“We’re No Longer Tampa 2”
August 14th, 2010
Veteran Bucs icon Ronde Barber had a fun chat with the Sirius NFL Radio Movin’ The Chains crew when it visited Bucs camp on Wednesday.
Admitting he’s dropped five pounds this offseason to play at 175, Barber talked to co-host Tim Ryan about the changes on defense.
Ronde Barber: We’re no longer Tampa 2. We’re Tampa 2-point-something. We’ve evolved a lot. And we still have our same bread-and-butter coverages. Some of the blitz schemes are the same. But Raheem’s really been creative this offseason, man. He has guys on his defense now that can handle everything. You got a great corner in Aqib. You have a great safety in T-Jacks. You got very athletic linebackers that can run and handle all the blitz shemes and some of the things that we’re trying to do up front. I’m excited for it.
You don’t know what we’re going to put on the field this year. Before, this defense was: line up, I’m sure everybody knows what we’re playing, and we’re just going to outwork you, we’re going to outhustle you, we’re gonna try to outhit you, and we’re going to win that way. This time around, it’s a little bit different. It’s the same formula, but there a lot more catches to it.
Joe’s excited to see Raheem The Dream’s new upgrades to his defense. Last offseason, defensive mastermind Raheem The Dream’s changes brought in the heinous Jim Bates Experience.
Joe’s hoping for much better this time around.
August 14th, 2010 at 9:03 am
i’m really excited to see this hybrid tampa-2. i’ve thought for a few years now that that defense needed to be tweeked.
August 14th, 2010 at 9:30 am
Anyone who questions Rah’s knowledge on X’s and O’s is a real maroon……now, questioning his ability to be a head coach is another story, but the guy knows defense no doubt about it
August 14th, 2010 at 9:33 am
we are Tampa Too Young ….most likely…
August 14th, 2010 at 10:04 am
question rah all you want but i think even the heavy doubters have to be pretty excited to see how the young guys progress. maybe anxious is a better word for some of you.
August 14th, 2010 at 10:39 am
I am excited. Rah has these guys coached up this year.
August 14th, 2010 at 10:50 am
Like the handle you have there Jiminy. 🙂
August 14th, 2010 at 11:20 am
I’ve been excited about this defense for months. It’s a really aggressive mutatation of the Tampa 2. It’s predicated on pressure, both up the middle, and Lb blitzes on the edge. If it works the way it can,you will soon hear the words “Genius” and “Raheem” together alot!
August 14th, 2010 at 11:23 am
If we hadnt heard the same thing about the Bates system last year, Rah might have some more cred.
But, he has every opportunity to prove himself this year.
Personally, Ill believe it when I see it. Not ready to accept that he is even close to Monte at this point, much less improving on his defense.
My recollection is that Monte was brilliant at halftime adjustments.
August 14th, 2010 at 1:21 pm
Monte’s defense was all too predictable in the latter years. Rush the same 4 guys from the same 4 spots. I think he somewhat lost the ability to make good adjustments in his last few years. Just my opinion, but Rah has a new energy and creativity that was lacking on defense. I would love to see them use more pass rush games as Steve White calls for week in and week out. I have a good feeling about the team this year, but they need to get these nagging hammy’s and ailments over and out of the way. Myron Lewis appears to be way behind as well as Price. Both 2 guys that were going to be heavily relied upon. Miami will be a god test and I’m anxious to see the young guns get out on the field. Huggins for sure, Biggers, and the D line.
August 14th, 2010 at 2:45 pm
Dont’s worry my mcfriend BigMac, all the teams are in the same boat. They will be ready when it counts.
August 14th, 2010 at 2:52 pm
Monte’s defensive ranking his last four seasons:
2005 : 1st
2006: 17th
2007: 2nd
2008: 9th
Top ten defense three of last four years? (including a first and second?)
Monte was predictable. Predictably outstanding.
August 14th, 2010 at 3:00 pm
BTW,
Rah’s 2009 defense?
27th.
The young man has a longgggggggggggggggggggg way to go before being mentioned in the same breath with Monte Kiffin.
August 14th, 2010 at 3:05 pm
Agreed again, eric (is something wrong today???). Monte was absolutely incredible at gameplanning for opponents and adjusting at the half. The last couple years he didn’t even have the best personnel and still have good success. The 9th ranking in 08 would have been better, if the D didn’t fall apart when he announced he was leaving with 4 games left (all 4 were losses eliminating us from the playoffs). That alone just goes to show how important he was to the team.
Now, if Morris can use the same D, with a few “twists” and some youth and talent… it is possible the D could return to form very quickly. The guys they have are very well suited for this D from the DT’s to the DB’s. I would not put Morris in Kiffin’s category until I’ve seen a dominant D for many years, but I won’t say he can’t get there either.
August 14th, 2010 at 3:18 pm
Rah is a genius when it comes to stopping Chris Redman.
If I had to choose one coach to help me stop he great Chris Redman , it would be Raheem Morris.
August 14th, 2010 at 3:19 pm
You guys should remember, Morris is a Kiffin guy, so we must hope he learned a few thingsa from him…Remember how crazy Monte was on Rock Riley’s show. Maybe he coached Morris on pressers.
August 14th, 2010 at 3:24 pm
Hey here’s a quick Monte Kiffin story:
Every Saturday during the Bucs season, Monte went to the Hair salon at JC Penny’s on Weshore for a haircut and pedicure (yea I said pedicure).
I know thic cause my girlfriend worked as a receptionist there.
I arranged to drop by one day when Monte was there so I could meet him. It was the Saturday before an away game in Indy, 2007 I think.
He sat in the waiting room scribling plays down on a napkin and throwing them in the trash like a madman. When I met him I asked him how we were gonna stop Peyton.
He said : “I wish like hell I knew”.
My girlfriend said he did it every week, write plays down, tear up the paper even while getting his hair cut.
eccentric guy. (they didn’t stop Manning that Sunday)
August 14th, 2010 at 4:48 pm
Eric, great story. You should have offered to take out the trash and bagged some of those plays.
August 14th, 2010 at 4:51 pm
Creamsickle…I giggle everytime I read your handle.