“I Think It’s My Job To Take Risks”
July 13th, 2017
Dirk Koetter explains
You blew it if you haven’t yet listened to this morning’s Ira Kaufman Podcast with special guest winning head Dirk Koetter (Part 5 with the man in charge).
Today’s topic was mind games.
Koetter is a coach who appreciates the creative art of keeping guys more juiced up and more motivated than their competitors throughout a long and grinding football season.
The great coaches have the gift of knowing how to get players to perform. Some call it chemistry, but it’s much more than that. Usually, great leadership and motivational tactics foster the chemistry itself. There are very few accidents or coincidences in the NFL.
After a June practice, Mike Evans told Joe that Koetter is a master of “subliminal things” and said it’s hard to describe how well Koetter finds a way to get the team extra motivated.
Koetter was asked about that during the Ira Kaufman Podcast and didn’t brush it off.
“You gotta keep it fresh. The season gets long and it gets redundant,” Koetter said. “These are young guys that we’re working with. You don’t have a team of 30 year olds. You might have a few; most of these guys are really young guys. So, you know, we’re just looking for ways to keep it fresh. Even though the information is somewhat similar from week to week, we’re just trying to find ways that make sense to them. I mean, these guys don’t look at everything the way old men like you three guys look at it. They look at things differently. Trust me, on all the subliminal stuff or motivational stuff, I’ve failed many times. You know, like some of that stuff goes over like a rock. Some of it goes over big. Right now we’ve got 90 guys on the team, eventually we’ll have 53; you’re never going to hit it a perfect home run every time. But at the same time I think it’s my job to take risks at trying to show these guys different ways of looking at it to get our point across.”
Joe’s just glad the Bucs now have a coach who embraces creativity and adaptability. Long term, that always wins over stubborn and a my-way-or-the-highway mentality.
July 13th, 2017 at 2:48 pm
What a great leader Capt Dirk is!
July 13th, 2017 at 4:00 pm
Joe is haunted by the Ghosts of Schiano and Lovie. Thank god the glazers pulled the trigger on Kotter. If I have to see another former member of this organization with promise be sent packing only to find success elsewhere I think I may consider a new team to follow.
Jameis better get a blank check with Team Glazers signature in Gold in 3 years…
July 13th, 2017 at 4:20 pm
When will the haters open their eyes. Winston has been in the league for 2 years. if anyone can name an NFC division with a better qb line-up then ours, be my guest to name them. The way I see it, the NFC South has been a right there with the NFC West as the hardest divisions in our conference. You’re going to expect a KID (21 freaking years old) to make it to the the playoffs when his first year our division winner went 15-1 and the second year our division winner went to the super bowl. 2 years in this conference and Jameis has played Super Bowl bound teams. A sure fire HoF in NO, the absolute best QB to ever grace spithole Atlanta, and an absolute freak of nature in Carolina. Why the hate
July 13th, 2017 at 4:38 pm
“just glad the Bucs now have a coach who embraces creativity and adaptability”
Amen. Coach Koetter’s straightforwardness and willingness to relate to youthful and innovative thinking is so refreshing compared to the last 2 HCs.
July 13th, 2017 at 5:22 pm
@Koetter … “I think it’s my job to take risks at trying to show these guys different ways of looking at it to get our point across.” I thought from the title Joe that the article was going to be about Dirk taking more risks in terms of play-calling this season (which I’m in favor of BTW). But it’s neat that Coach works so hard to get his points across to younger players … Bucs do have a fairly young team & I’m sure Smitty does the same thing with our defense. And BradentonBuc, what Winston haters are you talking about? This article was about Dirk Koetter; Jameis was never mentioned.
July 13th, 2017 at 5:23 pm
Nothing here …but praise for a Coach who hasn’t won a playoff game yet…just get this team to the playoffs this season…that would impress me!! STICK CARRIERS COME TO LIFE!!
July 13th, 2017 at 5:29 pm
Bradenbuc, Please go back to sleep and wait for a pertinent article or comment to reference with your anti-hate hate.
July 13th, 2017 at 5:36 pm
@Defense I know I was just following out my logic about watching the Bucs let too many talented individuals walk from them. What Kotter did with our offense his first year under Lovie was literally historic for our franchise. Of course that also happened to be with Jameis at QB, but it’s a little bit clearer that a large portion of that was the stability that coach Kotter brought with our offense. The Glazers made arguably the most important decision for this franchise history, in terms of its Head Coach, since trading for Gruden by firing Lovie to retain Kotter. My point brought me to hoping Jameis can be that stable guy for us as well. And hoping when the time comes that Team Glazer will also see worth spending additional millions to retain something worth keeping around.
Yeah, a lot of that was kinda implied in the most invisible way, but that’s where I got with Jameis.
July 13th, 2017 at 5:51 pm
A very small club of 32 NFL head coaches in the world……a small group indeed joining GMs, punters & kickers. But being a successful NFL head coach is even more difficult thus the constant turnover.
Motivating a wider age range of players than college…..add to that many are millionaires and many with families. Keeping them motivated proves to be very difficult.
It is often said that there is really a very small difference in the physical ability of players at that level and that is the motivation to excel and win as a team that makes the difference.
July 13th, 2017 at 6:01 pm
Big hog your right. I suspect the over excitement about Dirk comes from how crappy this franchise has been for about fifteen years now. The same can be said for Winston except thatthat he has shown ability toto make throws that we have never ever seen in Tampa. So the Winston love is warranted.
Back to reality with Dirk………..He has been here two years now and we have been the absolute worst team on 3rd and inches I have ever seen. Its getting worse and worse , its embarassing and Dork ses to be
July 13th, 2017 at 6:04 pm
……..seems to be ansolurely confused on 3rd an inches. I think its time Dirk takes a backseat and let one of his coaches or assistants forgue it out. Rhis team dont need more failure in short yardage or we are going nowhere
July 13th, 2017 at 6:42 pm
I hope JimmyJack is trolling. Dirk is going into his 2nd year with a winning record and a 3rd year qb who has never taken an NFL playcall from anyone else. I’m sure he sat down and watched every play from last year and will be adjusting accordingly.
July 13th, 2017 at 8:11 pm
Come on Dewey. Lets notnot pretend here that Dirk can do no wrong…..Winning record nice,. But since when is 9-7 the goal.?
Look, I like the trend that DirkDirk has us on. You can see that to mean he is too good to critize but I dont.(being critical on a sports site is far from trolling BTW)
Our gross inability to make plays in goalline spots is a legit critism. Its also a very important part of the game. Thrse plays directly
July 13th, 2017 at 8:19 pm
These plays directly represent head coaching cause it comes down to personnel used, scheme and play calling. Its been horrible since Dirk got here. It shouldnt take three years to figure out one, very important , set. Its killing ddrives and losing games. Like it or not Dirk is accountable
July 13th, 2017 at 8:30 pm
If his name was Ja’dirk then big hog would be singing a different tune
July 13th, 2017 at 8:34 pm
Whoa, time out JimmyJack. Bucs 2014 record (no Dirk Koetter): 2-14 … offense ranked 29th in NFL. Bucs 2015 record (Koetter OC): 6-10 … offense ranked 20th (defense ranked 29th by the way). Bucs 2016 record (Koetter HC & OC): 9-7 … offense ranked 18th (defense ranked 15th). Personally I see some pretty decent progress there in the last 2 yrs. And during this off-season Bucs have added even more talent. The ‘trend’ (your word) is clearly upward.
There’s not a person alive who couldn’t improve in their chosen profession, and I’m convinced Dirk Koetter would be the first to tell you that. Last yr was his first as a HC, and that must’ve been a daunting transition for him while still remaining as OC. 9-7 certainly isn’t the goal this season, for Dirk, for Jameis, for anyone else on the team. Lots of hard work ahead no doubt, but the expectations … of all … are high. And I’m convinced Coach Koetter wouldn’t want it any other way.
July 13th, 2017 at 9:18 pm
Hey im just calling it like I see it. I also wrote I like the trend Dirk has us on. The progress is there but we need more. One main area we need that progress in is goalline play and that falls primarly on Dirk………….But you said it youself DefenseRules. The expectation is playoffs. Thats not going to happen if the team dont get better. Dirk needs to get better or the team fails, either that or you better pray for some lucky bounces
July 13th, 2017 at 9:40 pm
Jimmy Jack. Your posts would gain strengtth if they were more than attacks about “3rd and inches”, Curious as to just how many times we faced 3rd and less than a foot.
Just sayin’ Most posters here bave speculated how much our weak OL and our drugged out All Pro running back hurt our running attack. Koetter didn’t give Martin drugs. Koetter did not injure Sweezy’s back…nor did he injure Dot and leave ud with a good guy but totally over the hill Rt. Koetter did not injure
July 13th, 2017 at 10:21 pm
I hope the risks Dirk take this year are related to him actually opening the offense back up – that’s about the only risk I’m worried about.