Separation In Space
September 1st, 2024
Letting playmakers make plays.
Joe vividly remembers before the 2023 season began, Mike Evans said he was being used in more different routes with Dave Canales calling the offensive shots than Evans had ever used in his life.
This may be why, at age 30, Evans had one of his best seasons, ending the year leading the NFL in touchdown catches.
But Bryan Knowles, typing in “Aaron Schatz’s FTN Football Almanac 2024” points out that while Evans may have been used differently, that doesn’t mean Bucs receivers were getting separation.
That will change with Canales’ successor, Liam Coen, Knowles maintains.
[Liam] Coen comes from Sean McVay’s tree, and he has brought in Josh Grizzard from Mike McDaniel’s staff to help with the passing game. That means we’ll see plenty more motion and shifting in 2024 — the Buccaneers ranked 23rd with motion on just 38.3% of plays in 2023, while the Dolphins and Rams ranked first and third, both well north of 65%.
It’s a stretch to imagine Evans and Godwin doing anything like the track team Miami has at their disposal, but adding more motion will help manipulate defenses and attack space. Much like in the run game, many of Tampa Bay’s pass plays came in crowded quarters. Evans averaged just 2.4 yards of separation per target, 13th lowest among wide receivers, and Godwin wasn’t too far behind at 2.9. By comparison, no Miami receiver was under 3.3 last season. Neither Evans nor Godwin are ever going to run away from defenders like Tyreek Hill or Jaylen Waddle; for Evans in particular, his ability to come down with contested passes is what has made him a superstar. But occasionally being able to catch the ball in space and run with it would not be unwelcome. All of this sounds well and good. Things Coen are saying he’ll add to the offense would bring Tampa Bay more in line with the top, trendy offenses around the league. Of course, we have yet to find a new coach saying that he’s going to make an offense less aggressive and more predictable, but on paper, this all sounds good.
It’s not just Evans and Godwin. With Trey Palmer’s speed, imagine him getting the ball in space and being able to get a step or two on a defender after a catch. Talk about YAC potential.
Joe wonders if fans already were seeing elements of this with Jalen McMillan? The rookie Bucs receiver was always finding open space.
Sure, you have to have the talent to do that. But was part of McMillan looking so good as a rookie in training camp and preseason games Coen’s work?
September 1st, 2024 at 12:10 am
Yes. Canales was overrated.
September 1st, 2024 at 12:42 am
Are any bookmakers placing odds on Dave Canales’s coaching career following the same path as Raheem Morris ?
September 1st, 2024 at 1:10 am
Canalwater is toxic. Don’t drink it.
September 1st, 2024 at 1:25 am
LFG
September 1st, 2024 at 1:55 am
Dave was a first year oc. He, like everyone who works a job for the first time , had a learning curve to navigate. He had to find success with a below average line. Not sure why so much negativity asssociated with him. He deserves some credit for bakers successful year. Who knows how good the running game could’ve been with Barton under center last year? We can be both hopeful and positive with the new direction, while being grateful for the exciting run we had last year ( beyond almost everyone’s expectations).
September 1st, 2024 at 2:21 am
@Joe —
Remember “Speed in Space”?
The offensive philosophy of the mastermind who Mark Dominik hired as OC for Raheem Morris. Jeff Jagodinski. Many happy hours were spent discussing what that phrase might mean and who/what/how the new doctrine would vanquish the League.
Bad times. Bad memories.
Carry on.
September 1st, 2024 at 3:59 am
One thing we do know about Canales is he is a good QB coach
– pulled the best from Russ
-Geno
– Bake
– and trask
So BY will be a lot better. Now how that translates to head coach is beyond me. Cause his play calling from a Vanilla offense wasn’t it. Now he’s running a whole team.
September 1st, 2024 at 4:30 am
Just do your job Liam and use the guys best strengths…and learn to adjust on the fly….show them something many times every week they havent seen from tape…
September 1st, 2024 at 4:30 am
be unpredictable
September 1st, 2024 at 5:07 am
Loving what Coen is saying and doing. Last year was a transition year with Brady being retired and Bowles being able to choose more of his own staff. Baker was a great choice to take TB’s place and did well. Bucs did very well while sports media had forgotten about them. McMillan seems great right off the draft. It could be that he found the perfect fit with the Bucs. He has been being guided by Coen, as well as veterans Evans and Godwin. From the training camp notes, Jalen has fit in well with Trask and others too.
September 1st, 2024 at 5:41 am
I thought Evans had one of the best separation rates in the league last year (top 5) or am i misremembering?
September 1st, 2024 at 6:08 am
Saying it now….WE NEED STARKS from GA next draft…and we’ll have to move up! all good, we can do it.
September 1st, 2024 at 7:30 am
Let ‘em bake Says:
September 1st, 2024 at 1:55 am
Dave was a first year oc. He, like everyone who works a job for the first time , had a learning curve to navigate. He had to find success with a below average line.
————————————–
True to an extent but the run game was also hindered by Canales’ inability to scheme the blocking in run plays. Most of the time it looked like blockers were just trying to push their man backward
September 1st, 2024 at 7:33 am
Lou. Says:
September 1st, 2024 at 2:21 am
@Joe —
Remember “Speed in Space”?
The offensive philosophy of the mastermind who Mark Dominik hired as OC for Raheem Morris. Jeff Jagodinski. Many happy hours were spent discussing what that phrase might mean and who/what/how the new doctrine would vanquish the League.
Bad times. Bad memories.
Carry on.
____________
I believe Jeff Tedford was the “architect” of “Speed in Space.”
…..and then he ran away
September 1st, 2024 at 8:56 am
I’m a big separatist. Bring on the separation!!!!
September 1st, 2024 at 9:04 am
I think this year will be good and next year much better.
September 1st, 2024 at 10:05 am
Trey needs to be consistent catching the ball and improve his game over the middle if he’s ever going to become anything other than a gadget vertical threat.
September 1st, 2024 at 10:06 am
Grover, here’s hoping you have the clairvoyance! LFG!
September 1st, 2024 at 10:20 am
We weren’t going to see much on preseason obviously, but I do expect to see a lot more pre-snap motion to get the defense to tip off their coverage and expose holes for Baker to diagnose. I’m also hoping to see Otton to begin to see those openings better, too. It will take years to be as good at it as say a Kelce or Gronk or Kittle, but once Otton and Baker get in sync and see the same things, it should open things up all around. I also think we’ll see more designed bootlegs or roll outs for Mayfield to take advantage of his mobility, even though the o-line looks much improved for staying in the pocket over last year.
From what little I’ve seen of Coen, like McVay and others from that coaching tree, they like to take advantage of a defense’s aggression and turn it back on them. I can’t wait for game 1! Go Bucs!
September 1st, 2024 at 10:41 am
“MadMax Says:
September 1st, 2024 at 6:08 am
Saying it now….WE NEED STARKS from GA next draft…and we’ll have to move up! all good, we can do it.”
Another S?
Maybe, but o-line or d-line will be more of a need. CB or WR too. Depends
September 1st, 2024 at 10:48 am
I’m sure Evans’ separation numbers would have been better last year without dropping the two deep passes where no DB was near him. Regardless, we do need more movement and it sounds like Coen is going to bring it.
September 1st, 2024 at 10:51 am
The great thing about motion packages is, they force a defense to adjust. Either the defense reveals itself, or they try to disguise the motion response to fool the QB and in doing so, risk confusing themselves. Boron the Moron was too dim to use it, or too lazy. Canalwater was too vanilla and too obsessed with pounding a Charles Sims clone up the middle with 3 Matadors getting abused by opposing D-linemen.
Let’s see it. We are ready.
September 1st, 2024 at 10:57 am
^^mtn^^ – Kenneth Grant.
September 1st, 2024 at 12:37 pm
Jeff Tedford was the Speed in Space guy Lou.
September 1st, 2024 at 2:30 pm
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Of course, we have yet to find a new coach saying that he’s going to make an offense less aggressive and more predictable, but on paper, this all sounds good.
***************************************************************
He didn’t quite come out and say it but, That’s pretty much what we’ve had the past two years. IMO
September 1st, 2024 at 2:57 pm
Talk is always cheap because supply always exceeds demand
September 1st, 2024 at 3:05 pm
Mike Evans doesn’t need to be open to catch the ball.
That’s the one and only criticism I ever had of Brady – I wish he’d have forced the ball more to Mike regardless of if he was ‘open’. Mike, in one-on-one situations, is always open. The Miami guys are a couple of midgets, they have to get open to be open, Mike does not.
September 1st, 2024 at 5:05 pm
Sorry Canales apologists, he was terrible. Can’t be worst and still be good.
September 1st, 2024 at 6:16 pm
“A Bucs Fan Says:
September 1st, 2024 at 10:57 am
^^mtn^^ – Kenneth Grant.”
Oh man, Kancey, Vea & Grant? Are you kidding me?
Let’s see how things shake out. But as it stands right now, if Grant was there at the end of the 1st …..
I mis-typed/ spoke on o-line. Bucs probably wouldn’t (in most cases) take a G in the 1st.
DT/ DL is the new trend
September 1st, 2024 at 6:19 pm
“SlyPirate Says:
September 1st, 2024 at 5:05 pm
Sorry Canales apologists, he was terrible. Can’t be worst and still be good.”
How about -“He has strengths & weaknesses just like any other normal person” ?
September 1st, 2024 at 11:39 pm
Canal water has strengths as a QB coach, motivational speaker and corporate stooge.
As an OC — not so much.
September 2nd, 2024 at 1:39 am
Yes, but in all fairness, George Kiffmeister (aka Monte Kiffin, RIP) had a comparable year his 1st stint as an NFL DC with New Orleans under Mora but with a losing record of 7-9.
So, I’m looking at his positives while he improves his weaknesses, if possible.
Not that I’ma “Canal-water” fan, just trying to be fair to everyone