Hope Ron Cooper Has His Resume Updated
December 27th, 2012
Ron Cooper may have been a quality college coach, but his Bucs secondary is on the cusp of being the absolute worst unit in the storied annals of the NFL.
Imagine at your job, a co-worker had performed the past year worse than any employee in the history of your company’s existence?
Imagine a company salesman who made zero sales for the calendar year… none!
How long would these guys be employed? More to the point, how quickly would these non-performing workers be unemployed?
This is the crossroads that Bucs defensive backs coach Ron Cooper faces. His unit, the Bucs secondary, is on the cusp of a horrendous milestone that any self-respecting human being would be so ashamed of, he wouldn’t let his supervisor make the call to make changes.
Joe will let the typed words of eye-RAH! Kaufman set the stage.
@IKaufmanTBO: If the Falcons throw for 252 yards or more Sunday, the 2012 Bucs will have surrendered the most passing yards in the NFL’s 93-year history
Joe is already catching flack on Twitter from myopic Bucs fans claiming Cooper didn’t have anything to work with, which at best is a smokescreen excuse. Cooper’s unit is on the verge of setting a 93-year record for futility. NINTY-THREE YEARS!!!
Aside from that, how was Cooper’s unit doing when he had the Adderall Twins, Aqib Talib (who, still, too many Bucs fans in some mind-numbing, twisted sense of surrealism, think is the second coming of Lester Hayes) and Eric Wright? How does 510 yards grab you, which is what Eli Manning blowtorched Cooper’s secondary for, in a franchise record-setting day for the Big Blue quarterback.
Joe also heard Cooper was a solid secondary coach at LSU. He sure was. Hell, Rachel Watson would be one of the best secondary coaches in college if she could recruit the likes of Patrick Peterson, Tyrann D. Mathieu and Morris Claiborne.
Joe and Shaun King, one of only three quarterbacks in Tampa Bay history to lead the franchise to an NFC title game, got into a back-and-forth about Cooper a few days ago and King tried to use the kneejerk excuse that Cooper didn’t have anything to work with once the Adderall Twins were gone.
Joe’s comeback to King was, “what was Bob Bostad’s excuse then?” The Bucs’ offensive line coach lost far, far more than Cooper, three starters down including two Pro Bowl players, and a fourth starter moved to another position, yet Bostad made chicken salad out of chicken s(p)it, a truly remarkable job and the mark of a guy who can coach up players.
Can anyone — anyone! — cite a player under the guidance of Cooper who actually improved as the season went on, anyone? Aside from maybe Leonard Johnson, Joe can’t name any corner who improved. That right there is a coaching fail because a decent coach can at least get a couple of players to marginally elevate their game. That’s what competent coaches do. You know, actually coach?
Now Joe has had some readers Twitter him suggesting Bucs defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan is culpable as well for this true sieve of a secondary. That’s a fair point, but Joe’ points a finger at the guy personally, directly responsible for perhaps an NFL historic worst unit.
Joe’s not a “fire him” kinda guy. Ninety-five times out of 100 that is a kneejerk reaction. But when a coach’s unit is responsible for setting a 93-year worst record — repeat that a few times, 93-year worst! — how in the world can he be brought back with any degree of credibility from Bucs head coach Greg Schiano?
At least Raheem Morris had the sack to sack former defensive coordinator Jim Bates after the heinous Jim Bates Experience was circling the drain only halfway through one season.
Setting a 93-year record for worst pass defense, or even coming close to it, is simply unacceptable under any circumstance, nor should it be tolerated.
December 27th, 2012 at 4:04 pm
almost threw up after that 93 year stat. well bucs fans we will hold that infamous record by the end of our last game.
December 27th, 2012 at 4:05 pm
It’s Freemans fault ….
December 27th, 2012 at 4:05 pm
o and get rid of Cooper, now.
December 27th, 2012 at 4:07 pm
@ Raphael
LOL. thats a good one. some of these idiots will say that too.
December 27th, 2012 at 4:07 pm
@Raphael exactly. How the hell is anyone suppose to win with that happening. Hope this gets fixed by any means next season.
December 27th, 2012 at 4:11 pm
The secondary will be upgraded in FA and the Draft.
December 27th, 2012 at 4:17 pm
Gus and Raphael,
Freeman may not be at total “fault”, but I can dang sure tell you he is not the “answer”… He needs an elite D in order to be competitive.
Sorry, but in today’s NFL, YOU NEED A QB THAT CAN MAKE ALL OF THE THROWS…. CONSISTENTLY!
December 27th, 2012 at 4:22 pm
@raphael finally said something not stupid again
December 27th, 2012 at 4:26 pm
Gus and Raphael,
Please watch the Ravens play. They have an elite D, and a QB similar to Josh, only “better” or he wins more…
Freeman is not the total scapegoat, but when you sustain losing streaks of 10+ in 2011, and you go from 6-4 to 6-10, it falls squarely on Josh.
Barring any miscommunication, # 5 needs to WAKE UP and SHOW SOME RESOLVE.
Josh also needs to look the camera squarely and take ownus for the Bucs sucking. Own up to it, man! You are the QB, or atleast you call yourself that. Until you take full control of this team, you are no more than an inconsistent thrower.
December 27th, 2012 at 4:27 pm
I’m with you on Cooper. However, I give more of the blame to Sheridan. We are beyond predictable on defense. Against the Rams in the first half, it was a foregone conclusion that we were going to blitz on third down, no matter what the distance. Watch the game again – every single third down we blitzed! Not one exception. Crazy thing is, I can’t even remember the last time we were successful blitzing. Look at the sack numbers for our LB’s and secondary – they hardly have any. So why continue to do the same thing over and over, with virtually no success? I would much rather us rush 3 guys than blitz, and I hate when we rush 3 guys too. And the few times we do rush 4, we do all this stunting crap that takes 8 seconds to get to the QB! It makes perfect sense to have Gerald McCoy run backwards, then try to run behind the DE! Especially when our secondary can’t cover me!
December 27th, 2012 at 4:28 pm
What is worse:
32nd ranked D, or starting the 34th most accurate QB?
We can’t stop the pass, sack the QB, or get QB play.
The two most desired things in football: pass rush and QB.
At what point are this “miscommunications” resolved?
December 27th, 2012 at 4:33 pm
Maybe the “talent” on D isn’t all there. Bad coaching this year, Youngry coaching last year, this group still stinks.
We are cellar dwellars on pass D and QB.
Kudos to Sheridan and Scihiano, they atleast have the mentality” Well, our FA CB “Dom’s Guy” is suspended, Dom traded Talib. Hell, let’s just sell out and stop the run, atleast we can hang our hat on that.”
Expecting anything near league average performance at CB: Danny Gorrer, LeQuan Lewis, Myron Lews, Toast Biggers… We are talent deficient at QB.
Again, Raheem took the fall for Dom. Rah may not have been “ready”, but all you do is get the man a FA kicker? Wow?
We need to look at the Bucs not just in terms of this season, but in the assembly of Dom’s talent during his tenure. He is averaging 0.25 Pro Bowlers per season, and a GHOST 2nd round draft pick (for the exception of LaVonte David).
From Dom, the blame goes right up the food chain. The Glazers, ultimately, they need to put thier chips in one pot: Manchester U. or the Bucs.
You can’t be Robert Kraft: Patriots and Lightning, they both win it all….
December 27th, 2012 at 4:33 pm
They should have Wonderliched Cooper and Claiborne together.
They should have Wonderliched Raphael the Remora and Gosh together.
If GMC’s distruptions put him in the Pro Bowl, why is the pass defense legendarily bad?
When I picture disruptions in my mind, I see Bret Favre running for his life with Warren Sapp’s eyes bugging out chasing him down with bad intent.
When I picture GMC’s fabled disruptions, I see Drew Brees taking one step to the right, and completing a 15 yarder to Graham right through the throwing lane that Dini vacated.
December 27th, 2012 at 4:34 pm
It’s George Bush’s fault!
December 27th, 2012 at 4:35 pm
@SteveK,
l disagree with you a lot less than what I would have a few weeks ago. That being said, I don’t know if he needs elite, but he certainly needs better than this. I’m at the point now where I feel like throwing a party when we force the other team to punt. I’m actually happy when we hold them to a FG. I’m hoping Freeman is pressing because he feels the same way.
If you look back to the preseason, read what we all were saying on the boards – we have no depth, and if we lose starters, we are going to be in trouble. What has happened – we have lost starters and are in trouble. Our backups were awful, and now many of those guys are starting.
At this point, I think that keeping our eyes open for a replacement for Freeman is a good idea, but actually finding one is easier said than done. It’s a helluva lot easier to get some decent CB’s and get better depth (and hope and pray we don’t get killed with injuries again). It also wouldn’t hurt to get Freeman some more weapons beyond Jackson and Williams, because we have NOTHING beyond those two. We do not have an elite offense as many suggest, but we do have a couple players near an elite level. Past that, we got nothing.
December 27th, 2012 at 4:38 pm
All I can say is we have had TWO of the worst secondary coaches in the history of the NFL. Cooper was the 2nd, any guesses who the first was? Yes he now coaches the Redskins secondary. Cooper needs to go and Shaun King is an idiot.
December 27th, 2012 at 4:41 pm
One slight problem with the whole “93 year record” thing, it’s not a record that has stood for 93 years.
The current record was set just last year and so was 2nd (will soon be 4th) place on the list (both by playoff teams) meaning it is a record that has lasted a whole 1 season.
You’d expect with all the rule changes that the record would get broken.
There is a reason that the top 5 (or bottom 5 depending how you look at it) teams will have come in the past 2 seasons, yes five, the Saints are set to move into 3rd place and the Skins into 5th.
The 5000 yard passing mark that was hit just twice in 90+ years was past 3 times last season (likely would have been 4 if Rodgers had played instead of Flynn) and could get hit twice this year too, it’s simply too easy to pass in todays NFL, yardage records are meaningless.
That doesn’t forgive Cooper and the DBs for what has happened but let’s not twist words to scaremonger.
December 27th, 2012 at 4:42 pm
@Miguel,
Perhaps you’ve forgotten that we had a stable of other great lineman around Warren Sapp. I know this is hard for you to wrap your little head around, but that actually makes a difference. He also had a great secondary behind him. Perhaps you forgot about that too? Sapp was the greatest of all time and GMC is nowhere near that level, but the situations are drastically different. Sapp would not have been the QB Killa he was with this supporting cast. That’s not even debatable.
December 27th, 2012 at 4:42 pm
@ Hawaiian,
I agree with you. Freeman confuses the hell out of me. He looks the part, but just isn’t getting the results. He is not “getting it”, and at what point have us fan’s stomached enough?
And you are right, BucnJim mentions “15 other teams” that would start Freeman in a “heartbeat”.
If Freeman is to be replaced, it will be because we have found a more conisistent QB that is greater than the 17th best QB in NFL.
December 27th, 2012 at 4:42 pm
Hawaiian I agree with you, get rid of Cooper and Sheridan. Sheridan got ran out of New York with his blitz crazy defense. Blitzes are supposed to be a surprise weapon not an every down weapon. I am guessing Offensive Coordinators lick their chops when they play the Bucs just as D coordinators have licked their chops over our offenses predictability. I think one thing Schiano is not good at is the element of surprise. We are way too predictable on both sides of the ball.
December 27th, 2012 at 4:44 pm
@Nick 2
That guy who coaches for the Redskins was one of the best DB coaches in the NFL. He helped us win a Super Bowl genius! Know your facts before you make yourself look completely stupid. As a head coach – trainwreck, but as a DB coach he is very very good.
December 27th, 2012 at 4:45 pm
Sorry Nick2, didn’t mean to be such an arse hole there. My bad.
December 27th, 2012 at 4:48 pm
Spires, Culpepper, and SIMEON RICE helped Sapp out.
So GMC is pretty good, and we need to surround him with talent.
What about the first 2 picks we had in the 2011 and 2012 draft. Didn’t our GM double dip on D-Line? How has that worked out?
We should sign some FA CB’s this offseason. Double dipping in the draft will only set us further back.
We need to pick the BPA and work the draft like we did last year. Settling for position of need when there is a better player out there will be ludicrous.
We need a pass Defense? Pay the FA’s to come in and take care of business.
We can’t afford to build through the draft, unless we hit with a great % on picks than in the past few years.
December 27th, 2012 at 4:49 pm
I dont think you can put this all on the players. Surely in 93 years there has been a worse situation than ours. I think its a combination of bad or non-coaching by Cooper coupled with defensive play-calling that is not even attempting to tailor to the players on this team. When you don’t have the personnel you NEED to adjust the play-calling. Week after week we get torched and I dont see the slightest adjustments. I think its a bad sign of things to come . . .
December 27th, 2012 at 4:52 pm
Hawaiian,
You are right, we have no depth.
We have very little talent at CB.
We have a QB that blames miscommunication, injures his thumb at the gun range, and spends his free time playing Soccer video games. After 55 starts, I want a QB that can make a 5 yard dump off *consistently*, and more importantly a QB that can call an audible (see 2 mins left @ DAL).
December 27th, 2012 at 4:52 pm
@Raphael – LOL good one.
I think Sheridan and Cooper should both be fired. Last in the league in passing defense is bad but the worst in the history of the NFL is unacceptable. Shouldn’t the coordinator also be held responsible though ?
Sheridan did pretty much the same thing in New York although not as bad.
Both should be gone but I agree Cooper was not a good defensive back coach even if he just told the players hey if the guy starts beating you deep tackle or grab them we would’ve done better.
As far as the backs themselves I think Gorrer seems to be playing better we should think about keeping him and maybe Johnson as backups. I read somewhere Ronde was impressed by Gorrer’s burst/quickness and Johnson’s confidence. Ronde also said he was horrible his first year and was happy he made the team the next year. The rest from then on is history.
December 27th, 2012 at 4:54 pm
Does Dom take more than 15% of the responsiblity for a crappy crew of CB’s?
Coaches can only “coach up” so much. They don’t have anything to work with. Our “good” CB’s are suspended for cheating and/or traded.
Our talent at CB is bad.
December 27th, 2012 at 4:56 pm
@SteveK,
I couldn’t agree with you more, except I would say that the 2 picks on the D-Line have been injured most of this year, which is no fault of the GM. They haven’t played a down together this year, so it’s unfair to judge them as bad picks. I think they both will be very good players and our D-Line will soon be the strength of our defense. As for CB’s, I’m all for getting them in FA. I’m sick of waiting for players to develop, we need immediate help. And get some coaches that can actually, you know, coach.
December 27th, 2012 at 4:57 pm
@ Ramdog,
Sheridan and Cooper may be replaceable.
It would be more insane to get new coaches, again, and expect different results.
We need to get a former Buccaneer player back in here at GM. Look what Ozzie Newsome has done in Baltimore. Former players have a greater chance of bringing an “eye” to the job. Look at the Ravens. Ozzie Newsome may be a better GM than he was a TE. He can scoop out the “players”.
We need to find a GM with the “it” factor.
December 27th, 2012 at 4:57 pm
Flat out ridiculous to blame Cooper for the secondary’s failure. Only the most ignorant fans and media would put the blame on a coach who doesnt have a single NFL caliber CB on his team, and who’s HC & DC are calling blitzes and defenses that that put great EMPHASIS on M2M CB play. How’d Cooper do at LSU with CB’s, many of whom are in the NFL. Typical of local media and fans here. Maybe Dominik, Shiano, and Sheridan should take a bit of blame as well.
Obvious to see the scapegoat being trotted out….As for who’s improved? WTF How much of Danny Gorrer had you seen or Dequan Lewis or Leonard Johnson, and BTW..where the heck is the CB WE DRAFTED!!!!??? Keith Tandy
December 27th, 2012 at 5:01 pm
Joe you missed a massive point. This record was broken last year by the Green Bay Packers secondary. Who cares if this record has been documented for 93 years… every team is passing now more than ever, and just as the quarterback passing records come tumbling down, so do the secondary records.
Please get your panties out of a collective wad, bucs fans, and realize this is bad, but it isn’t the end of the world. We have nowhere to go but up.
December 27th, 2012 at 5:01 pm
Hawaiian,
Injuries are a culprit, but Green Bay can win despite injuries. Their WR core has been dessimated, but they did a great job of identifying and drafting Randall Cobb, even when WR may not have been the biggest “need”. The “need” should always be for the best player out there…
At what point would the plug on Dom be pulled. I get that Schiano and his coaches are behind the 8ball, but come on. Do we al expect to fire the coaches, and then wait most of the offseason for the good choices to be nabbed up, only to have a guy from “Rutgers” come in here.
There is more to our woes on the field than coaching… Money spending (which is a choice for ownership), and the GM identifying talent on both the roster and the coaching staff.
How can we say the coaches suck, the players suck, and the GM doesn’t suck? LOL!
December 27th, 2012 at 5:03 pm
@ Colb, great point.
Last year, Green Bay Secondary was the worst in the 92 year histroy.
Didn’t they draft Randall Cobb over a “need” at CB.
How has that worked out? Jordy Nelson and Greg Jennings are down, and Jerkmichael Finley has gone awol. Good thing they drafted the BPA.
December 27th, 2012 at 5:03 pm
Hawaiian:
That guy who coaches for the Redskins was one of the best DB coaches in the NFL. He helped us win a Super Bowl genius!
Mike Tomlin was the Bucs secondary coach the year the Bucs won the Super Bowl. Raheem was just a glorified gopher. Step above the video jockeys who cut up tape.
December 27th, 2012 at 5:05 pm
Dominik specializes in defensive futility records. Already holds the franchise record for points allowed.
Now he’s going national!
Might move to offense next year. Perhaps the INT record is in his sites.
No coach seems to be able to make good use of his beasts and steals.
December 27th, 2012 at 5:11 pm
“Joe also heard that Cooper was a solid secondary coach at LSU. He sure was. Hell, Rachel Watson would be one of the best secondary coaches in college if she could recruit the likes of Patrick Peterson, Tyrann D. Mathieu and Morris Claiborne.”
EJ Biggers, Danny Gorrer, Leonard Johnson, Lequan Lewis, Eric Wright, & Brandon McDonald in a brand new defense playing a press man usually single high safety with one of the weakest pass rushes in the league. Easily the worst talent in the league at corner. The Rock Star made one move in free agency to address the corner position and further weakened our weakest position by trading away our one “ok” corner. What do you expect was going to happen?
This is a laughable post and you know it Joe. Don’t be silly. This guy has coached up plenty of guys who have made it to the NFL before going to LSU (Johnathan Joesph & Captain Munnerlyn just to name a few) and he got bubkiss to work with. Meanwhile your butt buddy PJ Fleck got the highest paid receiver in the league, two premium draft picks (one who he didn’t develop) and an underachieving 3-5 guys on the depth chart at the position.
December 27th, 2012 at 5:12 pm
@Joe,
Yes, but after Tomlin left, Raheem took over and was widely considered the best DB coach in the NFL. Was he not? I don’t believe for one second he was a gopher for Tomlin either. I don’t believe gophers get handed the job on a top defense. Maybe you have inside knowledge I don’t, but I just don’t see it.
December 27th, 2012 at 5:18 pm
@SteveK,
Of course Dominik deserves some of the blame. There’s no doubt about that. How much is what is up for debate. I don’t think even the best GM could be prepared for the injuries to critical players that we have had. Had GB lost Aaron Rodgers, they don’t have a chance. We lost arguably our best 2 players on the team (Nicks and Joseph), as well as both starting corners, both starting DE’s, and Jeremy Trueblood (ok, that was a joke). Seriously, I don’t think any team could deal with that. Obviously our depth is poor, but you just can’t replace those guys with depth. There’s going to be a huge drop off in talent.
December 27th, 2012 at 5:19 pm
@ Sensible,
Preach it brutha!
If Dom could draft like Cooper recruited, then we would be in business.
BPA must me the choice, fill voids in FA.
Dom claims to “never ever draft an OL”. Why not, if an OL is the BPA, then we better pull the trigger. No more reaching for question marks, when the answers are right in front of you to draft.
December 27th, 2012 at 5:20 pm
Where were you Eric when we were 6-4? You disappeared for literally 10 weeks, now you are all of a sudden Mr. JBF. Interesting, don’t you think? But go ahead, try to deny it. You’re a lawyer, so you’re probably very good at lying.
December 27th, 2012 at 5:22 pm
SensibleBuc:
Reread the post. If, as you suggest, Cooper had nothing to work with (that’s a smokescreen), then how do you explain Bob Bostad’s work with the offensive line? That’s a coaching job.
Name a corner who improved, even marginally, under Cooper.
Bryan Cox, based on last year, had garbage to work with. He also lost two starters (Adrian Clayborn and Quincy Black). How’s Cox’s front seven doing on the run?
December 27th, 2012 at 5:22 pm
@ Hawaiian,
You are right on, Rodgers is their Best Player. Our Best Players are Guards and a DT.
Maybe Martin can be a top 5 RB, but we need to have more of our “Best Players” be the guys with the ball in their hands.
Great things can happen when great players get touches.
What good is having the best O-Line in football if your QB can’t audbile, read a D, or make a 5 yard dump off. Of course, it is all on the “miscommunications”. If that is the case, then we need a QB with intangibles, you know commanding a huddle and a locker room. Josh is not a leader. He was given the keys to the Ferari, but he can’t work a stick shift.
December 27th, 2012 at 5:23 pm
@SteveK,
No argument from me on that.
December 27th, 2012 at 5:28 pm
Also, last week. Josh checked it down on 4th down, both resulting in turnover on downs. It looks all to familiar to the 2011 “Checkdown to Lumpkin”. I thought we put a new offense in there? Why is the QB making the same stupid throws that are getting us nowhere?
December 27th, 2012 at 5:30 pm
Maybe we should let Ron Cooper pick our CB’s in the draft. He sure had no problem scouting immense talent at LSU?
December 27th, 2012 at 5:37 pm
Nice analogy, Stevek.
December 27th, 2012 at 5:37 pm
@SteveK,
Ron Cooper wasn’t recruiting CB’s at LSU. Doesn’t work that way at big time schools like that.
December 27th, 2012 at 5:44 pm
Anyone watching the military bowl between Bowling Green and San Jose? That DT #91 Chris Jones is mighty disruptive. Could be a 3rd or 4th rounder for us after addressing CB and a possible QB.
December 27th, 2012 at 5:54 pm
@ hawaiian,
Agree, Cooper may not have been “the scout” of CB’s to LSU, but I doubt he can do much worse at putting together a collection of CB’s than Dom and co. have.
December 27th, 2012 at 6:03 pm
@Joe
Bostad has a pro bowler Donald Penn and 2 other starters with significant time under their belts playing a position (offensive line) that favors cohesiveness over skill. Bostad has an OC & HC who’s philosophy (pound the rock & take shots) protects a weak offensive line from being exposed week after week unlike on the defensive side of the ball.
Cox is a worse comparison because he at least had talented draft picks to work with. GMC, Roy, Bowers, David, & Mase are all high round draft picks who underachieved last year. The had nowhere to go but up. The guys we have in the secondary (outside of Ronde) have never even achieved to begin with. Half of our secondary are street free agents. You can’t squeeze blood from a stone. The NFL starting caliber talent just isn’t there.
December 27th, 2012 at 6:05 pm
@hawaiian,
I disappeared to go find the next Chuck Noll……..cause you said he was here!
December 27th, 2012 at 6:14 pm
No secondary coach could have done squat with the Talib situation, the Wright situation, the rest of the terrible corners Dom got us. And then, THEN, you put those corners in terrible situations with ill timed and copious blitzing?
Cooper is going to be the fall guy, but he got a raw deal. It is unreasonable to expect any coach to have any success when he was setup for failure.
December 27th, 2012 at 6:15 pm
@Eric,
It’s weak of you to put words in my mouth that I have never said, but you are a weak person, so it is to be expected I guess. The only person on this board to ever say Chuck Noll was you. I truly feel sorry for you. You must have a truly miserable life that you find joy in things going poorly, and that you have to lie to prove your point and feel good about yourself.
December 27th, 2012 at 6:18 pm
Just remember that 24 year old Josh Freeman is about to break the all time franchise records in both TD’s and passing yards. This offense is still ranked in the top 10 and all of this on a brand new installed offense. Am I ready to give up on Freeman? Now that’s absurd. Next season you’ll all say how glad you were that the Bucs gave Freeman an extension. #10yearseasonticketholder
December 27th, 2012 at 6:28 pm
I agree Joe… and I would give the DQ another year to see what he can do with a few new men.
December 27th, 2012 at 6:31 pm
@ Hawaiian – Raheem’s secondary in Wahington is one of the league’s worst and continually gets torched. Luckily they have an offense that bails them out. Just sayin…
December 27th, 2012 at 6:38 pm
Raheem happened to be on the staff of one of the best defensive coordinators in the history of the game.
Monte had great passing defenses before he ever met Raheem.
Let’s do ourselves a favor and hire the man back. Schiano said he looked up to him.
Then we might have something going next year. Ill bet ronde would stay for that!
December 27th, 2012 at 7:02 pm
@Buccanay
Couldn’t agree more. Coaching is a 2 way street. A coach cant take a mediocre supporting cast and make them into pro bowlers. With no talent and bad defensive play calling… what do people expect? If anyone disserves to be fired it’s Sheridan. That’s not to say Cooper has done a great job but at least give him marginal talent to work with before judging him.
December 27th, 2012 at 7:14 pm
We’re all upset with the way the season turned out and we’re roaming the halls of One Buc looking to throttle the first guy that sticks his head out of a door.
Firing Ron Cooper for this defensive nose dive of epic proportions is simply scapegoating. It is said that the impossible just takes a little while longer. Well, I know the impossible when I see it and it’s the Bucs secondary. More time will not help this situation. It has to be blown and started again.
It should be called the tertiary – one step removed from a legitimate secondary. Listen people, our secondary got suspended twice and traded once. What we had left was a myth called Myron, a bust called Biggers, a former LB with 2 broken legs, a Gator that can’t break 4.8, a HOFer that’s past his prime, and somebody I never heard of with the last name Gorrer – and you want to kill Cooper for not being able to turn this crew from central casting into a shutdown secondary?
Cooper’s crime is being with the wrong team at the wrong time. It’s not the zookeeper this time, it’s the zoo. Go to Buccaneers.com and read his bio. This man has been at this successfully for the last 30 years and has developed some of the finest DBs to enter the NFL.
There is an old Jewish saying – “You can’t make bricks without straw”. Give the man some straw, then judge him!
December 27th, 2012 at 7:17 pm
Correction: blown up.
I know what SteveK will do with that sentence! lol
December 27th, 2012 at 7:49 pm
It’s on Sherridan. When you blitz safeties. You are bound to get burn badly. Especially, if the guys get blocked. If you they want to blitz Barber, then put him at corner to help keep the safeties back. I agree no adjustment was made to help aleviate thiis flaw. I would say Gaitor and Johnson are two young guy with potential. Ahmad Black is playing ok.
December 27th, 2012 at 8:32 pm
I flat out asked Steve White where the blame lies. He said Sheridan 100%. Although I don’t believe anyone deserves 100% of the blame (or credit), that says a lot. I trust that he knows a helluva lot more than me and the rest of us. Just like last year, no one escapes this without taking some of the blame, but even a fool can see our players have been put in less than ideal situations. I fully expect changes to be made in the offseason to the coaching staff, and of course to some of the players as well.
December 27th, 2012 at 8:35 pm
Where has our defense changed since the beginning of the year? The same things that were killing us in week 2 are still killing us now. We still blitz repetitively and unsuccessfully, an leave our secondary on an island. No matter the personnel, same story. There’s been no adapting, just the same stubborn play calling week in and week out. That blame falls on one person. You can add Schiano to that if a change isn’t made in the offseason. What we are doing is not working, period. Change something!
December 27th, 2012 at 8:52 pm
The DC has to go. The defensive scheme has to go.
December 27th, 2012 at 9:41 pm
There are more then one assistant coach on this staff that needs an upgrade. The following teams are firing there coaches: Eagles, Arizona, Detroit (50/50), San Diego, Carolina (50/50), Buffalo (50/50), Clevland (50/50), Chicago (50/50), KC (50/50), Tenn. (50/50)… that’s 3 entire coaching staffs up for gradbs. There will be at least 2 or 3 more coaches getting the ax between the 50/50 clubs. In total there should be at least 5 to 6 coaching staffs being released this off season. I think Schiano will do the smart thing and get rid of some of the “college” coaches and add a couple of “professional” coaches.
December 27th, 2012 at 10:38 pm
If Lovie Smith gets canned, Bucs need to go after him fast before someone else does.
December 27th, 2012 at 10:45 pm
Your right Hawaiian, they have got that blitz figured out.
Lovie Smith is a great thought. Doubt the bears would be that stupid though.
Monte!
December 27th, 2012 at 10:59 pm
Macabee,
Nice synopsis, and I agree. To place the “blame” on Cooper is only scapegoating.
Our CB’s are the worst in football.
December 27th, 2012 at 11:01 pm
Hawaiian.
Our CB’s aren’t going to cover anyone, period. We might as well sell out on the run.
We need a pass rusher to go with the CB’s.
December 27th, 2012 at 11:28 pm
Only problem with Lovie is that he would be gone in a year-to another head coaching gig. That is, if he doesn’t get another one next year (assuming he gets fired, which I don’t think he will.
December 29th, 2012 at 3:41 am
just say no to monte…
unless it is to replace the useless butch davis.