Setting Records With Kids
January 2nd, 2018
Lost in debate.
No, the news Friday that Team Glazer decided to retain Dirk Koetter for the 2018 season was not exactly a well-received subject on social media.
But there are reasoned people on social media that periodically make a fresh and interesting point, so Joe, from time to time, gives these folks props.
There is a guy by the handle of @JTHV that is a loyal reader of Joe. Apparently, he got into a Twitter spat with Koetter haters. But first, for some background.
The Bucs noted in a press release that the team set franchise records in 2017 for pass attempts (605), pass completions (378), pass yards per attempts (7.61), net passing yards (4,366), total first downs (352) and passing first downs (243).
Now both you and Joe know that points scored is a key stat noticeably absent. Fair point.
So in his spat on Twitter with Koetter haters, @JTHV made the following point: Koetter led the offense to these records with a bunch of kids. And, yes, that’s correct.
Yes, we all know that America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, is 23. But let’s look at others on offense and their ages.
Mike Evans, 24.
Cameron Brate, 26.
O.J. Howard, 23.
Chris Godwin, 21.
Donovan Smith, 24.
Kevin Pamphile, 27.
Adam Humphries, 24.
Ali Marpet, 24.
Peyton Barber, 23.
So, yeah, that’s an interesting point. The core of the Bucs offense hasn’t yet turned 25.
This is telling. We all hear how Jameis is 23. It’s not like he’s the only guy on the offense not old enough to run for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Oh, and as @JTHV added on his Tweet to the anti-Koetter crowd, think about that when you are building your Madden team.
January 2nd, 2018 at 8:12 am
I like his style
January 2nd, 2018 at 8:14 am
And Joe. don’t for get your favorite lounge singer Freddie Martino…..26
January 2nd, 2018 at 8:18 am
They brought Koetter back because someone in the Glazer team still butthurt with Gruden and don’t want to hire him. They preferred to give Koetter another shot and hope the team improves and/or Chucky gets signed by someone else so they don’t get the backslash of not going after him.
January 2nd, 2018 at 8:23 am
They brought Koetter back because its the right thing to do.
And Gruden? Oversold. He;s not a guru. His offense sucked. People inside the organization hated working with him. He betrayed QBs constantly. He lied to players. He tore the team apart. He couldn’t draft worth spit.
All true and accurate.
Him not coming here was for the best.
January 2nd, 2018 at 8:28 am
He has a point. But the point seems to miss the fact that winning teams have balanced offenses. Look at dirks first year as coordinator. Those are the stats the team needs to win. If it wasnt for lovies defense that year they coulda put up some wins. A balanced offense and a much more aggressive defense. I still think mike smith is gone if marvin lewis leaves cincy. Hope so anyway. He is making our first and second round picks look like undrafted free agents. With this same staff its gota be all o and d line and rb in draft. Picking any other positions would be foolish. As much as it hurts to say take a look at the Aints plan this season and trend that way dirk. Nobody cares about explosive plays when you dont make the playoffs. If we see this jthv’s stats every year and theyre close to what they were this year then we know theyll be losing seasons. Get some mean big boys on both lines, practice tackle football in camp, and control the clock. Most of us know we have a capable qb. Lets not make him win the games by himself.
January 2nd, 2018 at 8:30 am
Bassuka
Gruden was never coming here.
I love gruden as much as any buc fan but looking to the past almost never works out.
January 2nd, 2018 at 8:35 am
Bonsai
You are absolutely right.
January 2nd, 2018 at 8:42 am
Roadwarrior
I know Gruden wasn’t coming over and that a comeback wouldn’t necessarily equaled success, but I’m tired already of the “courage and right thing to do” crap the Glazers are trying to sell when they just want to keep Chucky away.
January 2nd, 2018 at 8:43 am
I am not as confident as I was… Never saw a 4-12 season coming. That being said I truly believe a full FA period and a draft will help this team a long way. We MUST get pass rushers on this team. I personally think that was our Achilles heel this season. And yes over coaching or any other issue people come up with.
Year 3 of Koetter you would have to assume it is playoffs or bust.
January 2nd, 2018 at 8:43 am
5-11 with the kids. Koetter hater? because you want better?
January 2nd, 2018 at 8:50 am
Doesn’t it seem like the Bucs always have a young team every year?
January 2nd, 2018 at 8:55 am
Am I the only one that wonders why we keep running out the excuses for this team? Now it’s “they’re young”! We have to stop accepting this garbage. So what if they’re young?! Anybody with eyes can see that the play-calling was HIGHLY predictable. Records? Give me a break! What does that mean, we break records and are great at s@cking?!!!
Seriously!
January 2nd, 2018 at 8:55 am
That’s an excuse! The nfl is a young mans game… you’re over the hill at 30 😂😂 half the rams roster is under 25… the youngest team with the youngest coach leads the league in scoring, won their division and are in the playoffs in year one ☝️
January 2nd, 2018 at 9:02 am
Chucky this and Chucky that. Get over it people, he’s not coming back … thankfully. Glazer Boys are the guys who fired him. Seriously, does anyone think that they could EVER trust him enough to hand him the keys to their multi-billion $$$ toy? Ya right.
Yes our Bucs finished 5-11 (not that great), BUT … there are a number of positives to build off of. They fought hard all year long for one thing. Good core of young talent, finally some coaching staff stability (that’s hopefully learned some valuable lessons this year), we’re in good shape CAP-wise, and yes Darin, we know exactly what our NEEDS are (yup, OLine, RB, DLine AND Secondary). If our owners & GM fix those through the draft, free agency & trades we can do a lot better than 5-11 next season. But if we spend one dollar on other than those NEEDS & re-signing our own key FAs, then someone needs to be fired. And that someone’s initial’s are Jason Licht.
January 2nd, 2018 at 9:02 am
No secret that the Buccs are one of the youngest teams in the NFL. Their
Median age has gone up some with the edition of Grimes, Ayers, etc., as
Well as the aging of David, McCoy, etc. Ive aruged this Point
With Panthers fans as their window is closing with all their aging vets and the Buccs Window is just starting to open…
January 2nd, 2018 at 9:09 am
I said this years ago!!!!! I think Joe is digging in the archives for the “TRUTH”!!!!!! The “real” core is very young!!!!! What ,,,, Have I said this already?????? OMG….. Its Another “Realist Repost”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Buc Realist Says:
July 25th, 2016 at 8:21 am
People are only going to get angry when these high expectations are not met!! And some around here want to be angry!!!! The “real” core of the team is extremely young!!! Talented but young, and that does not add up to consistent performances that lead to records of high wins. The Buc Realist would be very Happy to see a 10 win season, surprised, but very happy!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!
January 2nd, 2018 at 9:12 am
In trying to comprehend why this talented team was underperforming so badly as this sh!tty season unfolded – especially the offensive part of the team that is loaded with playmakers – that was honestly the only logical reason that I could actually come up with. We have a lot of young players who perhaps were not experienced and/or developed enough yet to get the job done. Maybe.
That theory just sounds like a lame excuse even though there might be some truth to it.
More likely, upgrading both guard spots, more consistent play from the LT spot and acquiring an NFL running back with game breaking ability are the things needed to make this offense shine like it should.
Defense needs more than that – 2 or 3 new DL starters, another good safety to pair with Justin Evans and 2 CBs (unless Grimes comes back which only buys another year for one of those CB spots).
Get to work on that tape study Jason Licht. We need another “grand slam” style draft along with 2-3 very good free agent starters this year if the hope is to compete for a division title and a playoff berth in 2018.
Concentrate on upgrading the Oline and especially the Dline talent. Then everything else will fall into place…
January 2nd, 2018 at 9:16 am
@Defense Rules- I agree with most of your points. What I will say is that the Bucs need to do more homework on their FA acquisitions and drafting strategy. Given that Smitty is returning, we have no choice but to HOPE that better infused talent will translate into better play overall.
I’m not a huge fan of retaining Smith, however, it is abundantly clear that we are in DESPERATE need of talent on the defensive side of the ball.
January 2nd, 2018 at 9:17 am
all I know is he has no excuses next year….im sure fans will try to create some, but he has no excuses next year…..so tired of people talking about injuries like we’re the only team that had some…..
-Houston lost their starting qb…and dline help and finished 1 game behind us
-dolphins- lost their starter for the season and finished 1 game ahead of us
-jets traded players, was accused of tanking, no offensive talent and finished with the same record as the bucs
-49ers went half the year without a qb and faced injuries and found a way to win 6 games
but people talk about Winston missing 3 games due to injury while we went 2-1 during the time he was hurt…..
dirk and licht are going to begin the season on the hot seat….we just witnessed how he coached while dealing with distraction and adversity, him performing under pressure should be no different…..GO BUCS!!!!
January 2nd, 2018 at 9:34 am
Grafikdetail Says:
January 2nd, 2018 at 8:55 am
That’s an excuse! The nfl is a young mans game… you’re over the hill at 30 😂😂 half the rams roster is under 25… the youngest team with the youngest coach leads the league in scoring, won their division and are in the playoffs in year one ☝️
Boom, perfect example.
January 2nd, 2018 at 9:41 am
Ya’ll can sugar coat this sh!t however you like.
But next year – none of this putrid B.S gonna fly.
No more excuses. I could give a damn about age & records.
All I give a flying phuck about is wins.
Crappy, softy, inept coaching/management lead to a 5-11 record.
U can’t washing that stench off w/ turpentine.
Phuck the big speechies, and lofty spin.
Better results – that all I care about at this point.
January 2nd, 2018 at 9:42 am
Crappy, softy, inept coaching/management lead to a 5-11 record.
U can’t wash that stench off w/ turpentine
January 2nd, 2018 at 9:44 am
The Buccaneers as a team were ranked 21st in average age (26.15).
January 2nd, 2018 at 9:47 am
Joe this team is young.exactly were amongst the league do we rank in youth?this means that if this team can mold together and start winning.the best of them is yet to come.think about it.this passing offense is setting records(most TDs before 24yrs old,4 1,000yd seasons consecutively,passing yards per attempt,etc.)something not even DAN MARINO,TOM BRADY,BRETT FAVRE,JOE MONTANA ever did with a receiving corps.this tell me that if these guys bond THEY WILL BE UNSTOPPABLE!maybe this is the beginning of a dynasty?the Glazer’s know they can’t build a dynasty on switching out coaches every 2-3 yrs.
January 2nd, 2018 at 9:56 am
LUV- Happy New Year!
I had to stop myself from launching into a profanity-laced tirade when I read this garbage. Like you, I am so sick of the excuses, records or not. The only stats that matter in this game are WINS.
I see a team with a HORRIFIC defense, bad coaching/play-calling, poor scouting, no talent in the trenches, and a QB who’s a turnover-prone emotional roller-coaster for fans.
Records?! PFFFFFFT!
January 2nd, 2018 at 9:56 am
It’s a good point. The follow up question is how does this differ from the rest of the league? Since the last CBA the narrative is that all teams have been stocking up on young players on cost-controlled in lieu of older, perhaps more average players.
January 2nd, 2018 at 9:59 am
Good point D-Rome. We’ve used ‘youth’ as an excuse for too long. Our bigger problems are: (1) Lack of leadership in key groupings; (2) Too many ‘long in the tooth’ FAs who simply aren’t performing at a high enough level (and yes, Baker, Ward, Ayers, Sweezy, Martin, Rodgers are 6 … plus others … that I have in mind). Coaching is undoubtedly a factor, but it’s hard to tell how much of a factor given the talent they’re having to work with. Improve the talent this off-season, then we’ll see how good our coaching is … or isn’t.
January 2nd, 2018 at 10:00 am
Your team is as old as your starting QB.
January 2nd, 2018 at 11:12 am
Setting a record in passing attempts and completions lol will if you set a record for passing attempts it’s easy to see why they get record completions. It’s bad considering the injured quarterback we had. Record seeing first downs is meaningless considering we could barely score points in the first half of games. None of these meaningless stats indicate you would have a winning season. A 5-11 record shows just how useless those stats are. Peyton barber was barely used this year and we the because we couldn’t run the ball and Koetter insisted on starting Doug Martin but nice try
January 2nd, 2018 at 11:27 am
The team is an enigma. Of the six players Defense mentioned , agree that none would be missed. Some aspects of Jameis game have improved IMO in the last three games. I believe he is starting to improve on the deep ball again.As his armstregnth has returned we have seen a more determined confident Jameis.
Still is overconfident at times and will throw a hail mary to Mike Evans with four defenders around him at a time when These impulses are things that he will have to control. Still believe Koetter can call a good game consistantly if Jameis does this and a stud running back is added.
Now here’s a puzzle Hargreaves has been out Evans went out three games ago and we played against some very good offenses and held them to some of
Their lowest point totals .
January 2nd, 2018 at 11:51 am
Im officialy in the Mike McGlinchey fan club. Build up the trenches and the skill positions will flourish!
January 2nd, 2018 at 1:02 pm
At least we don’t have to worry about those pesky games they play after the regular season is over.
I forget what those are called.
January 2nd, 2018 at 2:50 pm
^^^LOL!
January 2nd, 2018 at 4:19 pm
5-11 with the kids
January 2nd, 2018 at 6:08 pm
Bucsfanman
Happy New Years Brotha!
January 2nd, 2018 at 8:48 pm
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The Bucs have the most YOUNG TALENT in the entire NFL imho … now it’s all about DEVELOPMENT and maximizing each guy’s potential … we’ll see if that happens.
I’m 100% sold on Jameis, Evans, OJ and Marpet … and I’m a fan of Godwin, Donovan, Humpries and Brate … the jury is still out on Barber and Pamphile …
We also have some nice YOUNG defensive talent in Kwon, Beckwith and Evans … but need a whole lot more on that side of the ball!
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