Dave Canales Tips Why Leonard Fournette Is Exciting
February 22nd, 2023
Yes, it’s rather clear that new Bucs offensive coordinator Dave Canales wants to run, run, run the football. He loves the handoff.
That’s a great way to go, when you have an excellent running game. Hopefully, he can fix the Bucs’ league-worst rushing attack.
Canales has his first Tampa Bay press conference today and shared that loves running the football and fumbling by running backs drives him crazy. It can’t happen. Canales implied that Bucs running backs coach Skip Pete locked down his new job when late in the interview process he noted that his Dallas Cowboys running backs didn’t fumble last season.
“He could have started that interview with that, dropped the mic, and he would have been hired,” Canales quipped.
That got Joe thinking about Leonard Fournette. Playoff Lenny has never fumbled away the football on a running play in his six-year NFL career. It’s an astounding stat from a guy who embraces contact.
Playoff Lenny is signed for the 2023 season and is due about $7 million with chunk of that guaranteed. Given Rachaad White’s inexperience and occasional fumbling problems, Joe now finds it extra hard to believe Playoff Lenny will be cut to save salary cap room.
Might the Bucs ask Playoff Lenny to take a paycut, which has happened to other big-name running backs around the NFL? Joe could see that happening.
February 22nd, 2023 at 4:54 pm
Our Oline has to block better….having Jensen will help….but we need more than that.
February 22nd, 2023 at 5:00 pm
Panthers switching to 3-4 Defense.
February 22nd, 2023 at 5:10 pm
Guys can be taught not to fumble. Cutting Lenny saves 3.5 million. When it comes to cap savings, he’s the low hanging fruit, given that we have Ra White and decent RBs can be found in the late rounds… interesting to note that Seattle over the years has gotten production from several unheralded backs. Maybe Lenny is worth keeping, but it’s no slam dunk.
February 22nd, 2023 at 5:13 pm
This year is going to be an even bigger disaster than I was expecting. I thought this guy would talk about how we’re going to run RPO’s, bring in some college ideas (since Bowles allegedly told Leftwich to do that), how they’re going to stay aggressive, and it’s going to be an exciting brand of football – and instead, it’s 1960s retread garbage I’m hearing so far.
Hopefully I’m just a victim of fake news and he’s said all those things and I just haven’t heard about it.
BTW, Mike Alstott had major fumbling issues, and what this dummy is saying is that Alstott would have been cut had he been in charge. Good stuff.
February 22nd, 2023 at 5:28 pm
Rod Munch Says:
February 22nd, 2023 at 5:13 pm
You have to have the right QB to do that.
I think he made reference to the college game, and also mentioned the influence of a guy like Waldron who questions the old ways of doing things. Sounded more to me like he was forward thinking.
If that’s what you’re listening for, then that’s apparently what you heard.
You are.
Talking about about ball security and effective running doesn’t mean he’s old school. Those are a couple of football fundamentals that make competent offense.
He also indicated you do what you’re good at and what’s working.
They’re not going to be no risk it, no biscuit, but everything I heard from him made me think they’ll be more consistent, and more varied, using more formations and motion, along with play action, and scheme guys open in the passing game.
So, if you’re looking for a reason to complain, you’ll probably find it, but if you watched the press conference with an open mind, you would have seen a lot to be encouraged by.
February 22nd, 2023 at 5:38 pm
sasquatch – I’m happy at least to hear from someone that sounds positive about this guy, because in print, I HATE what I’m seeing so far. I will get around to watching it at some point, but to be fair, it’s much more fun to whine and complain about quotes you read without the full context.
February 22nd, 2023 at 5:38 pm
The other thing that I think is obvious about Canales compared to Leftwich is just that he can think on his feet. He’s got a lot of energy and enthusiasm, and those kind of things rub off on players. I feel like they’ll play with more energy and aggressiveness.
I don’t care if they’re chucking the ball all over the field… Just move the ball and score.
February 22nd, 2023 at 5:40 pm
@Munch,
People do love to complain. Usually, they’ve already decided what they want to hear, and if they don’t hear exactly that, they’ll sh!t on it. Seems to be the lifeblood of JBF.
February 22nd, 2023 at 5:42 pm
To be accurate, Lenny has fumbled all of four times in his career, but none of those were fumbles lost, not knowing if Lenny or someone else recovered the ball. Even so that is a remarkable stat!
For all the talk of cutting Fournette, I just don’t see it. He is a great three down running back who led the entire team in yards gained last season. Saving $3 million on the cap by cutting him would be the epitome of penny wise and pound foolish.
Everybody knows that the Bucs were last in rushing yards because our offensive line sucked and Brady had the fastest pass release in the league so the Bucs became a nearly pass only team, not a pass first team.
With a quarterback starting a game for the first time, and hopefully fixing the offensive line, having two quality running backs will be essential if we are going to score more points this season,
February 22nd, 2023 at 5:42 pm
Where’s Susie Kolber?
I don’t care about the Jets, I just wanna kiss you.
February 22nd, 2023 at 5:43 pm
PS– Toad Blowes. Enough said.
February 22nd, 2023 at 5:47 pm
“Then, Shane Waldron came in and he came from a system of young offensive head coaches who really didn’t have to answer to anybody, so that’s where you had the think tank, the ‘R and D’ (research and development) – they could do or try anything,” Canales said. “And then instead of leaning on the ‘This is just the way that it’s always been done,’ he said ‘That was no longer acceptable – what’s the smartest way to do this? What’s the fastest way to do this? How do we set this up with this type of tempo?’
“That’s where a lot of the study across the league, across college really started to come in and really make sense as an offense there. While we’ve been in Seattle for the last two years, that’s where Shane and the staff, we were able to really employ a lot of different offensive personnels to the same principles – to the same system that’s being used across the league. It’s why a lot of us – counting myself in that now – as coordinators and head coaches have been coveted across the league, to be able to bring that system in there.”
—
Indication that he more closely resembles the younger generation of offensive coordinators… and not the stone age style that the usual JBF complainers are fear-mongering about.
February 22nd, 2023 at 5:50 pm
I really hate that Todd Bowels ruined our offense but I will give him the benefit of the doubt heading into this season with a run the ball first, then run again, and pass the football only if you have to as long as we win
Either way watching the Bucs offense will be painful as long as we have a defensive minded head coach
February 22nd, 2023 at 5:54 pm
It doesn’t Matter what he says.. the usual complainers will find fault..I personally want to see what he can do before I pass any judgement.
February 22nd, 2023 at 5:56 pm
Lenny is expensive and ancient in running back years. It wasn’t just the line. According to next gen, he was a full MPH slower to the hole this season.
GF, I could care less about the team struugglhing. I just wanna kizz you. Broadway Joe certificate greatness
February 22nd, 2023 at 6:00 pm
They could convert a large chunk of Lenny’s salary to incentives. I think he’d do it, as it’s unlikely anyone is gonna give him $7 million
February 22nd, 2023 at 6:05 pm
sasquatch Says:
February 22nd, 2023 at 5:38 pm
The other thing that I think is obvious about Canales compared to Leftwich is just that he can think on his feet.
——-
That is a very low bar to hurdle, but from what I’ve seen and read, I also get the impression that he’s going to bring some energy to the offense and seems like a smart guy. I like the fact he’s saying he’s going to make in-game adjustments. As for the playaction pass, we’ll see. The Bucs, under Leftwich, badly needed to run more playaction passes on 1st down because they were so insanely predictable, that just some 1st down playaction passes might have fixed the running game since teams wouldn’t be able to just bring everyone to the line knowing there’s a 90% chance that it’s going to be a run. But the playaction pass doesn’t work if the other team isn’t scared of your passing game or if you’re not aggressive. So we’ll see how it works out.
Also, with as much complaining as I’m doing, I’m still happy Leftwich is gone — if we’re trying to win games, anyways. I still don’t get why you’d make any changes if the idea was to get the top pick in the 2024 draft. I just really don’t hope the team goes all in on giving Bowles one year to prove himself and we screw up the cap for years to come and end up picking another VH3 instead of a QB of the future, all because they wanted to go 6-11 instead of 3-14.
February 22nd, 2023 at 6:09 pm
I’m totally on board with cutting Lenny, nothing against him, but I just think White is a star player, and the sooner they put the load on him, the sooner that’s going to be obvious.
With that said most teams now use two runners, so I doubt Fournette is going anywhere. Although Vaughn played quite well in limited snaps, so if the team is going young, you’d think giving Vaughn more carries would be something they’d want to do — although he’s also in the last year of his deal, so if they did like him, letting him play is going to drive up his cost if they wanted to keep him.
February 22nd, 2023 at 6:11 pm
If we let Lenny go, then…
1st LT
2nd TE (that blocks great and catches)
3rd RB Zach Evans or QB Hooker
trade back into 3rd for CB Mekhi Garner
5th, get a RB if we missed on one in the 3rd
Its gonna be a losing season anyway (maybe 2 with Blowes in charge), so lets rebuild….we’ll hit D hard in next year’s draft…DT, CB, LB
February 22nd, 2023 at 6:12 pm
Less see ?
O.C. who last call plays for a J,V, high school Football team.
A quarterback who has never started a N.F.L. game.
Way to go!
February 22nd, 2023 at 6:18 pm
I like the energy of this Canales kid!
February 22nd, 2023 at 6:21 pm
MadMax: What if Wirfs is moved to LT? Would you take a RT in the 1st, in that scenario? I agree that the Bucs should take a Tackle in the first 3 rounds.
February 22nd, 2023 at 6:27 pm
Joe in Michigan Says:
February 22nd, 2023 at 6:21 pm
If Wirfs wen’t to LT, Goedeke could be RT and then you aren’t desperate to find a starter early in the draft.
February 22nd, 2023 at 6:27 pm
^ I thought real hard about that but why mess a good thing up….just keep him at RT with Luke as his backup….As long as we draft a LT, our O line should be in pretty good shape. I hate saying bye to Donny, but its time.
February 22nd, 2023 at 6:27 pm
*went
February 22nd, 2023 at 6:28 pm
We have to get younger and rebuild (not complete, but retool)….and now is the perfect time for it
February 22nd, 2023 at 6:29 pm
Without Brady, Arians, and no QB, Fournette is our #1 weapon. Will keep 2 out of 3 WRs and get a kicker with 50+ yards range. Bowles must be dreaming of a stellar D# to save his job.
February 22nd, 2023 at 6:31 pm
I think it’s going to be a defensive draft for us. Over half our defense is free agents and we won’t be able to re-sign most of them. Our needs on offense are actually less right now, but I wish we could load up on both.
February 22nd, 2023 at 6:36 pm
Im fine with that too sas…but after hearing Canales, I dont know. We can plug some affordable free agents on D for now. Get the O line and blocking in order for Trask or whoever, get it built for the future…. and we’re def gonna need a good run game.
Thats the route Im going…but Im not the GM or a coach or anyone….just a nobody poster with ideas and opinions….sometimes they listen to me, sometimes they dont.
February 22nd, 2023 at 7:21 pm
Our new OC said he wants to make everything look the same on offense pre-snap to be unpredictable, be prepared for situational football, and make in-game adjustments. He says all the things good coaches are supposed to say, we shall see if he is another fraud or not
February 22nd, 2023 at 7:25 pm
The Bucs did not need character, they needed a character. Maybe they found one in Canales. So far he does not appear to be boring or stupid.
February 22nd, 2023 at 7:31 pm
I have to say that I REALLY like running the football, but that’s my age showing. I grew up watching James Wilder (a true workhorse), Tony Dorsett, Herschel Walker, Walter Payton, Barry Sanders, Eddie George, etc.
There’s something about averaging 5.2 ypc and the clock running endlessly.
But you need the personnel to do it. Use that first pick on the biggest, baddest corn-fed hoss from the Midwest you can find. A guy who would pull the tractor with a chain when it threw a rod.
February 22nd, 2023 at 7:33 pm
When the Bucs won the Super Bowl, they had a world-class O-Line.
About as good as any.
That won’t be repeated again soon.
That makes a huge difference in an offense.
February 22nd, 2023 at 7:36 pm
Good OCs try to make everything look the same. It’s called window dressings. The reality is, few teams can pull it off because of personnel deficiency. Unless you’re blessed with a top roster, it’s incredibly hard not to telegraph plays. Remember how much BL loved to throw from the jumbo package? It was because it was the only way to disguise things, within that ancient system. I hope to hell this guy has enough sense to line up in shotgun and take easy 5 yard runs.
February 22nd, 2023 at 7:40 pm
A dominant offense: “They can know every play we run, there’s nothing they can do to stop us” … Vince Lombardi
February 22nd, 2023 at 7:51 pm
The “Smoke & Mirrors” offense, good for about 2 weeks.
February 22nd, 2023 at 7:52 pm
Can always change OC’s every week.
February 22nd, 2023 at 7:52 pm
The Beer Whisperer Says:
February 22nd, 2023 at 7:51 pm
The “Smoke & Mirrors” offense, good for about 2 weeks.
🤣🤣
February 22nd, 2023 at 8:07 pm
Fournette needs to come into camp in shape. Period. He needs to be hungry.
February 22nd, 2023 at 8:19 pm
He don’t fumble and he don’t make people miss either 😟
February 22nd, 2023 at 8:30 pm
Id love to have him back but last year was inexcusable. They should have tailored his contract with performance bonuses. His high salary has me thinking he will be cut. Not enough money to go around. Tampa could probably give White the starting gig, tons of FA rbs like Mattison, Hunt, even James Robinson who had knee issues this past year, all are FAs or could be cut and signed for cheap.
February 22nd, 2023 at 8:37 pm
Want to fix the running game, fix the Oline and TEs.
February 22nd, 2023 at 9:02 pm
Hilarious that so many think Fournette’s salary is “so high” or “inexcusable”. There are only two RBs not on their rookie deals that are better than Fournette. Even James Connor makes more than Fournette. More to the point, it could be worse … you could be Dallas, spending twice what Fournette costs on Ezekiel Elliott.
February 22nd, 2023 at 9:03 pm
Mike S Says:
February 22nd, 2023 at 8:07 pm
He needs to be released and replaced with some speed and explosiveness.
February 22nd, 2023 at 9:28 pm
^ Zach Evans
February 22nd, 2023 at 9:35 pm
It’s humorous that BA made such a big deal out of ‘No risk-it, no biscuit’ that most seem to feel THAT was the Bucs’ identity under Arians. But look deeper and you’ll find a BA who simply did what he needed to do to win. That’s what good coaches do.
The 2020 Super Bowl win against the Chiefs is a classic example of that. The Bucs ran it 33 times (for 145 yards) and passed it only 29 times (for 201 yards) with 1 sack in there. That’s a run-pass ratio of 52.4% in the most important game of the decade for our Bucs. Brady threw deep 3 times in the 1st half; completed all 3 of them (plus threw 2 other deep balls that drew DPIs). He threw deep 3 times in the 2nd half, completing 0 of them. Thus for the game Brady was 3 for 6 deep.
Thus BA’s ‘No risk it, no biscuit’ offense, in the most important game of his coaching career, ran it MORE than they passed it and only went deep 6 times in the game, completing only 3 of those. BA figured out what worked, and he went with that. Isn’t that the same as what Canales is preaching?
February 22nd, 2023 at 9:49 pm
Fournette is gone because there is zero excitement to his game. He isn’t quick, fast, or powerful. He’s a plodding straight ahead big guy that can’t run through or break tackles. He’s a good blocker and has good hands but doesn’t run good routes nor get separation as a receiver.
February 22nd, 2023 at 9:53 pm
Defense…. the Bucs passed ONLY 29 times (sailed once) and threw deep six times completing three. Passing deep one in five throws shows they did go deep which we never did this last season. The biggest bonus of going deep is that teams are afraid you’ll go deep. Mission accomplished in 2020…. in 2022 there was no such threat.
February 22nd, 2023 at 9:56 pm
Not fumbling does not equate to “excitement”. Tip Toes Lenny has been overhyped since high school. He has not explosiveness, struggles to get going (worse with age), is not a power back at all, does not run through or break tackles, gets taken down easily. He and Rachaad both need great blocking and open space for their slow legs to get moving.
February 22nd, 2023 at 10:16 pm
If they couldn’t make holes for White, they sure couldn’t make any for Lenny. I keep reading we need to fix our O-line—-40% of it was on I.R. last year
February 22nd, 2023 at 10:17 pm
Rashad White & Rashad Penny Please !
February 22nd, 2023 at 10:31 pm
The best thing you can say about the offense going into 2023:
The run game cannot possibly be worse. That’s positive!
February 22nd, 2023 at 10:50 pm
IMO I think most everyday starting RB’s have about a 3-4 year shelf life. Only the extra special ones go on to have longer careers. I think Fournette has already reached the apex of his career and I think Rachaad White will out perform him this season. Probably time to force a paycut or move on.
February 22nd, 2023 at 10:55 pm
Brandon … ‘Passing deep one in five throws shows they did go deep which we never did this last season.’
Actually the 2022 Bucs threw deep quite a bit, just not very successfully. In that SB game, Brady was 3-for-6 … 50%. In the 2022 loss to the Chiefs, Brady threw deep 5 times, completed 2 (40%). But the run-pass ratio was far different … 6 runs vs 52 passes with 1 sack for 10.2% run-pass. So roughly the same number of deep passes in those 2 games, just a lot more passes vs runs. Funny thing was that the Chiefs ran as much as they passed (37 of each) and dominated the TOP 38:38 to 21:22. And yet we both got 27 first downs and had very close to the same number of total yards. They just controlled the game & won handily.
February 22nd, 2023 at 11:06 pm
MadMax Says:
February 22nd, 2023 at 6:27 pm
^ I thought real hard about that but why mess a good thing up….just keep him at RT with Luke as his backup….
————
Remember the Bucs took Marpet and moved him to center. He was fine as a center, but as a guard, he was an all-pro, so they moved him back. The Bucs are going to have to pay Wirfs a huge contract, so you might as well use him at the most important position on the line. Also cross training guys isn’t a bad idea.
At RT, you could use Luke. If you keep Jensen, maybe you even consider playing Hainsey back at RT, which is what he played in college. Licht loves drafting college tackles and then moving them around the line, that was the case with Marpet, Cappa, Hainsey and Luke.
I know people complain about Donavon, and he didn’t have a good year, but you also don’t leave your LT who isn’t have a good year on an island vs the best pass rushers in the game. That’s what the idiot Leftwich did all the time, with predictable results. However, if you had Wirfs at LT, you actually could leave him out there against that top elite talent one-on-one. Wirfs still faces top rushers even at RT, but generally, LT see’s the best opponent talent.
February 23rd, 2023 at 12:38 am
I wish I had some thorazine.
February 23rd, 2023 at 1:20 am
I wish you did too.
February 23rd, 2023 at 6:20 am
Goedeke has 32-1/4 arms, considered short for an NFL Tackle…He seems like a Right Guard to me. Hainsey has even shorter arms (32-1/8″).
February 23rd, 2023 at 8:51 am
Fournette never fumbling us a byproduct of him never fighting for extra yards.
Canales also mentioned something about everybody hauling a$$ down field on run plays and finishing runs and finishing blocks, even encouraging the QB to get involved.
You don’t have to worry about getting down field to block and push for Fournette. He typically gives up on the play well before the down field part.
Leonard Fournette is not the kind of player you want heading up the backfield if you’re actually trying to establish a hard nosed running game.
February 23rd, 2023 at 9:04 am
Mike S, I thought LF’s problem was being to hungry!
February 23rd, 2023 at 9:41 am
I think LF s problems were related more to his foot injury and of course the backup oline. He ran very well in the first several games!!
February 23rd, 2023 at 1:56 pm
Rod Munch, You are another long-time JBF’er. I have seen you post great things in the past and as we all do some things that do not age well. This quote to me makes zero sense, and will not age well.
“But the play-action pass doesn’t work if the other team isn’t scared of your passing game or if you’re not aggressive. So we’ll see how it works out.”
Play-action passes do not require a team to be sacred of your passing game. The reason you run Play-action is that your Running game is causing the Defense to cheat a few players closer to the line because you are running the ball successfully. So you Play (pretend) to hand the ball off to your RB, while your QB has it still in his hands and is doing his best Steve DeBerg with it on his hip. As the Defense closes their gap assignment lanes hunting the RB. This creates a few open or single-covered receivers to be open for large yards to be gained. If Rod Munch would spend a few moments actually listening to or reading OC Canales first press conference. Rod could hear an actual description of how this play is set up and worked from on-field observations of coach Canales while in Seattle.
Love a lot of what you bring to JBF Rod you have good ideas, well thought-out posts. But for the life of me, I can not understand how or why you are not actually watching our new OC in his first press conference before you start to drag down what he has said.
The negative Nancy&Ned need to find something to be happy about. Life truly must stink for the many Nancy&Ned who post on JBF. It is like Mr. Goatfarmer who just feels he knows what the future will bring weeks and months and years before any of it actually happens. Yes, we all have our own opinions of the future. Yet that does not make them facts. Not until that future has actually happened and changed into history.
Go!!!!! Bucs!!!!!
February 23rd, 2023 at 2:17 pm
Where is all sorts of data out there that demonstrates this is a wive’s tale.
February 23rd, 2023 at 4:09 pm
That guy would never take a pay cut he’s all about his money
February 23rd, 2023 at 10:29 pm
Any good passing game starts with a good run game @ sasquatch. We have a proven back. Although he wasnt that impresdive this year but our O line was sheet
February 24th, 2023 at 3:37 pm
The Beer Whisperer Says:
February 22nd, 2023 at 7:33 pm
When the Bucs won the Super Bowl, they had a world-class O-Line.
About as good as any.
That won’t be repeated again soon.
================================
I do believe there’s a good chance it will be repeated soon; within 2-3 seasons. Licht is excellent at bringing in talent on the O-line via the draft and free agency. Goedeke struggled this past season as a rookie but I believe he’ll show us next season he belongs. He wasn’t supposed to play as a left guard last season and only did because Aaron Stinnie quickly ended up on IR and Hainsey was needed at center when Jensen went down. When Goedeke played one game on the right side he looked fine. With an off-season to put on some more weight, he’ll be fine.
February 25th, 2023 at 5:54 am
“a guy who embraces contact.” ??? I maybe saw that 3 times from him last season!
Way way too much dancing in the backfield from a guy with his size and power. I think Brady and his O line would have loved to see him “embrace” contact.
February 25th, 2023 at 6:22 am
“a guy who embraces contact.” ??? I maybe saw that 3 times from him last season!
Way way too much dancing in the backfield from a guy with his size and power. I think Brady and his O line would have loved to see him “embrace” contact. I get that the O lne was crap, but there were lots of plays that if Lenny had just lowered his pads and gone North South there were yards to be had. Instead he insisted on dancing while looking for the home run. Also to be fair, most of the time, due to Leftys unimaginative play calling the defense may as well been in our huddle.