Dave Canales, Geno Smith And Bucs Quarterbacks
June 2nd, 2023
Connecting dots.
Joe ran across a mind-blowing stat yesterday. And Joe is trying to figure out what this means for the Bucs.
Last year Seattle quarterback Geno Smith rose from the NFL dead to lead the league in completion percentage, just a cat’s whisker below 70 percent. Impressive.
And who was his position coach last year? That would be current Bucs offensive coordinator Dave Canales.
Now Joe would think to have a high completion percentage, the quarterback was throwing a lot of easy dink-and-dunk short passes and probably checkdowns. Seems reasonable to expect. But that wasn’t the case with Smith.
Per NextGen Stats, as NFL.com’s Nick Shook points out, Smith was the game’s highest-rated deep-ball thrower.
Deep attempts: 24-of-51, 719 yards, 13:2 TD-INT ratio
Deep completion percentage: 47.1%Smith certainly didn’t earn 2022 Comeback Player of the Year honors by playing it safe. The veteran let it rip plenty, completing nearly 50 percent of his downfield passes for over 700 yards, a good chunk of his 4,282 yards.
These numbers are all impressive, but what vaulted Smith up to the top spot was just how productive he was when throwing deep. Nearly half of Smith’s 30 touchdown passes came on deep passes, and his 13 downfield scores led all quarterbacks. This rate of success was stellar: 25.4 percent of Smith’s deep attempts produced touchdowns in 2022.
Shook threw in a lot of nonsense stats with weird acronyms that Joe’s not even going to try to share or con fans into understandingg. (Joe learned in high school you can take stats and twist them any way you want to prove a point. So using caca like “expected” and “above” is mathematical hopscotch and Joe’s brain immediately changes channels.)
So what does this have to do with the Bucs? Well, Joe isn’t sure what Canales’ specific duties were with Smith. Position coaches are responsible for different things. How much of an impact did Canales have on Smith?
Was Smith’s sudden success a result of working with Canales? If not and it was the success was more on second-year offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, well, let’s hope Canales was a sponge and soaked up all he could from Waldron.
But if Canales did have a significant impact, Joe can see why the Bucs took the (modest) gamble on veteran quarterback Baker Mayfield being able to turn around his career.
If it was Canales who transformed a guy like Smith who many seasons under his belt, Canales might be able to work his same magic on veteran Mayfield.
Then the Bucs might truly have something at quarterback.
June 2nd, 2023 at 4:36 am
Or he could work his magic on Trask.
June 2nd, 2023 at 6:01 am
No Hodad, it’s Baker, Joe is convinced we do not have a competition at the QB position.
June 2nd, 2023 at 6:39 am
Mayfield can’t see over the line. Sounds like a job for the 6’5″ guy.
June 2nd, 2023 at 6:58 am
bucabubba Says:
June 2nd, 2023 at 6:39 am
Mayfield can’t see over the line. Sounds like a job for the 6’5″ guy.
^^^^^^^^
Yes, Drew Brees never did anything in the NFL, and the 6’-7” Mike Glennon made the Pro Bowl every year. 🙄
June 2nd, 2023 at 7:05 am
I admit, I’m more often wrong about what the Bucs are going to do. It would be better for the club, if you think about it, that Trask wins the job. After all, isn’t that why Licht, if you believe he planned this, drafted him two years ago, to be ready now that Bradys’ left? Sure you bring in a vet, and Mayfield has “moxie”, but you got to think the Bucs would rather have Trask win this, competition?
June 2nd, 2023 at 7:09 am
If that scheme could allow Geno to that it should work here.
I think it would work better with Trask, as he is a more controlled QB. He can dink and dunk until opportunities open for deep shots.
I am not sure Mayfly can stay on script. He starts to run around, gets happy feet, and tries to force stuff.
Maybe pre-season will show us some of it, but Canales is smart enough not to let it all out of the bag until it counts.
June 2nd, 2023 at 7:12 am
The title of the article included “quarterbacks” but Trask was excluded.
June 2nd, 2023 at 7:14 am
@Meatchicken Joe
Exceptions do not disprove the rule. And that rule is that in football, more height and size is better than less height and size. Every NFL team will tell you this. Ask them.
Hall of Fame linebacker Nick Buoniconti was listed at 5’11”, and I can assure you he was more like 5’10” … maybe. If the Bucs had a linebacker that short you would be the first one crying he lacks NFL size.
June 2nd, 2023 at 7:15 am
Tampabaybucfan Says: “The title of the article included ‘quarterbacks’ but Trask was excluded.”
That’s because you’re on JoeLovesBaker.Com. LOL.
June 2nd, 2023 at 7:37 am
If we listen to Joe it’s mayfield 😂
June 2nd, 2023 at 8:16 am
So Joe…what year did you graduate Fl St?
A little objectivity would be good
June 2nd, 2023 at 8:17 am
Gator fan bois out in full force
June 2nd, 2023 at 8:37 am
bucabubba Says:
June 2nd, 2023 at 7:14 am
@Meatchicken Joe
Exceptions do not disprove the rule. And that rule is that in football, more height and size is better than less height and size. Every NFL team will tell you this. Ask them.
Hall of Fame linebacker Nick Buoniconti was listed at 5’11”, and I can assure you he was more like 5’10” … maybe. If the Bucs had a linebacker that short you would be the first one crying he lacks NFL size.
^^^^^^^^^^^
What was your “name” before you changed it to this one? It’s embarrassing that you couldn’t stick with your original name, I can see why you did it, with takes like these.
The Bucs have had several “undersized” players that were good. That’s all I care about, if they can play football. Sure, I’ve said something about Luke Goedeke’s arm length at Right Tackle, but that’s because I have questions as to if he’s good at blocking people in the first place.
June 2nd, 2023 at 9:38 am
I ain’t goin’ give no time to all y’r book learnin!
June 2nd, 2023 at 9:42 am
“Joe ran across a mind-blowing stat yesterday.”
“Joe learned in high school you can take stats and twist them any way you want to prove a point.”
uh, which is it Joe?
June 2nd, 2023 at 9:44 am
If you don’t know, you may want to re-read the story. Joe spells it out quite clearly.
June 2nd, 2023 at 10:05 am
I think we should give Geno some credit for his improvement. I will say you saw a regression to the mean later in the season. He wasn’t as good in the second half of the season.
June 2nd, 2023 at 10:26 am
@Bucsfan13
Agreed. I think last season was probably one of the better opportunities Geno had to be who he was billed to be coming out of WVU. I give him props for sticking in the league for as long as he did with different teams essentially waiting for another opportunity to lead an offense and in 2022 he took the challenge and ran with it.
June 2nd, 2023 at 10:45 am
It is true that under the current posting requirements, anyone can easily become a “different person” by simply changing their posted name. Most sites can be set to display the IP Address of anyone wanting to post a comment. This would stop a great deal of posters changing their names.
June 2nd, 2023 at 10:51 am
Kyle Trash is gonna be the backup it was never a competition. You Gator fan girls are as bad as the Winstonettes. Get over it. Mayfield will be the QB
June 2nd, 2023 at 11:19 am
Hopefully, Canales will be able to help Trask maximize his potential. Who knows, he could be the next GOAT!!
June 2nd, 2023 at 11:23 am
I’m cautiously optimistic about Canales, but it’s hard not to be impressed with him when he speaks. To me it doesn’t really matter which QB wins, so long as they’re the best choice for the new offense. I’m very excited to see a fresh offensive philosophy that doesn’t rely so heavily on mano a mano choice routes.
June 2nd, 2023 at 11:31 am
As an addendum to the old adage, “The race doesn’t always go to the swiftest nor the fight to the strongest , but if you are betting, that’s where to put your money!”, to that you could add , “ or the best passer to the tallest, but…”.
June 2nd, 2023 at 11:32 am
In some cases it’s obvious when someone changes their name. In some cases nobody cares anyway.
I used to be BuscfanFred, but half the people here have bucsfan as part of their name.
June 2nd, 2023 at 11:33 am
Some people chose a name that becomes irrelevant after a while
June 2nd, 2023 at 11:52 am
Joe in Mi: Oh my, never a bigger clod at QB than Mike Glennon.
June 2nd, 2023 at 12:16 pm
The Seahawks gained about 80 more yards than the Bucs last year. A lot less passing. Middle of the pack. Boring. Like Bucs. Like Bowles. Like Mayfield.
June 2nd, 2023 at 12:17 pm
being in a system and with a team that played to his strengths instead of one that tries to pigeon hole a player into a stupid system is what transformed Geno… he’s the same player that finished his WVU career with a 67% completion rate (71% for senior year).
June 2nd, 2023 at 1:26 pm
I for 1 don’t believe this is a real QB competition. Bowels needs wins to save his job n maybe career and he knows he has a better chance with a QB that has actually taken meaningful snaps in the NFL. I’m rooting for trask but I’m 100 percent sure it’s bakers job to lose. I like the potential with trask and believe he has more upside than baker. JOE IN MICHIGAN just because baker is almost as tall as the great drew brews doesn’t make him anywhere near as good as a QB. Brees is the exception. Baker is NOWHERE near Bree’s skill level.
June 2nd, 2023 at 1:39 pm
I just hope Bowles isn’t the one who has the final say on who is our starting QB. His ability to evaluate players has shown me to be subpar.
June 2nd, 2023 at 4:50 pm
Todd eliminated the deep throw offense with Brady but is now gonna let it rip on deep throws with Traskerfield??
The chances our qb’s combine for 30td throws is about the same as hitting the lottery
Todd is going to neuter any and every OC he employs – he has EVERY single season as a HC – changed OC EVERY season as a HC in the nfl
The guy is a complete joke
June 2nd, 2023 at 5:41 pm
Bowles will have nothing to do with the Offense.
He will call timeouts and go for 2 maybe but he won’t be saying run this play now.
I agree and it’s common sense to say Baker will win, but it would be better if Trask did. Thats not saying that if Trask sucks he should still win. It’s saying if he is better that would be better for the Bucs.
I hated Trask and thought he was hot garbage as a Florida Gators fan, UNTIL his final season. He proved me wrong so I will never doubt him again.
I think he is humble and obviously never gives up.
It’s easy to see that the risk reward would be for Baker to start and then Trask if Baker doesn’t work. I hope they don’t give the job to Baker, but he truly earns it. The worst scenario is Bowles and Canales can’t make up their mind and we see a different QB all season. If we are 0-4 it’s an easy choice. If we are 0-8 it’s still an easy choice next year with the #1 pick.
If we are 4-4 and both QBs have played it will be a long season.
June 2nd, 2023 at 6:09 pm
I just think ‘The Price Was Right’.
June 2nd, 2023 at 10:29 pm
Baker is too short at 6’1″?
That Caleb kid is 6’1″ and everyone is clamoring for him. Isn’t he also too short?
Russell Wilson is only 5’11” and had a pretty good career in Seattle, especially on deep balls.
The line creates throwing lanes. Mahomes is only an inch taller than Mayfield. That kid Trevor Lawrende is 6’6″ and has a poor release point (low, shoulder-level) and had tons of batted balls for a tall QB.
Sure, taller is better as a rule but it’s not the only factor in seeing the field and being effective. Just like draft position doesn’t mean squat until you prove yourself.
If there was ever a time perfect for Trask to prove himself it’s now. My gut tells me it’s Mayfield’s job to lose but my gut is stupid. My brain ain’t much better. May the best man win. Go Bucs!
June 2nd, 2023 at 11:56 pm
Taller isn’t better for a QB in today’s NFL. Teams are looking for the next Jalen Hurts or Mahomes or Bryce Young. They want an athlete not a giraffe. ie Mike Glennon. The prototype NFL QB is now the Russell Wilson or Baker Mayfield type who can run the ball and get outside the pocket.
June 3rd, 2023 at 2:35 am
Offseason hope springs eternal.
We shall see.
…I can’t think of any more cliches…
Go Bucs
June 3rd, 2023 at 2:40 am
Joe … your bias is showing again.
And you have some spinach in your teeth.
Go Bucs!
June 3rd, 2023 at 10:55 am
Larrd said, “The Seahawks gained about 80 more yards than the Bucs last year. A lot less passing. Middle of the pack. Boring. Like Bucs. Like Bowles. Like Mayfield.”
Well, the Seahawks averaged about 24 points per game – 6 more than the Bucs. If the Bucs, had scored 24 per game last year, they would have had a 12-5 record.
June 3rd, 2023 at 12:05 pm
Joe, I would say you’re seeing the fruit of a QB friendly offense in last years Seahawks. The scheme Canales wants to run, lots of play-action, misdirection, bootlegs is exacty what Mayfield shined in with Stefanski in 2020, and really 2021 until both OT, him and Jarvis Landry got hurt. So, that guy is still there and I think he’ll shine. Haven’t seen much of Trask yet, but it’s very possible he could as well; he’s a R2 talent and Brock Purdy wasn’t; systems and schemes matter