Liam Coen Lays Out Left Guard Battle
July 21st, 2024
New Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen.
It’s a two-man competition and the Buccaneers’ new offensive coordinator spelled it out.
Speaking on The Sick Podcast — Pirate Parlay, Liam Coen didn’t shy away from the premise that the Bucs’ left guard job comes down to a battle between young veterans, Sua Opeta and Ben Bredeson.
Opeta spent years with the Eagles, and Bredeson was a fourth-round pick of the Ravens in 2020 before being traded to the Giants a year later.
“Both guys are physical. They’ve both been well coached at [other teams],” Coen said of Bredeson and Opeta. “They’ve got experience. They played a lot of football last year. And it’s a true competition [for training camp], right? We didn’t see the pads on [in the spring] and it’s so hard to evaluate an offensive lineman without pads.
“And that’s going to be the whole thing — like who, obviously, can get removal up front and the inside, get removal, move people, but also be sturdy in pass protection. Both guys are very eager. They’re smart. They’ve picked up the offense. So no issues there. It’s just going to be a matter of really who plays better, who’s more comfortable, you know, who’s more comfortable, who can communicate with those guys at a high level.”
Coen went on to imply that the better run blocker might get the nod for the left guard gig. He stressed that the Bucs want to be balanced, “We’re not going to sit there and dropback pass 45 times a game.
For the record, no full-time quarterback in the NFL threw more than 36 times per game last season.
The better a guard can run block, Coen explained, that minimizes the number of times an offense is forced to pass. And that’s critical, he said.
Joe is fired up to watch the competition unfold when training camp practices begin on Wednesday, though it’s all underwear football (no pads) until next week.
Also, Joe was intrigued to not hear Coen mention Robert Hainsey’s name as a left guard candidate. Hainsey, it seems, is in his own competition.
July 21st, 2024 at 10:25 pm
Whoever doesn’t scream “Ole’ “ a half second after the snap will have the advantage.
July 21st, 2024 at 10:34 pm
Which is ugliest?
July 21st, 2024 at 10:46 pm
Gets Removal? Is that a Next gen stat? California valley girl thing?
Geez
Go Bucs!
July 21st, 2024 at 10:49 pm
I hope he is right but I also hope he is prepared to get a LG who can play.
We tried this crap last year and Baker was running for his life. Our run game was …well you know. Disregarding pass blocking is very dangerous Liam.
Go Bucs!
July 21st, 2024 at 11:03 pm
Well, last year the Three Matadors sucked at pass blocking, but at least they were horrible at run blocking. So Liam’s vision is technically an upgrade.
July 21st, 2024 at 11:23 pm
Well, our running game would make a turtle think he could win an Olympic medal.
July 22nd, 2024 at 12:43 am
Look, Hainsey is our backup C, starting C maybe until Barton learns. And Hainsey can back up LG and RG….so just chill, Hainsey has his spot
July 22nd, 2024 at 12:53 am
I’d love to see Elijah Klein develop and get thrown into the mix later in the season or even next offseason. Half of being a competent OL is attitude and desire and that guy has both in spades.
July 22nd, 2024 at 4:54 am
Being a 1st Rnd pick, Barton isn’t gonna sit on the bench; chances are excellent that he’s our starting Center. But if for some reason Hainsey improves so much that he wins the C competition, I’d fully expect Barton to start at Guard.
Personally I’m excited to hear that Hainsey isn’t going down without a fight. He’s shown that he’s got the intelligence & leadership abilities to be a starting C, but not the strength to be one. He appears to be fairly stout in the upper body, but not so much in the lower body. If he’s gained additional muscle there, I think he could hold his own as a starter, at C or G.
July 22nd, 2024 at 5:42 am
Hainsey’s value is in helping develop Barton, and backing him up. I thought there was a chance Mauch could move to LG allowing Klien to play RG his college position. It appears now they don’t want a rookie guard playing next to a rookie center. Better to keep Mauch on the right side, and have a vet play LG so Barton will have two vets next to him.
July 22nd, 2024 at 6:20 am
“The better he runblocks the less he has to pass block” seems like a pretty shaky rationale, imo.
July 22nd, 2024 at 7:21 am
Listen to the interview, to the part Coen says “the success of the run game is really about all 11 guys on the field”
Can’t forget that part Joe.
July 22nd, 2024 at 8:10 am
Dave Pear… you do the “Ole” joke on just about every offensive line post. Keep it up, eventually someone might find it funny. Don’t let it’s past failures deter you.
July 22nd, 2024 at 8:31 am
What if they both stink?
July 22nd, 2024 at 9:42 am
Well, at least we have some depth
July 22nd, 2024 at 10:02 am
Hmmm, beefing up the o-line to improve the run game… imagine that.
July 22nd, 2024 at 10:17 am
Ole’ Brandon. The new catch phrase for every post.
#Ole’BrandonIcehole
July 22nd, 2024 at 10:39 am
Opeta has the rep as a very good run blocker but so-so pass blocker, but it’s interesting that Bredeson seems to be getting the most reps so far. Maybe Bredeson’s center experience will help Barton in the games.
July 22nd, 2024 at 3:31 pm
I still have it stuck in my head what Joe said about a loud popping noise during OTAs. Turned out it was Klein trying to wreck the blocking sleds. Now that was an interesting report to me. I hope makes a mark this summer.
July 22nd, 2024 at 8:13 pm
How’s Klein’s speed? If he can run in a straight line maybe he can be the new bruiser style running back some of y’all keep calling for ? 🤣🤣
July 23rd, 2024 at 6:15 am
Anyone wanna post Bredesens pass blocking stats from last season.
They were horrible.
Me, Im tired of talking about the pointlessness of starting career backups.
Bredesen will be a major weak link all season long.
Weve done this the last 2 years, guess we are gonna do it one more year.