“I Need To Start Looking At Safeties”
June 12th, 2015
“My man, if you think you worked at Hobart College, you’ve clearly never faced ACC talent.”
While Joe is pulling for Division III rookie Ali Marpet, a projected starter at right guard, Joe can’t stop cringing at the thought of Marpet transitioning from glorified high school ball to the big dance of the NFL.
To make things more acid-reflux inducing, Marpet played left tackle for mighty Hobart. So he also is dealing with a significant position change.
“Everything’s a lot quicker as a guard; you have a 300-pound guy on you right away,” Marpet said yesterday after the final OTA practice. “Where when you’re a tackle, you have a little bit of space to work with and you have to be a little more patient.”
Joe asked Marpet to detail some of his biggest challenges and how the veterans are helping him.
“One thing that I need to learn how to do is see the defense more,” Marpet said. “Now, at this level, you need to sort of be able to guess what’s going to be happening based on what you see in the defense. And so I need to start looking at safeties, and that’s stuff that I talk to Evan [Smith] and Logan [Mankins] about, just helping me out there.”
There go Joe’s nerves again, frayed at the thought of salivating Titans defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau’s bag of tricks on opening day.
Of course, it’s possible Marpet is a backup lineman on opening day. But that’s about as likely, barring injury, as Joe being invited to the next cheerleader bikini wax party — (injury to Marpet, not Joe).
Good luck, Ali.
June 12th, 2015 at 12:05 pm
That will be a huge shock then!!! to go from playing against Lovie’s predictable, passive system to all the other NFL defense is going to just going to shock and awe the rookie!!!!
June 12th, 2015 at 12:15 pm
Yet another reason as to why you should NOT expect these Buccaneers to win more games than they lose.
Get used to it – regardless of which immobile QB starts – the line isn’t going to be good enough for that QB to look very good.
Don’t start whining that your boy wonder QB can’t seem to get off the bench, B) move the team WHEN he gets off the bench…cuz the part of the field he’s going to be spending a lot of his time studying…are the number of blades of grass stuck in his facemask after every sack…
June 12th, 2015 at 12:20 pm
Cut Koenan,waive Gilkey, and sign Mathis!!!!
June 12th, 2015 at 12:23 pm
lol you said garrett gilkey is ahead of him on the depth chart. he may be a backup if demar comes back to take his own position but chances of him starting are higher than glennon’s chances of starting
June 12th, 2015 at 12:24 pm
Title is deceptive…..but….we actually do need to start looking at Safties….ones not on our current roster…..
June 12th, 2015 at 12:24 pm
I’ve been on Big Brother Ali’s side since day one. But reading his comments made me get the RUNS! #$HIT
June 12th, 2015 at 12:41 pm
Evan Mathis then and let him sit for a year…money is there for Mathis, one year deal…
June 12th, 2015 at 12:48 pm
I worry about the person that doesn’t know what he needs to do, all we have to do is see if he can do what he knows what he has to do.
It is called execution and he is not alone.
June 12th, 2015 at 12:56 pm
Hobart would be middle of the pack in the ACC 😉
June 12th, 2015 at 1:02 pm
tall order for his coaches as well as his veteran linemates to get him ready to play with the big boys. this is where a logan mankins might prove his worth. if mankins has an average season or two for us but gets this kid up to his potential in the meantime, that trade will look alot better in retrospect.
June 12th, 2015 at 1:06 pm
I don’t think I’ve ever been excited to see how the offensive line performs in preseason till this year lol.
They looked absolutely terrible last year right off the bat.
June 12th, 2015 at 1:25 pm
The usual naysayers………..
June 12th, 2015 at 1:29 pm
I thought Joe was going to say his nerves were frayed because EDS is “helping” the young rookie out … hmmm.
June 12th, 2015 at 1:30 pm
“White Tiger Says:
June 12th, 2015 at 12:15 pm
Don’t start whining that your boy wonder QB ”
Technically, he’s OUR boy wonder QB. Yours, mine, all Bucs fans’ wonder boy QB.
😉
June 12th, 2015 at 1:36 pm
tampa should be pursuing evan mathis this would make the O-line so much better especially if mankins has a comeback pro bowl year, and if Donovan is serviceable, well you might have a pretty good line to protect Winston, remember we still have first pick off the waiver wire until the third week regular season, might be able to find a serviceable lineman there and who knows even might find a defensive end. should have signed incognito oh well.
June 12th, 2015 at 2:20 pm
I’d show up late to the bikini wax party. Like after all the waxing is done and the real waxing can start… knowwhatimsayin’
June 12th, 2015 at 2:29 pm
Joe, when you get invited to the bikini wax party, remember who your loyal contributors are? If you don’t consider me a loyal contributor, invite me anyway.
June 12th, 2015 at 3:01 pm
🙂
June 12th, 2015 at 3:36 pm
that kid is going to be a beast
June 12th, 2015 at 5:07 pm
Joe,
Thank you for not using that hideous picture of him in those shorts… Keep up the good work…. More RACK pictures and less sack pictures… Thanks!
June 12th, 2015 at 5:59 pm
I think our O-Line will be fine,we also have a decent pass blocking back now(Dominque Brown) and a decent pass blocking fullback, and with the addition of Dirk Koetter and his schemes we will be a lot better at protecting the QB than we were last season. And I really think that Warhop should have Garrett Gilkey at Left or Right Tackle, he’s 6’6 and he plays high,it’s dificult for him to get low to use his hands against 6’1 DT’S. No way he should be playing Center or Guard, he will always get holding penalties.
June 12th, 2015 at 6:03 pm
They need to bring in Mathis for a year or two to give Marpet a chance to develope.
June 12th, 2015 at 6:57 pm
He will be a bust. Lovie and Licht bungled another draft. We will suck until Lovie is canned. Don’t buy into the it takes awhile to rebuild. Good coaching can turn a team around quickly. See bill o’brien for that proof
June 12th, 2015 at 7:10 pm
Ali will be a pro bowl player while he’s with us. Screenshot this and revisit in 3 years.
June 12th, 2015 at 8:18 pm
Tampa Tony, How did Bill O’Brien turn around a team that was 12-4 in 2012? You’re looking at the 2-14 record in 2013, but that was a down year.They still had J.J Watt, Andre Johnson, Arian Foster etc and most of the players from that 12-4 team. And how can you predict Ali Marpet to be a bust? Since you’re so good at predicting, give me the lottery numbers.
June 12th, 2015 at 8:53 pm
I agree with you two Lakelandbuc and MadMax. Something in my inner being makes feel like this kid is going to be a star. It’s something about being told you’re not good enough.
June 13th, 2015 at 5:05 pm
I believe Ali Marpet is going to be a stud, just not right out of the gate. This is why Evan Mathis makes sense. What depth do the Buccaneers have at OL? If any of the starters go down Pamphile and Edwards get the call. Pamphile has a little experience but has yet to impress. Edwards the same. Who is next? The Gilkmeister and Omemah. Mathis would give us depth and a proven Pro Bowler. I doubt that it will happen. By George I hope knowone goes down.