This Week Todd Bowles Wants “Good-On-Good”
June 5th, 2022
Minicamp plans.
So Tuesday morning the Bucs are scheduled to begin mandatory minicamp. It’s a three-day camp and after Thursday’s practice ends, you will see an exodus of players, coaches and some suits heading to vacation.
The players return in late July when training camp kicks off.
Now last week head coach Todd Bowles said something rather interesting. Joe remembers watching a Florida State-Clemson game back before Jimbo Fisher decided to quit on the Seminoles. And ABC analyst Kirk Herbstreit said he liked to watch FSU’s Friday practices because Fisher was one of the rare coaches who had “good-on-good” scrimmages the day before a game.
“Good-on-good” means the first-team offense vs. the first-team defense.
Herbstreit said it was like watching a scrimmage between top-10 teams.
Well, it seems Bowles wants this for Bucs minicamp. Of course, there no hitting of any sort in underwear football but Bowles wants his best players tested.
“There will be more ‘good-on-good,’” Bowles said of this week’s minicamp. “But, not more in the physical sense – more of a competitive, situational stand-point sense – as far as executing the plays. Whether it’s fourth-and-goal on the five yard-line, whether it’s a two-minute drive, whether it’s third down, whether it’s backed-up – we’ll emphasize more situational things with ‘good-on-good’ with the defense understanding what the offense is trying to do and vice-versa.
“So, there will be a little bit more of that. But for the most part – schedule wise – we’ll have a lot of the same things. But, there will be some tweaks in different periods.”
Joe just thinks this is smart. Why have Sean Murphy-Bunting guard Jaelon Darden? Or have Lavonte David cover rookie tight end Ko Kieft? Yeah, sure, this would help Darden and Kieft a lot but if those guys are on the field more than a handful of snaps in a game, that likely means trouble because that means injuries.
Get the guys you expect to log most of the snaps and prepare them to face the best on the other side of the line of scrimmage.
This team has a major goal this year, the Super Bowl. And the Bucs will be carried to that goal by the starters, not the backups.
June 5th, 2022 at 11:19 am
If ever there was an All in Time for the Super Bowl with TB’s likely retirement – it’s now
June 5th, 2022 at 11:30 am
To me this is just common sense. To use your example, I can’t comprehend what purpose it would serve to having Darden vs SMB match up when Darden doesn’t play that much?! This is even more true in situational practices – Darden types will not play at all
June 5th, 2022 at 11:35 am
If they still have veterans day off, I can see guys like ME13 giving away to guys like Darden
June 5th, 2022 at 11:50 am
Great idea Todd. How about doubling Cooper Kupp next time you play the Rams?
June 5th, 2022 at 12:05 pm
Sounds a lot like how Belichick runs his practices. The more situations you practice, the better. Everyone knows what to do, and what to expect. I expect bowles to study teams tendencies much more too.
June 5th, 2022 at 12:06 pm
Hopefully Via will be in shape.
June 5th, 2022 at 12:14 pm
Agree 100% with Senor Harry ; this is just common sense. ‘Iron sharpens iron’ seems to imply that you have your best going against your best.
June 5th, 2022 at 1:37 pm
Four fingers and a thumb, only make a fist when they all work together to close in around each other. Learning to be a cohesive team, needs these match-ups of 1Offesnse v 1Defense to know were your partner is against top dogs not 2nds and 3rds… yes they will move guys in and out of the 1s so that 2nds have experience as 1s same with 3rds getting 2nds reps. Build Build Build. It works well with the everyone is playing to get better, back side field practices with all those coaches, gives plenty of opportunities to learn to improve on your deficiencies, as you work to go up that ladder to the 1s.
June 5th, 2022 at 4:14 pm
Quit picking on Jaelon Darden….he’s quite sensitive.
June 5th, 2022 at 8:09 pm
Conversely, it’s nice to get a look at the developmental dudes against the 1s. It shows them where they are really at. But the bottom line is you need a mix of both to prepare your team. I’m glad Bowles is balancing this all out a little.
June 6th, 2022 at 1:34 am
am i crazy, or does anyone realize todd bowles when from “team heel” to “team head coach” literally overnight…
and it was smooth like butter…
wowzers, how did that actually manifest
June 6th, 2022 at 7:15 am
Disagree with the notion of not needing to prepare our depth guys, especially considering the value some of those guys gained by filling in for injured starters in 2021. While they might not be the players they’re subbing in for or matching their production, there are more than a few players still on this roster who got more playing time than expected 2021 and contributed to a 13 win season. You HAVE TO develop your depth, no matter your ultimate goal/expectations for the season.
June 6th, 2022 at 11:55 am
Zyon, White, and Trask
Playing Zyon on Evans, R White with TB12, and Trask in with the ones will pay dividends. Developing talent is never a wasted exercise.