Liam Coen Says He Is Not Coaching Baker Mayfield To Block 40 Yards Downfield
November 27th, 2024
Liam Coen on Baker Mayfield’s blocking.
Joe doesn’t think there is a football fan alive who didn’t think it was cool to see Baker Mayfield being the lead blocker for Bucky Irving Sunday at midfield.
But just like watching a running back or receiver try to hurdle a defender, it may look cool, but it also may not be smart. And that is the fine line Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen walks.
He loves Mayfield’s heart and hustle. He loves how Mayfield is trying to be a team guy. But Coen also confessed he and the Bucs need Mayfield for the playoff push and not to get lit up by a linebacker.
This morning at One Buc Palace, Coen was asked if he coaches Mayfield to race downfield to block. Coen smiled broadly as he enjoyed the play too.
You can tell by the way he answered that he’s not overly fond of Mayfield trying to be a lead blocker. But, Coen said, Mayfield’s downfield blocking is a form of what Coen preaches to his players: Be a team guy and give full effort.
“No, no practice,” Coen said denying the Bucs actually work on Mayfield’s downfield blocking. “Our thought process as a unit is to play for each other.
“That’s all we talk about. What you put on tape, your teammates are going to see. Everybody is going to see.
“So if you put kind of crummy effort on tape and you get an oppotunity to get a block on somebody for your buddy and you don’t do it, well, they might look at you a little funky.”
Coen said Mayfield racing downfield to be a lead blocker is just in Mayfield’s DNA.
“I do think it is a product of him and how he is wired and the person he is,” Coen said. “But [Mayfield] is to exemplify how we want to play the game on offense.”
Again, it looks cool. And Joe is fully convinced effort like that from a quarterback stokes teammates, not just on offense but the defense, too.
Last year in the season-opening win at Minnesota, Mayfield ran for a key first down where he bullied his way through a tackle to get it. You could see the defense in the background erupt in delight that their quarterback was selling out to help them secure a win.
That type of play is contagious, but also dangerous. The Bucs don’t need to try to make the playoffs with a quarterback who has thrown but 10 passes in his three-year career.
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November 27th, 2024 at 11:53 am
I love Baker and don’t know much about Trask as I have hardly seen him but I am not sure there would be a huge drop off in terms of throwing passes, if we had to go to him.
We would be dead in the water though because of Bakers hustle and intangibles. Trask can’t recreate Bakers pocket escapability or the confidence he instills in the team with his warrior energy. Would suck the life right outta this squad and that’s why I hope Baker stays the same obviously but makes smart decisions with his body down the stretch.
November 27th, 2024 at 12:42 pm
😆😆😆
November 27th, 2024 at 1:35 pm
You take the good with the bad…or in this case, the risk.
November 27th, 2024 at 1:50 pm
Baker has endeared himself to even the diehard Trask fans. The guy fights. He’s tough, and his legion of fans are growing across the country. Cleveland, what were you thinking?
November 27th, 2024 at 2:21 pm
You do realize that he slowed Bucky down. He literally would have been run over by Bucky if Bucky didn’t let up.
November 27th, 2024 at 2:34 pm
^^^^^ Here around Cleveland the local analysts and fans still often throw shade and talk like he’s a bum. Its infuriating
I’m praying hard for TB vs the Cleveland Texans in the SB
November 27th, 2024 at 3:07 pm
Bucky ain’t that fast – lol. He’s the slowest of our backs…. He was about to get run down from behind but Baker got him a few more yards.
It’s really all about the effort… Playing hard to the whistle….. Going above and beyond what’s expected!
Helluva highlight 🤘🏼
November 27th, 2024 at 3:27 pm
Haha , don’t talk about Superman that way. Lol this guy is a demi god okay he can’t be touched. Lol.
He’s gonna beat everyone who comes his way. That’s his mindset and it works. I like his energy. Good vibes only. Aye.
November 27th, 2024 at 4:12 pm
The influence that block had on the linemen and receivers is going to have a positive impact on our offense, especially the running game over the next few weeks
November 27th, 2024 at 5:08 pm
He got injured in 2021 4th game trying to tackle the guy who intercepted a ball because the receiver ran the wrong route. Up to that point he was lights out. He should have gotten surgery the next day. Tried to play through it and was terrible. That was why da Browns sold their soul for massage and roll Watson. The should have ordered Bakes to sit and heal the way the Bucs did to Evans.