Dirk Koetter: “If We Went Out There And Gave It To Peyton 20 Times …”
August 19th, 2018
Dirk Koetter has a vision
Peyton Barber had one game last season in which he was handed the rock 20 times, 23 to be exact.
Dirk Koetter did not flashback to last year’s Bucs-Packers debacle at his afternoon news conference today, but he did appear to look forward.
For those still cheering and praying for rookie running Ronald Jones to save the Bucs’ running game, Joe’s sorry to break it to you, Barber will be Koetter’s bellcow back to start the season. This became clear to Joe long ago. And it was cemented when Jones coughed up the rock in his first practice in pads and then had a poor preseason debut, which continued last night.
At least for opening day, Barber will be the guy.
Koetter gushed over Barber today, agreeing that he looks like a No. 1 running back and praising his explosive run up the gut last night (18 yards), and his overall fulfillment of his duties.
Koetter didn’t name Barber the Day 1 starter, but he did say “if we went out there and gave it to Peyton 20 times,” we’d like what we see.
For those wondering, Barber ran for 102 yards on those 23 carries in Green Bay, and added four catches for 41 yards in the Bucs’ overtime loss.
August 19th, 2018 at 5:10 pm
Yep…so only give him a handful of plays next week and none after that…I’d like to move on from Simms and Rodgers but one will have to be kept for pass protection…can only hope Jones will break a few in the next two games….to be fair he has had his OL rolled back into him on his running plays so far…give him a hole like Peyton had on his 18 yarder and he’ll be gone !
August 19th, 2018 at 5:15 pm
Barber is nothing to be upset about in the backfield. Might be the first consistent runner we’ve had in sometime. While I’m concerned about RoJo, I am not concerned at all with Barber getting 20+ carries a game. Looking forward to seeing what he can do with more carries in game 3.
August 19th, 2018 at 5:17 pm
It is hard to see an undrafted player in a skilled position become top tier but Barber is proving himself to be one of those rare players. I hope he continues to become that complete player.
August 19th, 2018 at 5:20 pm
“You cant continuously miss in the 2nd rounds of the draft and be a contending playoff team”
The Kobe Realist
August 19th, 2018 at 5:23 pm
Peyton barber = earnest graham 2.0…..all they needed was an opportunity
August 19th, 2018 at 5:26 pm
Aren’t we writing off Rojo a bit early? After all, didn’t he have a stellar college career like the second round kicker we drafted……oh wait….
Actually, kidding…..I think Rojo has too much positive tape to end up being a complete bust….he will find his way.
August 19th, 2018 at 5:46 pm
The Magnificent Carnac!!!
A: Your dog and your wife.
Q: Name someone you put out at night and someone who doesn’t?
The very best!
August 19th, 2018 at 5:57 pm
If we could only have one RB, like k, Jones would look like a bust… but we’ll carry FOUR. Calling him a bust after his second preseason game is just stupid. BTW, he was universally considered a second rounf talent. Licht did not reach for him.
August 19th, 2018 at 6:18 pm
Agree TBBF. The sample size is too small to be gripping this tightly.
When the OL gave ROJO a crease he ran 8-9 yards…Oh but that same offensive line was guilty of a penalty negating ROJO’s nice gain.
It’s far too early to write off ROJO. We do know one thing…unless he too gets hurt he’s going to put up better stats than Guice.
August 19th, 2018 at 6:24 pm
I don’t know the numbers but Barber seems to be churning out decent yardage totals in these first 2 games. See no reason why that won’t continue into the regular season.
I think the hope with RoJo was to let him spell Barber for a few rushes per game but at this point he hasn’t earned that.
RoJo may wind up burried on the depth chart and his carries going to somebody else. #44 looked pretty decent to me and I’d like to see him play a bigger role next game.
August 19th, 2018 at 6:27 pm
Still waiting on a bulldozing-bruising-beast of a RB… Alstott made me a fan of this team and then I loved watching back to back super bowl winning RB Legarette Blount before we shipped him off for essentially nothing to the Pats… Nevermind, it would make too much damn sense having a big back! Whatever
August 19th, 2018 at 6:34 pm
Peyton Barber is a beast of a running back and his hard running style will only help set up the play action we desperately need for the offense to work. The guy is a true grinder and I’m behind him 100%. He’s earned his right to start and barring injury he will be our number 1 the entire season.
August 19th, 2018 at 6:37 pm
Kobe… you can’t constantly miss on number two draft picks and make the playoffs…. nor should you constantly miss and be a NFL GM or for that matter even employd in any management position. But somehow Licht is.
August 19th, 2018 at 6:38 pm
Yeah I am onboard with Argh love to pick up a big back to bulldoze with–maybe we could use Vita Vea as needed. I would love to see him take a pitch in the backfield while getting up to speed, hit the line of scrimmage at full speed and barrel into the endzone.
August 19th, 2018 at 6:41 pm
Sucks that the D let Hundley run all over them before and during OT
August 19th, 2018 at 6:49 pm
@Kobe Realist “You cant continuously miss in the 2nd rounds of the draft and be a contending playoff team”
It not like Licht drafted and missed on a second round kicker. LOL
August 19th, 2018 at 6:50 pm
Whenever Koetter talks about Barber he always seems to be a little tentative. I think Barber will be fine but maybe Koetter sees something?
August 19th, 2018 at 6:52 pm
You guys really have no idea what the value of a second round pick is do you?
August 19th, 2018 at 6:57 pm
J dubb Says:
August 19th, 2018 at 5:23 pm
Peyton barber = earnest graham 2.0…..all they needed was an opportunity
________
This is for sure! Graham would have gotten drafted if not for the Horrendous intentional injury by Darnell Dockett.
August 19th, 2018 at 6:58 pm
Nothing aginst Barber but I still think he is average and the other backs just suck. Were in trouble at running back. Charles Simms is hurt and sucks when healthy. Jones is exactly what I thought. A soft undersized running back. Rogers scares no one. Barber is solid at everything but great at nothing. Light needs to act quick when other teams make cuts.
August 19th, 2018 at 7:16 pm
I did a little research on Rojo’s college and high school record.
His father won the Texas State championship in the 100 yard dash, thus he followed his father’s footsteps in track. In 2015 Rojo won the district championship in the 100 meter dash running a 10.37. At USC he racked up 3,619 yards and 39 touchdowns. He averaged 123.8 yards a game and a 6.3 yards per carry. He was known a one slash move between the tackles. He averaged 3.4 yards AFTER the first hit.
Supposedly he had a terrible offseason with a long lasting hamstring injury. Perhaps he needs a little more time resyncing his game.
August 19th, 2018 at 7:29 pm
I like Licht and I think he’s done a good job, but the 2nd round has been rough for him.
At the end of the day though, if you get the players you need, UDFA, whatever…..what difference does it really make?
Now, that being said……maybe he should use that #2 every year to move up with his #1 pick and grab a SURE THING!!!
August 19th, 2018 at 7:30 pm
There were better RBs that should have been picked…. if bucs are looking for a GM after this season, how about ronde? lynch is doing pretty good out west, ronde is a super smart evaluator on tv and knows football and winning football
August 19th, 2018 at 7:34 pm
Rojo will fine once he adjusts to the speed of the NFL..In the mean time Barber is Earnest Graham 2.0
August 19th, 2018 at 7:46 pm
Remind me how many playoffs this franchise won with Ernest Graham?????
So barber being the second coming of another has been that never was or won anything that matters as a buc helps this team how????
August 19th, 2018 at 7:59 pm
If Barber gets hurt….
August 19th, 2018 at 8:30 pm
Ronde said it best….Barber always finds away to fall forward for an extra 1-2 yds.
That small difference adds up when you think of the game in terms of inches and feet which is how championship teams play…They battle for every inch. I like Barber, he’s effective and can potentially blow up if teams have to focus on our receivers.
August 19th, 2018 at 8:57 pm
ROJO had most of his best games against weaker competition. His numbers against good defenses weren’t that great. This is why I wasn’t high on him in the draft. I hope he proves me wrong, but what I’ve seen so far tells me otherwise.
August 19th, 2018 at 9:11 pm
ROJO has a grand total of 12 carries in 2 preseason games. I think it’s a little too early to be writing him off. For Pete’s sake, give the kid a chance.
August 19th, 2018 at 11:10 pm
That’s why you don’t draft USC quarter backs or running backs. The last good back was marcus allen, and it’s been 40 years since a quarter back was good from USC.
August 19th, 2018 at 11:39 pm
Peyton is sort of a Earnest Graham 2.0.
August 19th, 2018 at 11:41 pm
Carson Palmer?
August 19th, 2018 at 11:45 pm
How many rings does Carson Palmer have? He has quit on more teams than he has rings….
August 20th, 2018 at 12:51 am
All I can say is … I can’t wait for real football!
August 20th, 2018 at 5:40 am
ARGH_M8E Says
“Still waiting on a bulldozing-bruising-beast of a RB… Alstott made me a fan of this team and then I loved watching back to back super bowl winning RB Legarette Blount before we shipped him off for essentially nothing to the Pats… Nevermind, it would make too much damn sense having a big back! Whatever”I
Right there with you. In the past, Dirk Koetter has expressed the same desire, and seems to try to find one at times.
Tight Ends Cross, Auclair, and Johnson each have similar builds and weights when compared to Alstott when he was drafted. I believe Austin Johnson actually has been a fullback. However, Johnson is now 29, so his potential as a FB is pretty much over.
The Bucs are extremely thin at RB this year, and none of them has that 240 lb Alstott mass. Barber is the biggest at 225.
Sims went down with and injury in the last game. That leaves us with only three official RBs. Shaun Wilson might make the team by default due to injury, but he is the smallest RB we currently have on the roster, a full 20 lbs lighter than camp meat Dare Ogunbowale.
Imagine if Barber goes down to injury.
Frankly, I think Barber has been lucky to still be on the team, and the only reason he is starting is because Rojo is not hungry enough to become the starter. Barber has done nothing to earn the starting roll.
The whole RB situation seems unchanged. Martin had only 2 good years, was bad the rest. Sims had a good year, was bad the rest. Rodgers had a promising year (good ypr), was bad the rest. Barber had a promising year (good ypr and that’s all).
See the pattern?
We still don’t have a franchise RB on the roster. Barber, because of an improved OL, might get 800-900 yards this season…maybe. But I would not put my eggs in that basket.
RB is the only position of need that has not been fixed in my opinion. Hope I am wrong.
August 20th, 2018 at 5:43 am
Oh, and btw…Earnest Graham was another in a long list of disappointments.
August 20th, 2018 at 5:48 am
I’ll te!l you what, though. I forget his name, but the Titans had a backup RB who had a running style just like Barry Sanders. If they waive that kid, the Bucs should grab him.