Bruce Arians: Devin White Needs Better Understanding Of The Defense
January 26th, 2022
Buccaneers savior linebacker Devin White is off next to the Pro Bowl after his alternate status was upgraded this morning.
But how good is White?
He regressed this season. Blame Lavonte David missing four games, or blame White having different responsibilities when the Bucs were missing starting cornerbacks. Or you could try to blame White’s overall mentality by saying he tried to do too much and that led to freelancing and a loss of focus.
Bucco Bruce Arians was asked about White’s growth through three years and his ceiling during a visit this week to the Buccaneers Radio network.
The head coach sees a great talent who is still learning Todd Bowles’ defense.
“He can get so much better and he’s really good now,’ Arians said of White. “It’s understanding of the total defense and how it fits. And how he fits. Not just playing out there on straight ability, which is pretty [damn] good.”
Thought-provoking take there by Arians. You don’t usually hear a coach talking about a three-year starter needing a better understanding of a defense. White not only is mentored by Lavonte David, but the Bucs have a big coaching staff and Joe knows White has Derrick Brooks just a phone call away.
It’s makes Joe wonder what would happen one day if White jumps into a new defensive system.
The TAMPA TWO duo weigh in on the painful loss that was. Legend Derrick Brooks joins Sage of Tampa Bay Sports Ira Kaufman for the dissection and discussion. More must-watch insight from The Identity Tampa Bay and Joe.
Derrick Brooks “Didn’t Like That Call;” TAMPA TWO Tackles A Wild Weekend
January 26th, 2022 at 12:08 pm
agree 100% ith BA…..
January 26th, 2022 at 12:10 pm
Much better than Kwon Alexander though.
January 26th, 2022 at 12:14 pm
Arians … go get a better pash rusher , go get a solid shut down CB. And go get a good safety .
Also have your db coach step up. All year your run defense was 1 pass defense was 28-32.
Arians have a better understanding how to balance your defense.
January 26th, 2022 at 12:15 pm
Seems like so many players and coaches suggesting this.
I am pretty sure that LaVonte David is tired of White’s lack of knowledge.
January 26th, 2022 at 12:25 pm
Looks like he did a lot of freelancing maybe this year. Out of position, bad reads.
January 26th, 2022 at 12:28 pm
D-Rome one linebacker was a 4th rounder and another was top 5. Devin white should be light years better than kwon was. And honestly he hasn’t looked that way. If you put on tape side by side, and took a look at kwon and devin white, you wouldnt say “Man, D White sure looks like he should’ve been a top 5 pick. Kwon lived up to the hype of him being drafted at round 4. D white aint did anything but talk
January 26th, 2022 at 12:28 pm
I think he went into the off-season feeling himself a bit too much and wasn’t focused as he should’ve been. Put on a little of that championship weight and didn’t grind like he should’ve. How bout more focus on football and less on the lil YouTube show that the Bucs have him doing. The entire organization needs to be hungry again and things were probably a bit too lackadaisical after the Superbowl win.
January 26th, 2022 at 12:29 pm
Sounds like the Bucs need better coaches and coaching!
January 26th, 2022 at 12:39 pm
white is terrible
January 26th, 2022 at 12:43 pm
I would’ve like to have seen PROGRESSION. There are many contributing factors that might explain the lack of production. Truth is, we were 13-4. That’s a LOT of WINNING football despite his individual “struggles.”
I think the scheme needs to looked at in terms of it’s success rates and how it overcomes deficiencies. While known as a blitzing team, it doesn’t mean you should ALWAYS blitz. If certain blitzing positions success rate is low, maybe you look at tweaking that.
What concerns me a little is a 1st round DT that plays part-time, and in the Divisional Playoffs no less.
I would also be hesitant in dropping OLB/DEs into coverage, especially if they’re rookies. If they’re in coverage, one has to assume a LB is blitzing, one that’s better suited in coverage.
White needs to get back on track as does the entire defense and defensive scheme. I love the aggression but it has to be timely and smart to blitz. If you don’t have the personnel, adjust.
January 26th, 2022 at 12:56 pm
Umm… what?
Is he on the Jameis 5yr learning curve?
January 26th, 2022 at 1:04 pm
Trade him while he still has value, Micah Parsons is already a better player than D. White.
January 26th, 2022 at 1:18 pm
whaaaa? last year he was the next coming….
This guy has the tangibles and intangibles. stop hatin
January 26th, 2022 at 1:27 pm
So, the head coach says a 3 year starter needs a better understanding of the defense? What a boob, doesn’t say much for the coaching staff starting with BA and Bowles.
January 26th, 2022 at 1:30 pm
Just seeing that now? Did you sleep through the season BA? How can anyone defend this guy. He has a linebackers coach, assistant to the LB coach, assistant to the assistant and a assistant to the assistants assistant.
January 26th, 2022 at 1:39 pm
Robert Says:
January 26th, 2022 at 1:18 pm
whaaaa? last year he was the next coming….
This guy has the tangibles and intangibles. stop hatin
……………………
Sorry man, no one’s hating. Fact is DW had a bad year. If HC calls you out, there’s a reason.
January 26th, 2022 at 1:40 pm
“Guy has the tangibles and intangibles “
Just doesn’t understand a defense he’s the QB of, for the last three years.
January 26th, 2022 at 1:49 pm
He’s starting to remind me of Kwon Alexander and not in a good way
January 26th, 2022 at 1:53 pm
White just needs to be used better. Stop dropping him into coverage where he’s clearly not all that good. Said it all last year and this year, White should be running at the ball on every play, that’s when he excels. Last year Bowles didn’t get around to using him as a blitzer until the 2nd half of the season, and that’s when White sudden burst out as being a top NFL LB. This year, Bowles went back to early 2020, and stupidly used White in coverage the majority of the time. How many times do you need to see that not work before you figure things out?
When you have a special talent, you don’t tell them to play a role they don’t do well in. It’s just flat out stupid. White, when he was playing going forward this year, looked just like the guy with his hair on fire from the end of last year. Also, just like last year, when he was asked to drop into coverage and play in space, he wasn’t all that good. So don’t use him that way, use him the way where he’s an all-pro and a difference maker.
January 26th, 2022 at 1:54 pm
So,, whose job is it to teach White how he fits into “Bowles Defense” ??
Could it be Bowles??
January 26th, 2022 at 1:57 pm
If he doesn’t understand the defense its the coaches fault period.
January 26th, 2022 at 2:00 pm
Captivajim, Rod,
Agree. DW is more of an attack dog than a coverage guy. Bowles scheme isn’t working for either.
January 26th, 2022 at 2:02 pm
Sapp did a great Evaluation of the last play and basically said only Suh was doing his job the right way and called out 54 for having his hands on his hips and 32 for horrible angle along with 31, how can that happen like that. Mike Lombardi on his podcast blamed Arians and said coaches need to start coaching and stop assuming
January 26th, 2022 at 2:17 pm
Biff Barker Says:
January 26th, 2022 at 2:00 pm
Captivajim, Rod,
Agree. DW is more of an attack dog than a coverage guy. Bowles scheme isn’t working for either.
——–
Well Bowles scheme did work during the SB run, and to give Bowles some credit, I think he had to switch things up because of all corner injuries, and because of the Bucs switching to playing a ton of zone. But you can still blitz and play a zone, and there’s other ways to have 4-rushers and 7 in coverage if that’s the plan.
But creativity is the big thing. White is such a game changer when he’s blitzing and running at the ball, he’s not only getting to the QB, he’s messing up the running game, he’s such an asset you have to figure out how to get him rushing on every play possible. When in coverage, when asked to make plays in space, he’s just not that great – I don’t think he’s terrible, he’s just nothing special. But blowing up blockers, pressuring the QB, he might at this point be the best guy on the team at doing that, even better than Shaq (it’s close, I wouldn’t argue with someone who says I’m wrong).
January 26th, 2022 at 2:20 pm
Devin is a stronger louder version of Kwon smh them LSU linebackers I tell ya boi
January 26th, 2022 at 2:29 pm
A lot of these young guys seem to confuse potential with actual results. The NFL is about results….potential got them on the team, results keep them playing and paid.
To me this is a bit of a red flag with Bowles. Again, how do you have all this talent as well as a huge staff and guys like White dont know their role in the scheme? White was a shell of himself when David was out….JTS looked absolutely lost at all times out there. I think the talent is factoring in much more then the coaching. You give Belichick this defense and you think it performs better or worse?
January 26th, 2022 at 2:31 pm
Will you idiots shut-up about Kwon.
Kwon was a great LB, the only reason he isn’t here now is because he kept getting injured.
Kwon is a guy who the Bucs should try to sign in fact as he’d be a huge upgrade over Minter.
January 26th, 2022 at 2:32 pm
Rod
I agree that he’s not good in coverage, we all see that. What’s particularly worrisome is getting in the backfield and completely whiffing, and the biggest Kwonism, bad angles that cause him to be chasing.
His enthusiasm is great, but 3years and getting worse? And it was bad from Dallas game on, it’s not all about injury.
I ain’t giving up yet, but his 4 game playoff show last year is starting to feel like Kwon’s one great play on Julio.
January 26th, 2022 at 2:45 pm
Translation: Devin White is dumb.
January 26th, 2022 at 2:53 pm
**** I HATE ARIANS. PLEASE RETIRE!! What coach throws his players under the bus to the media ( including a 7 time SB winning QB)?
How do you expect to gain his respect when he does that.
ARIANS ALWAYS BLAMES SOMEONE ELSE!! Seems like White had a pretty good understanding last year…..I suppose this year, their talent us not enough…and ALL 3 COACHES GOT EXPOSED in the ram gm for not knowing how to coach!
Leftwich plays are boring and predictable.
Bowles, doesn’t even know when not to blitz
Arians helped pick all of these track stars wrs that catch catch or get ooen……..hits players in the head, can’t get a SB team motivated till 2nd half or 3rd quarters of the game….then blames everyone bit himself.
Devin White didn’t get the play, the blitzing CB was lined to far out and NO ONE THOUGHT TO AT LEAST BUMP COOPER ON A ZERO BLITZ………………your handpicked DC called……..its UP TO THE HC TO HV YOUR TEAM PREPARED EVERY WEEK………Arians that loss fall on you Bowles and Leftwich
January 26th, 2022 at 3:01 pm
I’m so sick of hearing about how this guy’s elite. He can’t hold Lavonte’s jock strap. And also sick of seeing him jump up and pound his chest after making a tackle when the runner got a 1st down.
January 26th, 2022 at 3:03 pm
Ron Says:
January 26th, 2022 at 2:53 pm
Please get back on your medication. Arians never threw Brady under the bus. I’ve never seen him throw any player under the bus. Calling out an error on a play or saying someone could have made better decisions is not throwing someone under the bus.
If he was throwing guys under the bus, he would not be so popular with players.
dumdumdumdumdum
January 26th, 2022 at 3:11 pm
Lol. Get rid of White…trade White…etc. Man are some fans D U M B
January 26th, 2022 at 3:21 pm
See i disagree. He is calling out players and that is fine
But when you dont call out coaching like special teams coach disaster for two years and bowles disaster last game coaching …players dont like that
May this could be interesting offseason
January 26th, 2022 at 3:53 pm
Here’s another player….”Trade him because he has value but he stinks”
Sure, he was an alternate to the Pro Bowl…..Just how many LBs fit that role?….I guess only the bad ones.
After this loss…every player on the defense who isn’t a DT is going to get trashed.
January 26th, 2022 at 4:13 pm
So much for the Luke Kuechly comparisons – this article is so cringey to think about a guy being in a system for 3 years and not mastering it.
We are so screwed if Brady retires – I don’t see us making the playoffs if he does and we don’t get Aaron Rodgers.
January 26th, 2022 at 4:14 pm
The pro bowl is a joke.
January 26th, 2022 at 4:31 pm
Third year in this system, and he’s still learning? Sorry, year three as QB of the defense he should know what eveyone out there is doing, sad he still doesn’t know what he’s doing. He said he needs to study more film this coming year. That tells me he didn’t study enough last year. Ride horses when you have it down pat, until than, you need to grind on your craft young fella.
January 26th, 2022 at 4:37 pm
I’m thinking maybe time to look at the Coach. I’ve never seen him coach! I see Todd coach,I see Byron coach. But I never see Big Bruce coach! I’m hearing about splitting in the locker room, I’m hearing Bucs insiders that know team situations going forward that My boy Tom Brady is not going to end up with a contender bucs team. My boy isn’t going to suffer on a rebuilding team. Joe Montana and Steve Young go pickup Mooch and pay our boy Tom Brady and Giselle a visit. Offer to name a street after her,give her a Malibu mansion on the Coast. Give My boy Tom Brady a 49er uniform to finish his career in. Then he can be governor of California after he retires!
January 26th, 2022 at 4:42 pm
To me, he looked like he had trouble getting off of blocks, and may have hit the turf from them more than I would have liked. I also saw Whitehead and Winfield make a bunch of plays I normally would have expected DWhite to make, so maybe he is not being put in the best position to thrive.
January 26th, 2022 at 4:58 pm
I think it’s just very low IQ.
January 26th, 2022 at 5:08 pm
White is more of an attack dog– agree 100%. Didn’t seem to have the fire and desire of SB year. A lot of drifting around unfocused at snap time. ” A “gap blitzes in SB year were fierce- not so this year. Had an off year, but is too good to give up on– can’t force an attack dog into a finesse role– coaches need to play to his strength– Minter didn’t help much when LVD was absent- Lost his bearings- maybe he was thinking too much :)-
January 26th, 2022 at 5:11 pm
When Cooper Kupp “decleated” him on a block, that was all I needed to see.
January 26th, 2022 at 6:55 pm
White doesn’t appear to be the only one who doesn’t understand the defense. After the Rams’ last drive, I wonder if Bowles understands defense at all!
During his draft, didn’t White say that he was going to become the first $100M LB?!
Save for Winfield, JPP, Sue & LVD, this whole defense seems to lack football intelligence & definitely discipline.
January 26th, 2022 at 7:03 pm
he had to ad lib this year with injuries to others and he wasn’t 100 percent
plus his coordinator is obviously not alway a genius
January 26th, 2022 at 8:01 pm
Devin White needs to curb his boyish enthusiasm and learn to stay home, home being when the scheme tells him to be.
He went the wrong way when a couple of screens were developing. That is inexcusable. He has a long way to go if he didn’t learn that in grade school.
January 26th, 2022 at 8:19 pm
Low IQ hahahaha
January 26th, 2022 at 9:45 pm
Ben saying and seeing this for years minus the end of last year ….. he also has a slight case of Gerald Mc Coy Disease…….. I would watch Derrick Brooks, Luke kuechly, Willis with San Fran and every half of football or even every series if you can absorb plays and not just the ball ,,, You would see something Special , every single game and I’m sorry I just don’t see that nor the athleticism…… Sorry I see some good plays but not the great plays nor ability …… Gerald McCoy possessed a super quick first step and that was about it besides an elevated opinion of himself with a big inaccurate mouth. White possesses more McCoy than the other three !!! Btw he’s not near as athletic as David !! I think it’s clear Lavonte thinks the Bucs are better off with a different player
January 26th, 2022 at 11:40 pm
Captain Oblivious Says:
January 26th, 2022 at 1:27 pm
“So, the head coach says a 3 year starter needs a better understanding of the defense? What a boob, doesn’t say much for the coaching staff starting with BA and Bowles”
Amen. I just rode my horse over a cliff. My horse just doesn’t understand cliffs.
January 27th, 2022 at 2:14 pm
In a side note and it’s just one opinion of many butts. I live the red on white combo. Maybe we can stop with the dumb superstitions and rock a red jersey at home. I am sick of the white on pewter