Special Coaching
April 24th, 2019
Special attention.
Read into this what you wish but Joe suspects it is a good thing.
Yesterday during the nearly two-hour Bucs underwear football practice, there really wasn’t much of anything to glean from it. Sure America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, looked sharp but he was throwing against air.
Sure, wide receivers were catching passes, but they were guarded by air. Defensive backs seemed to be all over the place but it wasn’t like they were being blocked to the sidelines and out of plays.
No, what Joe saw that jumped out was for about 20 minutes, Bucs guard Alex Cappa was getting individual coaching from an offensive assistant.
There were no other players or coaches involved. The assistant took Cappa along a goal line and worked with him on fundamentals, footwork, hand placement, leverage, you name it. Just the coach and Cappa. “Snap” after “snap,” for 20 minutes.
Joe isn’t sure he has ever seen that before at an NFL practice.
One goal of Bucco Bruce Arians hiring an army of assistants was more coaching for all the players. Yesterday, Cappa was getting his fair share, all alone.
There are two ways of looking at this: The first would be why did Cappa need so much individual attention? The second angle would be if the Bucs (read: Arians) didn’t think Cappa was worth the bother, the Bucs wouldn’t waste one minute of time coaching him up one-on-one, much less 20 minutes.
Join Ira Kaufman and Joe at the annual NFL Draft blowout. Everything will get rolling at the South Tampa Buffalo Wild Wings around 5:30 p.m. All kinds of drink specials!! TVs inside and out. Buffet available!!!
April 24th, 2019 at 5:20 am
Cappa better be killing it in the weight room! That’s all I’m saying
April 24th, 2019 at 5:28 am
is 20 min considered a long time for practice? serious question
April 24th, 2019 at 5:42 am
jason Licht has said previously ,he thinks Cappa is ready to start. If that is their intention, they might try and get an OT in the draft. They have to plan for Dotson’s eventual replacement.
April 24th, 2019 at 5:54 am
Is there anyone on this team not named JPP that doesn’t need work?!
This is a good sign, actual COACHING of players.
April 24th, 2019 at 6:00 am
Anyone that gets coached for 20mins at ANYTHING 1 on 1 is going to retain. GOULD OWN YA BA!
April 24th, 2019 at 6:27 am
Bob in Valrico
Totally agree. I bet they will do the same thing today. If he looked like he picked up the coaching from yesterday and got better then maybe they don’t draft guard /tackle in second round
If he struggles again today and looks like the coaching did nothing for him …well then early Oline pick …here we come.
With draft so defensive lopsided , I’m sure the Bucs are hoping they can go defense with first few picks (cause they really need to use in first three rounds)
Maybe they grab the tackle from Elon in the 4th
April 24th, 2019 at 6:33 am
In the short video they released the other day , it looked like Cappa put on some Lbs in the offseason
Hopefully they are good lbs and he is ready to go this season . Again , maybe they still really want him to play right tackle for Dotson and not guard as he played tackle in college and has frame more of a tackle then guard cause he is so dang tall
Regardless , they need a solid right guard in a big way
April 24th, 2019 at 6:46 am
6-10
April 24th, 2019 at 6:49 am
^^^Thank you for that insightful contribution! Why are you here?!
April 24th, 2019 at 6:56 am
No question oline player is necessary. But Maybe he is already on team
Bucs need a starter on defense at all levels –
Dline
Linebacker
Db (question if they need corner And safety ) but definitely corner
April 24th, 2019 at 7:01 am
Is 20 min long for a practice haha not making fun of you but if that’s long in the nfl these guys need way longer practices
April 24th, 2019 at 7:05 am
he needs the coaching because he didn’t get it in college and didn’t get it last year. That’s why. Stevie Wonder can see that.
April 24th, 2019 at 7:06 am
The way the Bucs have played (with a couple of exceptions) it seems to me like they need MUCH MUCH more than 20 minutes of extra coaching! Hell Joe you make it sound like the Bucs could barely spare a coach… they have like 30 of them right?? Sorry I’m not impressed.
April 24th, 2019 at 7:06 am
And George Warhop was nowhere to be seen.
April 24th, 2019 at 7:15 am
That’s actually a good thing. I like how he is concerned about who can learn fast. He has mentioned “learning” a lot. And Joe I remember you saying that BA said something to the effect that when a coach/GM draft an o’lineman, they are basically drafting a guy for the next coach because the learning curve is massive in the NFL them. So a one on one session with a coach is exactly what I expected to be honest. Good teachers take time to teach one on one sometimes.
April 24th, 2019 at 7:20 am
It wasn’t coaching…..it was SCOUTING…before the draft !…wanted to see up close and personal Cappa’s footwork,handwork and most importantly QUICKNESS against air, because if there are questions against air they know it won’t translate against Pro Bowl defensive players
April 24th, 2019 at 7:23 am
I really hope that Cappa can come on strong this year, regardless of where they have him play. WE NEED HIM. Our OLine has stunk it up when it comes to run-blocking, and that impacts our TEAM in multiple ways IMO. Scoring, or lack thereof, is certainly the most obvious, but TOP comes into play also IMO. It’s a critical factor, unless you happen to have a quick-strike offense like the Chiefs (they scored a bunch, but their defense paid a price in terms of more time-on-the-field … KC’s TOP was only 29:01 last year).
Far as drafting an OLineman goes, we’ll get one in the Top-4 rounds I’m confident, but where in there is anyone’s guess (31 other teams may beat us to our ‘must-have’ guy?). I just want to see us walk away from those first 4 rounds with a DLineman, a MLB, a RB and a OLineman. And as long as the Bucs do that … and the DLineman is Quinnen Williams OR the MLB is Devin White … I’ll be happy.
April 24th, 2019 at 7:26 am
BA stated he wanted to see if younger players could learn…..this is part of an evaluation that is taking place to determine what our draft needs are.
He will get feedback from that coach on Cappa.
April 24th, 2019 at 7:26 am
“Coaching?
Can someone stick Cappa with some Steroids
Our female coaches has more muscles than this mush”
Kobe Faker
April 24th, 2019 at 7:28 am
Because I unlike you idiots know this is not a good team and is still the 4th best team in the division (unless one of the other Qb’s get hurt). And I don’t have on rose colored glasses.
8-8 would be the absolute best case scenario which is highly unlikely.
So sorry you don’t like the truth.
And I seen this sh@t show since 1987.
So I have a right to feel how I do seeing as this franchise has been one of the worst since it’s inception.
If you don’t like it go root for the pats. That’s easy.
Otherwise deal with sour fans and skeptical fans like myself who have seen this song and dance many a times.
April 24th, 2019 at 7:46 am
Coaching. Brings a tear to my eye. There really is …hope.
April 24th, 2019 at 8:14 am
He needs coaching because that’s what happens when you reach for most projects in the draft. The next thing the Asst. coach needs to do with Cappa is take him to a barber shop. That long hair makes him look like an inbreed loony in a B horror movie.
April 24th, 2019 at 8:26 am
“Lighten Up Frances” “Figures”. Been going to games since week 1 1976!! When U live a Buc Life you’ve got to realize it starts at the top with the Glazers! And before that the Culverhouses!! In looking at those 2 families and the idiots within them… Don’t take things too serious until we get new ownership!!
April 24th, 2019 at 8:53 am
“The first would be why did Cappa need so much individual attention?” – Joe
That would seem obvious. He was a rookie last year and is still acclimating. One-on-one coaching, especially for the younger players, is what will make them great.
It’s called player development. Happened all of the time when Monte Kiffin and his staff were here.
April 24th, 2019 at 8:59 am
Michael Liedtke will probably be Dotson’s eventual replacement. Alex Cappa at guard. Or vice-versa. Cappa has been cross-trained at Center as well.
Here’s an interesting note:
The Buccaneers currently have 10 Linebackers on the roster.
April 24th, 2019 at 9:00 am
Hopefully they see enough potential in him to not waste another high draft pick again at guard
April 24th, 2019 at 9:02 am
Hodad Says
“He needs coaching because that’s what happens when you reach for most projects in the draft.”
I have news for you, ALL players need coaching, and the younger ones need more. Reaching or not.
And the term ‘reach’ is subjective. No one here feels Ali Marpet was a reach now, but at the time nearly everyone did.
If a player works out, he’s not a reach.
April 24th, 2019 at 9:03 am
Of all the players on the Buc’s roster Cappa would be the one who would seem an obvious candidate for “special attention”.
He has the thinnest resume of any of the Bucs. Humboldt State?
Quickly tell me where that school is even located! The Lumberjacks are located in Arcata CA. Where is Arcata? It’s in very Northern California surrounded by Redwoods and other forests hence the name Lumberjacks.
What kind of coaching did he get at a Division II school isolated in the forest?
As for how he looks…smooth not defined…remember looks like Tarzan plays like Jane? The opposite can also sometimes be true. Lots of OL are not cut up and defined and some even sport big boilers hanging over their pants but they are still incredibly strong and agile.
And so how much hope should we have? Well all players can be overwhelmed by their rookie year in the NFL. Imagine coming from Humboldt State and Arcata CA. He’s past that first year and will not be overwhelmed this year.
As for his reputation…Tarzan or Jane on the field…how about the opinion of Mike Mayock who certainly has credibility…and said of Cappa….. “he had the nastiest tape of any division II offensive lineman he has ever seen”
Love NASTY on our OL. That would give us two nasties.
April 24th, 2019 at 9:04 am
Glad to hear about this.
These 3 practices are being used as additional evaluation time prior to the draft.
Coaches had months to look at tape of games and practices. Now they get 3 days to work with these players on the field and see how their tape evaluation stacks up to their own personal impressions of working directly with certain guys.
As a 3rd rd pick – we need Cappa to develop quickly to fill that massive hole at RG.
April 24th, 2019 at 9:39 am
Figures- Long-time Buc fan here too. You are certainly entitled to whatever opinion you want. For me, I just choose not to be miserable. Football and the Bucs are entertainment. I have expressed on this blog multiple times that until the Bucs organization or it’s affiliates start paying my mortgage or put food on my table, that is the limit of my involvement.
The off-season is always one of optimism for Buc fans……because we have been so historically bad.
Karma is what you make it. My positivity does not stem from my belief that the Bucs go 16-0. That is unrealistic. Football is entertainment.
Sure, according to past production, it is logical to think that this team will not compete for the playoffs. But why carry that mentality into a season that hasn’t even started yet? There are numerous examples of teams that have risen from the ashes. Is it impossible to think that it can’t happen here?
Just my 2 cents! It’s also fun to needle people sometimes!
April 24th, 2019 at 10:07 am
Bucsfanman Says:
“I just choose not to be miserable.”
~~~~~~~
PERFECTLY said.
April 24th, 2019 at 10:14 am
Is it me or does this guy look terrible. He looks like he is slow and weak.
April 24th, 2019 at 10:33 am
BA said when we ignore you then as a player you should be worried, but if we are coaching you then we see something in you as a player.
Not an exact quote but I am trying to relay one of BA’s philosophies in coaching. So I see it as a good sign they are trying to coach him. Will he turn into a starting OL ? Only time will tell and I see it as a good sign.
April 24th, 2019 at 10:34 am
Fans are so focused on who we can add in the draft but BA is smart enough to know that the success of this season will come down to players already here not how many of licht picks that can be replaced. Bad enough we have to replace Geraldine because he’s not producing. You have a camp before the draft to see who is hopeless and who has potential to contribute. I just hope they aren’t over estimating the talent here like licht has done every year
April 24th, 2019 at 10:37 am
mort
i agree…..
he’ll finally get NFL level coaching….
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!!
April 24th, 2019 at 10:46 am
Him and Evan Smith look like Jay and Silent Bob
April 24th, 2019 at 10:49 am
I wouldn’t be surprized if Cappa is the starter at G or T
April 24th, 2019 at 11:05 am
Agree completely with Bucfanman and Tampa Bay Demon!!!
Life is choices…why not choose to not be miserable. It’s just a game.
April 24th, 2019 at 11:26 am
Not surprised he needs some ‘special coaching’. Last year, he was a rookie, from a small school, on a bad team, with substandard coaching.
That’s a few strikes against him right from the jump. But I’m hoping he’s our Jorah Mormont…peel off the greyscale and there’s a smart and loyal warrior underneath.
At rough 6 foot 6 and barely 300 lb he did need to put on a few pounds, especially in the legs. That shouldn’t concern anyone…I once taught a kid in HS who was a dominant 6’4″ DL but couldn’t get above 250. Told him that’d change once he got to D1 and his diet was established and monitored. He got to 300, was a 1st round pick and played nearly 10 years for 3 teams.
April 24th, 2019 at 11:31 am
People get so silly with rookie expectations.
When you come from a small school and didn’t have a routine and get drafted. You don’t have time to get ready for a grueling NFL season.
I guarantee you, a full year of strength/conditioning and professional nutrition has done wonders for a guy who already has the mentality to be our RG.
Cappa will start this year and do fantastic. If we draft for o-line, it should be a RT to replace Dotson, but I’m not giving up draft capitol before round 4 to do it.
Our first three picks must be BPA of EDGE, DT, LB, or CB in some way.
April 24th, 2019 at 2:17 pm
this is exactly what a bad team needs. the bucs must have learned from all the times they have purged their roster only to see guys produce in other cities, that you are better off coaching the guys you have than finding guys who can perform without solid coaching
cappa may be the future at RG or RT. he may not be. he’s much less likely to reach his potential taking every 10th snap in some drill vs having a coach pull him aside and give him dozens of reps in a row
April 24th, 2019 at 4:29 pm
Or 3, He was being coached, calm down and STOP jumping to conclusions based on nothing. And then the Buc fans following with the stupid comments. He was being coached!