What Kind Of Learning Curve Does Liam Coen Have?
February 29th, 2024
When a team hires a first-year assistant, there is often a learning curve or at least an expected learning curve.
Not often does a coach in his first year have all of his players hitting peak performance in Week 1. For example, Bucs icon Mike Evans told Joe one-on-one in the locker room after the Bucs pounded the Packers in Green Bay in December that he and his offensive teammates were still learning Dave Canales’ offense. Again, this was Week 14!
So Tuesday at the Indiana Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis, Joe asked Bucs coach Todd Bowles how much of a learning curve will he allow until new offensive coordinator Liam Coen’s offense starts clicking.
Bowles told Joe and the assembled #NFLMedia he has no set time or deadline.
“He has all the leeway he wants,” Bowles said of Coen. “You know, my whole thing is if you’re not ahead by three touchdowns, with five and a half minutes to go, you still try and score – you score the ball. If you’re less than three touchdowns, five and a half minutes to go, you’re not going conservative trying to run the ball and eat the clock. You know, you [have] to be smart.
“Obviously, any offensive coordinator has leeway coming in, but you understand what we have to do. He has to read the game when we’re playing well defensively when he might have to outscore someone, and it’s never just run, run, pass, he has to leeway to call his plays.
“I’ll have the say-so on whether to go for it on fourth down, things to do on two-minute, and so forth – as well as redzone – but he has a lot of leeway. I have a lot of confidence in Liam, and I think he’ll do a great job.”
Well, there shouldn’t be a huge learning curve for Baker Mayfield — so long as he returns to the Bucs. Remember, one reason the Bucs hired Coen is Mayfield’s familiariarity with Coen’s system. He played for Coen with the Rams — and played well — in 2022.
If the quarterback already is on the same page with the new offensive coordinator, that ought to make any sort of a learning curve a lot shorter.
February 29th, 2024 at 9:25 am
Too bad Todd doesn’t realize he is a horrible game manager. Delegating that would be an enlightened coach.
February 29th, 2024 at 9:30 am
Joe, this is a really interesting nugget you uncovered. Because what he described not doing was exactly what Leftwich, and Canales, did for most of the season.
Joe, maybe you can research if there is a story behind this… when Chris Godwin’s wife complained, Bowles met with Godwin… and it was after that at which point the offense started clicking. I think they moved Godwin back to slot then too?
So what I’m wondering is, did Bowles come in at that point and dictate to Canales to use Godwin differently and to start being more aggressive. The quotation above sounds like the opposite of what Todd Bowles’ offenses were, but it may just be because he was being too hands off. He is a huge risk-taker on defense with blitzing, stands to reason he might be on offense too, but didn’t want to micro-manage.
February 29th, 2024 at 10:37 am
““He has all the leeway he wants,” Bowles said of Coen. “You know, my whole thing is if you’re not ahead by three touchdowns, with five and a half minutes to go, you still try and score – you score the ball. If you’re less than three touchdowns, five and a half minutes to go, you’re not going conservative trying to run the ball and eat the clock. You know, you [have] to be smart.”
Umm… what? Todd is the epitome of ‘turtle with a 3 point lead and try to hold on’. Or does he think we forget the ‘playing for overtime in Cleveland’ debacle? Not to mention a dozen other times his team went uber-conservative on offense (Brady or Mayfield… it was both).
The next time Todd runs the score up on an opponent will be the first.
February 29th, 2024 at 10:57 am
Personally, I think Coen might be a better coordinator than Canales. If we get Mayfield and Evans back, along with drafting a good RB and a Guard/Center, our Offense is going to potent, if not dangerous.
February 29th, 2024 at 11:50 am
Todd wasn’t calling the offensive plays as far as I know in all the critical situations last year.
He’s definitely adapted a more aggressive mentality and I like it. I am going to give Bowles 100% support going into this year and hope he proves me right lol
February 29th, 2024 at 12:14 pm
Coen appears wishy washy one year with the Toad That Blows he will back at Kentucky
February 29th, 2024 at 2:44 pm
I’m convinced more and more that some of you just do not like Bowles and there is nothing he can do to change your feelings. I really wish this whole perception that Bowles tells his OC what to do and controls the offense just dies. I do not know how many times Bowles has stated that his OC’s have full autonomy….it’s not his fault that Leftwhich was in over his head and dealing with a declining TB or that Canales was a first time play caller. Please give it a rest people!!
February 29th, 2024 at 3:46 pm
What I know about Todd as a head coz h is that his teams make the same mistakes over and over. Slow out of the gate.
Offense? No opening drive touchdowns the entire season. Seriously.
Defense? One of the worst pass defenses in the NFL and no pass rush. Telegraphed blitz packages. Coughing up an opening score to the opposition like it was their birthday. Zone bust coverage.
A losing record with both the Jets and the Bucs.
And now in the players survey, he ranks 26th as a head coach, right where his pass defense was.
Facts.
February 29th, 2024 at 4:00 pm
We shall see what happens, but I am feeling good about Coen. If we keep Baker and others, it could all work out.
February 29th, 2024 at 4:44 pm
This is the first time I agree with you Dave Pear. Those are true words spoken and TombsEN it’s not a great conspiracy I for one would change my mind if Bowles did a turn around but we lost a bunch of games that should have been won over the last 2 seasons directly because of coaching.
March 1st, 2024 at 7:27 am
It’s corn, “He is a huge risk-taker on defense with blitzing, stands to reason he might be on offense too, but didn’t want to micro-manage.” That’s a great point & one that I never considered. He’s too risky on defense at some critical times, however.
His nonsense about “up by 3 td’s”, is just that; nonsense!
March 3rd, 2024 at 6:07 am
My newly calibrated super duper solar powered state of the art Crapotronic 1000 BS Meter just redlined.
Bowles is sooo full of it! All the leeway?
Go Bucs!