Good Marks For Virgin Center Alex Cappa
August 30th, 2018
Joe strolled over to rookie Alex Cappa’s locker after tonight’s game and asked the question.
“Have you ever played center before tonight?”
Nope, Cappa said, it was his first time ever in organized football.
“Hey, no balls on the ground,” Cappa said with a smile. “I think I did pretty well. It was fun and I felt comfortable.”
At 6-6, Cappa isn’t your prototype center, but he is the prototype student of offensive line play. And he’s doing everything he can to be versatile in order to make the Bucs roster and be active on game days.
Joe asked Dirk Koetter after the game how Cappa performed as a virgin center. Many Bucs fans remember how badly it went the last time the Bucs put a virgin center in a real game.
“I think it was great to get him some snaps at center tonight,” Koetter said. “Just coming in, I asked him how it went. He said, ‘It was fun.’ When we brought him in [during] his pre-draft visits, he said he took snaps every week in practice but had never done it in a game. Well, now he’s done it in an NFL preseason game. That can only help long term because versatility is huge. I know he was tackle; we’ve been playing him at guard. If you’re one of those seven [offensive linemen] on game day, you’ve got to be able to play two spots, especially if your’e not starting.”
Props to Cappa for taking on everything the Bucs have thrown at him as a late-third-round pick out of Division II Humboldt State. He’s a lock for the roster, but his goals are much higher than that this year.
August 30th, 2018 at 11:52 pm
He’s a rook from D-II and i’m excited to see how he can develop over time. Be awesome to see him become “the Bouncer” that he looked liked at Homboldt but also awesome to have him turn into strong, versatile backup.
August 30th, 2018 at 11:56 pm
WTF?
Does this staff have a real plan at all?
Players out of position.
2nd round picks who don’t get it. First round picks who take all of training camp off.
4-12
August 30th, 2018 at 11:58 pm
Keeper
August 31st, 2018 at 12:09 am
They’re always jacking around with young players! Whatever happens good or bad; they deserve it.
August 31st, 2018 at 12:54 am
Does Cappa maybe have some Conrad (Dobler) in him?
August 31st, 2018 at 1:25 am
From where I was sitting, I kept seeing Cappa downfield blocking even when it was a pass play. He was the only offensive lineman I saw go that far downfield blocking. He looked like he was one tired dude at one point.
I like Cappa, he will end up a starter sooner than we think.
August 31st, 2018 at 6:42 am
while ,i am not a big proponent of playing a player out of position,the reality is
teams are often forced to play with makeshift lines.
August 31st, 2018 at 7:02 am
C’mon guys! Having Cappa learn different positions gives the Bucs depth and versatility for WHEN, not if, a lineman goes down.
Props to Cappa for having the “want to”!
August 31st, 2018 at 7:09 am
Jmarkbuc Says
“WTF?
Does this staff have a real plan at all?
Players out of position.
2nd round picks who don’t get it. First round picks who take all of training camp off.
4-12”
TROLL!
It must be a sorry existence when you have to get your satisfaction in life by trolling the fansites of teams you don’t even follow. My guess is you are a fan of a division rival…probably the Falcons, given the level of intelligence you put on display here.
August 31st, 2018 at 7:15 am
Personally, I realize it was only the least important preseason game, but Cappa is already learning guard, and he is probably Dotson’s eventual replacement. That’s already two positions.
I would have thought learning two new positions and getting acclimated to his own is a bit of overkill.
August 31st, 2018 at 8:35 am
Great attitude. This a foundation player
August 31st, 2018 at 8:53 am
Hey – at least you’ve now seen Cappa successfully snap the ball in a live game.
It’s not impossible that 2 OL players could get hurt in the same game. When you only dress 7 on game day, versatility must be practiced and emergency contingency plans must be accounted for. It may seem far fetched that Cappa would be needed at Center for a game – but you never know… “Situational football”. The Bucs are smart to cross train these guys and use pre-season in this way.
I have high hopes for Cappa at whatever position he ultimately winds up at (probably RT).
I don’t think he has shown enough yet to earn full trust as a starter out the gate – but would not be surprised to see him as a starter at some point this season.
Keep working Alex!
August 31st, 2018 at 9:11 am
He said he had fun.
That’s great news ain’t it Gummy?
August 31st, 2018 at 9:29 am
Cappa gonna bust one in all of his doubters.
August 31st, 2018 at 9:35 am
he did decent at center….I seen fowler give it to him a couple plays but he’s a former #3 overall pick…..
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!….#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!…GO BUCS!!!
August 31st, 2018 at 9:45 am
As usual I agree with Bucsfanman and Pickgrin. What they said!
August 31st, 2018 at 10:40 am
middle finger to all the people who chastised me for saying Cappa will replace Dotson one day
August 31st, 2018 at 11:21 am
Bonzai
STFU and go play with your facebook page.
You don’t know Jack about me, clearly.
August 31st, 2018 at 2:43 pm
Watched Cappa all through college and got to know him some. Smart guy, fun guy, works really hard on and off the field and we are proud of him up here at Humboldt. Oh, and he can juggle, how can you not love that. Just watch him.
September 1st, 2018 at 4:18 am
@tlcfree
thx for still supporting him.
He needs to get faster feet and stronger legs.
Some of those big DT’s in the preseason were pushing him back too much.
And too many guys were able to fly past him untouched.
But I saw enough from him to believe that he could start at RT or RG in 2 years.
He needs 2 years to gain another 10-15 pounds while also improving his footwork.
But I believe in Alex Cappa.
He’s gonna stick around.
Go Bucs!