“What Am I Going To Sit In There And Act Like I’m Telling Him Something?”
March 2nd, 2016
No high horse for Dirk Koetter, who delivered very candid comments.
The new Buccaneers’ head coach says he is no power monger and is not about to step out of his comfort zone.
Sometimes, that’s a good idea. Sometimes.
On SiriusXM NFL Radio last week, co-host and former quarterback Rich Gannon pressed Koetter on whether he will get away too much from what he does well, managing offense, developing young quarterbacks and calling plays.
Koetter came clean and said he’s too old and too grounded in reality to play the role of heavy-handed ruler.
Rich Gannon: Dirk, what’s going to be your philosophy as a head coach just in terms of how you manage it all? … How do you manage [playcalling]? How do you manage special teams? How do you manage defense?
Dirk Koetter: That’s going to be a learning process. That’s for sure. But luckily, there are several guys in the league already doing it, and they’re doing it very well. Guys that I hope to pick their brain when I see them [at the NFL Scouting Combine] and when I see them at some other meetings later in the offseason. I’m towards the end, Rich, of my career. So I mean, I’m going to stay with what got me.
Gannon: Why would you change? I always say, ‘It’s what you’re good at.’ Why hand that responsibility over to somebody else?
Koetter: I think we’ve hired a great staff. I’m really fired up about these guys on both sides of the ball. But Mike Smith as a defensive coordinator, what am I going to do, go in there and sit in there and act like I’m telling him something? It’s just not right. I can be in the offensive room working with the offensive coaches. Those guys, I don’t have to be in there every second. Nate Kaczor, our special teams coach, is a guy that I’ve worked with before in Jacksonville. I have a lot of confidence in him.
That’s why I want to still be the playcaller. I still want to be in there. I think one of the most valuable things in the NFL, in college you get that one 45-minute meeting a day, instead of meeting three hours a day like we do now.
One of the most valuable things when you’re in the room with the quarterback as a playcaller, and you can get a feel. We all have [plays] we like. But if he doesn’t like it, like I have it ranked first and he has it ranked 10th, we gotta massage that a little bit so when it gets called on Sunday. And I can’t, I can’t lose that. There are going to be some things that have to change, but I’m still going to try to go down that path.
Very telling stuff from Koetter. And more evidence that prayers are needed to keep Mike Smith from jumping ship for a head coaching job next January.
If Smith has success with the Bucs’ defense, then he’ll be a hot commodity. Coaches with his career record always get a second chance.
This also confirms for Bucs fans that very little will change for America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston, which was the whole point of the Koetter hire.
March 2nd, 2016 at 11:24 am
Not all great coordinators R good head coaches
March 2nd, 2016 at 11:31 am
Destin- you’re right. The good ones usually do what he is doing, sticking to the dude if the ball he knows. Gruden did it with Kiffin. Dungy did it in Indy (and tried here). Andy Reid tends to do it as well. There are many others. The ones who take over completely need to be like a Jimmy Johnson and trust the coordinators and just delegate.
March 2nd, 2016 at 11:50 am
You have to look at the possibility of losing Mike Smith as a positive thing…..it will have meant that he fixed the defense and it was noticed….I think we have some great young players and after a strong defensive draft will have more….that will attract a good coach if Smith leaves.
March 2nd, 2016 at 11:57 am
I think it was a shot at lovie!!!! lovie coming over to the offensive side not knowing what he is talking about!!!
@ Tampabaybucfan
some need to take that same attitude with DM22!! He could have came into camp out of shape again and did nothing!! then no one would interested and the Bucs would be wondering whether to sign him for the league minimum or just let him walk out of the league!!! Instead the Bucs either sign him to a reasonable deal or another team over pays and the Bucs get a high compensatory pick!!! The Bucs cannot lose in this one!!!
March 2nd, 2016 at 12:01 pm
@DestinJohnny….
While you are definitely right….. Koetter has surrounded himself with “assistants” who he KNOWS and have a lot of PRO experience ! I am very confident in the Bucs outlook for 2016… worried about losing a lot of these coaches next year after thr Bucs go 10-6 or better !!
March 2nd, 2016 at 12:05 pm
I would rather “see” if the great coordinator will become a good head Coach, then stick with the last head coach who sucked out loud!!!!
March 2nd, 2016 at 12:16 pm
Gruden-Kiffin v2.0?
March 2nd, 2016 at 12:22 pm
Aahhh..the beautiful scent of spring. Birds chirpin..droppin pellets of crap everywhere….Welcome to hell coach Koetter. Your problems are just starting.
March 2nd, 2016 at 12:34 pm
Realist, I totally forgot about the compensatory pick! You’re so right. I can stop worrying so much about whether we re-sign Martin or not, now. I mean, I’d love to keep him wearing red & pewter for his entire career, because I feel pretty certain that his production would be worth 7 to 8 mil (assuming that’s what his agent is asking for, we don’t know). And even if RBs are ‘a dime a dozen’, you can’t replace Martin’s level of production with just anyone. He really is an elite back and he deserves to be paid like one. Licht just has to decide whether the Bucs are going to be the team that pays him what he’s worth. I do feel much better, though, knowing that if Licht and Martin don’t reach a deal that we’re not gping to have to walk away empty-handed. Maybe that compensatory pick can be bundled with our 9th overall to move up into the top 5 picks?
March 2nd, 2016 at 12:46 pm
If Smith put together a top-10 defense he will have a HC job in 2017.
March 2nd, 2016 at 1:01 pm
REALIST: IF Doug gets away this team will continue to be losers, you can’t build a strong locker room is this comes to pass!!
March 2nd, 2016 at 1:14 pm
Mike Johnson Says:
Aahhh..the beautiful scent of spring. Birds chirpin..droppin pellets of crap everywhere….Welcome to hell coach Koetter. Your problems are just starting
————————————–
I’m with you in that this is the honeymoon phase now.
That’s why you hire a competent DC with head coaching experience to help you look good. Building a strong staff can help you weather the storms.
March 2nd, 2016 at 1:30 pm
Biff Barker..It remains to be seen. Bucs not off to a good start with this martin fiasco. Licht wants martin to see what he is worth in free agency. But it might backfire on the Bucs. We are all gonna be pissed seeing Martin in a Raiders jags, or Giants uniform galloping all over the place racking up yards we could have had. One thing is solidly sure though..if our Defense does not improve a lot, we will win even less games than before. Honeymoon is officially over Koetter. Bills are rollin in..car payments are due, and insurances have to be paid. Welcome to the..dinosaur world of head coaching sir.. a few mistakes Mr Koetter? And you’re somebody’s lunch!
March 2nd, 2016 at 1:52 pm
you don’t get compensatory picks for free agents, Realist
March 2nd, 2016 at 2:00 pm
“I’m towards the end, Rich, of my career.” – Dirk
That is slightly concerning. Dirk isn’t old…
Tampabaybucfan Says
“You have to look at the possibility of losing Mike Smith as a positive thing…..it will have meant that he fixed the defense…”
Nothing personal, but when I read people saying that, I scoff. Losing Smith after one year would be disastrous. That fixed defense would regress the following year.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t want ONE good year. I want 5-10 good years and more.
And don’t say Jameis will handle it. Consider the Broncos and Manning. They lost the first Superbowl because they lacked defense, and Manning is one of, if not the best quarterback in history. No, they needed defense to close the deal.
The Buccaneers will as well.
Warren Sapp said a while back that defense no longer wins championships. He was wrong. Lust look at the results the last 5 years.
March 2nd, 2016 at 2:01 pm
errr..”just look…”
Let’s keep “lust” out of this.
March 2nd, 2016 at 2:03 pm
Oh look, there is Mike Johnson going on and on endlessly, about how the honeymoon is over and Koetter has to prove himself and he’s doomed. Blah blah blah blah.
Martin is not a fiasco, and it’s not until he signs with somEone else. It’s posturing by his agent, whose job it is to get Martin the most money possible. RBs only get 1 shot at getting paid, and reading the comments on this site you would think Martin only has 1 year left in his life to play football.
I firmly believe Jason Licht is comfortable letting Martin and his agent see what other teams will pay. Let the market dictate. He’ll have every chance to match it.
And Lovie is gone, so get the f@ck over it already and stop crying here everyday. Seriously man grow up. Koetter will have to prove himself like every single other head coach. We know.
March 2nd, 2016 at 2:04 pm
@feelthepewterpower
maybe you should look up what a “compensatory pick” is before you make terrible statements!!! If some other team signed DM22 the Bucs will get a compensatory pick!! the only thing that would stop it is if they went on a huge and wild spending spree like they did in 2012 that would nullify what they lost in “DM22”
If I were you, I would delete that user name, and never post here again for fear of being ridiculed the rest of the season!!!
March 2nd, 2016 at 2:18 pm
Note to unbelievable. Yeper, you got the right name handle there sir. Hmnnn. Nobody brought up Lovie. But you did. You got a..Lovie fetish? Hate calling you out like this. But YOU..ran right into it.
March 2nd, 2016 at 3:13 pm
I don’t think you called anyone out, pal.
Lovie fetish, huh? You’ve been crying about him since the day he was let go.
If you are a fan, wouldn’t you be excited that we moved on from Mr. 6 – 26?
Wouldn’t any real fan be thrilled that we don’t have to here the same monotone speech every week about how we’re getting better and on the verge, even though we weren’t?
Shouldn’t you be excited by the experience and track record of this new coaching staff? A staff which seems to extraordinarily more qualified than any of Lovie’s family members!!
March 2nd, 2016 at 3:14 pm
*hear the same
March 2nd, 2016 at 3:49 pm
I am all for holding a coach accountable, But I just wish to know what mike johnson’s old username was when he was giving lovie a pass last year!!!!!
March 2nd, 2016 at 4:00 pm
Joe, good piece on Dirk Koetter. I personally see him having the same relationship with DC Mike Smith and ST Nate Kaczor that Jon Gruden had with his DT Monte Kiffin and his ST Rich Bisaccia. All those assistant coaches are/were highly experienced and know what needs to be done. Just a question of being provided the talent to do it with.
As for Mike Smith getting another shot at HC, I hope he does. Like James Walker said, that’d mean that he put together a Top-10 defense and he’d deserve another HC opportunity.
March 2nd, 2016 at 4:21 pm
Note to Mr Always Unbelievable…When somebody is obsessed with Lovie Smith as you? You sir..have a fetish. My cousin is a psychologist there in the Tampa Bay area. he can help you sir. And I sir will say and have continued to say what I deeyham well please. This is America..not Pravda sir. Ohhh and truly see somebody about that Lovie thing. So you bring it up with your family also? YOU don’t want it to get out of control there..Sir!
March 2nd, 2016 at 4:23 pm
An obsession is a terrible thing to waste on the past there Unbelievable. get help.
March 2nd, 2016 at 4:51 pm
I rarely ever comment on here but is anyone else tired of mike Johnson and his negative comments ALL THE TIME? Man, you need to call you cousin up and get yourself scheduled for a session!
March 2nd, 2016 at 5:33 pm
Bucfan951..I luv ya man. Thanks for the..compliment. keep’em comin sir!
And I as a 4oyr plus Buc fan will say..what I pleases! Besides, you don’t want everybody singing these losing Buc praises do you? Win. Get to the playoffs. Stop changing coaches every 2 yrs. Stop hyping the fans, raising ticket prices..making false promises. WIN. Then I will give praises. Don’t tell me how good a new regime is and they have not done diddlysquat. Nobody praises a loser..unless they are 10 ft deep.
March 2nd, 2016 at 5:39 pm
Wow.
I see my mistake- I thought you were a fairly competent, whining human being that was just overly butthurt about the coaching change.
Now I’ve realized you’re just nuts. No idea what you’re talking about with my family either… but if your cousin is a shrink, you should prob spend some time on his couch. Good luck.
March 2nd, 2016 at 5:51 pm
Get help there Unbelievable. Then maybe YOU can stay on Topic instead of going into your Lovie fetish sir. Lovie is gone. You cannot bring him back.
I’ll leave a light on fer ya..at the shrinks office.