Herm Says Bucs Lost Mindset, Not Talent
January 5th, 2012
- Herm Edwards offered several takes on the state of the Bucs today, and he said he has no desire to be Tampa Bay’s next head coach.
Bucs fans increasingly are falling into two camps: those that think rockstar general manager Mark Dominik is a bumbling, stumbling joke, and those that believe Dominik has done a solid job infusing the Bucs with young talent and deserves little responsibility for the Bucs’ demise in 2011.
Outspoken former Bucs coach Herm Edwards, now a candid analyst for BSPN, falls into the latter camp.
Speaking to the crew of PrimeTime on WHBO-AM 1040 today, Edwards said the Bucs’ crumbled not because Raheem Morris didn’t have players but because team discipline was lost and the Bucs lost their emotion.
“That has nothing to do with talent. It’s a mindset. And once it gets going, if you don’t stop it early, it becomes who you are,” Edwards said. “I’m a big believer in this, Your habits create who you are. And unless you’re willing to change your habits, it’s going to show up. And it showed up when they played.”
“We’re all human. I don’t ever say people quit. I say this, the game of football is played with emotion. And when you lose your sense of emotion, it looks like, well, they quit. … I just believe emotionally you check out sometimes. And when you do that, it looks bad.”
Edwards went on to say he believes the Bucs didn’t know how to handle success and didn’t have the locker room leadership to help pull them out of a tailspin.
Edwards said Ronde Barber can’t be a true leader from the cornerback position and he implied that the Bucs didn’t have any leadership on defense in 2011. “No one was there to grab’em,” Edwards said, and “hold them accountable.
“When your struggling you need to make sure your locker room is strong. … You gotta have guys that are willing to get in the players’ faces, not the coaches, the players, and say, ‘Hey man. We’re not doing that around here.'”
No interest in Bucs job
Edwards said he has no desire to be a head coach in 2012, saying he loves life at BSPN.
On Titans defensive coordinator Jerry Grey getting an interview by the Bucs this week, Edwards said Grey is a disciplinarian type and a guy he knows well.
As for the type of coach the Bucs hire and how discipline would be instilled, Edwards was passionate about the subject. He said the phrase “player’s coach” has a negative connotation that implies a lack of discipline. Edwards said that’s the furthest thing from the truth, giving Tony Dungy as an example of a “player’s coach.”
“They called me a player’s coach,” Edwards said. “You think I don’t have discipline? My father was in the Army for 27 years. … When you’re a head coach, they respect the title of the head coach. When you get the players to respect the man behind the title, then you got discipline.”
Edwards was very upbeat about the Bucs’ future.
“Whoever gets that job is going to walk into a very good situation. Mark Dominik has done a good job drafting players.”
January 5th, 2012 at 9:57 pm
If the Glazers say they fired Gruden because of how they gauged fan reaction, then hopefully they’re doing that now with next coach. I think from the fans on this site alone have had good suggestions. Except for the people holding on to the idea that Dungy will return, and anyone thinking Mike Sherman would be good.
January 5th, 2012 at 10:25 pm
Completely agree with him.
January 5th, 2012 at 10:32 pm
He’s right that this is the best available head coaching job. A core of talent has already begun to form and a capable head coach will be able to have success faster than many might expect. And I totally support hiring Jerry Gray over Mike Sherman. Hands down.
January 5th, 2012 at 10:34 pm
I don’t always agree with Edwards, but I do here.
January 5th, 2012 at 11:23 pm
I don’t always drink beer, but when I do, I drink Dos Equis
January 5th, 2012 at 11:24 pm
Damn, I’m impressed. Herm is usually good for several cliches & “Hermisms”. But I’ll have to say he nailed the problem for the most part IMHO.
The mindset of the Bucs does worry me. The next HC is going to have to recognize this problem and deal with it effectively.
I would add that the talent level is mostly average … some over-achieving and many under-achieving. That has been a weakness of the team for the past decade and the blame should be shared in the front office. It’s not just Dom but the Personnel department in general.
January 5th, 2012 at 11:41 pm
Nice stuff by Herm.
Agree with most. Dom has stocked team with young talent
His failures are also rather large. A team fulla rookies, and he doesn’t resign two team Captains- Caddy and Ruud- just stupid.
No FAs in best market ever- when you know you LBers and secondary Are absolutely horrible- stupid
Nah, they are Gonba fire his ass too. Since we have no coaching staff, they will let Dom handle the draft- which he does well.
New coach- it’s probably bye bye Dom
January 5th, 2012 at 11:50 pm
Don’t let Herm fool you completely, the talent on this team is horrendous in some areas. Linebackers, corners, safeties, wide receivers, etc…..need to all be upgraded this offseason.
Especially the SECONDARY!
Do you guys remember when freaking CURTIS PAINTER burned us twice for two long TD’s on MNF? Completing the 4TH longest TD pass in team history against our D. This is the winless Colts who we were struggling against people. Our team is not good!
A lot of people think we should take Blackmon in the first round. I agree that that’d be an exciting pick and he would be a great addition. But it doesn’t matter who we get whether it’s DeSean Jackson, Blackmon, or Bowe at WR. Our offense could score 30 points every game and our defense will still be giving up 35-40 a game, resulting in a loss. We’ll be 4-12 again.
I think our defense needs to come first.
January 5th, 2012 at 11:58 pm
Patrick- agree with every thing you said
January 6th, 2012 at 7:56 am
Patrick,we should take blackmon with 1st pick.our d needs vet retooling.guys like aaron ross,brandon carr,carlos rodgers at cb.landry at safety.beason or tulloch or kirk morrison at lb.supplement in the 2nd with. Cb janoris jenkins,or a sliding burfit(sp).also shore up te aith a shiancoe or mercedes lewis.
January 6th, 2012 at 9:32 am
What??? Dom has done a good job drafting players???? NNOOOOOOOOOO……
where is Thomas….where is eric…….they should be all over this…..
January 6th, 2012 at 9:34 am
Yeah Patrick! Don’t let Herm fool ya! I mean what does he know about football talent….certainly not as much as you because you’ve done….what???????