Kacy Rodgers Gets Props
April 3rd, 2021
Bucs DL coach Kacy Rodgers.
Just yesterday, Joe brought word from former Bucs coach Dirk Koetter who raved about the Bucs’ pass rush.
This intrigued Joe because three short years ago, Koetter’s Bucs had no pass rush — unless you call 22 sacks total from a team a “pass rush.”
So today, Peter Engler and Robert Simpson, typing for The33rdTeam.com, decided to list the best defensive assistants in football, both for the NFL and college. In listing their top-five, Bucs defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers made the list.
In five seasons with Denver from 2014-2018, former UDFA Shaquil Barrett compiled 14.0 sacks. In only two seasons with Kacy Rodgers, Barrett led the league with 19.5 sacks and added another 8.0 in 2020. Of course, one player’s improvement doesn’t make a good coach. However, Rodgers has caused these kinds of improvements multiple times, with Joey Porter (plus-12.0 sacks), Cameron Wake (plus-8.5 sacks), Olivier Vernon (plus-8.0 sacks), Muhammad Wilkerson (plus-6.0 sacks) and DE Henry Anderson (plus-5.0 sacks) all taking sizeable jumps under Rodgers’ tutelage. Much of the credit for the defensive turnaround in Tampa goes to DC Todd Bowles, but don’t forget about the consistent impact Rodgers has shown in getting the best out of his players.
No doubt!
If you look at Rodgers’ resume as a defensive line coach (he is a Bill Parcells disciple), wherever Rodgers has been his defense has always had a pass rush. How refreshing from the day when we thought Gerald McCoy’s 9 1/2 sacks was akin to Michael Strahan. That’s how desperate Bucs fans were for sacks.
(Ah, the good ol’ days of the late Daniel Te’o-Nesheim, Ryan Russell and Henry Melton.)
As long as Rodgers is a defensive line coach for the Bucs, Joe is confident the Bucs will find a pass rush.
April 3rd, 2021 at 2:33 pm
Stud
April 3rd, 2021 at 2:55 pm
“Ah, the good ol’ days of Daniel Te’o-Nesheim, Ryan Russell and Henry Melton.”
Joe, how could you forget sackless Kyle Moore?
April 3rd, 2021 at 3:51 pm
What better time to be a Bucs fan
April 3rd, 2021 at 4:08 pm
Rodgers is doing a great job but Shaq is an OLB and the OLB coach for the Bucs is Larry Foote. Rodgers should get credit for Vea and Nacho etc. Not trying to be negative but give credit where its due.
April 3rd, 2021 at 6:04 pm
Colin, same with at least Joey Porter on that list. Miami had an OLB coach and Porter would have definitely been in that meeting room. I’m guessing same with Wake.
April 3rd, 2021 at 7:08 pm
Yup, not trying to take anything away from Rodgers but that linked article should be talking about Vea, Gholston, Nacho etc and to be honest i think if they did bring up those guys it would be a more compelling case then Shaq and JPP.
April 4th, 2021 at 7:57 am
We have no glaring needs, and after the draft there will still be a ton of FA’s to choose from who might come cheap. One year prove it to the league deals. Cap should go up after this season players will have to wait to get paid. So why not play for the champs for a year?
April 4th, 2021 at 9:49 am
I just read this in a Jenna Laine column…WOW
“When Vea was on the field last season, the Bucs’ defense had a pass rush win rate of 53%. When he was off the field, it was 46%, according to ESPN Stats & Information. When Vea was on the field, the Bucs allowed opponents just 2.95 yards per rush, and 3.98 yards per rush when he was off the field.”