Greg Schiano “Coach Of The Year?”
November 21st, 2012
It’s hard to believe tomorrow is Thanksgiving. How time has flown. It’s still harder to believe what Greg Schiano and the Bucs are doing.
This time last year, the Bucs were ready to beg for the season to end, almost like it pained to see an old relative suffer in their final days. The offense was often impotent. The defense was like a slap in the face to any sober fan it was so insulting. Calling the team a “trainwreck” didn’t aptly describe how bad things were.
Now, as Thanksgiving arrives in 2012, the Bucs are honestly in a playoff race. Kerry J. Byrne, the founder of the crazy yet informative “Cold Hard Football Facts”, while writing for SI.com, is so impressed with Schiano that Byrne believes Schiano is the NFL “Coach of the Year.”
Byrne breaks down the numbers from last year to this year to demonstrate how head and shoulders above his predecessor Schiano truly is.
Schiano’s greatest work has been on the defensive side of the ball.
The 2011 Buccaneers surrendered 494 points, shattering the previous franchise record for ineptitude set by the 2-14 Bucs of 1986 (473).
And they posted the worst Defensive Passer Rating in franchise history (97.21). For a little perspective, the Super Bowl champion 2002 Bucs posted a Defensive Passer Rating of less than half that number (48.4).
Bryne digs real deep to show Schiano has improved the Bucs and it is well-worth a few minutes of your day to read the entire column.
If somehow Schiano can wade this team through a dicey last six weeks of the schedule, with the NFL’s worst pass defense, to a postseason bid, it will be one of the NFL’s best coaching jobs in recent memory in Joe’s eyes.
November 21st, 2012 at 9:21 am
At minimum, he will have to make the playoffs to beat out the coach that wins the SuperBowl. I would vote for him today, but that selection is driven by the media and Schiano didn’t exactly start off as a media darling. Of course wiinning cures a lot things so he will certainly have a shot!
November 21st, 2012 at 9:21 am
Schiano will finish 2nd.
Pagano wins it, leukemia fight, 1st overall pick: John Elway Jr. takes them to the playoffs.
November 21st, 2012 at 9:40 am
@SteveK
In that case Arians should win it since he is the one doing the actual coaching.
November 21st, 2012 at 9:52 am
It’s too early to tell, let’s win the super bowl first, then I think he’ll be a pretty good candidate 🙂 Let’s hope this game is on TV, just saw this guy is going to try to give updates on whether or not the game will be televised. This isn’t spam I promise!
http://thechevyvoltblog.blogspot.com/2012/11/bucs-falcons-blackout-status-update.html
Again I promise, not Spam!
November 21st, 2012 at 9:55 am
The Bucs or Seahawks will make the playoffs. One but not both. Which ever one makes it, that head coach will get the honor of CotY
November 21st, 2012 at 10:02 am
@SteveK, flmike is right, while Pagano’s story is great, and the Colts are playing very well, he isn’t the one doing the coaching, and should not win Coach of the Year (again, Arians would be the one in line for that for the Colts).
I think it’s still to early to speak confidently about who the Coach of the Year should be, a lot can happen in 6 games.
November 21st, 2012 at 10:18 am
That was always my understanding, too. If the Bucs have around the same record as the Colts come the end of the season, Pagano will win it (he’s been able to attend practices on a limited basis. I’m sure he’ll find a way to be at the last game of the season, AT LEAST. especially if they’re still in position for a playoff spot)….
…but if we make they playoffs and they miss it, then i think there’s a strong possibility we get it. We’re the only team originally slotted from the top of the draft last year that have had such a strong turn around (Colts notwithstanding).
November 21st, 2012 at 12:25 pm
Yes it would certainly be an impressive season of coaching. Equally as impressive a job as Raheem Morris in 2010! I’m tired of people acting like Raheem never did anything worth while. If the Bucs playing as bad as they did in 2011 was Raheem’s doing, than them playing as well as they did in 2011 (with what was it 10 rookies or so seeing significant playing time?) was his doing as well. It has to work both ways.
Not to change the subject entirely though. Schiano is doing a good job and this Bucs team has been exciting to watch.
November 21st, 2012 at 2:36 pm
The only way any Bucs coach will ever make coach of the year is by winning the superbowl. The people that make the decision just do not like the Bucs, regardless of how well their coach does.
I accepted this long ago. I don’t know of any other NFL team less respected than the Bucs. The only way to change that is by winning multiple superbowls in a 10 year span like the Pats did.
Then they would have no choice but to respect.