Offensive Linemen Agree On Shuffling Mystery
December 31st, 2018
One of Joe’s missions in the Bucs’ locker room today was to get an answer that Dirk Koetter would not provide to media.
This mystery was rooted in the 2017 season. Inexplicably that year, Koetter rotated Kevin Pamphile and Evan Smith at left guard until injuries on the offensive line ended the rotation.
Pamphile, now with the Tennessee Titans, didn’t like it at all but wouldn’t go further with Joe on the subject, even at the Bucs-Titans joint practice this summer in Nashville.
The concept simply did not jibe, and it was as if Koetter knew it so he was hiding his reasoning.
Offensive line often coaches bellow about continuity on the line and its importance. Well, Koetter was intentionally shaking that up. Tackles much prefer a guard playing next to them regularly for obvious communication reasons, but Koetter didn’t put a priority on that.
After last year’s left guard shuffle, Koetter transferred that to right guard this season with Caleb Benenoch and Smith, and then Benenoch and Alex Cappa.
Today in the locker room, Joe talked to three offensive linemen about why this was done. Hey, Koetter’s gone and it’s just an Xs and Os question, right?
Well, Joe got answers.
And the players said the reason for the rotation was never explained. It was just one of those things and the reason was not communicated. It wasn’t a popular situation among the linemen, not a problem, per se, just something they didn’t get.
Joe’s willing to bet a few hundred bucks that the next Bucs offensive guru won’t play that wacky guard game.
December 31st, 2018 at 8:50 pm
Hey joe, such a different tone compared to when Lovie was fired. Why is that?
No clue what you’re talking about. All the archives are available off the home page if you want to offer more detail. –Joe
December 31st, 2018 at 9:05 pm
“TampabayAllDay Says:
December 31st, 2018 at 8:50 pm
Hey joe, such a different tone compared to when Lovie was fired. Why is that?”
Huh? I don’t get where u are going with this question. He roasted Movie for his stubbornness and lack of giving a damn. We all did. Why try and create drama?
December 31st, 2018 at 9:14 pm
The answer is that those guards suck. I’m mean Evan Smith and Caleb Benenoch, you’re better off putting a “wet-floor” sign in their place. The sign would surely slow defenders down more than Caleb Smith. Smh
But I bet they did wonderful stuff off the field and in the community so hey they must be good. Smh.
December 31st, 2018 at 9:15 pm
Its a new day in Tampa Bay
December 31st, 2018 at 9:19 pm
Licht scheming to fix the oline problem over a bottomless beer mug
December 31st, 2018 at 9:25 pm
Man the OL problems go all the way back to when guys like Donald Penn and Zuttah were jettisoned for next to nothing almost during the 2013 offseason. The OL has been shaky since then. Not drafting Laremy Tunsil when he was available and grabbing YH3 hurt as well in 2016. Throw in Koetter’s infatuation with guys like Benonoch and it is a miracle that Jameis did not get all busted up like his buddy Marcus Mariota up in Nashville.
December 31st, 2018 at 9:38 pm
Now that Dirk is gone why not pile on some more. We’re still trying to make our case as to why we needed to fire him I guess.
December 31st, 2018 at 9:46 pm
Joe , it prob cuz one they got tried and two they sucked and he was trying to find a hot hand
December 31st, 2018 at 9:59 pm
Look. Joe harped on Lovie..extra hard with all of the special sauces because he knew he would get..mega responses. He probably won’t..harp on Dirk as much because..Well, its kinda hard not to like some of Dirk. He is a decent OC and will land an OC job in the NFl. My man Lovie..had run his course. I personally liked Lovie. But,, he did not get the job done. When he left you could not point to one improvement other than,,he drafted Jameis. Dirk on the other hand..did improve our overall Offense. Happy new Years guys. Its new Yrs eve and I’m off to..get my drunk..opps I mean.. My drink on!!!
December 31st, 2018 at 10:07 pm
Sunny if they suck than they should have addressed that issue during the off season. Or even during the season. They should have been bringing guys in. There were a lot of offensive lineman picked up during the year that started games and played well. Fresh off the streets. You don’t move a guy from right guard to center to left guard. And if I remember correctly when Smith and koetter we’re together there main problem on offense was the offensive line. Until after they left they got the stud center and a couple draft picks panned out. Every coach has a weakness. And evidently this was koetter. The scariest thing is our gm was an offensive lineman and was suppose to be good at evaluating talent on the o line. As someone mentioned earlier the only logical reason he was retained is because they already had a few with Arians contingent on Licht being the gm. Now they are just waiting to interview the chiefs offensive coordinator to comply with the the outdated Rooney rule. This isn’t the 50s if a taliban coach is the best coach available he will get a chance in the nfl. And if he Doesn’t do good the whole team will be BLOWN up. And they will hire the next most qualified person.
December 31st, 2018 at 10:17 pm
Jeff , not having good players is licht fault , thus causing dirk to shuffle them , for all we know dirk and licht might have been at odds about it and licht won the power struggle , I still believe if dirk a another yr with a new decent DC , we could be in the playoffs, our offense is good enough
December 31st, 2018 at 10:49 pm
He wasn’t hiding anything it was just stupid and made no sense to have a rotation. Lots of teams even panthers started a fifth round rookie on their o line, Koetter is just trash
December 31st, 2018 at 11:01 pm
Pamphile was, and now is a right tackle. This O-line mish mash was the biggest condemnation for the offensive side of the ball. Sweezy goes from being horrific to a pro bowl alternate… impossible to script. How far was our RG from being a Pro Bowl alternate? Was he even on the ballot? Honestly, we might have a RG Pro Bowler, problem is he played Center last season and Left Guard this season.
January 1st, 2019 at 2:55 am
this goes back all the way to guys like russ hochstien and what not…he went to the patriots
January 1st, 2019 at 2:56 am
we ruin our offensive linemen somehow…so many flop here and thrive elsewhere…what is up with that???
January 1st, 2019 at 3:56 am
I never, ever, ever, ever, never liked George Warhop who we picked up from Cleveland to become the oline coach here. Terrible choice.
January 1st, 2019 at 4:22 am
We didn’t rotate Logan Mankins or Ali Marpet. The rest of our guards suck.
But Koetter was a players coach and wasn’t gonna throw guys under the bus
January 1st, 2019 at 6:23 am
FortMyersDave, that 2013 line was overpaid, underperformed, and was getting older. It needed to be blown up.
January 1st, 2019 at 10:13 am
Warhop needs to go. The sooner the better. And take Bennoch & D Smith with you.