Talks Vita Vea in backfield.

For the first time since he (?) called the play that made defensive tackle Vita Vea an offensive household name, Bucs offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich was available to media to speak about the play.

After practice today, Leftwich held court and spoke of the history of the touchdown pass to Vea in Atlanta last Sunday.

The Bucs’ coaching staff, Leftwich said, early on when arriving in Tampa looked to identify a big guy on the defensive line to use as a fullback in goal line situations, and the staff new Vea was a good athlete just by watching last year’s rookie tape and the YouTube videos of Vea as a high school running back.

Leftwich said it is a no-brainer to use a defensive tackle as a fullback.

“Every great defensive tackle has been a running back in high school,” Leftwich claimed (Warren Sapp played tight end). [Or] “something where you had good ball skills.”

Offensive assistants were sold on using Vea as a fullback almost immediately in practice when he had his first tryout of sorts.

“Let’s get Vea in there and see what can happen,” Leftwich remembered. “And when you get him in here it is like, ‘Whoa. This is legit.'”

Leftwich said the Bucs have no intention of putting Vea on mothballs on the offense. “He’s the best guy for what we are asking him to do. Run, pass, whatever it is. He’s that type of an athlete.”

Leftwich added that the touchdown pass America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, threw to Vea was in part a reward for past play. Vea earned a target in a passing situation for taking out three defenders to allow Peyton Barber to score in a goal line situation in the win over Arizona, Leftwich said.

 Vea’s score was “The happiest touchdown I had this year,” Leftwich said.

Now you want to know what Joe wants to see Vea do when the Bucs next have the ball inside the 5? Joe wants to see Vea take the ball and plow up the middle, trucking a couple of linebackers.