Raheem’s Waiting For A Lead
October 12th, 2010
Wondering when you’ll see Earnest Graham and LeGarrette Blount get their numbers called consistently and (hopefully) grind out four- and five-yard carries?
Well, it seems the plan is for them to tote the rock when the Bucs have a lead, so said Raheem Morris during The Raheem Morris Show on WDAE-AM 620 on Monday.
“I’m loving where these guys are going and what they’re able to do and the stuff they provide us. I can’t wait til we get a lead here so we can really pound some people with those big backs. It’ll be fun,” Morris said.
C’mon, coach. How about some of that “fun” on the opening drive. There’s no reason to wait.
To refresh the head coach’s memory, the bulk of Blount’s carries against the Steelers were during the Bucs’ third drive of the game trailing 7-3. He came in and ran for 12 yards, 4 yards, 2 yards and 8 yards before the Bucs kicked a field goal to pull within 7-6.
And Graham? He’s proven he can average more than the 2.6 yards per carry that Cadillac Williams is churning out.
Joe’s not sure why Morris says he wants/needs a lead to get Graham and Blount significant carries. If he thinks they can pound the ball successfully with a lead — when everyone knows the run is coming — surely he should think that Graham and Blount can move the chains at other points in the game.
October 12th, 2010 at 11:10 am
Ah, didn’t happen yesterday! At all!
October 12th, 2010 at 11:33 am
Graham is different, but with Blount it makes sense.
If you noticed during the Bengals games there were numerous blitzes. Caddy walked up to the center with Freeman and was clealry on top of his assignment almost always blocking the correct man. Huggins was in on at least one play I saw where he doubled a blitzer letting a man through. Huggins has been around much longer than Blount.
The Bucs have been passing quite a bit on first down, no doubt to avoid the 8 man fronts. Tough to get in a RB that is a rookie that has only been with the teamn for a few weeks. The best scenario is playing with the lead.
October 12th, 2010 at 11:36 am
I suspect some of the reason why folks dislike Morris stems from the fact that the fans read articles like this and then think he’s dumb. A whole lot of common sense gets printed on these pages and Steve White’s for that matter and no coaches seem to quite get it. I’m not saying that you & Steve are any smarter but just seem to have more common sense I guess. Keep up the good work, maybe it’ll sink in some day.
October 12th, 2010 at 11:47 am
I agree with everyone here……If they can basically give Brooks the boot for not performing, why can’t they give the bulk of the carries to one of our other backs, at least give them a shot……scratching my head.
If the reason that they are not letting Graham get the carries is because they need him at fullback, that is pathetic…..I’m not downplaying the importance of a fullback, but there are plenty of capable ones on waivers/free agents.
Question Joe….on gamedays….what Jersey are you wearing/whose?
October 12th, 2010 at 12:00 pm
LOL @ Larry’s comments. The Bucs are 3-1 and your argument is that they should stop listening to Morris and start listening to Joe. Too funny.
October 12th, 2010 at 12:18 pm
JimBuc- lmfao!!! Ignore Raheem !!!, what does Dat guy know!!!lol
October 12th, 2010 at 12:23 pm
Meybe we get Dumeig and Beckles ta coach, lol, that was good stuff, JimBuc! Think I’ll run by One Buc, and straighten those knuckleheads out! Meybe Jim Rome and Chris Berman can come coach!!! Rofl
October 12th, 2010 at 2:06 pm
What Morris says makes perfect sense. Once you’re ahead, you run the ball a lot to run out the clock. That’s also why you always see the ‘winning teams run the ball a lot’ stat: it’s because they’re running out the clock at the end of the game.
Passing is simply a more efficient method of scoring.
October 12th, 2010 at 3:23 pm
I cannot stand listening to Ian and Beckles. They are the most negative uninteresting sportstalk in the region. They never see the cup as half full but they always kick this young club. Makes me understand why Rice and Sapp were jerky with those guys. Typical media heads with no moral conscious of what they say. Almost like Florio and Kirwan!
October 12th, 2010 at 4:06 pm
Architek79, exactly! When did sports reporters stop providing information, and start acting like they know more than these coaches??? It’s the most idiotic thing imaginable, but it’s all you here and read! These morons going on and on about how screwed up these coaches are! What have any of these sports monkeys ever accomplished to even THINK they have that kind of credibility???? They are sad, low dollar talking heads on AM radio, yet that talk as if theyhave owners offering them millions to coach! It would be hilarious, if you didn’t have total idiots who actually think these simpletons know what they are talking about !! I turn to sport radio for info- who’s hurt, who’s getting a start, etc. Forget about that! It’s all”Raheem doesn’t know what he’s doing”, “Madden can’t work his pitching staff” just outlandish stuff from idiots whose high water Mark is A Show onAM radio, in a Lil area like Tampa- COME ON!! Just delussional
October 12th, 2010 at 5:28 pm
captn tim you are so right,between those guys and sillyoleman ragging on the bucs and then sit there and claim they dont know why people dont show up for games .they knew this team was young and instead of saying in preseasonget on board this team they beat the saints at home in a shoot out beat seatle and lost a close one too the saints,but they kept saying why not sign free agents ,everyone except those guys know free agents are veterans looking for the best team to win a championship with and they are the final piece of that puzzle.[simeon rice]we are a team that beat who we are suposed to and will steal a few that we are not.so dan sileo, and your little yes man you can forget gruden,hes not coming back
October 12th, 2010 at 5:38 pm
why havent any of those radio haters i mean personalities talk about how this young coach is getting these rookies to compete.all offseason they were too young ,morris is over his head,dont wate till we lose and rag on him give him his do.they talked about him like he had a veteran team,AND BUCS FANS ACTUALLY LISTEN TO THEM.NOW THEY CAN EAT CROW. I LUV THIS SH..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
October 12th, 2010 at 5:42 pm
good call. having watched football for 50 years, all good coaches wait until the game is out of hand to play their best players.
October 12th, 2010 at 5:51 pm
YEAH AND IF HE PUT HIM AND AND HE FUMBLES HES AN IDIOT BECAUSE THE KIDS UNPROVING
October 12th, 2010 at 6:42 pm
A lot of times I have to scratch my head and wonder what logic is being used in strategies and roster moves with the Bucs and Rays for that matter. In the end, they are professionals and therefore know their teams strengths and weaknesses to a much larger degree than a fan. Something is being done right because we are at the moment, a winning team. My only criticism is with the Glazers for seemingly desiring their team to not be shown on television but then again, they are wealthy and I am not, so they must know what they are doing too. It is frustrating to be a fan but being a fan is a choice and not forced on us. In summary, you can hate Rah and or Madden if you choose, but they are paid professionals and really do know more about their jobs than you think that you know.
October 12th, 2010 at 7:22 pm
passthebuc — love when people use an obviously flawed premise. You are presuming that someone else is the hypothetical “best” player. Pretty sure the coaches know better than you.
October 12th, 2010 at 7:43 pm
It seems to me at this point that Raheem Morris is not going to go away from Caddy. If Graham and Blount start tearing it up then Morris will look like an incompetent joke for sticking with Caddy through all of last year and the first 4 of this year. Raheem just can’t take the embarassment of admitting another huge mistake. Raheem is trying to save face, thats all this boils down to. He said we would see more of the other backs last week. HE LIED. Now its a matter of having a lead. BULL! He will keep throwing out excuses and we will keep watching Caddy’s thrilling one yard runs. I am starting to lose my faith in this coach.
October 12th, 2010 at 8:11 pm
We had 30+ carries against the Browns and Panthers, and just barely over 20 against the Steelers and Bengals. I think you can make the case that Blount and Huggins are not getting the number of carries you would like to see because the number of rushing attempts are not there when we are behind in games. When you have a lead, you are able to run the ball more often because the clock is not a factor. Caddy and Graham can still get the job done when the blocking is there. The know their assignments and blitz pickup. Blount has admitted he is still learning the offense and the blocking. Huggins has been hurt and limited in practice. The best guys RIGHT NOW are Caddy and Graham. Over the course of the next few weeks, that may change, but let’s give it those few weeks before throwing fits because Blount and Huggins aren’t getting enough carries.
October 12th, 2010 at 9:45 pm
gitarlvr — you need to look up the definition of “lied” and then take your meds
October 12th, 2010 at 10:19 pm
@gitalvr,
Since when has this organization been afraid to admit mistakes? That would be more true of the previous regime, if you really wan to get technical. We are only 4 games in, and might I add we are 3-1 if you didn’t notice. I don’t think you get it that more half of a running back’s job is pass protection, and Cincy blitzed the hell out of us on Sunday. Maybe, just maybe, Raheem and Olsen know more than you about football and they were trying to keep Freeman from getting killed out there. The season is still young, there’s a long way to go. Who cares what he said before the game? Would you like him to announce to everyone (including the Bengals) the exact number of carries he’s going to give each RB, that way they can prepared for it?
October 12th, 2010 at 10:37 pm
wats the big deal,so he lied and won better than giving blount 30 carries and lose.wats the real reason fan a bucs fan would say that? we were mad last year and he was an idiot to most now hes winning and lyinghes not running for office hes trying to build something we can be proud of and maybe win a playoff game net year because we are to young now,but maybe we get a break and win a playoff game for the first time since the superbowl.if we win 9 games you would be mad because he said a race for 10.i just dont understand,id be happy if sadaam was our coach as long as we was winning[and he was locked up after practice]
October 12th, 2010 at 10:37 pm
Hawaiian Buc- what I am saying is that Raheem is probably pretty embarassed by now of having to admit mistakes. I appreciate him fixing his mistakes, but at what point are people going to start questioning why he has to learn everything the hard way? I think after running Caddy out there to such poor results for his last 20 starts Raheem is a little worried he will have a lot of egg on his face for waiting so long if he starts a different back and they get significantly better results. I see another problem for him brewing with the Gerald McCoy playing DT\DE thing. There are already rumblings from some people(including credible sources like Steve White) that Morris is screwing up McCoy’s development. Don’t get me wrong, I love how good of a motivator and teacher Morris is, but will this be another “mistake” he has to fix?
October 12th, 2010 at 11:12 pm
no ones perfect,and believe me if he would keep making mistakes i would join you,maybe he is the veteran on offense that is helping these kids develope,notice how he was helping with the blitz,i would love to see blount in there and unless he is under cover for another team he does too but only when he thinks he is ready.i was mad he didnt put lynch in but he stuck with him and ive learned to trust him.he thinks outside the box he calls some of the craziest defensive schemes but they work.trust him this year,and i will start the fire rah banner if he turns into chan gailey.also dont forget we have alot of weeknesses to cover up so the moving Mccoy around could help cover for pisspoor d-ends.
October 12th, 2010 at 11:16 pm
@gitarlvr,
I really don’t think Raheem is embarrassed or afraid to admit mistakes. The owners have an option to end his contract after this year, so he is going to do whatever is necessary to win. I think it’s pretty obvious that he trusts Cadillac much more in pass protection and ball security. That could, and probably will, change if things continue to go the way they have so far. Huggins is not an every down type of back, Blount has only been with the team for a short time, and Graham is our starting fullback. There’s just not a lot of options, which I’m sure plays a big part in his decision. I think you just have to give it time and trust his judgment. I think he’s earned that right. Bringing up McCoy is a good point, and if you notice he didn’t use McCoy on the end in a 4 man alignment, so he is showing that he is not that stubborn. Bottom line is wins and losses, and so far so good.
October 12th, 2010 at 11:19 pm
gitarlvr…He did not lie, we saw Blount and Huggins. If we were ahead we may have seen more. Plans are always subject to change as well, enjoy the win. WIth Blount or Huggins in, we may not have seen the passes being made by Freeman, if he was on the ground. Be patient, they are winning! Good God man!
October 13th, 2010 at 12:41 am
If Huggins or Blount came into the game this week, and blew it up, got 100+ yards, broke tackles, scored TDs and we win the game, I think Morris would make the move more permanent without shame or embarassment at all. I don’t even think he’d need to admit any mistakes, as it is a work in progress and we don’t know which week someone will be ready near as well as the coaches.
I also saw that McCoy only shifted to end in 3-3-5 sets, other than that he played purely in the 3-technique. Whether that was influenced by Steve White’s comments or his own coaches, it’s probably a good move. I’d like to see him get Price in more in a 4-3 front on 3rd down passing situations as well. Mix in more Bennett at end, and maybe switch out Crowder and Stylez (so at least Crowder can make the LT worry about an inside move) and we may see more pressure.