“You Gotta Throw That Previous Structure Out”
July 22nd, 2020
Like most head coaches, Bucco Bruce Arians takes great pride in his system and his coaching staff and how they do things.
Heck, Arians is so confident in his ways that he won’t even scour the globe to find the best coaches available.
This wacky offseason has blown up any sense of normal and that includes how coaches will prepare for opening day, which is 53 days away. No preseason games or scrimmages against other teams means every coach will have to revamp how to get his team ready.
Toss the old playbook and figure out something new.
Arians is no fan of analytics but he is a devotee of sports science, and the Bucs have a team devoted to physical preparation. So Joe’s very eager to see what Arians and friends come up with.
Former Super Bowl-winning head coach Brian Billick talked on SiriusXM NFL Radio today about the new challenges facing coaches. And he focused on gauging players’ football shape.
Years ago, Billick said he felt his top job in Ravens camp was to “decide how much hitting can we get away with, how much hitting can I get away with and not beat my team up but still get in hitting shape.”
And that was when two-a-days were permitted and there was a preseason schedule and spring practices.
What about now? How much hitting will Arians allow? For example, will Devin White be allowed to play freely at any point in August and blow up, say, Dare Ogunbowale catching a check down?
Joe expects a wide variety of opinions at One Buc Palace and around the league.
But only one guy’s voice will matter to Joe on this critical subject: Arians.
Find away to have the Bucs as much or more ready than everyone else, Coach. With the NFL’s largest coaching staff, a sports science team and Tom Brady, who comes with his own performance gurus, the Bucs have no excuses.
July 22nd, 2020 at 10:06 am
“Find a way to have the Bucs as much or more ready than everyone else, Coach. With the NFL’s largest coaching staff, a sports science team and Tom Brady, who comes with his own performance gurus, the Bucs have no excuses.”
And this, is the best path to the SB this year. With Arians and Brady at the helm, and a guy like Todd Bowles who as also see and done much, they have the experience and brain power to make it happen.
July 22nd, 2020 at 10:12 am
I expect few injuries in practices this year because my bet is the players have all been getting into shape and contact at practices will be minimal. Of course, the COVID will balance that out. I also expect there will be some very sloppy games, by the coaches, players, officials, and networks for the first month at least. The experience of guys like Brady and Gronk, and JPP, Suh, and David on the field are going to make ALL the difference. They Bucs need to capitalize on this early on by getting wins as they exploit teams with major turnover in coaches and players in key positions. NO and ATL will try to do the same. Write CAR off. All as we choke on our living room gameday fare with bad coverage and bad calls. I’ll take it!
July 22nd, 2020 at 10:52 am
Bye, Woody Johnson… You’ve lived up to your name! 😛
J-E-T-S C-A-N-C-E-L
July 22nd, 2020 at 11:55 am
I really don’t get the no pre season games. Over the years they keep taking more and more from the players when it comes to practice and being ready for week one. The only way you get into game shape is playing games. Only way you can be ready to tackle and hit properly is in tackling and hitting as much as you can. I know you don’t want to hurt players in pre season and practice, but if you’re not practicing it correctly you can get injured because your form hasn’t been worked on in game speed for 9 months. I still like Joes idea of one 6 quarter pre season game to at least get them in some sort of real speed test.
I also think taking away the preseason could really have an effect on bubble players. There’s guys right on that bubble that show they can make specials teams or third/forth string position. I think to the coaches it will be more of a guess on it then actually seeing game film to decide who those players you wanna keep are. My 2cents on it all.
July 22nd, 2020 at 11:57 am
Imon
That’s a pretty cryptic post. I’m assuming you’re talking about Woody getting busted for racist and misogynistic statements?
Not good but he is an owner and he did this in another job…Ambassador. Owners are incredibly powerful. Goodell literally serves at THEIR pleasure.
Bad PR but I doubt much more will come of it.
July 22nd, 2020 at 12:34 pm
So the questions really boil down to “How flexible is Bruce Arians?, “How innovative is he?”
The early goals remain the same as in every previous year. Prepare the team to win right out of the gate. All of the NFL coaches are in the same boat generally speaking. It is the same “new and different” challenge” for all.
July 22nd, 2020 at 12:41 pm
@stpetebucsfan: I think that the league is swiftly establishing a zero tolerance policy for this sort of nonsense. Let’s face it, they ran Richardson out of the Panthers for just about the same. And now this guy can add trying to get his boss the British Open. Will the slime ever end?
To paraphrase Martin Niemöller
First they cancelled the toxic machos, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a toxic macho.
Then they cancelled the racists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a racist.
Then they cancelled the scientists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a scientist.
Then they cancelled me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
July 22nd, 2020 at 1:08 pm
Imon
Certainly accept your point. It will be an interesting saga…like Richardson’s.
Woody is probably a bit more powerful than Richardson but in honesty I do not dispute your belief I’m just not certain.
One mysterious thing that goes on behind the scenes we peasants are generally not privy to are the personality and power issues within that 32 man group of monster egos with huge checkbooks. How they get along with each other is always an interesting dynamic because they must coexist to keep their cash cow pooping $$$$
So that is the dynamic…do the other 31 owners feel Johnson’s transgressions and the bad PR will ultimately damage their bottom line.
July 22nd, 2020 at 2:47 pm
Word is that the NFL is requiring fans to wear masks at all games this year. Yes….
July 22nd, 2020 at 3:40 pm
This world has become so soft.This sport is becoming less and less watchable and yet they STILL continue to look for ways to dial it back.