Historic Performance By Liam Coen?
November 8th, 2024
For now, Joe will take the word of an old man with a ton of experience calling plays in the NFL.
If the Bucs’ success on offense continues, Joe will dive deep into the hard research.
As a first-time NFL playcaller introducing a new offense to a team, Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen has his club averaging 28.8 points per game.
That ranks fifth in the NFL and is even slightly more impressive than it used to be considering scoring is down in the league over the past 1 1/2 seasons.
Bucco Bruce Arians told Barstool Gambling that what Coen is accomplishing is more than just damn good. He praised Coen for doing a job that might be historic.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever seen anybody averaging close to 30 points a game in a first-year takeover — in a new offense,” Arians said. “So it’s a credit to the guys buying in.”
Joe just started the process of researching the performances of new NFL playcallers and first-year takeovers with a new offense. But is a little leery. Documenting Coen’s special season might help Coen move on after this season. And Joe wants no part of that.
Late in the 2015 season, Joe researched then-playcaller Dirk Koetter achieving the super-rare feat of leading a top-10 offense for three different NFL franchises.
Making that news public prompted a call from Koetter’s agent to Joe, which led to Joe learning about Koetter’s quest for a head coaching job. (And it also led to securing a nice chunk of inside information over time.)
So yeah, Joe’s a little nervous about hyping Coen. The thought of him leaving Tampa should make any Bucs fan nauseous or worse.
November 8th, 2024 at 10:15 am
Relax. If/when faced with the choice between Liam and failed Lovie2, it’s a no brainer who you keep. Just like Jason and the Glazers offloaded Lovie1 because they liked the offense, and the defense not so much, same now as it was then. If the Glazers and Jason don’t make the move to redeploy Lovie2 as a college professor offering an entire curriculum on losing cultures on Monday, it will surely happen in January.
November 8th, 2024 at 10:16 am
Bucs Offense Rank (points)
NFC – 2nd
NFL – 4th
Bucs Defense Rank (points allowed)
NFC – 31 (2nd worse)
NFL – 29 (4th worse)
November 8th, 2024 at 10:16 am
They need to dump stubborn Bowles and promote Coen. No brainer
November 8th, 2024 at 10:17 am
Coen is a must keep for the Bucs. Unless he scores like 3 ppg the rest of the year it would be a travesty to have him leave Tampa.
November 8th, 2024 at 10:25 am
Seen a lot of Coen to HC chatter and I don’t know if that is necessarily the answer. Getting a DC and allowing Todd Bowles to focus on the HC job instead of the defense might be at least a little beneficial.
While I am not a Bowles loyalist, it seems as if the players (at least the core players) are, so why not just take the defense away from him. If that doesn’t work then I guess give him, the axe, but Coen is WORKING as our OC. Eventually, yes I am on the Coen HC wagon absolutely, but why rush him there when he’s already doing the best job possible now.
November 8th, 2024 at 10:30 am
‘him leaving Tampa should make any Bucs fan nauseous or worse.’
The thought of Coen leaving Should…
The thought of Bowels staying should….
Replace the loser with a winner as HC seems a no brainer!
November 8th, 2024 at 10:52 am
This would be a perfect time to bring my old boss back, he would definitely have gone for 2.
November 8th, 2024 at 10:55 am
Coen is gone after the season. Embrace the suck.
November 8th, 2024 at 10:59 am
@Baker Bowl
The issue comes at the fact other teams will be clambering to sign Coen as their HC once this season is over. We might be forced into choosing between making him the HC or letting him walk elsewhere, he might have more sense than Canales and not willingly step into a HC job at a franchise that is desperate but we shall see.
If come next year we see Coen walk because the FO decided to keep Bowles as the HC over Coen then im sure I wouldn’t be alone in being majorly PO’d.
November 8th, 2024 at 11:03 am
He will be coaching in New Orleans or New York Jets next year. Kudos to Buc’s braintrust for hiring him.
November 8th, 2024 at 11:09 am
Just because Liam seems to be a good (great?) OC in his first year, SURELY doesn’t qualify him for a HC job. Sometimes I think you guys are nuts.
November 8th, 2024 at 11:09 am
Yeah I can definitely agree with you on that, I would 100% take Coen at HC instead of Bowles, on the flip side, I would be worried that he might underperform at that position and we lose all of the offensive progress we have made this season. Similar to what is seemingly going on with TB and the defense.
I’m aware we had better personnel that were playing at a higher level when he was just DC, but I don’t think it is as cut and dry as we all seem to think.
November 8th, 2024 at 11:13 am
@Farmer I also agree that he might have a better perspective on how much of a change the HC job is, especially with a desperate team with maybe not so much talent. I still don’t understand how Dave Canales has a job let alone a HC job.
I think we’re all on eggshells come the end of the season. Coen has been an unreal hire and I hope to continue to see him on the sideline.
November 8th, 2024 at 11:14 am
Let’s see. We were a few plays from the NFC championship game last year. Hmm. We had Bowles but not Coen. Hmm. This year 2 OT losses, one loss on missed Winfield goal line strip, and if Evans makes a catch we’re up 17-0 and the Ravens game may be different result. Easily could be 8-1. Licht and Bowles have built this team. I really love Coen but he’s benefiting from this organization and a great QB just starting to reach his prime. He’s a smart dude and you can tell he’s happy right where he’s at. Stay together, get better every day, and let’s finish strong. I agree with you guys- it’s a “no brained”.
November 8th, 2024 at 11:16 am
Seems like Arians is impressed with Coen’s Dink and Dunk (West Coast) offense like Bill Walsh used. Scoring 28 points per game is what counts. LFG!
November 8th, 2024 at 11:30 am
Tampa Bay Bengals and Cincinnati Buccaneers have alot in common this week –
one team went for 2 pt conversion, the other didn’t – both lost –
Both are at a pivotal point in their seasons.
November 8th, 2024 at 11:36 am
Not a lot has changed from 2023 and that first year play caller. 59.8% passing in 2024 vs 58.9 in 2023. Over the last games it’s been up to 64%, Not because it is so dynamic but because Bucs were losing.
What has changed is it’s a second year of all the key offensive players building on the gains of the previous season, Add that to an Offensive line that is hands down better than lasts years. That’s where the differences come from.
When you run up the score on teams that are just not any good or teams in the early part of the season where they have not played a whole lot of live snaps the points average get elevated.
If conditions were dry in KC that game is not even close. This week against the 49ers in good weather and a playing surface where the receivers do not have a greater advantage Bucs offense will be seen for what it is. So So with or without it’s two best receivers. 284 yards of total offense this week will result in a drumming and the Bucs going into the Bye 2 games under .500.
November 8th, 2024 at 11:42 am
Where’s to post when you talk about about the Bengals going for 2 when Bowles didn’t I would like to hear what you guys have to say
November 8th, 2024 at 11:45 am
He should be the head coach next year. Do not let him leave for that position to another team!
Get a young DC in here next year and give Bowels his walking papers.
November 8th, 2024 at 12:00 pm
The Bucs with Glazers and Jason have a history, demonstrated performance ce. Lovie1 sucked as a HC and DC but Koetter was ringing the bell with Jameis and they made the move.
Expect it again. Although Jason, unlike Lovie2, learns from his mistakes. He won’t let Coen just hire his “buddy” (Mike Smith) to run the defense. He will vet the hire, and also needs to insist Coen hire a full time OC. No more wearing both hats rubbish.
And then there’s the wild card, Bill Belichick. Keeping Liam, making him OC/assistant HC to work under The Goat – priceless experience.
November 8th, 2024 at 12:11 pm
It is nice Joe, and a nice article.
November 8th, 2024 at 12:13 pm
Crickett Baker obviously doesn’t watch the games, with two all pro receivers out Coens offense still puts up big numbers and against the stingiest defense in the league KC. Come on man this guy will be head coach somewhere in the NFL.
November 8th, 2024 at 12:18 pm
Maybe he gets offered a HC job, maybe he doesn’t. If he gets offered a HC job the Bucs will be in a tough spot. He is clearly more creative than the guy from last year and the offense is clearly better than last year.
We are on pace to put up 141 more points this season than last. 83 more first downs. 5.1 ypc vs 3.4. and 7.6 vs 7.1 per pass. To say the offense is basically the same is crazy. Is some of it players being better? Yes but a huge part of it is the coach calling the plays.
November 8th, 2024 at 12:30 pm
I wonder who head coach liam will get as his defensive coordinator next year?
November 8th, 2024 at 1:01 pm
Liam Coen has brought the best offense to the Bucs I have ever watched. Is it Baker? Is it Godwin? Is it the line? Decent depth at the receiver position? I dunno. I am not discounting the players. But Mike, Chris, Rachad, these guys have been here. And this just looks so much better. Yeah, Baker amd this O is sort of a dink and dunk master class. I don’t care. It’s effective and fun.
(Caveat, it definitely relies on fantastic skill players and good assistant coaches, not trying to take anything away from these guys. I love em.)
But I really haven’t enjoyed Bucs Offensive football this much ever. It’s what I always watched other teams do on Sundays. Spread the ball around. Don’t stop short of the sticks. Creatively use your personell to their strengths. Abuse the weaknesses of your opponents.
Chuckle didn’t look this good.
Arians didn’t look this good. (But it was close)
November 8th, 2024 at 1:12 pm
Peter principle is rampant in the NFL. Good coordinators don’t necessarily make for good HCs. Obviously it’s the most likely source unless you raid the college ranks. It would be shame to lose Coen to another team, but promotion to HC is a leap. His HC stint in KY wasn’t stellar but there’s not a lot to work with there either. IMO the best scenario, if they want to keep Todd and Coen is to make Todd accept a DC and pay Coen whatever he needs. Todd’s stubbornness probably wouldn’t allow that though. Rock and a hard place for the FO.
November 8th, 2024 at 1:37 pm
So Liam is doing a great job as OC. Fantastic!
Now we should fire Todd and make him head coach after less than a full season?
Give him 3 times the work and therefore take his focus (at least partially) off of scheming/developing our OFFENSE, which we all agree is the best we’ve had in years.
Pretty stoopid idea if you ask me. I’d rather see him stay as OC with a promise he’d get a shot at HC when Todd’s done.
November 8th, 2024 at 2:03 pm
Lovie is already done. He is already a community college professor. The question is, what best way to keep Liam and fix the defense. Trust Jason to sort that out in best fashion.
November 8th, 2024 at 2:11 pm
Not everyone can HC and OC at the same time like for instance BA. See- Canales wheres he at. No QB. But, he doesn’t have a pretty good personality so that makes up for. lol
November 8th, 2024 at 2:19 pm
If coen keeps this up thru the whole season even after injuries teams will line up for him. Mr light please make him an offer that keeps him in Tampa. He works great with baker. Really don’t want to see him leave
November 8th, 2024 at 3:54 pm
The only thing he’s moving too is the head coach job that Tampa Bay Buccaneers
November 8th, 2024 at 4:07 pm
D Cone so we’ve been running up the score here on the hardest part of the schedule? If it’s dry in KC the game is not even close? It’s clear to me – and I mean clear as a bell – you really don’t have a clue what you’re talking about.
November 8th, 2024 at 8:09 pm
Bowles has improved but will always be a liability to some extent with decision making and time management. I think Belichick is intrigued by this team. We should extend and give corn a raise an assistant hc title and let Belichick groom him to take over.
November 9th, 2024 at 12:03 am
So yeah, Joe’s a little nervous about hyping Coen. The thought of him leaving Tampa should make any Bucs fan nauseous or worse.
———
They would absolutely keep him over Bowles at this point, there is no way they’d let him walk.
The downside, however, is most of the time good coordinators are bad head coaches, because becoming head coach means not doing what you’re good at, or at the very least splitting your time.
I wish they could figure out a way to make them co-head coaches, and let Bowles just focus on defense, if that’s all he had to do, and could sit in the booth on game days, I think you’d see an immediate improvement.
November 9th, 2024 at 4:25 am
Never have forgotten about Koetter either. It’s okay in hyping Coen up. He is doing a great job as OC. By the sounds of the other posts written by Joe and what we see on the field, Coen has found a good fit with the Bucs as OC.
I also agree with many comments. Coen has just started at this position, and Todd is not on the hot seat. He is staying. There are at least a handful of other coaches right now that are on the hot seat. Todd isn’t one of them.
We don’t even know if Coen wants a HC job. But if he does leave for one, it will be our loss. Unsure if the Glazers would put Coen in over Todd either. If anything, maybe they would bring in a defense consultant… Saleh may work well with Todd. During Ira’s latest podcast it was mentioned that maybe someone else was making decisions from the data. So all of this may not be solely on Todd.
And if the Bucs decide to go out and get a different HC, they usually do not keep the other coaches and staff. They bring in their own. Do we really want to start all over again when our team is really doing a good job, including our rookies? It’s not fair to them either.
November 9th, 2024 at 9:10 am
Badbucs nailed it! Go back and reread what he said regarding the legendary Peter principle and the NFL.
November 9th, 2024 at 1:56 pm
Bad Bucs I’m pretty sure Liam was never a head coach at Kentucky. In fact he’s never been a head coach anywhere. He may not want to be. If he did decide to take a head job at another NFL club I promise it wouldn’t be a team with a QB, OL and skill players like he has in Tampa. He’s not going anywhere.
November 10th, 2024 at 8:11 am
It is a shame when we get a season with a really good OC and our defense pinches a loaf in bed. I’m sure Liam is gone next year, and as fate will have it, our D will return as a stellar unit but without a good offense. It’s a Bucs life.