Dirk Koetter Talks Targets, Happiness & Winning
June 30th, 2017
The sage of Tampa Bay sports, eye-RAH! Kaufman, has been buzzing all spring about how Dirk Koetter might have to focus on spreading the ball around to keep his stockpile of weapons content and maintain good feelings in the huddle.
So Kaufman fired that fastball at Koetter during the recent edition of the Ira Kaufman Podcast.
Ira asked the head coach if lots of talented targets means you have to be concerned about keeping guys happy.
Interestingly, Koetter acknowledged that complaints about touches and targets arise when a team is losing, but the Bucs plan on winning so it’s a non-factor to him.
“I’ve just found over the years that if you’re winning, everything takes care of itself. The only time touches and targets become an issue is when your team is struggling. Then it becomes an issue. ” Koetter said. “Everyone’s going to play along fine when you’re winning. And we plan on winning. So as a coach, I don’t think you can worry about that. What coach would get up there and say, ‘We have too many good players.’ I mean, that’s the plan. Get more good players. Now how do you keep them all happy? Put together a team and a system that has a chance to win every week. If you don’t win, I’m not going to be happy, they’re not going to be happy, and you guys aren’t going to be happy.”
Joe loved the candid answer by Koetter.
And he’s on the money.
Sure, Cameron Brate might cry if O.J. Howard gets more targets and Brate’s numbers decline as he nears his new contract. DeSean Jackson might moan and pout if the Bucs are throwing to him twice a game while Mike Evans is pounded again with an average of 11 targets per outing. Or Evans might get frustrated if he’s cut back to six or seven throws a game. Charles Sims might even make a rare public comment if he’s healthy but only sees a few snaps a game in his contract year. You get the idea. But they all shut up and smile if the Bucs are winning.
As Koetter has said, “All that anyone gives a sh*t in this league about is wins.”
No truer words have been spoken.
June 30th, 2017 at 3:37 pm
Spreading the ball helps set up plays as well, it helps the offense to adjust and be more tactical of what the defense is throwing at it!!!!!
Spreading it out also will help health!!! But we have discuss this haven’t we??????? OMG its a “Realist Repost”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Buc Realist Says:
May 21st, 2017 at 10:30 am
You should use the “julio jones” model and see that his numbers will be sightly down. But he will no where be “gang tackled” as much so he will be healthier and have a longer career!!!!!!! If the new TE or DJ can become almost emerge as primary weapon like receiving option then maybe ME13 will be singled a little more and we will see more “YAC”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 30th, 2017 at 3:41 pm
“I’ve just found over the years that if you’re winning, everything takes care of itself”
Amen Coach Koetter! Amen!
June 30th, 2017 at 3:43 pm
And you know that the guys who complain about targets when they’re winning isn’t the kind of guy you want on the team. Simple as that.
June 30th, 2017 at 3:47 pm
Good point 365!
June 30th, 2017 at 3:52 pm
@bucs_365
The only thing worse than that, is to have an incompetent coach complaining that he does not have the players to run his antiquated, passive scheme!!!!!!!
They fixed that problem didn’t they!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 30th, 2017 at 3:55 pm
SHORT HIGH PROBABLE PASSING ATTACK
We now have players that can catch short passes in open space to punish defenses RAC….than GO DEEP
Teach Jameis how to play cat and mouse against Defensive coord with the short and deep level passing attack and we head to the NFC championship game
“Kobe will not be happy with the run, run, take a shot deep playcalling again”
Kobe Faker
June 30th, 2017 at 4:02 pm
“that’s the plan. Get more good players. Now how do you keep them all happy? Put together a team and a system that has a chance to win every week”
Even 2 years in – Coach Koetter’s candor is just so refreshing. No BS from this coach ever.
Although the “plan” is much easier stated than accomplished – we are well on our way from all indications…
June 30th, 2017 at 4:03 pm
Not gonna happen Kobe Liar. Koetter’s offense is predicated on run/pass balance
June 30th, 2017 at 4:04 pm
Fact. H3ll Dez bryant was a good boy for the cowgirls last season mainly because they were winning. Young Dak was finding witten a h3ll of lot more than him early in his process. This won’t be problematic tho,us FSU heads saw Fameis feed Greene,Shaw,Benjamin,Oleary and Freeman in 2013.
June 30th, 2017 at 5:52 pm
Is the Bucs Realist really Rock Riley?????? I wonder….!!!!!!!!!!
June 30th, 2017 at 6:12 pm
The only ball they need to be upset about not getting to touch is the silver one on the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Now use those big M EFFING sticks and go win it!!!
June 30th, 2017 at 6:25 pm
This isn’t the year to pass up the audio stories, particularly from Ira and Rock. If you listened to Ira’s interview with Koetter, you heard it from the horses mouth, so to speak, and not from the other end of the horse, namely Nick Puglisi (Listen to Ira and you will get it).
June 30th, 2017 at 7:09 pm
If our Defense can cause plenty of 3 & outs…..we will be able to target everybody often…..I like the sound of some of Monken’s scores…..48-3…..56-7 & 63-10 sounds about right.
June 30th, 2017 at 8:04 pm
The next level of Tampa Bay Bucs winning/consistent playoff contention…
will be when wins and lossess will be in the hands of Jaboo…
and not the run game
Jameis skillset and career development will mirror his twin Ben Rothliesberger
“After the 2017 season, there will be no doubt and it will be clearly obvious, the direction of Buc Football for the next 15 years…on the shoulders of #3”
Kobe Faker