“I Wasn’t Allowed To Do Any Of That”
June 21st, 2018
Mike Smith gets a finger-pointing on national radio
When Mike Smith accepted the Bucs’ defensive coordinator gig, he was adamant that his defense would be difficult for quarterbacks to decipher, include lots of elements of disguise, and adjust to its talent.
If you listened to veteran safety T.J. Ward’s 12-minute interview on SiriusXM NFL Radio this week, you would have heard a player explaining that Smith wasn’t interested in that kind of approach.
Ward told Movin’ The Chains he came to the Bucs as an aggressive, do-it-all, in-the-box safety and he wasn’t permitted to flourish here.
“I tend to do more of the dirty work,” Ward said. “You know, I’m at the line of scrimmage. I’m covering the tight ends 1-on-1. I’m covering the back end. I’m moving around. And in Mike’s defense, I was pretty stationary, just kind of sitting on the back end and waiting. That’s really not my style of play. I don’t enjoy it, either. I enjoy moving around, confusing the quarterback, you know, playing the mind game with the guys on the opposite side of the line of scrimmage. That’s the type of defense I play. I’m an aggressive player. I just wasn’t allowed to do any of that.”
Ward added that “I didn’t get the playing time I expected to get” and didn’t see “eye-to-eye” with coaches.
Is Ward credible? Maybe. He was highly respected with the Browns and Broncos, and he has a Super Bowl ring and Pro Bowl trips. Also, the state of Florida dropped the recent marijuana charges against him.
It’s been a confusing run for the Bucs at safety recently, especially with 2016 starter Bradley McDougald walking to Seattle and quickly becoming a favorite of Pete Carroll and earning a new contract.
Joe doesn’t rule out rookie Jordan Whitehead rising quickly, overtaking Chris Conte and playing alongside Justin Evans after the October bye week.
As for Ward, he said he’s working hard this offseason and is focused “to get my name back.”
June 21st, 2018 at 6:01 pm
What team is he on right now?
June 21st, 2018 at 6:04 pm
Winston Suspended the first 3 games of the season.
June 21st, 2018 at 6:05 pm
He better appeal that $hit. They have no basis to suspend him. Fluck the NFL. Where is the NFLPA on this?
June 21st, 2018 at 6:08 pm
I know EA, I read that 3 game suspension report somewhere else, then came here for more in depth reporting. My guess is that the 2 Joe’s are working on the article, as we speak.
June 21st, 2018 at 6:08 pm
Where is #KluelessKoetter at today? Check the skyway bridge cause when Adam Schefter says Jameis is getting suspended like he just did on Sportscenter BOOK IT!!! HE GONE FOR 3 GAMES. Schefter is never wrong. START THE EXCUSES NOW #KLUELESSKOETTER!!!
June 21st, 2018 at 6:13 pm
This league sucks.. THREE GAMES!? After all that time they spent on the investigation, we could’ve knocked some of the suspension out of the way by now had it been a swift investigation… I feel cheated as a fan who had a tough time deciding to renew season tickets.. i did and jameis was a big part of that decision and now he is lost the three most critical games of season… thanks goodell
June 21st, 2018 at 6:30 pm
@Ward … “Ward added that “I didn’t get the playing time I expected to get” and didn’t see “eye-to-eye” with coaches.” Pretty much tells ya what Ward’s impression is of last year with the Bucs. At one time Ward was a very good safety, but that was yesterday & yesterday’s gone. It was gone before he got to the Bucs actually.
No one but Smitty really knows what the Bucs’ defense was trying to achieve strategically & tactically last year, but one thing seems likely looking at Mike Smith’s past performance as a DC: his defenses always seemed to rank better in POINTS ALLOWED than they did in YARDAGE ALLOWED. Whether that’s some element of his strategy only he knows, but when he was DC in JAX his defensive rankings averaged in the Top-10 for his 5 yrs there. In his 2 yrs here, his POINTS ALLOWED rankings have averaged around 18, much better than his YARDAGE ALLOWED. Maybe he just believed at the time that he didn’t have the horses to to play a ‘balls to the wall’ defense, and opted to focus his defense on minimizing POINTS ALLOWED as best they could considering limited talent, lack of depth, quite a few injuries (not to mention having to deal with offensive turnovers periodically).
June 21st, 2018 at 7:01 pm
Of course he’s credible did you see how bad the offense is?
“I was pretty stationary, just kind of sitting on the back end and waiting.” Hell that sounds like another inbox safety Mark Barron talking about Lovie Smith defense if you ask me…. We all scratched our heads at some of the games Mike Smith called. 22 different coverage for a receiver that still got over 200 yards. Yeah I’d say he’s got some credibility but he was also slow as dirt. However his first play as a buc highlighted how he should have been playing
June 21st, 2018 at 7:17 pm
I’m no Ward fan, but I suspect his style of play is incompatible with new NFL rules and is one big reason he’s currently unemployed…
John Lynch would also be unemployed.
June 21st, 2018 at 7:59 pm
Smiths comments about his d sure dont match his actions. Reminds me of another smith here recently. I hope I’m wrong but i think this is Mikes last year here. Down to the basement next.
June 21st, 2018 at 8:33 pm
If a has been like Weedwhacker Ward bashes Smith then some of the crap must be real!!! Smith is a loser and this year will solidify everything we already know!!! It’s time for him to take his ass on down the road!!!
June 22nd, 2018 at 8:30 am
Well whattayaknow….it looks like a Bucs coach that let go of a player who flourished somewhere else.
T.J. Ward sounds like he’s being honest. He wasn’t asked to do the things here that made him a pro-bowler with other teams. Mike Smith deserves as much bashing for his “system” as other coaches deserve for theirs.
June 22nd, 2018 at 8:31 am
C’mon, that’s an absurd statement. You are suggesting that Lynch’s only quality as a safety was hard hitting and that’s it. John Lynch was a great player and he would have adjusted just fine.
June 22nd, 2018 at 9:01 am
wow…..another predictable system…..shocking….lol…..yet some think smitty did a decent job….lol….
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!….#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
June 22nd, 2018 at 2:24 pm
Is Smith flipping us all off in this article!!! If so right back at ya man!!! If he ends up 32nd again this year I’m going to flip him off and demand the Glazers get rid of him. No excuses this year Bubba. Win and be a reparable defense or get out of dodge and take your flying bird with ya man!!!
June 22nd, 2018 at 2:46 pm
Look at picture above! That is what I am making reference to!!!!!
June 22nd, 2018 at 3:16 pm
I do know one thing..If Smitty and Koetter cannot win this year? They are..Outta here!!! We are sick and tired of the Excuses this organization has fielded for not winning Games. All the Coulda’s/Shoulda’s/Woulda’s. If I were Smith, I’d come down out of air conditioned pressbox on Sundays and try to coach. Because God know he should have been fired for that Jr High Defense he displayed last year. Good luck Smitty. Your job..is on the line this year. NO EXCUSES.