Ruiz is Canadian and probably a few other things I can not say on Joe’s w/o getting my post pulled though Ruiz is good at pulling a “lot” of things!!
December 9th, 2016 at 7:50 am
Some of these national pundits are freakin morons I mean honestly does he even pay attention to the NFL ?
Here is my theory. I think Ruiz had a night of binge drinking or something and realized “oh crap I have a deadline I have to meet”. Let me just submit this piece I did a month ago not that much has changed in the NFL.
Plus I am semi-famous from my Crappy Book and I am entitled to a couple nights of hookers and blow no one will ever notice anyhow. After all who reads the USA today except extremely bored hotel patrons and homeless people.
So what can the BUCS do in the immortal words of Al Davis “Just Win Baby” then the pundits will come around and Koetter and Licht will be seen as geniuses. BUCS fans know the deal and Koetter is a good coach.
Jason Licht although he has made mistakes has also found more than his share of diamonds in the rough to make up for it. The way I see it for every bad pick Licht makes he seems to pull a couple of great picks out of nowhere aka Noah Spence and Ali Marpet, Kwon Alexander, oh and don’t forget the straw the stirs the proverbial drink Famous Jameis and of course Mike Evans.
People may blame him for some of the free agents acquisitions but who knows how much of a say Lovie Smith had in the those. This year he got Robert Ayers and Brent Grimes which seem to be pretty good pickups from where I sit.
PEACE
GO BUCS !!!!!!