Report: Bucs Can Special Teams Coach Ligashesky
January 30th, 2013
First, Bucs wide receivers coach P.J. Fleck moved on to become the youngest head coach in major college football, then quarterbacks coach Ron Turner was encouraged to leave by Butch Davis, and offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan jumped at a chance to leave Tampa before secondary coach Ron Cooper dove back into the college ranks. Now, Greg Schiano has dropped his axe on special teams coach Bob Ligashesky, despite Ligashesky’s Super Bowl ring (Pittsburgh) and the Bucs leading the NFL in blocked punts, per a Tweet by Tampa Bay Times beat writer Rick Stroud.
Yes, the Bucs’ special teams were not strong, but that definitely was, in part, because the Bucs had subpar returners throughout the season. The kicking game was sound, and surely special teams was not a problem.
But Joe can say that Schiano is obsessive about special teams, and would not surprise Joe if Schiano thought he could do better.
January 30th, 2013 at 9:28 pm
With the exception of PJ Fleck, all non returning coaches had not much to work with. Punt defense was great, unless that was all Schiano
January 30th, 2013 at 9:35 pm
I commented on this a while back when Cooper was let go and suggested that we see if we could talk Rich Bisaccia into coming back. After the Admin change in SD he went to Auburn for a minute. I just read where he just joined Kiffin and Marinelli in Dallas as ST coordinator. My opinion, the best out there. Oh well!
January 30th, 2013 at 9:58 pm
Oh come on now. Mike Sullivan didnt jump at anything. He simply applied for a head coaching job. Thats every non head coaches dream. Joe you are making it sound like everyone is trying to jump ship Lol. That’s how this article sounds to me anyways.
January 30th, 2013 at 10:10 pm
@Silence
Yea a little dramatic lol
–
From what I read before Schiano implemented his blocking schemes and what not. It’s something he prides himself on.
I would have thought a ST coach would have pushed for better returnmen/production, something. Kinda felt like we settled at the position all season.
Maybe with a new hire we’ll see more of a push there to be more productive.
January 30th, 2013 at 10:12 pm
Sounds like putting together an entire coaching staff is 1 BIG pain in the ass
January 30th, 2013 at 10:16 pm
Cowboys just hired Biascia so im out of ideas for a replacement….
@joe who are some likely canidates?
January 30th, 2013 at 10:30 pm
Yeah, Ligashesky stinks. I mean, if you can’t get a good return game with the likes of Arrelious Benn and Roscoe Parrish, what good are you. Another department, like cornerback, where the GM failed miserably.
January 30th, 2013 at 10:34 pm
I just heard about the Cowboys hiring Rich Biascia. It literally makes me sick, they basically hired the Bucs whole staff!! Sickening ! Anyone but division rivals or the effin’ Cowgirls!
January 30th, 2013 at 10:48 pm
I agree with Silence. Intervieing fo a head coaching job is far from “jumping ship” Joe if they were to ask you to cohost MNF are you telling us that would be jumping ship?
January 30th, 2013 at 10:58 pm
Bucs will win the Super Bowl in 1 year and some days,I cant wait.If your with me give me a woooooooooooo!
January 30th, 2013 at 11:13 pm
Could be my university of Florida education, but that first sentence of this article is difficult to read.
January 30th, 2013 at 11:51 pm
Com’ on.
January 31st, 2013 at 12:05 am
Well, I guess Schiano has finished his assessment of the coaching staff. He said there might be changes when he finished. Maybe he felt Ligashesky just didn’t make the grade. At least he’s not afraid to make changes. When you’re job is always on the line, you have to make sure your coaches have your best interest at heart. After all they are the long arm to his future success.
January 31st, 2013 at 12:11 am
Draft Quincy Mcduffie late round , big upgrade at return man, and another speedy WR.
January 31st, 2013 at 12:29 am
Titan’s fires their st coach bring the Music City Miracle to tampa
January 31st, 2013 at 12:41 am
How can you have a good return game when your best return man is inactive every week?
January 31st, 2013 at 1:07 am
Bring back Rich Bisacia!!!! I think he left because of the whole Raheem being promoted over him and he didn’t like how things were being ran. But i also believe he is exactly a Schiano kind of guy he is more clean edge and disciplined. He could eventually get the D Cord spot too. I don’t think Sheridan is gonna be there next year(2014).
Just saying our special teams were the best in franchise history and at times one of the best in the league under his tutelage. He was a fantastic coach and one i was very sad to see leave (for the same position no less)
January 31st, 2013 at 1:11 am
guess i was late on the Dallas news. Never mind that last post.
January 31st, 2013 at 1:25 am
Im actually surprised it took this long. He was Schiano’s whipping boy on the sideline every week. I’ve never seen so much miscommunication trying to get special teams units on the field.
January 31st, 2013 at 1:31 am
I wonder if coach Schiano, will ask the Dolphins for permission to speak with Darren Rizzi. He was the associate head coach/special teams coordinator at Rutgers from (2002-07).
January 31st, 2013 at 5:23 am
I thik Joe is enjoying too much Super Bowl fetivities. This article is wy, way beneath him.
January 31st, 2013 at 8:31 am
Joe here,
@Krk – Let’s see, another beat writer says the special teams coach is fired, and Joe passes that on with fact-based commentary. If that’s “beneath” Joe, so be it.
January 31st, 2013 at 8:54 am
I guess this just shows how “thrown together” the coaching staff was assembled last year. Its seems they were just hiring what ever they could get. Now after some self evaluation, perhaps some better coaching selections are being made with little more time than they had last year.
Joe, looking forward to some more Nola pics.
January 31st, 2013 at 9:26 am
Joe, Sorry I did not adequately describe what I meant. The idea that Coach Sullivan “jumped at a chance to leave” did not describe what was going on. If you had the opportunity to better yourself, would you not try? The way you phrased the sentence, sounded as though Coach Sullivan couldn’t wait to get out of here.
Your writing Joe, is usually much better than that. So this atrticle, in my opinion, was beneath your usual quality. Is that better?
January 31st, 2013 at 10:13 am
Joe here,
Krk – Without knowing Sullivan intimately, we can’t claim “better yourself,” in regards to Sullivan interviewing for the Bears job. We just don’t know. However, we do know that he jumped for the interview. It’s not necessarily a negative reflection on Schiano, but when you look at the sum of the staff movement, it’s important to note.
January 31st, 2013 at 10:36 am
I think if there was any animosity between Schiano and Sullivan, Sully wouldn’t be here. As far as Sullivan goes, he’s no different from most offensive coordinators whom aspire of being head coaches themselves, and I don’t think his application for said job was anything indicative to his relationship with Schiano. In fact, Schiano didn’t want to stand in his way.
January 31st, 2013 at 10:43 am
I think part of it was when Ligashesky stuck his Super Bowl ring in Schiano’s face and said “I got one and you still don’t college boy!!”
January 31st, 2013 at 5:09 pm
Gotta agree with a lot of others here, Joe. I don’t think intimate knowledge is required (unless we are speaking of Rachel Watson) to state that getting a head coaching gig in the 3rd largest US metropolis for a storied NFL franchise does not “better yourself.” I think, objectively, only an idiot would not jump at that chance.
January 31st, 2013 at 6:18 pm
Paul Ferraro has been hired to replace him. And he used to work with Schiano at Rutgers. Maybe we’ll have some PR for td’s this year.
January 31st, 2013 at 8:30 pm
It’s why they do it, to have the opportunity to be HC’s in the NFL
That’s what most of them would tell you anyway.
It’s not the first nor is it the last time