Bucs coordinators introductory conferences: gut reactions

Leslie Frazier and Jeff Tedford have just concluded their first press conferences as the defensive and offensive coordinators for the Buccaneers. We'll bring you back some more in depth takeaways shortly, plus a few key points from their pressers, but here's some quick thoughts on what they had to say.

Leslie Frazier

• The Bucs defensive scheme will be similar to what Lovie Smith ran in Chicago, and what Frazier ran in Minnesota.
• Frazier repeated several times throughout the presser that there would have to be more pieces added in order to solidify the scheme that the coaching staff want to employ, though he wouldn't go into detail as to what positions he was referring to.
• In response to a question about having Gerald McCoy and Lavonte David, he emphasised that the three technique and weakside linebacker are the two most important positions in this defense, and that they have two strong players there already. However, he also pointed out three other key roles needed in the defense - an edge rusher, a corner who is a solid tackler, and a middle linebacker who can "do things". He emphasised that the Bucs currently have two of those five pieces in McCoy and David, but didn't reference Darrelle Revis at this point. Later on in another question, he again referred to having 'two pieces'. However, he was more than complimentary about Revis when asked directly about the corner.
• He said that the team will send a message not just to Dashon Goldson, but to all players, about having to hit within the framework of the league rules.
• Frazier appeared lukewarm when asked about Adrian Clayborn - not to the point where his role on the team is in danger, but it sounded like Clayborn may have to fight to keep his starting spot.
• Frazier says that he sees some potential standouts outside of the 'big names' on defense, but he can't be sure until he's seen them in OTAs. It seems like Frazier feels that the old Schiano/Sheridan scheme didn't always put players in positions to use their strengths, so needs to see them on the field before he would commit to praising any particular players.

Jeff Tedford

• Tedford really came across like a guy who seems to enjoy the gamesmanship of football.
• It's clear that the old "bellcow" philosophy of Greg Schiano is gone out the window - Tedford made it clear that he feels you have to have a 1-2 punch in the NFL, and "probably three". He also appears to believe that running backs on third down can create very favourable mismatches.
• One key emphasis for Tedford's O appears to be speed, especially speed in space. If I'm a betting man, I'd guess that Jeff Demps, assuming he heals up from the injury that landed him on IR, might become a much bigger part of the offensive game plan this season.
• OK, the biggie: Tedford is more than willing to work with Glennon, but is not yet sold. He pointed out some of Glennon's strengths - one in particular that he mentioned a few times was being respected in the locker room, something that is too often underrated when it comes to QB evaluation - including one which is simply not true: that Glennon looks comfortable in the pocket. He's not going to hang out Glennon to dry, of course, but it's pretty clear that Glennon has never been comfortable in the pocket (and, yes, the offensive line play down the stretch didn't help). Still, Tedford appears to believe that he can fix Glennon's flaws in his fundamentals and mechanics, which Tedford did acknowledge were there - and which he believed Glennon himself must be aware of. One flaw Tedford specifically mentioned is something that we've long pointed out here on Bucs Nation - Glennon needs to learn how to throw the ball quicker and accept that he will be hit, in order to throw the deep balls for touchdowns. One thing Tedford agreed with in response to a later question: that the league is leaning away from being able to win with a game manager. Just something to mull over.
• The ground game will be a huge part of Tedford's offense, but it won't be the ol' Mike Sullivan special of "run it between the tackles on 2nd & 20". It's clear Tedford wants to attack every part of the field on the ground; he specifically said that the run game will see running "inside, outside, perimeter, traps".
• For those who wanted to see Mike Glennon run more no-huddle - Tedford did mention that the offense, as well as using multiple formations, will vary the pace and speed of the offense, so expect more hurry-up.