Now Call Jim Schwartz!
January 15th, 2016
Hire him!
Now that the Bucs have their coach, Dirk Koetter, to completely shut the door on the painful Lovie Smith era, it’s time to set sights on getting the defense fixed.
And the first call should be to Jim Schwartz.
No, Schwartz is not a nice guy. No, he is not a cuddly guy. Good!
This Bucs defense needs to be turned around and this is the guy to do it. He had the No. 4 defense in the NFL two years ago, his last season in Buffalo. He runs a 43 defense, which suits the Bucs’ roster.
Everywhere Schwartz has been, the team has had a nasty defense. He cut his teeth with Bill Belicheat in Cleveland and spent a couple of years with Ray Lewis and the Ravens as an outside linebackers coach. He spent a great deal of time learning from Jeff Fisher in Tennessee (Fisher stinks as a head coach but as a defensive guy, Fisher is damned good).
Joe will lay cash that cornerbacks won’t be misused under Schwartz. Joe will lay cash Lavonte David makes a Pro Bowl with Schwartz. Joe will lay cash the Bucs’ front line won’t be timid and weak, and will actually take advantage of one of the best defensive tackles in the game.
Schwartz is what the Bucs need at defensive coordinator.
Then go out and buy his former stud defensive end, Mario Williams, and watch this Bucs defense take off.
Joe just isn’t feeling Mike Smith as a defensive coordinator. Schwartz brings the resumé, the results and the attitude this defense is sorely lacking.
January 15th, 2016 at 5:14 am
AMEN Joe. I do not want Mike Smith. His D in Atlanta was always ranked in the 20’s. I know, I know, he and Coach Koetter are good buds, but man J.S. is what this D NEEDS attitude and scheme wise.He had time as an HC as well, but with one hell of a pedigree with defenses.
January 15th, 2016 at 5:35 am
Schwartz period!!!!!
January 15th, 2016 at 5:35 am
Put me down as a big “No!” for Mike Smith as well. Didn’t like him in Atlanta and certainly wouldn’t like him and his smarminess in Tampa.
January 15th, 2016 at 5:43 am
Preach Joe!! Preach!!
BreakOut the Check Book Joel, and Hire Jim Schwartz!!!
January 15th, 2016 at 5:44 am
Good call Joe.
Mike Smith? No thanks!
January 15th, 2016 at 5:46 am
Agreed. Kind of simple as that.
January 15th, 2016 at 5:47 am
Post of the week Joe
January 15th, 2016 at 5:47 am
I agree. I’m good with Mike Smith, but Schwartz would be my first choice.
January 15th, 2016 at 5:49 am
How can anyone be a fan of MIKE SMITH?
His teams in Atlanta had a terrible D.
Just idiotic.
January 15th, 2016 at 5:49 am
Was Mike Smith the DC in Atlanta all those years? I thought he was the just HC although I can’t remember a DC being there if he had one.
January 15th, 2016 at 5:51 am
Now Joe coming from you I can accept Schwartz as DC just don’t let no one shake his hand too hard. Hey Joe I was thinking that if you have time to go back on all the tape work out the numbers of passes Jameis should have made, the receivers should have caught and and plays wiped out by penalty and show us what could have been. Jameis, Dougie and Evans numbers would be much better if those plays had been made and we would have had been higher than 20th in the league in scoring. Even though most of us understand that no matter how great of a play Koetter draws up the players have to execute there’s a few up here who didn’t want Koetter as HC because of that 20th spot. I know it’s a lot to ask for but enlighten us please.
January 15th, 2016 at 5:57 am
Part of Lovie Smith’s downfall was clearly that he hired and more importantly kept those buddies and family members beyond their time. Will Koetter act similarly? Will Koetter look beyond this type of “loyalty” and hire/keep the actual best man for the job? Can Koetter learn from Lovie’s mistakes? Will he learn for the sake of the fans as well as learn for the survival of his own career?
January 15th, 2016 at 6:00 am
I would have no problem with this hire, I also wouldn’t mind seeing them hire the ex head coach from Cleveland.
January 15th, 2016 at 6:07 am
Concerning Mike Smith
Ask yourself – Why would you want to hire Smith as the new DC
When the moment he was fired – Atlanta asked permission to interview former Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles and Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin? Finally settling on Seahawks DC Dan Quinn.
Because Smith couldn’t field a tough, physical Defense
January 15th, 2016 at 6:11 am
I agree bring in Schwartz! Way better DC then Mike Smith.
January 15th, 2016 at 6:12 am
One of Arthur Blank’s biggest complaints-The last 3 yrs under Coach Smith.
Was that his team wasn’t tough enough.
That’s the guy you want – running the defense?
January 15th, 2016 at 6:13 am
Koetter + Jim Schwartz + Mario Williams = Super Bowl, Baby!!!!
This is to be done before Monady Glazer Boys!!!
Go Bucs!!!!
January 15th, 2016 at 6:36 am
Pay the Schwartz and get him here. A head coach is only as good as the coaches he surrounds himself with!!
January 15th, 2016 at 6:38 am
I’m not sure about the love for Schwartz. He’s had three top ten defenses in 14 seasons as DC and HC. Can someone explain it please?
As for Mike Smith, his D’s as HC in ATL were H-O-R-E-N-D-U-S, while his D’s as the DC in Jax were excellent. And of course, he was a very successful HC in ATL, certainly by our recent standards. I’m not a fan of his at all, but I am concerned that Dirk might hire him and the fans will then turn on Dirk and Licht.
Finally, the rumor mill has Schwartz interested in the Philly job.
January 15th, 2016 at 6:40 am
If Kettering hires mike smith then he will be signing his death warrant.
Would be an absolutely terrible hire.
That would seal koetters fate before the season even starts.
Mike smith!!
Does anyone watch football?
January 15th, 2016 at 7:07 am
Great points you made Joe. Our offense will score plenty of points so let’s spend some free agent money and get some pass rushing help immediately along with drafting the best corner available at pick 9. I would not mind taking the running back from Alabama either lol. Go Bucs!
January 15th, 2016 at 7:13 am
If I were Licht I would throw my check book at this guy.
January 15th, 2016 at 7:16 am
Agree with this. Make him asst head coach as well. He can further groom Hardy then when Schwartz makes tb a top 5 defense in two seasons and bolts for an hc position slide Hardy into the dc.
January 15th, 2016 at 7:31 am
May the Schwartz be with you!
January 15th, 2016 at 7:40 am
@Joe
If the Glazers are smart, wouldn’t they kinda “suggestively insist” that Licht make the Schawrtz hire…That move would literally leave the franchise in the best all around shape possible. Think about it from their angle. If Koetter fails, Schawrtz has previous HC experience and success everywhere he’s coached. But personally, I want to see this move happen because it would place 2 more passionate demanding excellence coaches at 2 of the most important coaching positions on a team. Gonna be a BIZ-AY today huh? GO BUCS!!!
January 15th, 2016 at 7:42 am
If nothing else, for the Space Balls jokes I guess.
Im not a big fan, but we could do worse I guess. I believe Cullen may have been on his Detroit staff for the dot connecting guys, im not positive on that though.
January 15th, 2016 at 8:00 am
I am not so sure on the Mario Williams love. I would rather have Wilkerson( if he checks out medically). Williams would take less to try and chase a ring at this point I would think.
January 15th, 2016 at 8:12 am
I don’t disagree….but I hate to see fans hanging all their hopes on one candidate…..it may not happen….I want whoever we choose to have a fair opportunity to make the changes necessary for success without fans doubting every move because he wasn’t their first choice…..
January 15th, 2016 at 8:15 am
“The Kevin” you are looking at Mike Smiths defenses as HC, that’s not what we would hire him as. His defenses as DC were quite good. Your negativity is out of proportion. It’s like saying Wade Philips is a bad DC because his tenure as HC was a catastrophe but now his defense is top ranked as DC again.
Some guys are just better as coordinators where they can focus on the X’s and O’s.
January 15th, 2016 at 8:18 am
Totally agree. Big NO to Mike Smith! We don’t need another soft Smith lead defense.
We’ve got some talent in or entering their prime and Lovie’s choir boy mentality nearly destroyed them.
Let’s go!
#nomorepu**ies!
January 15th, 2016 at 8:52 am
Id be on board with Schwartz as our DC! Mario Williams would look pretty awesome in a Bucs uniform too! Let the free agent season begin!
January 15th, 2016 at 8:59 am
Agree with Gengar…We talk in extremes around here. I get the preference of Schwartz over Smith but Smith a horrible DC…Cmon guys!
I won’t be upset with Smith although like others here I prefer Schwartz because we all agree one thing this D has missed under Rah, Schiano, and Lovie is the proverbial mean streak. Our D’s seem to play soft. Even when they play well they seem to achieve success through athletic ability not toughness.
Another advantage with Schwartz is right off the bat we’ll get an insight as to whether it’s work pursuing Super Mario. Schwartz knows him well and can give Licht and Koetter inside info, although as thorough as he is I’m sure Licht already has a thick file on Mario and knows him well. Sometimes though people get reps from the outside that don’t match up with people who REALLY know them. Can you say Jameis Winston?
January 15th, 2016 at 9:00 am
I think that those that are against Coach Mike Smith just remember the last 2 years of Atlanta!! That was when Mike Nolan was DC and implementing ( @kevin versions 1-6 that means installing) 3-4 concepts. Other than that Smith’s defenses are very comparable to Schwartz’s!!
Also you have to ask, which Coordinator would jump at a chance to be a head coach next year??
you have to ask, who would Keotter be comfortable with to walk down the hall and discuss decisions of being a Head Coach with!!!
In the mid 2000’s ( can’t remember exact year) but during the preseason game with the Jags vs Bucs they should the Jags warm up, Does anyone else remember seeing this during Coach Mike Smith’s tenure as well???
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4cXZGkRMCY
Also Coach Mike Smith looks like Grandpa Munster and that gets extra points with me!!!!
January 15th, 2016 at 9:24 am
Coach Schwartz 2014 Bills D stats 761 tackles, 54 sacks, 19 ints
2015 Bucs D stats 706 tackles, 38 sacks, 11 ints.
Coach Schwartz last defense had not only one player to reach that elusive reclusive lofty goal of double digit sack totals, that defense had three. 14.5 M. Williams LDE, 10 J. Hughes RDE, 10 M. Dareus RDT, 5.5 K. Williams LDT.
Our 2015 Bucs sack total leaders 8.5 G. McCoy DT, 7.0 J. Smith DE, 5 H. Jones DE, 3 L. David LB, K. Alexander LB, W. Ghoulston DE
I am all aboard with Coach Schwartz.
Go Bucs!
January 15th, 2016 at 9:45 am
TESTIFY!
January 15th, 2016 at 9:56 am
TESTIFY JOSEPH!!
January 15th, 2016 at 10:36 am
Agree… But not on williams, his sun is setting… Wilkerson is the pick for me me… Give him a billboard on dale mabry because the jets never loved him
January 15th, 2016 at 10:50 am
Joe, you’re assuming Mario Williams will be a cap casualty….yet to be determined. I’d rather have a younger Wilkerson, but there is no way the Jets let him walk without franchising him.
January 15th, 2016 at 10:57 am
if kotetter learned anything from lovie, it should have been that hiring mediocre buddies will get you fired. no mike smith…the choice may be koetter’s, but licht should be coming up with a long list of candidates beyond the guys he happens to have worked with for him to consider. jim schwartz seems like a great choice to top that list.
January 15th, 2016 at 11:10 am
Agree 100% that Jim Schwartz is the DC we need. Good disciplinarian from what I’ve read, and our defense needs that probably more than anything … they played too soft these last 2 years. Our D has talent, but needs a whole lot more, at several critical positions, to compete with the Panthers in the NFC South.
January 15th, 2016 at 12:05 pm
It looks like the rabble agrees!
January 15th, 2016 at 12:06 pm
You want the guy with the best resume? Then you need to bring in Ron Meeks. Jim Schwartz’s resume pales in comparison to Meeks.
January 15th, 2016 at 12:19 pm
And who want those big bushy weird eyebrows roaming the sideline? Not me- keep Smith far away. Bring on JS!!!
January 15th, 2016 at 12:44 pm
I fail to see the resemblance between Mike Smith and Grandpa Munster.
January 15th, 2016 at 1:33 pm
May the Schwartz be with us …
January 15th, 2016 at 1:37 pm
“Use the Schwartz” Koetter! “Use the Schwartz!”