Surprise! Defensive-Minded Coach Likes Young Players Getting Picks
July 27th, 2023
Bucs coach Todd Bowles.
So there were a couple of picks today at practice. And a couple of almost picks. And Bucs coach Todd Bowles, who essentially is the defensive coordinator, was all smiles about it.
A couple of young players, rookie linebacker SirVocea Dennis and second-year safety Nolan Turner each got a pick off Kyle Trask and Baker Mayfield, respectively. This had Bowles in a good mood.
“SirVocea [Dennis] made a good play – he was doing it in the spring,” Bowles said. “He got a good break on the ball and came down with it.
“Nolan [Turner] is very smart – he’s a heady ballplayer. We can’t hold the ball that long and put it over the middle. We got some turnovers, defensively.”
Despite the turnovers, Bowles said he was happy how the offense moved the ball, but quickly added it’s underwear football so it’s premature to get excited.
Dennis’ pick may have been more impressive because of the result. He housed for a pick-six, the best kind.
Joe spoke with Dennis after practice, and trust Joe, the fifth-round pick from Pitt is hungry for the pads to finally come on next week so he can demonstrate to Bowles that he can make real plays.
Turner’s pick may have prevented a touchdown. The Clemson product got his pick of Mayfield as the Bucs were practicing red zone offense.
July 27th, 2023 at 2:58 pm
This is such a defensive driven league – so glad we aren’t worried about the passing game being a collegiate approach where you have a no talent QB
This is gonna be a long season if we think we are gonna boot leg and waggle our way to the playoffs
What a joke and it hasn’t even started yet
Todd is running this team into the ground literally and figuratively
July 27th, 2023 at 2:59 pm
Dennis is exciting!! He could be a real steal since his supposed strength was pass rushing l (like D. white) and run stopping so getting his hands on the ball like this so early and often is great! I hope he continues his progression!
July 27th, 2023 at 3:01 pm
Good job defense! Don’t give them anything, make ‘em work for it ! The harder you are on each other in practice the better you’ll be in games!
July 27th, 2023 at 3:18 pm
Sir Dennis – 3 INTs and 1 TD in a dozen practice sessions.
Diva White – 1 INT and 0 TDs in 4 YEARS.
July 27th, 2023 at 3:20 pm
Welp, to be fair our offense is installing against a defense that’s been learned, added onto and tweaked since 2019. Glad to hear Nolan Turner is playing and I’m not really surprised Dennis is making the noise he’s made thus far.
July 27th, 2023 at 5:17 pm
Voice of Truth … ‘This is such a DEFENSIVE driven league’. And yet just about everyone else describes it as being exactly the opposite. Rules have definitely been altered in recent years in favor of the offenses.
Pickgrin … White hasn’t exactly endeared himself to us fans with his recent ‘I want more’ actions, but I’ll still take him over a 5th Round rookie with 3 picks in underwear football to his credit. This defense needs White to have a good year if we expect to win the NFC South.
July 27th, 2023 at 5:38 pm
DR, it is an offensive league as things stand last year. One day you walk outside and the tide is lapping your doorstep. Eventually it pulls back alee. Maybe the tide will go back to defence wins championships. Of coarse…ya gotta score a few points along the way. We’ve both enjoyed 17-10 victories in years past. The tide always turns.
Anyway, both the Chiefs and Eagles had great defensive play last year
July 27th, 2023 at 8:00 pm
Sarcasm is so often misunderstood
July 27th, 2023 at 8:52 pm
Hold ur horses folks, let me take u back down memory lane. 2021, Jayden Darden was MVP in underwear football, sucked once the pads put on. 2016, Vernon Hargreaves got folks all up and in jubilation over his preseason player playmaking skills, three years later deemed a bust, then traded. 2015, Kenny Bell, underwear football all pro. Cut after preseason. Therefore, let’s see if S.Dennis can mimic his underwear football preseason playmaking skills once the pads come on.
July 27th, 2023 at 8:59 pm
DR – you are ignoring the fact that White expects/demands the Bucs to pay him $80M over the next 4 years….
Sir Dennis is making just over $1M per for the next 4 years….
Is Devin White 20 times better than Sir Dennis?
If Dennis (even as a rookie) is 80% the player that White is right now – and will get better – wouldn’t those $80M in resources be better utilized at another position??
July 27th, 2023 at 9:02 pm
Voice…here is what is misunderstood.
“What a joke and it hasn’t even started yet”
Seems to me the joke is a poster pontificating and in the same breath admit that the season hasn’t even started yet!!! So your opinion is not based on any reality on the field…just your personal feelings and projections eh?
July 27th, 2023 at 9:32 pm
I’d be willing to bet that Dennis is better in coverage than White right now.
Sirvocea is also touted coming out for his stellar anticipation, correct 1st step, ability to not get tied up by blockers and flow to the play, as well as being a solid tackler. These are all weaknesses in Diva’s game.
Oh and Dennis is also known to be a very good pass rusher for an off ball LB…
We’ll give White the edge on blitzing because he’s proven it in the NFL and Diva’s super human speed gives him the edge in the “sideline to sideline” aspect of his game as well…. but are those attributes really worth 20X the money moving forward??? Or even 12X the money which is what White is making this year?? I think not!
July 27th, 2023 at 10:23 pm
Thank you stpetebucsfan. I was waiting for the acknowledgement of the dumbas* first comment (other than Defense Rules, lol). Why wouldn’t we want and expect an awesome defense?
July 27th, 2023 at 10:28 pm
This will be Bowles 5th year as defensive coordinator and Canales first. Defense > offense. Hopefully that will balance over time. Joe did note some widearse open receivers. My bet is those are rookie mistakes getting to know the defense.
July 27th, 2023 at 11:13 pm
I’m at a loss to understand readers of this website. They hate the coach, hate the players, but like “the team”…. what is the team without coaches and players? They like the helmets?
July 27th, 2023 at 11:25 pm
View from 132, as Jerry Seinfeld once joked, it’s the outfits.
July 28th, 2023 at 8:58 am
Nolan Turner looking good again this year.
Go Bucs!