The Brentson Buckner Resume
February 20th, 2018
Gets production.
The more Joe digs into this, the more Joe is impressed.
Yeah, new defensive line coach Brentson Buckner coached Arizona for five seasons. And it isn’t just the no less than 35 sacks Buckner got out of his line each season there. What impresses Joe was how Buckner squeezed every last bit of juice out of a rock he had to work with.
In Buckner’s first season, he had two old war horses in their final full seasons, tackle Darnell Dockett and end/linebacker John Abraham. In 2013, Dockett had 4.5 sacks, the most he had in four seasons. Abraham had 11.5 sacks.
In 2014, Buckner got eight sacks out of fourth-round pick Alex Okafor. That same year, the immortal Frostee Rucker had his best season with the Cardinals collecting five sacks.
In 2016, Buckner coached up former second-round pick, outside linebacker Markus Golden, to a career-high 12.5 sacks. Golden blew out his ACL the next season and was out of football in 2017.
Last year, defensive end Chandler Jones racked up an ungodly 17 sacks, including one that ripped up the shoulder of the Bucs’ franchise quarterback.
Simply put, Buckner found a way to get production from his players. Granted, many were high draft picks or established veterans, but he got production.
Not only does this bode well for Noah Spence but perhaps the Bucs are aiming (finally) to signing an established veteran or trading for one.
Addendum: Something to note from Joe’s research. Each season Buckner was with the Cardinals, Arizona’s base defense was a 34-front, per Pro-Football-Reference.com.
February 20th, 2018 at 9:10 am
He’s never had to battle the losing culture led by cancer93 his softest and most overrated dline project player
Maybe he can locate a destination for the outstanding first step to nowhere
February 20th, 2018 at 9:16 am
Transitioning to a 34 defense so excited I bet if you were able to pull Jameis stats against 43 defense vs 34 you’d noticed he struggles against 34 so now maybe Jameis can master that defense in practice and beat crap out of 34 teams
February 20th, 2018 at 9:18 am
Please, dear God, let this be a sign of a switch to more of a 3-4 defense. We have the personnel, and now the DL coach, for a 3-4… let’s use the personnel we have to impose our will on defense and get after the opposing QBs!
February 20th, 2018 at 9:23 am
I disagree that we have the personel for 34, but then we do have plenty of picks and free agency to look forward to.
Regardless, I think 34 is coming our way.
February 20th, 2018 at 9:26 am
Joe: Why did Zona let him walk?
February 20th, 2018 at 9:36 am
Bonzai:
How do you disagree? (I don’t mean that in an argumentative way, just curious).
I don’t see us having valid 4-3 DEs (re: good pass rushers). We have a 4-3 3-technique DT in McCoy, and a couple of decent 1-technique DTs to play with him, and multiple good LBers. But at the end of the day, no real pass rush.
Meanwhile, those 1-technique DTs could easily become NTs, and McCoy could easily become a DE in a 3-4 with run-stopping and pass-rushing responsibilities. Then we have very good LBers with speed and pass-rushing ability in Kwon, David, Beckwith, Bond, and Glanton, with a blend of both outside rushers and ILBers, IMO.
At the end of the day I could understand if we didn’t want to go full 3-4 (“never go full retard”), but we HAVE to utilize the players we have instead of trying to shove their squareness into round holes. The 3-4 plays more to our LB strengths and lack of pass-rushing DEs, and provides flexibility.
What do you think?
February 20th, 2018 at 9:38 am
I hope Buckner is the guy to finally get some results….I really do… but I seem to remember high praise for Hayes on this site when he got hired.
Bring on the 3-4!
February 20th, 2018 at 9:41 am
II am all for a split approach 4-3, 3-4, but because the Draft and Free Agency is so limited in DE Talent and with LB one of our strong suits this year I say load up on smaller high speed players and blitz more. Another strategy that could improve our pass rush is coverage sacks. There are several CB’s in FA and a few first round safeties that we can add. Finally and I truly believe this, it’s not the scheme it’s the players motivation that puts pressure on QB’s.
February 20th, 2018 at 9:46 am
Bruce Arians retired.
February 20th, 2018 at 9:48 am
How many times does cancer93 have to state publicly that he refuses to play DE before you people keep mentioning him at DE in a 3-4…
Team needs to switch to 3-4…. It’s time to end the run of the leader of the losing culture and spend that wasted salary on driven winners versus doll playing quitters… great players and good character men do whats best for team. Bucs will never win a meaningful game with cancer93 wearing the C. Bad teammate and a me first clown
February 20th, 2018 at 9:54 am
Buccaneer Bonzai this team right now is built for a 3-4. McCoy and Gholdon are your ends, Stevie T and whoever they bring in the draft (maybe Vite Via?) or free ageny to play nose. The linebackers could easily be Kwon and Beckwith inside with LVD and Spence on the outside with Glanton and Bond able to backup any of the 4 LB spots. I am not sure how that equates to 4-3 more than 3-4 since no where in there do you see even a starting caliber DE in a 4-3 but everything fits for a 3-4?
February 20th, 2018 at 9:57 am
@Dooshlarue … “Bring on the 3-4!” Bucs have been using the 3-4 for some time Doosh, in varying degrees. Transitioning full-time to a 3-4 will necessitate reworking the DLine (which I’m all in favor of). But reality to me is that it’s not so much whether you run a 4-3 or a 3-4. It’s more about having the personnel to make that defensive alignment work. Regardless of which way we ultimately go, present personnel won’t cut it.
February 20th, 2018 at 9:58 am
BTW I know you think Tmax is crazy but in my opinion the only thing keeping us from going full on 3-4 is McCoy and his attitude towards it which is a utter shame.
February 20th, 2018 at 10:01 am
Actually I’d feel better if we had given this guy a shot at Defensive Coordinator. Smitty figures he’s gotta have somebody on the sidelines exhorting the troops while he..sits in the pressbox devouring tacos huh?
February 20th, 2018 at 10:01 am
Joe,
Makes U Wonder – Bruce Arians & Todd Bowles reunion 2019?
February 20th, 2018 at 10:03 am
IF the Bucs go to a 3 -4 they may want to seriously look at Tremaine Edmunds OLB for Virginia Tech.
At only 19 years old he is 6-5 250 pounds. He led the Hokies in tackles the last two years. In 2017 he led one of the best defenses in the country in tackles, TFL, forced fumbles and sacks.
He’s considered a freak athlete that compares to Von Miller.
February 20th, 2018 at 10:31 am
Cut the cancer and I’ll be mor excited for Buckner. Right now he is on the path failure like the rest of the 9 coaches we had previously.
February 20th, 2018 at 10:37 am
I personally don’t give two sh*ts what McCoy’s feelings are in regards to a 3-4… he has shown he can do ok in a 4-3, but the OVERALL DEFENSE has not been up to par, which is obvious to everyone. With our current personnel, a 3-4 seems to be a better fit, and if he “refuses” to play in it, then he can go somewhere else, OR he can STFU and play a 3-4 DE like his mentor Sapp did with the Raiders.
February 20th, 2018 at 10:49 am
So sick of the first comment on everything dissing GMC. He’s been our best player for years, and the only hope our D-Line has for next year.
To the trolls and haters, GET A LIFE.
February 20th, 2018 at 10:54 am
On another positive defensive line note, Noah Spence tweeted a pic of himself in the gym. Already reporting at 254. This was my issue with last season’s surgery. He didn’t have the time to do rehab and get ready for the season last year. If he gives anything at all, it will be like a FA acquisition.
February 20th, 2018 at 10:54 am
For the record I’m not a McCoy-hater, but I do remember him acting like a whiny spoiled b*tch when we discussed drafting Aaron Donald and refusing to play DE.
He loves to talk a lot about leadership, and as far as his first step and in practice, he is a leader. But his mouth writes checks that his play doesn’t cash. He’s not a natural leader; he wants everyone to like him more than he wants to lead, and while that’s not a bad thing, it IS when he talks about how he is a leader.
February 20th, 2018 at 10:55 am
Trade GMC for picks!!!! Don’t need the phony captain crying about playing out of position in a 3-4 holding the whole defense back!!!!!!!!!
Draft
1st Mount Vea
2nd Harold Landry
Give the coach something to work with!!!!!!! run the 3-4!!!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!
February 20th, 2018 at 10:55 am
Tnew
That is awesome news! I hope they finally got his shoulder issue settled and healed up for his benefit as well as ours!
February 20th, 2018 at 11:06 am
Makes U Wonder – Bruce Arians & Todd Bowles reunion 2019?
Would be shocked. Bruce Arians is retired. Bowles is over his head as a head coach.
February 20th, 2018 at 11:07 am
Base 34 defense isnt happening. Last I checked Buckner was hired to be a position coach. Not the new DC. Mike Smith will still be employing the soft “bend but dont break” defense we saw the past 2 seasons.
February 20th, 2018 at 11:10 am
Jeebs the Honey Bear
Raise your standards, being best player on a horrendous team does not make cancer93 the cryin cliwn great.
Cancer93 is the main reason the bucs reside in basement his love of losing, low standards and no drive to great has held this franchise hostage for nearly a decade. Cut the cancer
February 20th, 2018 at 11:18 am
We just released Drug Martin !!!!!!!!!!!!!
February 20th, 2018 at 11:32 am
McCoy is our best player? With our record over the last 8 years, that is not really saying a whole lot…LMAO! Trade him while we can still get something decent for him. The rest of the NFL thinks he is Sierra Hotel! Let’s see.
February 20th, 2018 at 12:04 pm
has smitty ever ran a 34 defense?……
he couldn’t teach the defense basic 43 fundamentals….now he wants to teach them 34…..lol….ok…good luck with that…..lol….
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
February 20th, 2018 at 12:09 pm
Joe Says:
February 20th, 2018 at 11:06 am
Makes U Wonder – Bruce Arians & Todd Bowles reunion 2019?
Would be shocked. Bruce Arians is retired. Bowles is over his head as a head coach.
WTF????……todd bowles did a heck of a job considering the lack of talent he had….everyone thought they were tanking….winning 5 games with that roster was amazing….people thought they were worse than the browns when it came to talent….
the coach that’s over his head is dirk…..winning 5 games with the roster we have is embarrassing!!!!!…..
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!!
February 20th, 2018 at 12:20 pm
813
Joe knows things that we don’t know. I think he is right on about Bowls. Joe is only wrong about GMc
February 20th, 2018 at 12:39 pm
Finally somebody to get in the face of the defensive line while Smitty is upstairs getting his Tostitos. Always felt the defense under performed because the d coordinator couldn’t look guys in the eye and say get it done.
February 20th, 2018 at 12:43 pm
I hope they consider a switch to 3-4 base. It will look like a sure thing if they retain Baker to play NT.
When you look at this defensive roster playing more 3-4 vs 4-3 we seem to have so many less holes. We are still going to need productive ends on third downs, that’s where an older guy like Peppers or Bennett makes a lot more sense.
And the McCoy critics are being dumb. I’ve never heard any coaches or media ever say he was not a team player. They say the opposite dummies. It’s just silly fans dissecting his comments.
February 20th, 2018 at 1:37 pm
lamarcus
idk….bowles won 5 games with str8 trash…Robbie Anderson was his go to weapon….that’s tough….and he had no qb….no cb’s….only big mo and 2 rookie safeties….
we’ll see this year…they have a ton of cap space too!!!!
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
February 20th, 2018 at 2:56 pm
If the Bucs commit fully to switching to a 3-4 front defense, then the “real” fans will give this regime 2 years to get the roster and scheme installed!!!!!! 2 year extension to all coaches!!!!!!
Make the best choice and switch to the 3-4!!!!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!
February 20th, 2018 at 6:43 pm
I would love to see a 34 based defense. Right now it’s our best way to get to the qb.
February 20th, 2018 at 7:34 pm
Thank goodness. It is the best choice with what is in the present draft. Just one shure DE for a 4-3. Whereas there are plenty of DEs convertible to OLBs and David and Beckwith can play OLB and rush the passer too.
February 20th, 2018 at 9:19 pm
813buc
Idk anything about any other teams internal affairs but my Bucs all day everyday. I have no time for anyother team. But Bowles could of been fired and I would be saying right move.
That offensive coordinator or whoever ran that offense did a good job. Remember Jets gave up the booty like the Bucs did late in games and gave up huge leads. I do remember that. Jets gave up leads worse than Bucs.
February 20th, 2018 at 9:20 pm
This whole thing smells..to the heavens. How come Mike Smith will not can not take charge of this defensive unit?. Does he have some sort of illness where he cannot be on the sidelines? Or is he just lazy? He can’t get in the faces of these poor performers so he hires some muscle to do it for him? Come on guys, This is Fishy as hell. The more I’m seeing this unfold, the more bad odor its accumulating!
February 20th, 2018 at 11:31 pm
Would not be shocked to see us reunite okafor and Buckner together . Alex actually was playing sparingly with saints last year and didn’t do bad . 5 sacks not a lot so maybe he isn’t the starter but hey he did well with him in Arizona from what am reading so yeah !!! The very least would be grade A depth who knows his d line coach very well . Chemistry is there at least which is a start! He is a FA and stealing players from division rivals is huge usually . Lol
February 20th, 2018 at 11:37 pm
Matty:
Excellent call! Okafor is coming off an Achilles injury and is a free agent. Because of his injury, may be cheap.
February 21st, 2018 at 10:46 am
Hilarious that nobody pays attention to TMax anymore and his spewing hatred for GMac.