“I Hope He’s Right”
June 14th, 2017
Bucs DE Noah Spence
Some coaches frown big time on their players publicly assessing the ability of teammates and projecting how they’ll perform on the field.
On the Belicheats, that’s a great way to get screamed at.
But things are different, it seems, at One Buc Palace.
Remember when Robert Ayers called Noah Spence a 15-sack guy in 2017? Defensive coordinator Mike Smith was asked about Smith’s proclamation today before minicamp practice, and Smith smiled quickly and had the right response.
“I hope he’s right,” Smith said of Ayers’ projection.
“You know, I don’t ever want to put a number on any player, on what he can and cannot do. I know this: Noah is one really tough football player that did a whole lot last year in a very unique situation. He played the second half of the season basically with one arm. I’m anxious to see him get back out and rush the passer. I thought he had a great first year. We found out a lot about him as a football player.”
Noah Spence was a huge topic on Tuesday’s Ira Kaufman Podcast. Did he show enough against the run? Why was he on the field playing with one arm? Should we ignore Spence having just three tackles and zero sacks in the Bucs’ last five games? How much playing time will he get with Will Gholston and Robert Ayers making big cash?
Lot of questions to be answered with Spence, who will return to the practice field following shoulder surgery when training camp kicks off.
June 14th, 2017 at 1:53 pm
Spence will answer those “questions” in definitive fashion this year. Count on it!
June 14th, 2017 at 2:08 pm
@Joe
Instead of questioning whether you should “ignore” Spence’s stats through the Buc’s final 5 games, why don’t you just take his production on the season as a whole and compare it to his counterpart’s rookie season in the ATL, Vic Beasley? Then, add in the fact that he was literally playing with only one good arm for the majority of his rookie year, and get back to the rest of us with your results. I already know the answers will be very hard to “ignore.”
June 14th, 2017 at 2:10 pm
Spence is going to kill it this year. He’s the least of the dlines worries.
June 14th, 2017 at 2:13 pm
He didn’t show enough against the run, BUT– we all knew that as a rookie he wasn’t going to be great against the run yet.
He was a pass rush specialist in college. And the best pure pass rusher in his draft class, according to knowledgable people like Steve White.
The fact that he played as well as he did, and did improve his game against the run as the season went on, coupled with the fact that he did it all with basically 1 arm speaks volumes about his drive and potential.
I’m really excited to see his game this year, but even more excited for Spawn in 2018.
June 14th, 2017 at 2:14 pm
For our guy Spence, I’m hoping for Super Bowl runner up Vic Beasley’s kind of jump in production from 4 sacks to 15.5. That would be sweeeeet!!! If he stays healthy. He’s easy a double digit sack guy.
June 14th, 2017 at 2:15 pm
Also, I don’t think Will Gholston’s contract, or Ayers for that matter, has any significant impact on Spwan’s playing time this year. The obvious exception is run downs which is where Gholston has the most impact, so it’s a non-issue for me.
June 14th, 2017 at 2:25 pm
Wish you’d drop the “Belicheats” digs, whether in jest or otherwise. Licht is a product of their program and it’s one the Bucs should emulate to become.
June 14th, 2017 at 2:35 pm
No can do. Sorry.
June 14th, 2017 at 2:36 pm
Why was he on the field with one arm?
Bc he’s a warrior I know that hard for many of you to understand. Typically big time def players go on IR bc they got a hang nail or hurt their fingers. But real warrior play thru pain if humanly possible, that’s why!
June 14th, 2017 at 2:42 pm
You can call me a Bellicheat any day if I had 5 Super Bowl titles
June 14th, 2017 at 2:56 pm
M8E I’m a little skeptical of how exactly beasley was able to make such a jump in one off season. Ziggy Ansah was beast in 15. Don’t think he even recorded a sack in 16. Makes me wonder.
June 14th, 2017 at 3:57 pm
Buc4Lyfe79 Says:
June 14th, 2017 at 2:08 pm
@Joe
Instead of questioning whether you should “ignore” Spence’s stats through the Buc’s final 5 games, why don’t you just take his production on the season as a whole and compare it to his counterpart’s rookie season in the ATL, Vic Beasley? Then, add in the fact that he was literally playing with only one good arm for the majority of his rookie year, and get back to the rest of us with your results. I already know the answers will be very hard to “ignore.”
Whoa!!!!! Touchdown Tampa Bay!!!
You have to forgive Joe he still embraces the “den of depression”