More Koetter Vs. Chucky
December 29th, 2017
Two-man race says theMMQB.com.
Joe is sure glad that so many folks listen to the “Ira Kaufman Podcast” as well as read the columns typed by eye-RAH!
Tuesday, when Ira’s podcast was recorded at One Buc Palace, Mr. Kaufman decided to take a stand. He’s of the mind if Team Glazer cannot lure Chucky out of the broadcast booth, they should be content to give Dirk Koetter another year to fix things.
And guess what? Just yesterday — after Kaufman made his opinion known — Albert Breer of theMMQB.com basically published the same thing.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: There’s been some level of expectation that Dirk Koetter will be a casualty of the Bucs’ hugely disappointing 2017 season, and we’ve seen several on-field signs (most recently, with Jameis Winston’s display last Sunday) that he’s lost some level of control over the team. You know where this goes next: All eyes on Gruden. And if they can’t get Gruden, does Koetter get a stay of execution?
Joe will have a story later today, but in no way has Koetter lost the locker room. That’s just pure horse manure.
Look, does Breer even check box scores? Raheem Morris lost the locker room. Former Bucs commander Greg Schiano lost the locker room to a degree. Inept Lovie was just lost (anyone notice how many players are bailing his Illinois program?).
There is nothing to suggest that Koetter has lost the locker room, with the possible exception of Swaggy Baker. So Jameis got p!ssed because the zebras claimed he didn’t recover a fumble thus killed any hope of a comeback, and that is a sign he is freelancing? Did Breer not see how Jameis played? Apparently not.
By that standard, the hassle in the locker room after Sunday’s game, in which Kwon Alexander was involved, suggests Alexander has tuned out Koetter? Nothing is further from the truth. Kwon is a big Koetter booster.
This suggestion is just dumb bordering on irresponsible. If Jameis, as Breer seems to believe, has blown off his coach, then how the hell did Jameis have the Bucs on a cusp of a major upset?
Joe will have a story later today where he spoke with a handful of players about Koetter. The coach still has the support of key players.
December 29th, 2017 at 5:26 am
Personally, I think Koetter has lost the locker room. Everyone jumping down Baker’s throat is a prime example. His penalty didn’t cost us the game. Turnovers, inept coaching and defensive desire cost us the game.
December 29th, 2017 at 5:50 am
Does anyone really think Carolina doesn’t score? Baker’s penalty likely made no difference. This team is not fun to watch. Not offensively, not defensively, nothing. Does anyone really think another year will make a difference? Who cares if Koetter has lost the locker room, his product isn’t entertaining even with close games. The inevitable penalty, turnover and bad play call will occur. And winston hasn’t improved and that is also not fun to watch.
December 29th, 2017 at 6:10 am
I get Ira’s position about either Gruden or Koetter, but how do the Glazer’s show a legitimate faith in Koetter if they don’t get Gruden? How would Koetter react if he knew that even though he’s under contract, he’s the Glazer’s 2nd choice to coach in 2018?
Good idea in theory, but if the Glazer’s make a serious push for Gruden, they need to let Koetter go.
December 29th, 2017 at 6:40 am
I coule care less whether he lost the locker room or not. Can he do what he’s been hired to do? Doesnt appear so.
December 29th, 2017 at 6:48 am
I think it’s Gruden or Koetter. The Bucs have been entertaining the last few weeks- close games decided in the final minutes. Big plays by Jameis. To say otherwise is just pouting. Yes we lose- and that sucks. But it’s same story all year – minimal pressure on the qb so they all look like Brady, boneheaded penalties, and a special teams disaster. Clearly the great mistake of the offseason was assuming a bad shoulder second year DE was the next Simeon Rice and we didn’t need to draft/sign top talent there. We spent our money on a speed receiver and the passing offense has looked great without him. Licht learned his lesson I’m sure. Smith should go, we should use our position in the draft and $$ to build a scary D-line before McCoy ages out. I’m ok with Koetter one more year – Gruden will be an empty nester by then and ESPN may be firing everyone who makes over minimum wage
December 29th, 2017 at 7:06 am
The problem Koetter has is he has only gotten 4 wins this season after a preseason where everyone thought we were going to the playoffs. No playoffs = no Koetter period.
December 29th, 2017 at 7:08 am
I think he hasn’t “lost” the locker room because he’s well respected as a person, but he is too predictable and seems to be a coordinator more than a HC. Belicheat seem to have exposed him and ever since we played NE other teams have played us the same. I don’t see how keeping Koetter will benefit the team unless you do a complete overhaul of the coaching staff to include taking some of the playcalling away from him.
December 29th, 2017 at 7:09 am
After this train wreck of a season, someone has to go. Curious to see who it winds up being.
December 29th, 2017 at 7:10 am
You know who I really hate ? No it’s not another buccaneer , cam ” cry baby ” Newton ! That’s who ! Drop mic
December 29th, 2017 at 7:14 am
Sh.. happens yes Jameis has committed some childish act but I love his passion aand we all know he’s got the talent. I saw Brady yelling at a position coach and we know that’s a no no but as I said sh.. happens 1 idea…let’s bring in a proven DC cut Baker trade D Jax for draft picks WR Godwin seems to have that speed we were looking for an see what happens
December 29th, 2017 at 7:15 am
I don’t think he has lost the locker room. He is just a below average HC.
December 29th, 2017 at 7:19 am
I’m with Jared on Cammy……It pleased me so to see him sidelined by a big kick in the balls.
As for Koetter and the locker room…..it is absurd to suggest that he has lost it. The Bucs play as hard as any team…..they play stupid and they are coached stupid…..but they play hard.
I’m for giving Koetter another year…but with some changes….he is clearly over his head with the playcalling duties. And we need an overhaul of our Dline along with a RB.
If It’s Gruden, I’m fine with that too…..with him, the Bucs would immediately gain National attention. I am forever grateful for that Super Bowl and would have a very hard time opposing his return.
December 29th, 2017 at 7:29 am
Keep Koetter.
December 29th, 2017 at 7:29 am
Much rather watch a game where we are competitive. Personally hate to watch games where down 14 to 21 points in the first half.yes there have too many of them and i don’t blame most of them on Koetter. TO’s and lack of scoring get you behind. The injury certainly didn’t help Jameis’s progression.He will have too keep working on protecting the ball and throwing the deep ball. With the exception of the fumbles he has shown the most progress this year in the last two games. Some of that is due to Koetter and jameis one on one talks, and I think Jameis has been playing for his coach the last couple of weeks especiaially.
With all the injuries to the defense and offense ,nobody thought we had a
A chance in either of those games,and we were competitive. Licht can no longer ignore the defense, and I think he needs serious help in the free agency department.
I would like to see Koetter and Smith stay another year..
Licht will have to do a better job filling the needs on this team and Stop wasting free agent dollars on players that don’t add enough to the team.
Koetter and Jameis need to get OJ and Godwin in the game more.Koetter has been slow getting these weapons involved. The Doug Martin saga should be over. I believe that Koetter will be less conservative if Jameis continues to
play well. and limits his TO’s.
Hard to blame Smitty for defense Jason Licht did not give him enough quality players to field a quality defense.
December 29th, 2017 at 7:35 am
I don’t know if he’s lost the locker room, maybe some of it. But I do know he’s lost something just as important…….the fans. Not all of us, but a lot of us. We’ve had enough! I as a fan have zero confidence in him or his coaching staff. I don’t believe he/they can turn this around and I want him gone and yes I want Jon back! If for whatever reason we don’t get Jon and we end up keeping it status quo….I’m done with them. I don’t believe in this coaching staff, front office, and most of the players on the roster. They’re all connected. I’ve NEVER been one of the belief that this team is “stacked with talent” like a lot of you people out there who are looking at them with pewter and red colored glasses believe. I think Dirk needs to stick to what he’s good at, being an offensive coordinator and only that.
December 29th, 2017 at 7:37 am
face palm…..Jameis’ outburst last sunday had nothing to do with “Dirk losing control of the team.” Aye. The team has not once tanked, and Winston, McCoy, etc. are on record saying that they love Dirk Koetter.
December 29th, 2017 at 7:44 am
One More Year
December 29th, 2017 at 7:45 am
Koetter has lost 11, likely 12, games this season. That’s what matters.
Everyday people can respect their work manager, but if that manager sucks at what they do, they are ultimately not fit for the job at hand.
Koetter is in over his head.
December 29th, 2017 at 8:15 am
You can’t lose something you never had. Truth is, Koetter never commanded the locker room, big difference.
December 29th, 2017 at 8:34 am
Key players? You mean the supposed leaders who have been here through all the loosing and contributed to it or the new guys we overpaid to lay an egg. Not really concerned with there support of a coach who can’t figure it out.
December 29th, 2017 at 8:47 am
Man…I have a headache already and I’m not even on my second cup o Joe.
We fall into this trap of adjusting (lowering) expectations to get personnel to fit inside a box.
Losing the locker room is just the cherry on top.
BOTTOM LINE – We’ve had too many games showing up unprepared to play a NFL football game. Don’t forget we’re int he last quarter (garbage time), nothing on the line, yet Coach Koetter continues to game plan, resembling a team with home filed advantage on the line. Head scratches for all!
BOTTOM LINE – Look at the teams the Bucs beat this year – a combined record of 18-42. Deception comes in many forms my friends. Don’t let Koetter’s cantor with the media or little nuggets and glimmers of potential throughout the season continue to clout your judgement. The only reason we were 9-7 last year was because of Mike Smith, not Dirk Koetter. Can the same be said with our record this year? Perhaps, but averaging the PPG we have is inexcusable considering the weapons at his dispense.
Chucky or not, everyone should be held accountable and that starts with Dirk.
December 29th, 2017 at 8:56 am
I don’t get it. I personally his cowardly play calling has cost this team as many games as the kicker. With the weapons he has and the bad defense he should be coaching to outscore other teams. He’s been outcoached for his entire head coaching stint with the bucs. Playing it safe is why Dungy got fired.
If he hasn’t lost the locker room and players are playing their heart out for him it just means he’s a good guy but simply not a good head coach. If he started yes they may have a better record but if you think getting him a better running back and help in defense will make him a winner your just kidding yourself. If that happens he could very well have a top 5 offense but still end up with an average win loss record because he’s a scary play calling coach
December 29th, 2017 at 8:59 am
Buc Fan in NC Says:
December 29th, 2017 at 5:26 am
Personally, I think Koetter has lost the locker room.
^^BINGO^^
I think he has too!!!!…..you look back earlier in the year when:
-we had tj ward and baker voicing their displeasures with the staff….
-then you had mike evans and Winston lose it vs the saints…..
-doug getting sat down because he missed a team meeting or whatever…..
-then Winston loses his composer again….
-then kwon and Winston jump on baker after a game(rightfully so IMO)….
so that’s 5 examples of dirk losing the locker room combined with 2 5 game losing streaks in 1 season combined with offense defense and ST regressing…..and people want 1 more year…..BS….GO BUCS!!!!
December 29th, 2017 at 9:01 am
Hodad Says:
December 29th, 2017 at 8:15 am
You can’t lose something you never had. Truth is, Koetter never commanded the locker room, big difference.
^^BINGO^^
truer words have never been spoken!!!!….GO BUCS!!!
December 29th, 2017 at 9:05 am
I do hate sayin this. I don’t care about any of this BS anymore. I WANT US TO LOSE THIS SUNDAY. Thus, securing our 5th pick in this years draft. We win and we possibly go all the way down to 9 or 10 and a shot at CHUBB is gone. I sshould not be like this but..our season is lost anyhow. So lets get something out of it.
December 29th, 2017 at 9:20 am
Changing coaches is easy, it’s much more difficult to stand behind someone when times are tough. We will soon see if the Glazers have the courage of their convictions. Their opinion is the only one that matters regarding Koetter’s fate with the Bucs, the rest is “just noise”.
December 29th, 2017 at 9:33 am
Sample size is too small to fire the coach. One winning season and one losing season is evidence the team can win under him and didn’t win under him this year. I would recommend the owners do what is needed to make this team better next year and for years to come: keep the coach, fix the lines, bring in a fearsome running back, and maintain general continuity. The alternative all but guarantees the “fans” feel good for 3-4 months of offseason personnel moves, then start crying again when lack of continuity, scheme install, injuries, Free agent misses, and just plain better teams beat us (probably worse than this year), and the cycle begins again. Posers claiming the locker room is lost really don’t know what they are talking about, but lash on to that false notion to justify firing the coach. It’s bad math because the initial assumption is wrong. As to the lack of public support for the coach by the owners right now, I recommend they continue to wait for post season evaluations. This allows them to more fully and accurately assess the way forward… changes need to be made to this team (players and coaches)…just not the head coach and key assistants. Let’s win this last one with the same offensive game plan as last week, more disciplined and aggressive defense, and 4 quarters of all our effort. Go Bucs!
December 29th, 2017 at 9:41 am
I find it hilarious how many of you actually think you know what the inside news is. people have been talking about Gruden since the third game of the year. this is a joke. Many are now saying Dirk is loosing the fan base? Really, the bucs have had a crappy fan base since after they won the super bowl. the fan base left long ago…keep it up and tampa will not have a NFL team.
my only opinion is that when a team was as bad as the bucs for this long,coaches no matter who should be given 3-4 years. If teams do not do this they will never succeed. This team is not even close to having a decent defense,which is the problem. defensive line and all but two banks stink.
offense has what it needs, win now? Sign free agent,win over time draft the talent.
December 29th, 2017 at 10:11 am
@Joe … “Kwon is a big Koetter booster.” And Kwon’s an even bigger Smitty booster. So is Lavonte David. My bet is that BOTH Koetter AND Smitty stay for another year. All of this Gruden talk is nothing more than that … TALK.
Reach87 … EXCELLENT post. This team doesn’t have the same talent level across the board that the Saints, Falcons & Panthers have. That’s not on the coaches. BOTH Dirk AND Smitty showed last year that they can win with marginal talent (the talent level was actually somewhat better last year defensively IMO). With some upgrades in the right positions (DLine, Secondary, OLine & RB) this team will be quite competitive with the other teams in the NFC South … keeping this current coaching staff in-place. These players are playing hard on offense AND defense, so no, Dirk & Smitty haven’t lost the locker room. We just need this GM to actually focus on PRIORITIES and fix what needs fixing.
December 29th, 2017 at 10:11 am
mickman – No one is thinking (or saying) we know what the inside news is dude. Like yourself, these are opinons. …HOWEVER, I actually do know what the inside news is and let me tell you, the Gruden rumors are very real.
Also…wait for it….don’t be surprised to see Doug Martin back in a bucs uniform next year as well. I think it’s crazy but that is the “inside” chatter going on at OneBuc.
December 29th, 2017 at 10:28 am
I really don’t care either way anymore just need to take a year off my family needs a break ill just bank the money
December 29th, 2017 at 10:31 am
Sapp got in people’s faces and noone said that dungy or gruden had lost the locker room.
Sorry but you need players to hold others accountable. This team is playing hard and it tells me that 1. Koetter still motivates them. 2. They want Koetter to keep his job
December 29th, 2017 at 10:50 am
koetter =empty seats next year, bottom line.
December 29th, 2017 at 10:50 am
Keep DK. The offense is not a bad 4-11 offense. Another commenter made the point that when DK gets close to the end zone, he panics and tightens up. I agree. He didn’t do that last year in his rookie HC season. He needs to figure out how to calm down. He’s got a whole off-season to get his head straight. If anyone gets canned, make it Smith. And no more Chucky Gruden talk! YUCK! Bucs win Sunday cos DK ODs on valium. Go Bucs!!!
December 29th, 2017 at 10:52 am
Whatever is going to happen next week is likely already decided.
Koetter deserves another year – but if Gruden has decided he wants to come back and coach the Buccaneers – then the job is almost certainly his unless Jon wants more $ and/or control over the franchise than is reasonable.
December 29th, 2017 at 10:53 am
Also Joe, how soft is Koetter with the team? Didnt everyone love Raheem (who was their buddy)? Do these players like him because he is their buddy or fan? is he tough enough on them?
All the players love smitty, he must be nice to them, because he is a terrible coach. Always hard to fire an incompetent person if everyone loves them.
December 29th, 2017 at 11:02 am
This team hasn’t looked like they wanted to play the game and play it for Koetter since about half way through the season.
December 29th, 2017 at 11:04 am
I wouldn’t say Koetter’s LOST the locker room, HOWEVER
his blank stare into camera after the New Orleans debauchery , having sean payton cuss you out across the sideleines
and the special teams disaster one game and no fire
what happened to the carry a big f&%$ing stick attitude man…..
They haven’t loss respect for him but the players run the asylum …..im sorry
December 29th, 2017 at 11:08 am
AGAIN , a team “playing hard” doesn’t mean SPIT
this super talented team couldn’t quit if they rolled out of bed half asleep on gameday
stop comparing no talent lovie , schiano teams with this one
the problem is they are talented but undisciplined ……I want a feared coach not a humble one ready for bible study
I think the carry a big stick thing was just a one time spur of the moment thing…the team was probably surprised he said it
December 29th, 2017 at 11:11 am
@ orlbucfan…..NOT A BAD OFFENSE….what have you been watching
averaging less than 20 points for 3 years even under lovie is more than BAD
and ironically cost us the last game and many more kicking field goals
Koetter said it himself but some of you fans even tune that out smh
December 29th, 2017 at 11:13 am
Nate:
Agree in general, however, given how the Bucs have lost so many one-score games, it tells Joe the Bucs are not far away at all from turning the corner.
No, the NFL is not horseshoes or hand grenades. Factor in all sorts of fixable elements (no kicker early, hurt QB, horrendous defensive coaching), speaks volumes how the Bucs are in so many one-score games.
Raheem and Lovie’s teams were getting their doors blown out by the likes of Jeff Fisher, Ken Whisenhunt and Mike Smith.
December 29th, 2017 at 4:41 pm
We should have been 11-5 last year (Rams and Raiders games were blown) and should be 10-5 this year if we had any defense at all … Koetter gets one more year to the turn those “should have won” into actual wins … or Gruden is coming in 2019 imho as his youngest child will be graduated from high school and off to college by then.