More Duties For Monken Or Bajakian?
January 3rd, 2017
Talks playcalling.
If he hasn’t started already, Bucs coach Dirk Koetter will very soon perform an exhaustive review of the season from a coaching standpoint.
Included will be an examination of every way Koetter can improve the Bucs. If that leads Koetter to conclude the Bucs would be better off with someone else calling offensive plays, then he very well could step away from those duties.
That’s the word Koetter put out yesterday in his State of the Bucs after he had a team meeting to say goodbye to his players until offseason workouts begin April 17 — in some cases, goodbye for good.
Koetter said he will examine his time utilization. Koetter openly talked about how relinquishing playcalling duties would allow him time to focus on other areas. In no way did Koetter say he would give up playcalling, but that option is on the table.
“I have a lot of thoughts about it,” Koetter said. “I’ve been thinking about it a lot. I am probably not ready to make any crazy announcements on any of that today because I think about a lot of stuff all the time. I think all the time, how can I, in the stuff that I control, make us better and are there places where I am making us worse? I learned as a head coach, I’d love to have more time to get involved with individual players on a daily basis. When I do get a chance to talk to players one-on-one, I enjoy it. I enjoy the motivational part of trying to reach guys and different groups on the team.
“As far as my schedule goes, I am asking myself all the time, are the things I have to spend my time on, are those in the best interest of helping the Bucs win games or am I spinning my wheels on stuff that doesn’t really matter and what’s the most important things to helping us win? So, those are questions that don’t all have to be answered today.
“Because of the changeover in the NFL, we have to see how some of that shakes out as well because it might not be possible for the staff to come back 100% the same way. We’ll just have to see how that works out in the coming days.
“When we look at everything, if there is someone out there that can do a better job to help us than me calling the plays, then that’s something that we definitely need to look at.”
When asked if there were current capable candidates on his staff to call plays, Koetter responded, “More than one.”
Joe can only assume they are offensive coordinator Todd Monken and quarterbacks coach Mike Bajakian. In his presser, Koetter raved about the job Bajakian performs with America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston.
Koetter also offered there may be additions and changes to his staff, depending on how things shake out in the coming weeks with new head coaches being hired. Koetter said it is real possibility that his staff will not return intact for 2017. (Yesterday, it was learned defensive coordinator Mike Smith will interview for the Jags head coaching gig.)
Koetter stated he greatly respects Mike McCarthy, Sean Payton, Andy Reid, head coaches and playcallers. All at one point gave up their playcalling duties but eventually took them back.
Koetter said if he does hand off playcalling duties, it would be for good, not temporary so he wants to do a significant amount of research to be certain that move would be a good thing for the Bucs.
If this does occur, Koetter said, he would be saddened.
“I have always been a playcaller,” Koetter said. “I love being a playcaller. That is one of the best parts of the game.”
January 3rd, 2017 at 5:37 am
Awesome article Joe, thanks. Dirk Koetter’s take on Mike McCarthy, Sean Payton and Andy Reid all giving up their HC & play-calling duties then eventually taking them back is really interesting. Still rooting for Mike Smith to make it back as a HC … he definitely deserves it, although he’ll be a hard man to replace.
January 3rd, 2017 at 5:55 am
please give someone else a chance to call the plays dirk! get sick of the WR screen to Hump and the long developing 5 & 7 step drop plays
January 3rd, 2017 at 6:28 am
Some of Dirk’s clock management was puzzling, maybe if he was not calling plays, he could help to focus on other strategic game management.
January 3rd, 2017 at 7:40 am
Mike McCoy. Just kidding lol, I know that won’t happen. Most likely it’s Monken if he decides to give it up.
January 3rd, 2017 at 8:08 am
Honestly, I’d like to see the assistants focusing their efforts more on continuing to develop #3 & #13, plus whoever we bring in as receivers this off season. None of them have reached their potential and I’d like to see Monken and Bajakian focusing their efforts on getting those areas locked down before we throw play calling on top of it.
January 3rd, 2017 at 8:08 am
The difference between Koetter, and those other coaches is they have experienced MVP Q.B.’s. Ten years from now it won’t matter who’s calling the plays for Jameis it will be his offense. Ride now Jameis and his play caller need to be tided to the hip on game day, and that doesn’t happen now with Dirk.
January 3rd, 2017 at 8:49 am
Ppl complain about the play calling when we have our 4th and 5th string rb and our 6th? 7th? Wr playing #2 some of the time. We know Rudy can’t get separation just yet but he will learn and get better.
Lazy lazy complaint. Could he use more PA on first down? Sure. But don’t act all macho and say give it up and his playcalling sucks. He’s our best play caller. Hands down.
January 3rd, 2017 at 8:56 am
I have been a critic of Koetter’s playcalling for some time now.
On many occasions he has called low percentage passes on 3rd & 5……has not used screens enough…..has run on 1st down in the red zone almost 100% (would love to see the yardage stats on that)
Constantly calls runs on 2nd and short….(Best time for Jameis’ play action)
Many of our red zone problems are playcalling issues.
I would be comfortable his giving this up because I believe he is a good motivator and great HC and should spend more time with that.
January 3rd, 2017 at 9:17 am
When you watch really great offenses and qbs and they’re hitting on all cylinders that have great rhythm. We don’t look like we have rhythm. Whether due to injuries, Oline, QB etc… we just don’t look good.
January 3rd, 2017 at 9:28 am
How many Super Bowl winning Head Coaches wear two hats?
January 3rd, 2017 at 9:31 am
Bill Belichick, Mike Tomlin, John Harbaugh, Pete Carroll don’t do it.
January 3rd, 2017 at 9:49 am
I had no problems with the play calling. The execution by the players let us down and the overall talent level is much worse than people like to admit
January 3rd, 2017 at 10:12 am
I think play calling early in the year reflected a desire to protect JW from early turnovers. He was very conservative and I think it was deliberate to take some pressure of our young QB. As the year progressed we dealt with a number of injuries at the skill positions and I think this also led to Dirk dialing back his calls somewhat.
With the possibility we lose Smith it may make sense that Dirk takes more of a total team approach to coaching, rather than just focusing on the O. If he is bringing up the idea it seems like that is something he is leaning towards doing.
January 3rd, 2017 at 10:24 am
Chucky Gruden sure shied away from screens, sweeps, etc. when he had the Bucs offense. It was nothing like the wide open west coast one he called for the Raiders. I like DK much better than I ever will Gruden. This was DK’s FIRST year as a HC–earth to the whiners/downers on here. Looks like MSmith is moving on. The defense will be fine. Glad Coach Koetter is getting a bit of a break from game day. He’s got the draft, FA, and coaching changes facing him. That’s a LOT on an experienced HC’s plate. Just ask Belicheat or Andy Reid!
January 3rd, 2017 at 11:07 am
Dirk Koetter is one of the best Offensive game planners and play callers in the league. Top 5 IMO. 2016 was an adjustment year for the rookie NFL HC.
The big advantage in having an Offensive minded HC as capable as Dirk is taping into that beautiful mind on a play by play basis throughout the season. He will figure out the right balance as he goes – and in a couple years will have the routine of how and where to spend his time down pat.
More talent and better stability up front, along with a reliable running game, an athletic TE and a high quality #2 WR allows Koetter to do so many creative things that he just did not have the the talent nor stability on the roster to do this year.
January 3rd, 2017 at 11:55 am
I think Dirk being HC made him quite a bit more conservative than he was as an OC. Then again, he wasn’t so conservative in our 1-3 start and maybe that’s what made him reel it in.
January 3rd, 2017 at 12:24 pm
I’m not opposed to Koetter continuing to call the plays. The execution of those called plays is where most of the improvement is needed.
January 3rd, 2017 at 2:58 pm
Hire Norv Turner as the new Offensive Coordinator
Parlay that, with hiring Tom Moore as the Offensive Consultant
Head Coach: Dirk Koetter
Offensive Coordinator: Norv Turner
Offensive Consultant: Tom Moore
Quarterback Coach: Mike Bajakian
January 3rd, 2017 at 5:16 pm
Didnt the bucs promote koetter because of his offense? It would kind of stupid to give up the one reason we hired you to begin with.
I do understand it all. I think the best head coaches do not call plays. They can then focus more on the team and not on the play calling. When the offense is on the field he can go over to the defense and give them a pep talk. And take time to actually coach his players.
When lovie was fired i didnt really want to hire Koetter as HC. I thought a promotion to Asst HC or something like that would have been better for him. And then hire a HC who’s only job to be the head coach. Not be the DC or OC. Just coach.
As koetter has realized after 1 year, it is a lot of freaking work to be the head coach and offensive play caller. He is doing twice the work he used to when his plate was already full. Im sure he will be able to settle in and find groove eventually. I do think he did an ok job as a rookie head coach calling plays. There were times it probably had a negative effect. But i do not think koetter should give up his play calling duties. We promoted him because of his offensive mind. Do not let that go to waste.
January 3rd, 2017 at 11:44 pm
Maybe Dirk should hire a new offensive coordinator and Dirk can try calling plays on D
Keep it in house 😉