“He Doesn’t Have To Move To Be Effective”

June 14th, 2023

Todd Bowles opens up on his rookie prize.

Rookie first-round pick defensive tackle Calijah Kancey is undersized and the Bucs freely admit it.

But don’t dare imply that Kancey can’t play like a player who’s a little taller and 25 pounds heavier.

Bucs legend Rondé Barber sort of went there while interviewing head coach Todd Bowles on The33rdTeam.com this week. Bowles was adamant in his response.

“He looks different but he plays the position the same way. He doesn’t have to move to be effective,” Bowles said of Kancey.

“He’s very strong. He’s very stout. He has a very good head on his shoulders and understands the game. And him and Logan Hall … we have a different element of power and speed up there now, so we can do certain things and kind of get to certain positions and certain schemes in different ways. So it gives us some of the speed I was talking about. But he can surely enough play his position and sit there and play a double-team.”

Yes, Bowles believes the Bucs’ front-7 was too slow last year. Specifically, he said that assessment is “minus Devin and Lavonte.” So in comes lightning-quick Kancey and defensive tackle Greg Gaines in free agency to replace Will Gholston and Rakeem Nuñez-Roches.

Joe is smelling how much the Bucs expect from Logan Hall. Man, Joe sure hopes he’s up to the task.

14 Responses to ““He Doesn’t Have To Move To Be Effective””

  1. SOEbuc Says:

    Off course he does not have sapp weight up top, but his hips and legs look so sturdy with great foot work, hands, and athleticism.

  2. destinjohnny Says:

    Dudes from South Fla are just a different kinda tuff man.
    He is a middle weight going up against heavyweights though.
    should be fun to watch.

  3. Dooley Says:

    You know who else was considered “undersized”? Mike Tyson.

  4. ModHairKen Says:

    Rarely does a guy come in fully physically developed at 22 or 23. In 3 years, he will be at peak. Sapp was not the best as a rookie.

  5. Pryda … sec147 Says:

    GL rookie

  6. destinjohnny Says:

    well Rocky Marciano was the hardest puncher in heavyweight history was 188

  7. AtlBuc Says:

    Bowles talks as if he is liking what he sees in Hall this spring. If he and JTS have good years we will have a pretty good defense.

  8. Doug RR Martin Says:

    I believe you mean Greg Gaines instead of Greg Gabriel, near the end.

  9. Rand Says:

    Here’s what I see happening, teams will double team Vita Vea leaving Kancey on an island with one to beat. With his speed he could have some success on a pass rush but his size could also hinder him against the opposing team’s run game.

  10. Fred McNeil Says:

    Maybe Bowles…and Licht…have a plan for the next generation Bucs defence.
    Hall was drafted as a DT, but he’s awfully tall. Still he’d make a good, faster, younger version of Gholsteen if he develops. Kancey? He’s a huge departure from Suh and Hicks. He’s closer to an Aaron Donald clone. Trouble is as far as his type DT goes: he’s the only one. We might need another like him on second string so our defence won’t change so much if he’s hurt.

  11. Fred McNeil Says:

    Rand, I see the same thing. Equally nice is they double both and leave an outside linebacker on a tight end.

  12. Pewter Power Says:

    I hope Kancey and hall are up to the task because offenses are gonna attack them right out the gate until they prove everything Bowles said and not sure how he came to that conclusion from underwear football but hey he’s knows much more than me

  13. BillyBucco Says:

    This guy doesn’t have to watch any of them play to know what they have and what they need.
    Watching Kanceys moves you know he was coached right and is smart.
    Using that get off, the point of leverage is different for the guard or tackle than most bigger guys they face like Bosa and Garrett.
    I can see a game plan where Vita Vea gets double teamed automatically and that will be a mistake. Even worse is double teaming Kancey.
    If Kancey does indeed take some double teams away from Vea, I believe Vea will have his best season.
    Pressure up the middle is what this team has been missing and I believe Kancey will rectify that this year.
    As far as Logan Hall, Bowles has talked repeatedly about him getting stronger so I believe they watched film and identified situations where switching to power would be advantageous.
    Let Bowles coach and you guys admire, but calling him a bust is ridiculous.
    BTW there are lots of good articles about defensive Head Coaches you guys could learn from.
    Its obviously not as advantageous with the offenses of today.
    Just recently there was an article on a QB who admitted it stunted his growth to have a Defensive minded coach. Look at what Pederson did with Lawrence in Jacksonville. They had a Defensive HC and had to switch to protect their franchise QB.
    Bowles has done the EXACT right thing here with Canales and a lot of you guys are late on the brilliance.

  14. garro Says:

    As I have said repeatedly. The smaller lighter faster thing is a huge gamble that thus far has shown no sucess (Hall, JTS).
    Hope I’m wrong but that is two big time draft picks to give Bowles what he desires and the jury is still out on any results. Now a third.
    Hope I’m wrong.

    Go Bucs!