Schiano Has Heavy Hand In LB Coaching
July 26th, 2012
Greg Schiano was a top 1-AA linebacker in his playing days, and he went on to coach at Linebacker U. (Penn State) and big name linebackers Jonathan Vilma and Dan Morgan at the University of Miami while defensive coordinator there early in his career.
Yeah, Schiano knows defense, but he’s a linebacker at the core. So initially Joe figured Schiano would be pretty hands-on with the Bucs linebackers, especially given how dreadfully they performed as a unit last season.
Then Schiano brought in little known linebackers coach Bob Fraser along with him from Rutgers, and Joe wasn’t sure what to make of that hire given that Fraser had no professional experience.
Well, it seems Fraser was schooled heavily under the leader of the New Schiano Order, who will bring strong influence into all things Bucs linebackers.
“When you have a guy that’s so knowledgable, you’re crazy not to use his expertise. I’ve learned every day from [Schiano] how to coach linebackers and the proper things,” Fraser told JoeBucsFan.com today. “The nice thing is he’s a great resource when you need him. He’s able to see things, specifics and not just big picture. He’ll pull me aside and be able to say, ‘Hey Fras, you may want him to do this and that.’ It’s been tremendous the years I’ve been with him. He’s unbelievable.
“I played defensive line in college. I’ve listened to people and taught myself and learned how to coach linebackers. Defensive line, I’ve seen that picture. [Schiano] has seen what they see. He knows what they look at. He’s seen that picture from their view. You know, that’s certainly an advantage to anyone who coaches that they’re able to feel that. I can coach it. I can tell you what to do, but I haven’t felt it. He’s felt it. He knows it that well. He’s an unbelievable linebackers coach. It’s a tremendous advantage for us.”
As detail-obsessed as Schiano is, Joe suspects his focus on quality and discipline will be a notch higher for the linebackers. How could it not be?
Given today’s roster moves, Joe can’t imagine that any linebacker’s position — giant contract or not — is safe.
July 26th, 2012 at 9:46 pm
Joe, I hope you’re right about Schiano knowing LBs because we just signed Thomas Williams from the Panthers.
This guy has been all over the NFL and no place too long. Drafted by the Jags in the 5th rd in 2008, signed by the Texans in Oct. 2009, signed by the Patriots in Jan. 2010, signed by the Bills in Nov. 2010, then signed by the Panthers in Jan. 2011 when Beason went down, but ended up on IR for the year due to neck/concussion injury.
Ordinarily, I wouldn’t be concerned, but Williams has been in the league 4 years, been with 5 different teams and none longer than a year and we just signed him to a 2 year contract.
July 26th, 2012 at 9:55 pm
I agree he knows lbs and we have major personnel limitations at LB, but I will be shocked if Foster is not rotated out of the Mike – he is so obviously not a Mike.
I hope Goode can play Mike – get rid of Jane – who cares if the Glazers have to eat another DomDom contract.
July 26th, 2012 at 10:17 pm
Damn joes !! fine job today,Good stuff.
July 27th, 2012 at 1:53 am
The comment “had no professional experience” is really kind of wrong considering the guy has been getting paid to coach football for close to 30 years. It’s poorly worded although I know you meant “NFL experience”.
Like many of the former Rutgers coaches, they downgraded positions from the college level ranks. Fraser was a Defensive Coordinator for 3 yrs at the Div 1 level… Top 20 progressing to Top 10 level. Before that he’s coached LBs for well over a decade.
Think of it like this … the LBers are getting coached by the guy who coordinated for Schiano in college. He’ll understand their role in the defense quite well.
July 27th, 2012 at 1:59 am
I think one more thing that raise our chances of better LB play. The name Bryan Cox ring a bell? I like these hires and how they have experience backing up the coordinators. Football is back. GO BUCS!!!!!!! 🙂
July 27th, 2012 at 10:19 am
Schiano is in control of everything (and that is an understatement). He relies on trustworthy coaches that truly understand the game. His coaches are not selected & kept haphazardly. The fact that Fraser & Schiano have been together so long tells you what GS thinks of Fraser’s football inteligence.
Fraser is not a limelight guy. No one outside of the football trenches knows Fraser. That may change soon. If you speak to coaches & players, he is hugely respected for his knowledge of defenses and his ability to break the defensive game down to its simplest components.
We have a long way to go but coaches like Fraser go a long way towards our much needed rebuilding. GO BUCS!!
July 28th, 2012 at 12:00 am
I guess we’ll see if my favorite nobody, #56, has the goods to be the playmaker he seemingly has the physical talent to be.