“The Glazers Were Not Real Fired Up”
July 31st, 2019
Imagine the looks on the faces of Team Glazer when they sat down to hire one of the great head coach/playcallers in recent NFL history and he tells them he doesn’t want to call plays.
Keep in mind these are the same owners whose previous head coach refused to get involved with trying to fix a rotten defense. And the head caoch before that took the job and immediately insisted Josh McCown would be the quarterback to lead the team to the playoffs.
Only the Bucs.
Yes, Bucs offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich is calling the plays and Arians has vowed to not be hanging on his shoulder too much.
According to Andrea Kremer, who spent a load of time with Arians for an HBO Real Sports feature last night, Team Glazer was not happy about Arians’ choice to delegate.
“The Glazers were not real fired up that he said he’s not going to be calling the plays,” she told TampaBay.com.
Arians admitted he had to sell the Glazers on 39-year-old Byron Leftwich serving as offensive coordinator and play-caller. It’s a first for Leftwich.
“Yeah, there was a real good conversation about it,’’ Arians said. “I said, ‘Just trust me. My hand is there. I’m right over his shoulder. He is trained and ready to go.’ It’s just something I wanted to do.’’
Every owner sits down with a head-coaching candidate and asks, ‘What’s your plan?’
Arians told Joe back at the NFL Owners meetings in March that he came to the table with Team Glazer ready with a very distinct plan, and Team Glazer confirmed that to Joe during that week. But it’s no surprise to hear Team Glazer waved a red flag at the idea of Arians not calling plays.
Kremer made the case yesterday in the HBO feature and on WDAE radio that Arians is delegating playcalling, in part, to preserve his health. The formula is something like, less hands-on responsibility = less stress. Joe’s not buying that for a minute, not for a football coach who is all-in.
Regardless, Team Glazer signed off on Arians’ plan, so they have to own it.
Norv Turner, Sean Peyton and Dirk Koetter are the other playcallers in the relentless NFC South. Joe sure hopes Arians trained Leftwich darn well.
July 31st, 2019 at 12:19 am
Koetter/Monken are top 10 NFL playcallers, leftwich might be good one day just wish he wasnt learning here & this year how to become one. Clyde C was not very good while he was here either. Hope QB whisperer has some Yoda to Luke jedi mind thing going on with Byron
July 31st, 2019 at 12:47 am
Arians isnhere because he loves football and will drink himself to death if he is at home alone.
July 31st, 2019 at 1:09 am
They will draw up a script and game plan before each game. I don’t get all the angst? Arians stamp will be all over it.
July 31st, 2019 at 1:18 am
Clyde was so God-awful he managed to get the most beloved coach in team history fired. Saying he wasn’t very good is a massive understandment. But he did follow Dungy to Indy and did OK there. I still don’t like having him back, but at least it’s at a lower level in the offense.
As for Leftwich, lets just hope Arians is going to be a very strong guiding hand – which I assume is what he sold the Glazers on.
July 31st, 2019 at 1:57 am
Very impressed with Leftwich when he interviews. Go to the Bucs app and listen to the dude explain what he’s trying to accomplish with Winston and you’ll realize he has an amazing grasp of what it takes to move an offense. With the weapons he has at his disposal I’m sure he’s salivating. I was a skeptic but after listening to this cat I see why Arians trusts him so much.
July 31st, 2019 at 1:58 am
Arians needs to spend less time in the cart, and more time in Winston’s ear. This is the make it or break it year for Winston, you hire the QB Whisperer and you have a career backup (outside of a few years) as your first year full time OC? Only the Bucs.
July 31st, 2019 at 4:46 am
Arians … ‘Just trust me. My hand is there. I’m right over his shoulder. He is trained and ready to go.’
Rod … That’s the quote in the article from BA’s interview with the Glazers. What’s the problem? BA is doing EXACTLY what the Bucs have needed for years: being a HEAD COACH, not an OC or a DC. He’s training a coaching staff that’ll endure & carry on after he moves on (or more likely moves up IMO to President of Football Operations).
It’s apparent to me that Coach “came to the table with Team Glazer ready with a VERY DISTINCT PLAN” (as Joe said “Team Glazer confirmed that to Joe during that week”). That plan is being implemented to perfection IMO. That plan likely focused on: (1) bringing in a quality coaching staff with a mix of ‘old & young’ to develop our young roster; (2) fix the defense through the draft, FA & better coaching; (3) fix special teams through the draft, FA & better coaching; (4) optimize an already productive offense through better coaching; (5) create enough salary Cap space to pay for ‘upgrades’ this year & stabilize it for the future.
Underlying that whole plan IMO is a detailed evaluation of what every player brings to the table. We’ve already seen a major turnover in our defensive roster & our S/T guys. COMPETITION has become the name of the game. Love it. Changes in the offensive roster will come I’m convinced, but it couldn’t all be done overnight. Freeing up Cap space will allow us to upgrade it a little by the end of training camp, but the biggest changes will happen next year IMO. in the meantime, I’m convinced that this new (but very young) Bucs’ defense will lead the way. Go Bucs!
July 31st, 2019 at 5:08 am
That’s been my concern from Day1…is this some OJT love from the fountain of BA the philanthropist in the twitlight of his football career? How long will he let Leftwich run before he steps in? How many games will have to be lost? Leftwich may be just fine, but BA was paid to come here and put his best foot forward. Given the Glazers try not to get into daily football decisions (a good thing), of course they’d not be enthused–it’s a no-brainer.
OJT on a green OC, a female DL coach who’s not worked at NFL level, much less played at any level (would a dude be put in that job with that resume?). This looks like philanthropy to me…on season ticket buyers’ dime.
“Oh, BA knows what he’s doing.” No one knows that. He may THINK he does. And if it fails, oh well, just retire (yet again).
July 31st, 2019 at 5:12 am
In the military they have phrases for guys who quit putting full effort into their careers while still drawing active duty pay and benefits:
– Dropping your pack.
– Retired on active duty (ROAD)
Do we have a ROAD Coach who’s already dropped his pack?
July 31st, 2019 at 5:19 am
Anyone notice those headsets the coaches wear at game time? Yeah its for communication, something that every coordinator stresses that BA emphasizes. Im sure that same expectation will be there in order to continue to do what he does best at games, coach.
July 31st, 2019 at 6:02 am
Bucs only have 16 games can’t waste any with on the job training for a neophyte coach
Who would be happy with this?
July 31st, 2019 at 6:28 am
This is where I am 100% concerned more than anytjing else. I do NOT believe Leftwhich will be as good as Ariand until I see it happen. I really hope we see Arians talking onto that Mic pretty often or it may get ugly.
The very last thing yhis team needs.is to take a step back on offense right as they finally make the move to fox the defense.
July 31st, 2019 at 6:31 am
Arians is basically saying “I’m close to retiring….again”
July 31st, 2019 at 6:35 am
Maga .
I get that the fanbase is tired of losing, but that is no reason to accuse somebody of
being retired on duty. Plenty of ways BA has already improved the team. He
has already got Licht to address needs on defense with aggressive players
and coaches to eliminate the passive schemes of Lovie and Mike Smith.
A good manager knows the art of delegating. When you fall into the trap of
trying to do everything yourself then you start neglecting other responsibilities.
One of his main responsibilities this year is working with Jameis. Thats going to involve observation and communication. Since he has taken Jameis aside and already had conversations, I believe he is doing that.
July 31st, 2019 at 6:43 am
Calling plays in the NFL on gameday is an art and a skill that byron did not do great at in his brief stint in AZ. There may be a script for first series or so but the great ones are setting up the DCs plays/games in advance to run certain plays out of certain sets. The NFC South DCs will destroy a guy learning on the job. Leftwich may be great one day but sucks this is the year & team he is cutting his teeth at play calling
July 31st, 2019 at 6:44 am
Not worried 😟
July 31st, 2019 at 7:10 am
Give him two years and he will be gone. Just picking up a check and also helping out all his homies along the way.
July 31st, 2019 at 7:13 am
Also keep in mind that the Patriots have a total of 14 coaches. We more than double that qty. Free money attracts coaches and tenured players to Tampa.
July 31st, 2019 at 7:23 am
Some of you guys are hilarious. Of course we could have hired a rookie HC that was OJT with every facet of the HC position. Wouldn’t that make you happy? Who did you think we were going to draw here? Bilicheat? A top tier active coach that got tired of winning with a great team and wanted a “challenge”? Arians hand is in it. He can take it back if necessary. And considering we had one of the worst OC’s in the league calling the plays the last few years…at least some said he was when he was in Jacksonville.. D. Koetter, I don’t see a “step back”. Honestly, just shows the “provincial thinking” of many Bucs fans… oh man…why won’t Vince Lombardi or Tom Landry take the job?…oh…
July 31st, 2019 at 7:33 am
Criticizing BA for being old and lazy and Leftwich for being inexperienced is beyond foolish, especially at this juncture. It might mollify your glass-half-empty outlook on life, but it has no merit as a single play has yet to be called in a real game.
As for experience, the best jet pilot in the world had to once embark on a maiden flight. Under the “only those with experience” scenario, when the experienced became ready for retirement there would be nobody to take their place.
Until proven otherwise I choose to view BA’s reign as propitious.
My glass is always half full until somebody spills it.
July 31st, 2019 at 7:49 am
“propitious”… better refrain from using such lofty language. Joe will have flashbacks to his writing classes back at Panther’s U. LOL.
July 31st, 2019 at 8:01 am
The owners just can’t stop derping into the path of progress.
July 31st, 2019 at 8:09 am
Not a big deal since leftwich is an unknown basically, I’d be more worried if they didn’t have to be sold on someone else calling plays
July 31st, 2019 at 8:09 am
At least BA know clock management and won’t be stubborn as Dirk was. He also won’t be a puss and not try to score at the end of the first half, trying to avoid a mistake like predecessors did. Plus, NO malcontents will be made captain and he has the track record. Anyone that was influenced so heavily by Bear Bryant is NOT just picking up a paycheck. The last thing he wants is a stain on his excellent track record.
July 31st, 2019 at 8:55 am
Bellichick doesn’t call plays on offense, or defense, but he’s right there looking over everyones shoulder. We have a coach who wants to do the same, and ya’ll bitching. Koetter couldn’t bother to see what his defense was up to, you want that back? I don’t remember Lombardi, or Landry calling plays on game day they had pretty good careers also. This is the way it should be done, the HC needs to focus on the team as a whole, not one part of it.
July 31st, 2019 at 9:28 am
Hodad… well said.
I guess some rather have a well respected and experienced play calling assistant and a lousy HC that is lost on the field. We have had the later “In Spades” as we call it in Bridge circles….But anyway…..
July 31st, 2019 at 9:35 am
One point of disagreement though… Koetter didn’t know what was going on on Offense either…remember the helmet thump and Mike E.’s blowup because the Refs were calling it all one way in a particular game? When asked about what was going on “he missed it”. Now he may have had a particular love and relationship with his play sheet or something. But I’d have to say he just couldn’t bother with what was going on, on the field. Or from a strategic or effective game management perspective.
July 31st, 2019 at 10:08 am
“So BA isnt healthy enough to call plays?
LOL
So if you have the money hungry Glazers who really dont care about winning Superbowls worried…
Everyone should be worried as hell”
Kobe Faker
July 31st, 2019 at 11:23 am
Byron worried me too, but when Bruce says “trust me” I’m in. All of this retired on active duty stuff is nonsense. He owns this entire staff and this entire team (Off, Def & ST)… all of it… to a degree that neither Lovie or Koetter did. This is legacy time for BA and he’s all in.
July 31st, 2019 at 11:31 am
BA is the head coach so he has the right to always step in and change the call if he sees something wrong. Was not excited to hear Leftwich was coming to town to be OC with one year experience and a 3-13 record. But like everything else with the Bucs and this new coaching, see it when I belive it.
KEEP THE FAITH!!! GO BUCS!!!
P.S. What the f#ck would the Glazer babies have a clue about bringing in a coach that can succeed?
July 31st, 2019 at 3:54 pm
LMAO here. The Glazers were not fired up? Hell, I think thats a good sign. Because they have proven since their fathers death they know very little about football..cept to collect them profits. So this might be great news.
August 2nd, 2019 at 3:13 pm
The Glazer Boys’ recent history of HC is beyond pathetic. Only reason Arians came out of retirement (set for life $$$$$$$) is cos he saw something worthwhile on this team. I trust his judgment on Byron Leftwich.