Koetter Says He Was Free (Mostly) Under Lovie
January 15th, 2016
Lovie was hands-off … mostly.
So what influence did Lovie Smith have on the Bucs’ offense last year?
Joe asked new Tampa Bay head coach Dirk Koetter today.
Every coordinator serves his head coach and follows a direction from the head man, but to what extent did Koetter?
“I want to make sure that’s a clear point that I make … in no way did Lovie Smith tell me as an offensive coordinator, do and don’t do this,” Koetter said. “Lovie Smith was as supportive for me as a head coach could be. Lovie told me what kind of offense he wanted to have, and we tried to emulate that thought.
“I will say that when you’re the head coach and you’re the playcaller, you have a license to be a little more aggressive. You know, that’s how I was when I was a high school coach. That’s how I was when I was a college coach. Now that comes from inside me, because you have the power to decide. You have the power to decide, ‘Are we going for it on 4th-and-1?’ You have the power to decide, ‘Do we need to throw it deep three times in a row, or do we need to give it to Doug Martin three times in a row?’ And you don’t have to worry about the head coach second guessing you. You are the head coach. So you make your game plan, you stick to your game plan. But I’m not making this up in any fashion. Lovie did not hold us back in any way. Lovie was awesome to work for in that respect.”
Joe translated all this as Koetter saying Lovie was hands off as could be hoped for by an offensive coordinator. But that doesn’t mean Lovie wasn’t making key decisions. Understandable.
But Koetter still said Lovie established what kind of offense was desired. That influence is gone now. It’ll be interesting to see how Koetter evolves the offense.
January 15th, 2016 at 5:11 pm
I wonder, in what respect, Lovie wasn’t awesome to work for?
January 15th, 2016 at 5:18 pm
more aggressive offense as stated. the offense seemed timid, stale, and dated, at times…all synonymous with lovie.
January 15th, 2016 at 5:22 pm
I’d like to know if Lovie called for runs or passes….then Koetter called the play…or if Koetter called every play without Lovie’s input.
I believe it was Sullivan that said Schiano would call a run or a pass at times….
January 15th, 2016 at 5:23 pm
I Bet Lovie picked certain players to play.. i.e. Dye and ASJ
January 15th, 2016 at 5:34 pm
This was not Lovie’s offense from Chicago.
Top 5 offense of the league. Without all the drops and penalties probably a top 3 offense in the league. With a year under their belt this offense is only going to get better. With Koetter in full control a NO. 1 offense is very, very, possible next season. Is always about the future…
Is Martin re-signed yet???
Go Bucs!!!
January 15th, 2016 at 5:34 pm
My guess is that Dirk will give Mike Smith the same kind of flexibility on defense that Lovie gave him on offense. And that’ll be a good thing I’m sure. Future’s looking brighter.
January 15th, 2016 at 5:51 pm
Lurker TBBF did you not read what the man said? Lovie wanted a balanced offense as most head coaches do who’s name isn’t Chip Kelly. He said Lovie was hands off so anything you saw on the offense was all Koetter or the offense not performing right.
January 15th, 2016 at 6:14 pm
This could actually be quite a drastic change we see and it will probably open up the offense alot bcuz Lovie’s influence on the offense was foundational and philosophical.
i.e. no more conservative influence
January 15th, 2016 at 6:15 pm
DavidbigLovieFan….why does it matter?
January 15th, 2016 at 6:18 pm
The Bucs offense will be better next season because the offense will have more opportunities with improved time of possession. The Bucs will scrap the antiquated pass defense which allows even the worst QB to perform like an all pro.
January 15th, 2016 at 6:20 pm
Offense and Scoring is Football Entertainment
The Glazers must be in Heaven
The big WINNER of the day though might just be Mike Smith
What a way to get back in the League
No Pressure as D Coordinator only
2 Defensive player Studs (potentially) and one on the rise
Win Win for him
all he has to do is keep the other team under 25 points a game
January 15th, 2016 at 6:27 pm
I would say keep them under 20 pts a game. Lets be ferocious on Offense and Defense for a change. It doesn’t have to be 1 or the other.
January 15th, 2016 at 6:31 pm
Glad koetter has plans to be more aggressive. Lovie was far too conservative.
January 15th, 2016 at 6:36 pm
@davidbigbucsfan
i read it.
“Lovie told me what kind of offense he wanted to have, and we tried to emulate that thought.”
“I will say that when you’re the head coach and you’re the playcaller, you have a license to be a little more aggressive.”
“And you don’t have to worry about the head coach second guessing you. You are the head coach. So you make your game plan, you stick to your game plan.”
so, ummmmmmm yeah. he was being nice to lovie.
January 15th, 2016 at 6:41 pm
Wilbon from Parden the Interruption is an idiot. He is so outraged that Lovie was fired, prolly because him and Lovie are both black, that he said to have continuity in Tampa they should’ve kept the coach that gave them a competitive season… Seeing how Dirk’s offense is the only reason our season was competitive at all, I think that’s exactly what they did.
January 15th, 2016 at 6:45 pm
@Bucs3 I saw that too.
Don’t think it’s cuz they’re both black. Lovie just has a ton of allies in the media, and most national guys don’t follow the Bucs close enough to know what’s really going on.
They think Lovie went 6-10 in spite of having a rookie QB.
The truth is Lovie went 6-10 because of Koetter and the rookie QB.
January 15th, 2016 at 6:55 pm
I’m getting sick of all the “boo woo” for Lovie Smith bullspit. Even when they interviewed Koetter on ESPN she started out with how much they all love Lovie. Give me a break.
January 15th, 2016 at 8:11 pm
Wilbon is a Chicago guy…probably a connection from there with Lovie.
As far as Lovie’s influence…BigDog Mr. Insecure always needs the last word and vindication set this one up on a tee…and after Koetter answered just as he did with Joe and the other media people…Big Dog could get in his “I told you so”.
I was waiting for neener neener but Big Dog must have lost that part of his reportoire.
Koetter did make a GREAT point about limitations last year. He pointed out that they were breaking in a ROOKIE QB!!!! We ALL love #3 and so does Koetter but again he was a ROOKIE and they brought him along slowly. That was more of a limitation more than anything Lovie did or said.
January 16th, 2016 at 12:21 am
Lovie is held in very high regard throughout the league. As for the talking heads, its so very obvious they are clueless regarding the Bucs. And they can say whatever they want about Tampa and spin it any way they please, because they know we dont have a voice down here like they do in say, New York, Chicago, Philly. They have to watchcwhat they say about the teams in those markets. But they can pretty much say whatever the hell they want about us and our teams, and when our voice starts to become heard…BOOM! Rays attendance story on the bspn.com homepage.
January 16th, 2016 at 6:11 am
2 Defensive player Studs (potentially) and one on the rise
Win Win for him
and 8 other bums and that is what killed the season.
look everybody knows lovie got bunned there I just think way too many of you cats just wanted a white guy in charge. there is no way the amount of hate for lovie is justified, when you were the worst team in the nfl the year before.. you will turn on Winston the same way folks in seattle did on Russell Wilson soon as hard times come.
January 16th, 2016 at 7:35 am
Nobody hates Lovie because he’s black. They hate pathetic defenses in a franchise famous for being stout. They were pathetic because of piss poor coaching and scheme. The ’76 Bucs had no GMC, David, or Alexander, but they outperformed this bunch. Nobody gives a sh!t what color the coaches are, they just want to see a respectable result on the field. The vast majority of the players are black. Race is not an issue except for the idiots who insist on making it one. Koetter could be purple for all I care.
January 16th, 2016 at 2:16 pm
Amazing how much race is still coming up. Anybody who thinks racism is dead in America is clearly living on another planet.
That doesn’t mean it totally dominates all of our lives. And so yes it was clearly racist in the debate over drafting #3 to pull out the “thug” card and all the Jamarcus Winstons or Jameis Leftwich. I get that and am not in denial. It was and for some, racism pure and simple.
But in the NFL racism does not occur very much at all within the hired ranks. Now that all the barriers have already been shattered by folks like Dungy and the thoudands of players…many of them finally being allowed to play QB..I think it’s gotten down to the essential….just win baby.
Lovie’s race had nothing to do with his firing or his hiring. His resume, record, and coaching style are what EARNED him his dismissal.
January 16th, 2016 at 2:18 pm
BTW I don’t think the “Loviehate” was ever as visceral or racist as the “Jameishate” leading up to the draft.
Lovie is liked by virtually everybody including those who wanted him fired.
I want to be clear…Dallas…Realist..couch and others NEVER played the race card on Lovie…they simply played his record card…over..and over..and over…LMAO
January 17th, 2016 at 2:27 pm
No more running the ball on first and second down for the entire or majority of the first half until we are down by two or more tads then decide to run the ball on first, throw on second, and over think it and run it again on third.
Glad those days are officially over for the Bucs. What a firkin joke.