Zyon McCollum No Longer Scared
September 19th, 2024
Cornerback Zyon McCollum.
Joe was concerned that Zyon McCollum may have needed a season or two of seasoning to become his best self.
Joe has a hunch, so did you.
So when the Bucs traded their No. 1 corner, Carlton Davis, to the Lions in the offseason and anointed McCollum as his successor, Joe held his breath. McCollum didn’t seem quite ready to take over as a full-time starter.
Even though Joe could see McCollum improving daily in training camp as he shadowed Mike Evans, Joe still wasn’t sure. Training camp can play games with your eyes.
After two games, Joe’s going to walk out on a limb and suggest that McCollum is ready. He was part of the awesome defensive effort Sunday shutting down the high-powered Lions offense in a thrilling 20-16 Bucs win.
McCollum even had his first career interception. More to come, he said yesterday.
“It’s just the start,” McCollum said. “I want to get six.”
He dang near had two last week. One was in his hands and he dropped it, though it would have been a circus catch had he pulled it in.
So what changed? How did McCollum improve so much? He’s a better football player, McCollum confessed.
“I was always scared, I was always fearful,” McCollum said of his rookie season. “I didn’t necessarily trust myself.”
Eventually, McCollum gained coaches’ trust and that led to his confidence rising. After Davis was traded, Todd Bowles said repeatedly McCollum would be fine, in part, because he started so many games last year while Jamel Dean and Davis took turns getting hurt.
“Now that I know I have the coaches’ trust and I have my teammates’ trust and I’m starting to trust myself,” McCollum said. “I can really know what I see from film. When I see it out there in the game, I just go for it.”
Joe spoke with McCollum several times during training camp. McCollum always told Joe he was improving because he was always assigned to defend Evans. How could he not improve with that daily task?
Honing fundamentals has sharpened McCollum, Bowles said.
“I think when he got here, he was lunging a lot,” Bowles said. “He’s a willing tackler, he was just lunging a lot and leaving his feet and putting his head down, so he was missing some.
“Now he’s gathered himself, he’s calmer, he keeps his head up and he wraps up and he’s playing well.”
Wrapping up on tackles? Can you imagine? How refreshing.
McCollum said so long as he’s in position to make a play, he will make it.
“Whenever the ball is finding you, you’re doing good things,” McCollum said. “I’m just going to continue to be in the right spots and let the ball find me.”
Joe wavered back and forth about how deep the Bucs secondary was during training camp and worthless preseason games.
The way so many guys have stepped up the past two weeks alone, some like Christian Izien playing out of position yet making plays, Joe is happy with the depth. And McCollum is a big reason why the Bucs may have a talented group of defensive backs.
.@Buccaneers secondary played amazing defense with the Ball in the air forcing 18 incompletions from Goff; and without the Captain…@AntoineWJr11 Holding the @lions to 16 points is a winning effort. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/55vc6as87e
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) September 17, 2024
September 19th, 2024 at 12:11 am
Look at any of your old post I was saying zy is going to be that guy this season I kinda thought watts and Ramirez was going to be better and I was kinda right about one at least lol go buccs
September 19th, 2024 at 12:43 am
This Bo Nix is a rookie. Gaines and Brewer and Gholston and Britt need to shut down the run, then the fun can begin. Bucs could have 3 picks this Sunday.
September 19th, 2024 at 1:06 am
“He dang near had two last week. One was in his hands and he dropped it”
Check that play again @joe. He got it and the WR deflected it like CB. Great effort from both players. Zyon was a true WR like you told us before and the lions WR was a good CB in that play.
Thanks as always for the great work.
September 19th, 2024 at 4:16 am
McCollum looks to me like a top 5 corner. Even with Izien, our safeties are top 5. Whitehead is a beast at the LOS on the run.
Sir Dennis should start. Britt was still abused on passing downs when in there.
Tykee Smith is gonna be a baller. You could see some injury rust.
We need Kancey back ASAP. Can’t believe he is out to start the season again.
Greg Gaines and CJ Brewer need raises. What are we gonna do with Brewer after he is elevated for 4 weeks, when Brown comes off IR?
Lots of little questions but nothing major yet.
LFG Bucs.
September 19th, 2024 at 5:24 am
Fully agree. Zyon has come into his own. It was always there and it sounds the coaches and other players gave him the guidance and encouragement he needed. This will be his break-out season.
September 19th, 2024 at 6:26 am
I thought Zyon was perfectly fine LAST year (just looked at pff, THAT says he’s a lot better THIS year, 77)
September 19th, 2024 at 6:37 am
Zyon has turned into a baller. Sirvocea has been a beast in limited snaps.
You know who’s not a beast?
Callijah “the gimp” Kancey.
September 19th, 2024 at 7:05 am
I mean he goes up against Evans and Godwin in camp and practice everyday.
September 19th, 2024 at 8:18 am
Bucs fans are no longer saying we have no DB depth anyway. I’m not hearing the we got no ILB depth either now that people are realizing how good Dennis is going to be. Listen to the coaches. Bowles will tell you what’s up. You also need to pay attention when he doesn’t mention a group. He called out the punter when asked about special teams. He almost just said all the positive areas and omitted it then he said it needs to improve.
September 19th, 2024 at 8:27 am
He proved himself as cb early last season when he got the start due to injuries. Then he proved he was a hard hitting safety when he got a start at the end of season. Considering his athletic gifts and prior performance, why anyone would be nervous about him or about trading Davis is beyond me.
September 19th, 2024 at 8:39 am
ZMac also has two terrific veteran DBs to learn from when he’s playing: AWJ and Whitehead. One thing I noted in the “worthless” (?) preseason and it’s carrying over: the entire Bucs team plays with a focused discipline. You can also see it in the highlights above. Credit Licht and Bowles on that one. Go Focused Bucs!!
September 19th, 2024 at 10:46 am
In Baldy’s clips above, what impressed me most with all these deflections, picks, and quick tackles is that the secondary had done a LOT of film study. They knew what routes were developing in front of them, and quickly broke on the play.
THAT is makes Bowles an excellent DB coach. Impressive showing against the Lions – great job, Bucs D ! ! !
September 19th, 2024 at 11:21 am
Southeast Buc is right – Amon-Ra had to play defense on that pass, and he did a hell of a job preventing the interception.
That last play by Tykee looked awesome as well.
September 20th, 2024 at 9:35 am
That little thing, trusting yourself, is really something harder to do than think about all the what ifs. I think it has to be even harder sitting behind someone else because the hands on approach makes me feel better about things. Zion did a nice job last year and has done a real good job so far. Love it!! Let’s Go Bucs!!!!