Is Koetter Too Soft?
August 9th, 2018
Unfair label?
A lot of Bucs fans believe Bucs coach Dirk Koetter is too soft because he babies his players in training camp.
This notion was fueled last year when no-nonsense, three-Super Bowl rings (got one as an assistant with the Giants) Tom Coughlin took over the Jags and demanded training camp practices get as old school physical as possible. When the Jags came within a touchdown from the Super Bowl, Bucs fans howled that Koetter offered a country club wine-tasting outing by contrast.
The Bucs having a rotten season last year didn’t do much to stifle the critics.
However, the way Bucs offensive linemen have been dropping like flies, just how soft is training camp at One Buc Palace? Shoot, Koetter has had to take drastic measures just to make sure the offensive line isn’t beat up more, reducing snaps in practice.
“We had kind of a rough day [Monday] from an injury standpoint,” Koetter said Tuesday. “That’s one of the reasons we had to cut it back today. We’ve got a game [tonight] and even though we have 90 players, it seems like you always seem to get hit at one spot. Right now, we’re just a little but thin in the offensive line and that affects everybody else.
“We’ll see. There’s still a lot of guys up in the air for Thursday night. Obviously, we’re not going to take any chances with any player for preseason game No. 1.”
So while Joe doesn’t disagree with fans saying the Bucs should toughen up by being like the Jags, Joe has to wonder just how soft Bucs training camp really is if so many offensive linemen are getting hurt and the team already has had to drag in guys off the street as warm bodies just to be able to practice.
August 9th, 2018 at 9:27 am
After watching that Jags Bill’s wild card game I do not get all the love for the Jags. They had a decent season but they were far from great and barely a playoff team.
That Wild Card Game drew this headline from ESPN
“Jaguars beat Bills 10-3 in ugly, sometimes unwatchable game.”
It was soooo bad that I kept watching…like seeing a big pileup on the Interstate.
This was supposed to represent NFL PLAYOFF football!
Let’s see how the Jags do this year before we hand them a greatness mantle.
August 9th, 2018 at 9:28 am
I can’t wait to hear what all of the keyboard gm’s have to say.
August 9th, 2018 at 9:28 am
The whole ‘soft’ thing is a complete myth created by the people who have already made up their minds about Koetter, who happen to also be the same people who troll this website. Non-fans who are trying to get real fans to buy into this nonsense.
It’s not Koetter’s fault at all, even if training camp is ‘soft’. The NFL bent over backwards in the CBA. Koetter runs it as best he can under the rules, like any other coach who does not want to get the team fined.
August 9th, 2018 at 9:29 am
@Joe
That would be a great question when NFL radio comes to one Buc on Saturday!!!!!!! Which we get the best team with moving the chains!!!!! During their training camp tour, they get to see many different training camps to compare with!!!!! All in all, training camps have become softer due to the CBA!!!! And last years camp was very soft, But when you had all the injuries to line already and how thin with talent the lines had, how hard can you go!!!!!! when lineman like sweezy and cry baby ayers are limping around, and NS57 can’t lift weights yet!!!!!
By the way, we had moving the chains team last year, and they noted that many players were playing up and acting for the camera!!!!!!!
How wrong were those that said the reality tv show would be no distraction!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 9th, 2018 at 9:30 am
Considering even the players have voiced their desire for tougher football, maybe in the next CBA they will agree to some improvements…though I doubt it.
August 9th, 2018 at 9:33 am
The Buc Realist Says
“By the way, we had moving the chains team last year, and they noted that many players were playing up and acting for the camera!!!!!!!
How wrong were those that said the reality tv show would be no distraction!”
Well, its not going away. The buccaneers organization has started a very Hard Knocks-like feature called The Current. Hopefully it will run all season.
At some point, the players will become so used to the cameras that they’ll ignore them.
And I would wager Baker was the main actor last year.
August 9th, 2018 at 9:37 am
@Buc Bonzai
yes, and others , Jw3 was mentioned as well in that group
When they did the training camp in 2016, they noted that it was one of the more organized camps that they had witnessed!!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 9th, 2018 at 9:38 am
1. What was the Jags’ record last year?
2. You seriously are not basing regular seasons projections on the first preseason game, are you?
3. If so, what is your choice of bourbon this morning? 🙂
August 9th, 2018 at 9:41 am
Yes…he is too soft…but not because of my perceptions regarding training camp.
It is because of a few incidents during some games the last couple years, where our players have acted like amateurs on the fiel, responding to frustration in childish ways, and he has either been oblivious to them, or the players didn’t feel like he was in charge enough in the back of their minds, where they thought there would be a consequence for their actions. And they were correct in that assessment.
August 9th, 2018 at 9:43 am
sports in general are becoming a relity show….happening with soccer with rugby with basquetbol and for sure with NFL……..OH my god how I miss old school kind of sports!!!!!!
August 9th, 2018 at 9:43 am
Not going to see a lot of ROJO in the 1st Qtr while Fitz is in there. Koetter will want to make sure he has good passport.
August 9th, 2018 at 9:44 am
Yup. Kirwan said he really liked how many snaps Koetter squeezed in for the offense in a short window of time.
August 9th, 2018 at 9:47 am
is dirk too soft?…..lol….is grass green….lol….HELL YEAH dir is soft…..
and the injuries that are happening aint coming from banging each other around…..their muscle injuries….pulls and stains…..players aren’t stretching, eating hydrating and recovering properly…..
it would be different if there were injuries like and ligament tear, broken bones, fractures, contusions, concussions….those are injuries you get when your going full go during
ive been to a few practices and they look just like last year….dirk soft as cotton….
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
August 9th, 2018 at 9:57 am
St. Pete, the jags are a legit super bowl contending team, they should have been in it last year and they are built to last for a few years as a dominant team, they have the top defense in the NFL and one of the best running backs in the NFL and a “game manager” at qb…jags vikings super bowl this year…
not sure if dirk is soft but i do think he has ZERO fleixibility in HIS offense which he can do but then other OC/HC are running by him in terms of offensive style and winning
August 9th, 2018 at 9:57 am
so if HK was such a huge distraction and caused the team and coaches to lose focus, why would the owners sabotage their season again?…..
BECAUSE IT WASNT A DISTRATION!!!!!!!…….JW, cam brate LVD and others all claimed it wasn’t a distraction….but folks want to listen and believe Dotson….lol….the same Dotson that said, he’ll be 100% full go in TC….the same Dotson that said his knee was fine…..lol…OK….
stop making excuses for this soft ass embarrassment of a coaching staff…..this team underachieved and it falls squarely on their shoulders…..
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
August 9th, 2018 at 10:00 am
Fans are sooo FUNNY
Camp is too easy
Remember toes on the line. And everyone screaming he is too tough get a players coach
The Mr let’s go to London for a weeks vacation Rheem. The Playera Coach arrives
Really
I agree the teams that have coaches that are no nonsense make better teams but fans need to be fans and Cheer in the team
August 9th, 2018 at 10:03 am
The Jags were 10-6…same record Raheem was denied playoffs.
They played in arguably the worst or one of the worst divisions in football in the weaker of the two Conferences. The bottom two teams in their division combined for 8 wins between them. The other “good” team the Titans went 9-6 in the AFC.
I’m neither predicting success nor failure for the Jags in 18…simply pointing out they were hardly world beaters last year.
IE I think the Jags and Bucs are in very similar positions…’18 is a make or break year…are these two teams that are improving or not?
August 9th, 2018 at 10:05 am
Sean Payton proved he is soft. Koetter didn’t want to no beef from with him. So “speak softly and carry a big stick’ means just that
August 9th, 2018 at 10:32 am
spbf….solid drafting.
August 9th, 2018 at 10:35 am
If I didn’t know better I’d say that the TC is not soft but some of the players are…..but this is mostly bad luck……I do find it odd that the younger/bubble players seem to stay healthy and some of the players who have roster spots locked down have “mysterious” and nagging injuries.
August 9th, 2018 at 10:43 am
Joe,
Shouldn’t you be asking Mrs. K about the rigidity of our HC?
Seems like she would know best.
August 9th, 2018 at 11:11 am
@Joe … “Joe has to wonder just how soft Bucs training camp really is if so many offensive linemen are getting hurt and the team already has had to drag in guys off the street as warm bodies just to be able to practice.”
Training camp is what it is IMO … an opportunity to get ready for the season. Nothing more, nothing less. To the degree that we have a good season, then Koetter got the troops ready for battle. To the degree that we have another losing season, whether training camp was too soft or too hard won’t matter because he’ll be gone.
The high number of injuries that the Bucs seem to suffer virtually every year concern me more than whether training camp is too soft or too hard. Personally I think it’s because historically Bucs haven’t paid enough attention to beefing up the trenches. Man the trenches with beasts to beat the opponent up at the line of scrimmage on offense and beat them up at the line of scrimmage on defense. Far too many of our ‘beasts in the trenches’ have proven to be too fragile. Horsepuckey! Need tougher beasts. We’re getting closer, but still need a couple more beasts.
August 9th, 2018 at 11:16 am
Dirk is nothing more than a QB coach and as you can see, not very good at that. Thank God thisbia his last year.
August 9th, 2018 at 11:26 am
10-6 and Dirk gets contract extension…
August 9th, 2018 at 11:28 am
I still think Kotter is an acceptable head coach and that the team supports him.
August 9th, 2018 at 11:37 am
love Coughlin but it’s 2018! you have to coach to this era & most of that old school stuff is predictable & easier to play against… look how the new school Philly coach won the Super Bowl against the old guard… i like that koetter saw something and adjusted to it… just hope he & smitty would do the same with their systems
August 9th, 2018 at 12:27 pm
Bonzai
The whole ‘soft’ thing is a complete myth created by the people who have already made up their minds about Koetter, who happen to also be the same people who troll this website. Non-fans who are trying to get real fans to buy into this nonsense.
———————————————
Why would a Non Fan waste their time trolling a Buc website? Like the Bucs are some kind of powerhouse threat that needs to have their fan base manipulated to bring down the franchise?
SMDH
August 9th, 2018 at 12:57 pm
Somebody here calls Koetter..Acceptable. Hell, I’m acceptable..when I’m sober! Acceptable in the NFL will not cut it. Its like saying, Nice. Bucs need WINNERS and consistent Winners. Koetter and his sidekick must go if they cannot win this year. No exceptions..No excuses.
August 9th, 2018 at 1:14 pm
I’m not saying Koetter is too soft but I think he was spotted at target shopping for nursing bras.
August 9th, 2018 at 1:20 pm
SPbucsfan
“After watching that Jags Bill’s wild card game I do not get all the love for the Jags. They had a decent season but they were far from great and barely a playoff team.”
Didn’t Jags have the number one defense last year? I know it was top three at least. Barely a playoff team?
August 9th, 2018 at 1:29 pm
At least now they get some relief from the sweltering heat that in my opinion caused more frequent injuries and exhaustion. I also agree with Joe that all these Oline injuries can be contributed to a more aggressive, and stronger Dline. It’s a good thing for us to have this “iron sharpens iron” mentality but only to a certain point when battling against your own teammates. It’s a marathon and usually the teams that suffer the least amount of catastrophic injuries to their first team players make it to the post season. Sure teams have limped into the playoffs but they are usually one and done.
August 9th, 2018 at 2:07 pm
D Rhodes,
I guess you don’t know the team is running both the spread offense and rpo’ s in practice. DK is apparently more flexible than you believe.
August 9th, 2018 at 2:28 pm
The Bucs sure looked soft last year. Not mentally tough.
August 9th, 2018 at 3:14 pm
The reason that Koetter was hired was that he was the anti-thesis of Lovie Smith, who lacked passion and was stubborn. The idea was that Koetter was passionate, no nonsense, impatient, and a “breath of fresh air”, if I am quoting correctly. Then, I saw the press conferences and the interviews in which he beat up, so to speak, on members of the press for asking what he thought were “stupid” questions. Then, I bought into all the hype from the Stick Carriers, the passionate, thug subgroup of Bucs fans, who honored him with a Godfather painting.
As the years go on, the evidence is mounting that in spite of the tough talk, his camp/practices are not producing the right results:
He lets injured players with their floppy hats and scooters stand on the sidelines smiling away for the cameras. What message does that send to the healthy players? Injuries are contagious. Even the players on the Cleveland Browns are pointing that out to their head coach on Hard Knocks. The fact that we are having this debate at all tells you where the Bucs are as a franchise.
He lets ex-players run all over training camp. I love to see ex-Bucs players, but let them go stand in the bleachers with the rest of the fans. The current players should be focusing on practice, not yukking it up with Mr. Sapp.
Swaggy…need I write more.
Joe pointed out in a recent article: “Consider that Dirk Koetter said the Bucs weren’t doing a lot of full-speed stuff in practice yesterday. Well, how is a Bucs fan supposed to evaluate that effectively?” Exactly! When they get injured in a preseason game, I guess.
There are many, many other examples about why I call him “Soft Camp” Koetter or alternatively the “Godmother”. Whether you or I think his camp is soft or not, whatever he is doing is not working. I hope that he proves me wrong.
August 9th, 2018 at 4:54 pm
Practice like you play I say.