“Except For Those Pesky Three Hours …”
September 9th, 2013
A New Jersey columnist says Greg Schiano is producing familiar results
They know Greg Schiano pretty darn well in central New Jersey, where the Star-Ledger covers Rutgers like a glove and treated Schiano moving on the Bucs like a president leaving office.
Schiano is respected in Jersey, but columnist Steve Politi reminds fans today that Schiano did yesterday what he often did at Rutgers: drop a dud performance at a critical time.
Things change fast in the NFL, but it must be hard for Rutgers fans not to have flashbacks. Every time Rutgers seemed on the verge of something, there was always a loss like this. The loss to Cincinnati in 2006 comes to mind, the awful performance after the thrilling win over Louisville. So does the start to the 2007 season, when Rutgers was supposed to build on that breakthrough year.
So does the ugly one in Connecticut, just before Schiano left town, when the Scarlet Knights had a chance to clinch a share of their first league title and played like they had the weight of the world on their shoulders.
This was always the knock on Schiano, the college coach: He was exactly the man you wanted in that job except for those pesky three hours on game day. That he spent five minutes with Eric LeGrand and his family after the way that game ended speaks to the other side.
Yes, winning big games — and titles — was a big knock on Schiano in college, but Joe wiped Schiano’s slate clean when he got to the Bucs.
However, Joe wrote many times that a huge X-factor for this Bucs season would be Schiano’s ability to prove himself as a strong NFL game coach. That wasn’t evident last season. And on top of that, Schiano would need to be able to outcoach Mike Smith and Sean Payton to rule the NFC South.
Joe’s still waiting for evidence to call Schiano a great gameday leader.
September 9th, 2013 at 1:53 pm
Yesterday for me was it. This post really has more to do with Dominik than Freeman as you will see. Freeman was not at his worst, he was adequate and he provided the Bucs a final drive that should have won the game. However…
He was clearly outplayed by a rookie in Gino Smith. Both were playing against defenses that were coming after them; both had terrible O-line protection and a lot of pressure. But the rookie QB completed 24 of 38 (63%) for 256 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. Freeman, in his 4th year, completed 15 of 31 (48%) for 210 yards. On top of that, no one can argue which QB has the better weapons surrounding him – Freeman has MANY more weapons in Jackson, The Muscle Hampster, M-Will; Jackson was a monster yesterday as he always is. And Free is NOT going to get better – my theory: because he makes “Hall of Fame” throws on occasion, and he definitely does, Free will always have a penchant for tossing up a boneheaded turnover just because he thinks he can get away with it. He is also clearly NOT a leader. If you listen to the bs from the bucs about how he leads in the huddle, etc, maybe you believe this. But yesterday, when his helmet transmitter did no work, why not get in the huddle and just call a damn play?! Why 2 timeouts?
Now, ask yourself why the Bucs don’t have a better QB. Here is a list of the top-half of NFL QB’s (lets not quibble about the order): Payton, Brady, Rogers, Bress, Roethlisberger, Eli, Romo (he was awesome vs. the NYG’s last night), Flacco, Ryan, Schaub, Rivers, newcomers Kaepernick, Luck, Griffin, Wilson, then maybe Alex Smith. Those are arguably the top 16 or so QB’s in the NFL.
Two points I want to make with this. One, imagine Alex Smith as the Bucs QB. In this list, he is by definition, an “average” QB in the NFL – right smack in the middle. The Chiefs were very smart to trade for him. Is he Brady, Payton or Rogers? No. But if he were the Bucs QB, with the weapons they have, and the lack of mistakes that Alex Smith makes, do we not win the division, and likely, MUCH MORE? Second point: if my list represents half of the best QB’s in the NFL, why do the Bucs not have one? Half of the 32 teams in the NFL do. The QB does not have to be Payton or Brady, just Alex Smith. Is our brain-trust’s (Dominik) ability to identify talent not in the top half of the NFL? This argument would most definitely say “no”.
September 9th, 2013 at 1:55 pm
Butch davis, Dave wannsted…whats the point of having head coach experience with results like that. all butch davis can do is game plan, he’s not out on the field during practice, we look like an outdated team
September 9th, 2013 at 1:58 pm
Love Smith for HC next year? lol
September 9th, 2013 at 1:58 pm
lovie**
September 9th, 2013 at 1:59 pm
Still waiting for evidence Josh Freeman isn’t Jason Cambpell redux…
September 9th, 2013 at 2:00 pm
Agreed
September 9th, 2013 at 2:01 pm
Just like I wrote on the other post I repost here….
Schiano and his style is not fit for the NFL at least not yet. One thing that most drill sergeant type coaches have its they can walk the walk and obviously Schiano can’t. Yes we have hear the Tampa based media trying to pimp Schiano to us, but the reality is he has not won anything meaningfull or developed great players. Some will look at Ray Rice and act like if Schiano made him, maybe it was the other way around.
No one else offer Schiano a HC gig for a reason… There are some coaches that can walk the walk but as long as Schiano it’s running the show I expect this team to have another mediocre Rutgers like year….
September 9th, 2013 at 2:02 pm
I must say i really do like that lovie smith idea, come on back to tampa, no way he doesnt get an nfl coaching job next year
September 9th, 2013 at 2:07 pm
schiano is not the problem. its the qb the oline. they need to step up and olgetree too me I don’t understand why they overhyped this guy he hasn’t done anything in 4 years. shoulve kept underwood at least he was solid last year. please use hillis and martin combine both of them and try to make freeman manage the game. the guy just its just too inconsistent. next week its really interesting it could be an ugly one if the offense plays like they played against the jets.hopefully they get their errors fix cause it is the nfl and anything could happen. and the bucs definetly have the talent. but they just gotta put it together asap.
September 9th, 2013 at 2:09 pm
The only two head coachs who have a winning record as Head Coach of the Bucs are Tony and Jon.
Both had very extensive experience at Pro Football. Dungy started with Noll, Chucky with Walsh, both coordinators, Jon a former successful head coach.
This guy has virtually no NFL experience, except coaching very briefly with Wannstedt (himself a total failure at NFL level except for early 90’s with Jimmy Johnson). And not much success at college beyond what many other college coachs have done. He does have a clean slate- real clean.
The results are predictable. Similar to when Rah was trotted out as Head Coach. It is from that date that I have been “overreacting”.
Its not credible, and it aint gonna work. People at One Buc Place should know better…….all pretty sad – back to the pre-Dungy era. We are irrelevant and a laughing stock.
September 9th, 2013 at 2:11 pm
I agree with those pesky 3 hours. I might get a lot of flack for this but heres an idea. Make Schiano the GM. He definitely knows how to find talent, just doesn’t know how to coach them. Then when interviewing for a head coach ask only one question: If you go run run pass on third and long, how many times do you let that not work, before you ADJUST YOUR GAMEPLAN!!!
September 9th, 2013 at 2:23 pm
For the record, if Schiano gets canned without an extension, that’s 0-2 for GM Dominik… and he should get canned too.
September 9th, 2013 at 2:26 pm
John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled
bucrightoff say it with me dude!!!!
C’mon .. everyone say !! Don’t let the suffering continue…
Las Vegas Buccaneers!!!!
Let’s do something about those dreadful Buc’s. I know , send them packing!
Las Vegas Buccaneers!!!! Baby!!!
September 9th, 2013 at 2:28 pm
I hope Schanio learns from this. After the pass to vjax. You have to trust your qb on third down to pick up a first down. I know Freeman played pretty bad yesterday but he has proven a few times(10 to be exact) that he can make plays to win games. Don’t put the game on the defense put it on your “franchise” quarterback to make a play to seal the deal. One first down and the jets would have even seen the ball. This is what Schaino needs to change the most. You can’t expect your quarterback to play with confidence if you don’t have any confidence in him. Of he doesn’t have confidence that his quarterback can make that play than he should have brought in a qb he does trust.(and if that’s Glennon than damnit he should starting). Let Freeman play or let him walk but we as a fan base are tired of watching scared football.
September 9th, 2013 at 2:29 pm
Let not your heart be troubled. I thought that was Sean Hannity 14:1. lol
September 9th, 2013 at 2:34 pm
I wonder what the Bucs’s org thinks about all this constant vile, hate filled over reaction?
Inquiring minds wanna know.
To much frustration in Tampa.
I think the club could use some new scenery and a fresher perspective instead of trying their hardest to appease a hatefilled fanbase.
September 9th, 2013 at 2:41 pm
Ok, I’m done with my preaching, hope I got through to at least a few of you. Remember, REAL Bucs fans this isn’t all that ends all. Stay Strong!!!
or be RABID and bite the hand.
Las Vegas would love to have them Bucs!
September 9th, 2013 at 2:43 pm
Wow Harry, you sure have a lot of free time.. No Job? The best thing about the Bucs on Sunday is they will not be shown on local TV. Which means I can watch a good team
September 9th, 2013 at 3:00 pm
Just saw the Schiano press conference. Unlike Tom Coughlin last night, Schiano took no responsibility for yesterday’s fiasco. Just like the stand-up guy I thought he was. Smh
September 9th, 2013 at 3:04 pm
some of this is on coaching…but remember they came out with 2 out of 3 throws on the 1st drive until the O melted down…er free who can’t call his own play.
$hit if free a decent QB or had any heart left in him he would have taken that as HIS OPPORTUNITY to call his plays and ran with it!
it went downhill from there.
September 9th, 2013 at 3:13 pm
Schiano has brought our defense to #1 against the run after finishing at the bottom in 2011. He’s also thought these guys how to tackle well. Does Lovie Smiths Tampa 2 really fit our defense? I don’t think so. I just don’t see a coach who would be able to produce the same results defensively as a Schiano defense has. Our only Achilles heels are 2-minute defense & offensive consistency. Schiano, right now, is the best coach for this team.
September 9th, 2013 at 3:14 pm
Plain and simple that opening drive wad the single most embarrasing thing I have ever seen take place on an NFL field. I actually considered finding another team to root for. It was very hard to wear my Bucs gear in public today.
September 9th, 2013 at 3:21 pm
On the other hand Joe, we have ample evidence that he’s NOT a great leader;
game day or otherwise.
September 9th, 2013 at 3:23 pm
Splengo
‘Just saw the Schiano press conference. Unlike Tom Coughlin last night, Schiano took no responsibility for yesterday’s fiasco. Just like the stand-up guy I thought he was. Smh’
I couldn’t agree more!
I saw the presser too and was shocked to hear him throw Freeman under the bus when asked about the poor offensive line play. What a classless jerk. Man up coach. This was on you.
What do you bet he’s already lost the locker room?
September 9th, 2013 at 3:25 pm
Replace Sully with McNulty….and Sheridan with Wannstedt…reverse their roles just to see. If that doesnt work, give Mike Zimmer a call.
Sounds crazy, I know, but sh!t do something to pump up this talent we’ve supposedly got. Cant all be on the players when the coaching exhibits poor execution play calling.
September 9th, 2013 at 3:32 pm
Him throwing Freeman under the bus might actually help him keep the locker room. Remember they did sorta of strip him of captaincy. Nobody believes in Josh in that locker room.
September 9th, 2013 at 3:49 pm
Who was Penn yelling at in the 4th qtr yesterday? I think he may have tired of the JFro experiement too.
September 9th, 2013 at 4:28 pm
bucrightoff,
That is a VERY good point.
September 9th, 2013 at 4:49 pm
@bucrightoff
After several came out publicly to defend him, no one believes in him? BS. And throwing Freeman under the bus does nothing. People see now that it’s a coaching issue. Freeman actually started to get hot at certain points yesterday, so what happened? Sacks, penalties, and the Martin vs a wall show. Yesterday’s goat was all coaching and throwing Freeman under the bus just tarnishes Schiano’s credibility with players, especially since recent former Bucs have all spoken out.
September 9th, 2013 at 4:57 pm
@Bucs or GTFO
We are actually perfectly built to run Lovie’s Tampa 2. The only issues is we would have to move Foster and get a true T2 MLB and Lovie would have to adjust to Revis.
September 9th, 2013 at 5:59 pm
Sounds like the honeymoon is over.
Just wait until Brees puts 50 on the scoreboard.
Just think what the Bountygate Saints could do by putting VJax’s picture up on the bulletin board. Without Vincent, Schiano, Freeman, Dominick and all the 37 other coaches would be history.
September 9th, 2013 at 7:03 pm
Coach cox is the reason the run defense is number one against the run. Coach Schiano needed to let his player play football and listen to them when they make a suggestion. The first three plays of the game Freeman, called those plays himself. Coach Schiano, was yelling at Freeman and the O.C while they was trying to call plays. That is the reason for the delays and why you saw Martin run up the middle on first down,because that is what he did with Ray Rice. The coach is a control freak and it will cost this team. Maybe the team can win despite this coach.
September 9th, 2013 at 9:33 pm
Stranger, you summed up Freeman in the line “Freeman actually started to get hot at certain points yesterday”. Thats the point: he gets hot at certain points…and very cold at others. Without our defense setting up two short fields we might get shut out. The two TD drives combined were not 50 yards. An offense with those weapons needs to produce more.
September 10th, 2013 at 12:07 am
I’ll take Snuffy Smith for HC at this point.
September 10th, 2013 at 5:36 am
Eric- that showed your age! Lol. What was that blondes name?
This article nails it. So many things to love about Schiano. But he is terrible at making adjustments during the game. He gets out coached when the bullets are flying. He wasn’t a winner at Rutgers. A great coach should have dominated at that level.
He’s a hard working guy. Great work ethic, great morales.
But he isn’t a great coach. This team doesn’t look dangerous. It looks confused. And it has since he got here. Players have already given up on “the Rutgers Plan”
I really like the guy. But he should be on his way back to New Jersey by week 4. Butch or Dave can try to get us back to a pro level.
September 10th, 2013 at 5:42 am
As far as Freeman goes.
He is a modern NFL QB. He is big, fast and mobile. He is at his best, when he is on the move. Even Shiano admits that Freeman is much more accurate on the move.
Then why do they keep trying to make him a pocket passer? Pocket passers aren’t the way to go in today’s NFL!! Neither is being a running team!! To win now, you want a mobile QB- who is a threat to run!
Don’t know if Josh will succeed. But at least an intelligent coach would let him play to his strenghts! Not demand that he stays in the pocket- and gets the heck beat out of him! Let’ em Run. He looked good doing that 2 years ago!!!
Again. Stubborn, bad coaching
September 10th, 2013 at 8:08 am
Capt Tim. Part of me thinks Schiano, last year, didn’t want Josh to run for injury reasons. Having no backup. Then he drafted a QB in the 3rd round as an insurance policy, thinking we can get gutsy with Freeman. Then Glennon let everyone down in the preseason, so Schiano doesn’t want to risk it again this year. Idk. I could be way off base and totally wrong. Just a thought