On The Job Training
February 25th, 2014
Bucs offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford admits he will be leaning on his fellow assistants while he learns the NFL.
There are all sorts of mysteries surrounding the Bucs right now. One of the biggest is the offense. Forget incumbent Mike Glennon and the quarterback position for the moment, what kind of system will offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford run? He has no NFL experience and in his past, he’s run everything from standard drop-back to a form of a spread.
Jeremy Fowler of CBS Sports found Tedford at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis and discussed his last few days at Cal, his year off from the NFL and how he is preparing to be an NFL offensive coordinator.
In short, Tedford admits it will be on-the-job training for him.
Not that Tedford is exempt from a pro learning curve. Once Tedford and Smith agreed to pair, Tedford spent the next month learning the nuances of NFL clock rules and management.
One thing stuck out after watching dozens of NFL games in the fall: So many come down to the last minute.
“I’m not going to come in and act like I know everything about the NFL because I don’t,” Tedford said. “I can feed off [Bucs coaches] with what their experiences have been. I’m really fortunate to be with a guy like [Smith], with very high values and strong philosophies about things.”
If nothing else, this shows Lovie is willing to make bold moves to have a decent offense. This isn’t unlike when Lovie hired Mike Martz to run his offense in Chicago. If Tedford is able to work his college quarterback magic in the NFL, then the Bucs could very well compete for a playoff berth.
However, if Tedford is learning on the job as he suggests, how much will he be able to turn around the NFL’s worst offense from 2013?
February 25th, 2014 at 8:28 am
Well at least they can’t get any worse. Hopefully we’ll get good/great QB play, whoever the starter is.
February 25th, 2014 at 8:29 am
“his year off from the NFL”
Typo. Year off from college (or coaching).
“However, is Tedford is learning on the job”
if Tedforrd s learninng.
February 25th, 2014 at 8:31 am
Lovie had plenty of time off to pick an OC and he chose Tedford. Offense is Lovie’s weakness and he knows it but he still chose Tedford. It speaks very highly of him. I feel confident going forward that our offense will be at least above average.
It will be our dominating defense that wins out for us in the end.
February 25th, 2014 at 8:34 am
When Mike Shula is still employed as an OC after all these years, I think Tedford will be just fine.
Man, did that guy suck when he was here!
February 25th, 2014 at 8:40 am
Tedford is one of the two hires I’m most skeptical of. No experince in the nfl. Frankly, I don’t se how he will succeed. It’s fine he spent a month learning “clock management”.
But what about the other nfl rules? What about assembling a playbook?
I suspect his playbook will be blah to start things off. Hiring a college OC ws a dumb move in my oppinion.
The other hire I’m not thrilled with is Frazier. I think with our playrs he at least has a higher chance to succeed, but he’s already said he uses “stunts” a lot.
February 25th, 2014 at 8:59 am
I’d like to see some elements of the no huddle worked in.
February 25th, 2014 at 8:59 am
Bonzai- when correcting someone else’s typos it might be a good idea not to commit them yourself!
“if Tedforrd s learninng”
February 25th, 2014 at 9:01 am
…oppinion, playrs, etc..
February 25th, 2014 at 9:05 am
@ bonzai
I think Frazier is a huge upgrade from Sheridan.
February 25th, 2014 at 9:26 am
Our biggest holes are on offense right now. Specifically QB and offensive line. I think we can fill a 3rd receiver spot thru free agency, if Williams removes his head from his ass. Tight end is an issue but Wright looks good and we can pick up a decent tight end in the later rounds. If Tedford is going to succeed I think we need to give the guy what he has been successful with, a QB. I don’t care for Glennon. For what he had to deal with last year I will say he did ok. But I don’t want ok. If we can trade down and pick up Manziel DO IT !!! If not we NEED to grab Garrapolo ASAP. Late 1st or early 2nd. We need a mainstay at QB for the next decade. I know neither guy is proven but neither is Glennon. And these guys smashed it in college, Glennon didn’t. Time to take a chance Bucs !!!!
February 25th, 2014 at 9:39 am
Well dont forget that he has no o line to speak of and a 31 year old v jJack and who knows what planet Williams is on. No tight end and a 2nd year qb learning a new system. Plus any wideout we drop in will prob be a rook- next year is a wash to say the least
February 25th, 2014 at 10:13 am
I think with the offense Lovie and Teddy will take it slow and methodical. I think what they are going to do at first is put an offense on the field that can manage the ball and limit turnovers, and rely more on the defense. In time they will build the offense up. That’s why I think they are going to blow up that offensive line, because thats their #1 priority, to protect their QB’s whoever it will be. i.e. Glennon, Carr, or McCown. and provide a more sustained running game.
February 25th, 2014 at 10:23 am
Well anything is better than schitler at this point. I have hope in the fact lovie spent his off year concocting this plan. However this goes it should be better than what was.
February 25th, 2014 at 10:32 am
Tampa bay is where offensive coordinators come to suck. QB guru and all, this dude will probably struggle, at least at first. Also martz failed overall with Lovie cause he would not or could not scheme his offense to fit the Bear personnel. Had Cutler doing seven step drops after he was already sacked 10 times in some games.
February 25th, 2014 at 10:50 am
@ lightning buc… You are correct and thats the problem with Tedford. It takes a few years of calling plays in the nfl to be good at it. Shula has grown to be solid and so will tedford. The question is how long will it take? a half a year or a few years?
February 25th, 2014 at 11:08 am
The biggest thing i took away from this article was that Tedford says that although he enjoys the nuances of being a head coach, he’s happy to be focusing on just the offense. A handful rather than the whole thing. Hopefully that’ll mean that if things start to take off, he’ll stick around doing what he will enjoy doing, rather than leaving to be a HC somewhere.
February 25th, 2014 at 11:13 am
This is exactly the reason I am totally puzzled, and concerned, by Tedford hiring, not one, but two coaches for WR and RB who have no NFL experience, especially when your OC has none. Weird.
February 25th, 2014 at 11:16 am
Same with QB coach. No NFL experience.
February 25th, 2014 at 11:24 am
Many new Offensive coordinators seem to do well, at first, but then the NFL adapts to them, once there is tape to watch.
February 25th, 2014 at 11:31 am
Yep I agree with Chris on that. Anybody see the Bucs OC over past two years? Year 1-2 were majorly different
February 25th, 2014 at 11:43 am
All u have to do is watch DeSean Jackson, Keenan Allen, Best, Lynch highlights. Cal was a very creative offense. Tedford will play to his qb’s strengths. If it is MG8 it will be quick snap quick throws. Martin, Demps etc. running mis direction and outside sweeps. Getting guys in space, they will draft speed. Chip Kelly did well with just college experience, so will Tedford.
February 25th, 2014 at 11:53 am
That initial success sorta happened with Chip Kelly and the Eagles… First couple games lightening in a bottle, then NFL defenses adapted… but in the long run still couldn’t keep up… giving the Eagles and a first year head coach with no NFL experience a play off berth.
You’re all speculating to much relax and let off season play out no sense in getting your panties in a bunch when the 2014 team hasn’t even been fully constructed yet nor set foot on the practice field.
February 25th, 2014 at 12:08 pm
Joe, I would hope that everyone continues to learn new things and ways.
As far as no NFL experience goes, he does have a lot with football players and coaches were he only had a couple of years to train them up before they left.
The key question is does he know how to win and can he get his troops to do it, not if he has any NFL experience. He has coaches that can tell him the ins and outs until he learns them himself.
we have had a lot of people with a lot of NFL experience pass through and we lost.
February 25th, 2014 at 12:46 pm
Just fix this O-Line and give the rock to Dougie, Ted.
February 25th, 2014 at 1:19 pm
Bonzai said, “The other hire I’m not thrilled with is Frazier. I think with our players he at least has a higher chance to succeed, but he’s already said he uses “stunts” a lot.”
That’s like a poker player saying he bluffs a lot. It’s a strategic statement.
Schiano bluffed on every hand. That was a moronic statement.
February 25th, 2014 at 1:36 pm
Nothing to add, but some very interesting comments; thanks to all for posting.
February 25th, 2014 at 3:09 pm
The fact Tedford has had both drop back passing offenses and spread offenses in the past tells me he is capable of working with either a drop back passer or a dual threat QB like Carr or Grappolo, and he is capable of tailoring his offense to his personnel. So I will give him the benefit of the doubt and look forward to what he comes up with. If he prefers the spread offense I would hope he would tell Lovie and Licht so they would pursue a quality dual threat veteran QB in free agency. There is one who is still young who has won more NFL games than Chicago’s backup QB, and had very high measureables at his combine according to the NFL channel, and can be signed for a reasonable contract–Tebo. And he set passing records in High School in Florida, helped win two National championships in College, won the Heisman Trophy, and would be a leader and inspire better play from all the players around him, and always be of high character. Just saying.