OT: Bucs hire former Bears coach Lovie Smith as their new head coach
Per Adam Schefter, (in follow up to Jay Glazer's initial reports) the Bucs have reached a 4 year agreement with Lovie Smith to be their next head coach. It is also being rumored that Jeff Tedford will join his staff as OC and Rod Marinelli will be the DC. Another top coaching candidate quickly jumps on a deal.
Adam Schefter @AdamSchefter 10m
Bucs and Lovie Smith reached agreement, as @JayGlazer reported. Deal had been in works for days. Smith was favorite all along. Back to Bucs.
SportsCenter @SportsCenter 6m
BREAKING: Lovie Smith and Buccaneers agree on 4-year deal to make Smith team's next head coach. (via ESPN & media reports)
http://espn.go.com/chicago/nfl/story/_/id/10229285/lovie-smith-tampa-bay-buccaneers-reach-agreement
January 1st, 2014 at 9:07 PM ^
This could be another reason the Lions are bringing in Caldwell for an interview (To comply with the Rooney rule). It was being rumored Lovie Smith was due an interview with the Lions, but it appears that was false, as it is being reported this deal was being negotiated for several days now.
January 1st, 2014 at 9:57 PM ^
With Lovie now off the table, many of the other candidates who might qualify (Sumlin, Shaw, Franklin) are for the most part college coaches who don't want to leave. I suspect that Todd Bowles of Arizona (who I like a lot, maybe for my Vikings) might get quite a few interviews.
January 1st, 2014 at 9:09 PM ^
give credit where its due - Jay Glazer first reported this.
January 1st, 2014 at 9:09 PM ^
Intresting as I had read earlier that the Lions wanted to interview him.
Not related to thread but I wanted to post that the Lions have no interest in Tom Cable and are planning an interview with Jim Caldwell.
January 2nd, 2014 at 12:32 AM ^
will satisfy the Rooney Rule. Their top guy presumably always has been Ken Wisenhunt
January 1st, 2014 at 9:12 PM ^
Great news, because this will (obviously) quash rumors of the Lions hiring him. That was a genuinely worrying possibility, so I'm glad the Bucs took that off the table.
January 2nd, 2014 at 7:26 AM ^
I know...Lovie only took the Bears to multiple playoff appearances and a Super Bowl. Those accomplishments are beneath the Lions.
January 2nd, 2014 at 10:28 AM ^
We need an offensive minded head coach to fix Stafford. I think the Lions are a piece or two away from being a good to solid defense. Another corner and LB and I thinkw we're fine. A different DC also.
The DL is beastly -- Fairley played more consistently, Suh was Suh, Ansah showed promise as a rookie with little football underneath his belt. I like Quin and Delmas (when he can stay healthy, if the Lions picked up another safety I'd be fine with that). I thought Slay looked okay and he should get better.
The defense would have been great with Lovie but with the amount of money inviested on th offense and still needing pieces, you have to bring in someone who can get the most out of those players. There's too much money in Stafford for him to keep playing the way he has been. The Lions need a disciplinarian also.
I wouldn't have been terribly upset with Lovie if he brought in a better offensive staff than he did in Chicago.
January 1st, 2014 at 9:12 PM ^
I like the man - he seems like a solid, steady leader.
January 1st, 2014 at 9:14 PM ^
January 1st, 2014 at 9:15 PM ^
For what it is worth, Lovie Smith was heartily endorsed by Tony Dungy in this article (HERE):
"I think he knows the lay of the land in the organization, No. 1," Dungy said. "He's been there and knows how this thing really developed and how it got going well. I also think he could bring some of that back."
The article was submitted today but apparently - if you asked Dungy - there would be a line of people waiting to work with Smith if indeed he landed the position.
January 1st, 2014 at 9:24 PM ^
He doesn't know offense. The biggest detriment to Lovie's tenure in Chicago was an enabling GM.
Jerry Angelo spent the majority of our draft picks and free agent money on defensive players. Even after trading for Jay Cutler we still built an offensive line with late round picks, undrafted free agents and aging veterans.
January 1st, 2014 at 9:47 PM ^
I didn't catch anything after you mentioned Tony Dungy.
January 1st, 2014 at 9:17 PM ^
I know Lovie Smith had mixed results in his first NFL head coaching job, but this was due to a lack of offense. He put up a respectable 81-63 record, appeared in a super bowl, and won an AP coach of the year award. He's definitely a defensive minded coach, but with the right OC he could really turn things around in Tampa.
January 1st, 2014 at 9:17 PM ^
January 1st, 2014 at 9:25 PM ^
January 1st, 2014 at 9:21 PM ^
It will be weird to see Revis not playing man-to-man.
January 1st, 2014 at 9:24 PM ^
Damn. Although his name has not been mentioned around here (probably because he has a different agent than Lombardi) i was sort of hoping he'd get a look here in Cleveland. I like Lovie a lot.
January 2nd, 2014 at 2:29 AM ^
Would have been a good fit in Cleveland.
January 1st, 2014 at 9:29 PM ^
There's a lot of talent to work with on both sides of the ball. Hopefully he's able to effectively utilize it.
January 1st, 2014 at 9:31 PM ^
January 1st, 2014 at 9:51 PM ^
I laughed after reading this, and then looked at your avatar. I immediately connected your above comment with him in Billy Madison.
I got a friend, and him and her GOT IT ON, WHEWW
No they didnt.
No. No. No they didnt. But you can imagine if they did.
January 2nd, 2014 at 6:14 PM ^
I'm glad we got Lovie too. So glad Gap-Tooth and his clown show are gone.
Kinda nice to have a Dungy disciple back in the fold.
January 1st, 2014 at 9:36 PM ^
Lovie had better bundle up in that locker room. MRSA running wild.
January 1st, 2014 at 9:45 PM ^
I think Smith is a good hire. He is a competent NFL coach who can fully utilize the talent he is given. If nothiing else, at least the Bucs' front office will be able to trust that the results on the field are true reflections of the team's talent level.
As for the departed Greg Schiano, why is he even being mentioned for any of the high profile openings in college? Schiano had a few teams that played well in the Big East. Then he went to the NFL and was terrible. Still, he is mentioned for some elite caliber jobs.
AFAIC, Schiano is just a less-oblnxious version of Lane Kiffin.
January 1st, 2014 at 10:03 PM ^
January 1st, 2014 at 10:16 PM ^
January 1st, 2014 at 10:11 PM ^
Lions are gonna get stuck with brian purpleface kelly..havent seen any rumors out of detroit really beside acouple crap nothings with any really potential
January 1st, 2014 at 10:18 PM ^
Considering their fantastic history of hiring quality coaches with great potential, things could be worse than Brian Kelly. Here's a name that comes to mind with HC experience that would fall in line with previous hires- Cam Cameron
January 2nd, 2014 at 12:34 AM ^
but Lions wants to take their time to get the right guy.
January 2nd, 2014 at 6:15 PM ^
Kelly is gonna get his ass handed to him if he tries to scream at a grown-ass man, the way he screams at college kids.
January 1st, 2014 at 10:33 PM ^
January 1st, 2014 at 10:38 PM ^
who then can bring back his good friend and former DC Greg Robinson.
January 1st, 2014 at 11:08 PM ^
Lovie seems like he'll be a good fit for the Bucs. He will need to get a good OC and remember that there's two sides of the ball, but he is a good coach.
January 2nd, 2014 at 2:54 AM ^
January 2nd, 2014 at 11:56 AM ^
Great hire by the Bucs. Loved him in Chicago and with Tampa's history of good defenses Lovie will fit right into their mold. Like everyone says he'll need a good OC, I nominate Al Borges (is that too soon?).