OT: NFL Coaching Carousel Bucs Lovie Smith

Submitted by I Bleed Maize N Blue on

TB fired Lovie Smith Wed night after only two years. A month ago they were in the playoff hunt at 6-6, but then they lost four in a row, finishing as division cellar dwellers for the 5th year in a row, and he gone.

Still, 6 wins is better than 2, so seemingly things were getting better. Apparently not good enough for ownership, though - defense wasn't performing well enough. But who's going to take that job when they have such itchy trigger fingers?

Lions' DC Teryl Austin has been making the rounds, interviewing with the Dolphins and Browns. He's going to interview with the Eagles and Giants. So I suppose the Bucs will come calling next.

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xtramelanin

January 7th, 2016 at 5:55 AM ^

it appears he was well-liked by the players and trying to dig out of a tire fire in tampa.  not a wise move to pull the plug so quickly while he was trending up.  unless they have a 'perfect' candidate in their grasp this was not smart on any level. 

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Tater

January 7th, 2016 at 8:19 AM ^

When David Brandon "Rich-Rodded" Rich Rod, he lowered the bar for the amount of years a coach gets to establish his system.  We are seeing a lot of coaches being fired after two or three years.  The last three coaches in Tampa Bay have worked for 3, 2 and 2 years.  

Maybe they need to fire the owners.

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mGrowOld

January 7th, 2016 at 8:31 AM ^

Greetings from Cleveland!

 

Eric Mangini 2009-2010

Pat Shurmur 2011 - 2012

Rob Chudzinski - 2013

Mike Pettit - 2014 - 2015

Fun facts!  There have been 81 different position coaches in Cleveland since 2009 and we're about to have 12-14 more. The last FIVE coaching changes in the AFC North have been done by the Browns.  And the last Head Coach to see year three in Cleveland was Romeo fucking Crennel.

FML

 

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big10football

January 7th, 2016 at 8:41 AM ^

Yeah, they got rid of Lovie so that they can promote and keep Dirk Koetter, their OC.  Unfortunate for Lovie because he wasn't doing a bad job, but the Bucs apparently just value Dirk more, and he is due for a head coaching job. 

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Princetonwolverine

January 7th, 2016 at 6:33 AM ^

I think I get up really early and always find there have been 30-50 comments made before I even get a chance. Nice to see other folks are dedicated. 

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Swayze Howell Sheen

January 7th, 2016 at 7:15 AM ^

just as Dear Leader says, sometimes people are in charge of things just because somebody has to be in charge.

how dumb.

for coaches though, it is great - you sign a 4/5 year contract, and only have to work 2.

 

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Perkis-Size Me

January 7th, 2016 at 7:23 AM ^

Just my opinion, but a stupid mistake. Unless you win only 1-2 games each of your two years, you at least need a third year to make some real progress. Unless you land a Harbaugh type, which has a pretty darn small chance of happening, you're just dooming yourself to an eternal coaching carousel if all you give your guy is two years.

The Glazers are strongly disliked in Tampa for a reason. Now they've hit the reset button after two years and almost guarantee another couple years of being cellar dwellers and the kind of team that Jay Cutler has a career day against.



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big10football

January 7th, 2016 at 8:53 AM ^

They are not "hitting the reset button."  They got rid of Lovie so that they can promote their OC, Dirk Koetter.  The Bucs had a top 5 offense this year with a rookie QB.  Their OC was being targeted to fill head coaching vacancies, and the Bucs felt like they would be hitting the reset button more by losing Dirk then Lovie.  It is unfortunate for Lovie, but the Bucs aren't firing him to go in a different direction, they are firing him to continue in the same direction, which wouldn't happen if they lost Dirk. 

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laxmangl29

January 7th, 2016 at 9:08 AM ^

Thats definitely the reasoning they were putting up on SportsCenter this morning. Weird situation I guess, but it's not like Lovie Smith is a hotshot/up and coming coach.

A top 5 offense with a rookie QB in year one (GRIII?) isn't unheard of but it is definitely not the norm. Good job by the OC to make such an impression on his boss's boss and (maybe) get that promotion. 

Either way, who cares... its Tampa Bay... Go Lions? Yeah... damn.

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Hotel Putingrad

January 7th, 2016 at 7:36 AM ^

but they responded well (before running out of steam this month). I'm sure they will now try to get an offensive guy to mold Winston, but if he and Lovie got along, he's probably already eyeing that escape hatch after his rookie deal. If it weren't for that glorious Super Bowl run, their franchise highlights would be, in order, creamsicle uniforms and staph infections.

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Yo_Blue

January 7th, 2016 at 7:55 AM ^

Wait for the NFL media types... Sooner or later they'll remember that Harbaugh mentored Winston before the Combine and Tampa will be in play...  because of course he wants to coach in the NFL and his wife would like the Tampa area and he hates recruiting and etc. etc. etc.

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Stay.Classy.An…

January 7th, 2016 at 8:15 AM ^

before Harbaugh offers him some sort of  position on his staff? Pardon my ignorance, but do we have someone on staff that is a "liason" between Michigan and the NFL? Would this be an NCAA violation to have this sort of position on the staff? I think it would be pretty awesome to have another former NFL coach on the staff in some capacity, even if it was just in an advisory sort of role. Another great mind is always welcomed!

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H-Eazy

January 7th, 2016 at 8:18 AM ^

Alright two things... 1. Lovie Smith is NOT going to Michigan. Yes, we have NFL ties and a working program, but I'm sure he'd much rather be in the NFL and will probably get another HC gig. 2. The Bucs should NOT have fired Lovie Smith! I thought the general consensus was 3 years at least for a coach? He had a dang rookie QB and barely had time to mold his style to the team. Adding and firing coaches every two years won't make you good Tampa.

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goblue81

January 7th, 2016 at 8:27 AM ^

There are reasons why perennial losers are just that.  Uninformed decisions, motivations outside of winning, general lack of football IQ, impatience or jealousy, poor evaluation of talent - both coaches/players, etc... While I didn't follow the Bucs closely this year, from what I saw, they were on the move up with some really talented young players: Winston, Evans, Martin, McCoy, etc...

Who knows though this might be a good move in the long run, but I think they were on the verge of turning the corner.  Plus, they are looking at a solid #1 pick (unless they had traded it away previously).  I definitely think Lovie should have gotten one more year.  I'm not sure they are going to get anyone better, and with this young talent they need to be moving forward not restarting scheme/structure wise.

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WindyCityBlue

January 7th, 2016 at 8:36 AM ^

I know some are saying its a bad move

But after watching him in Chicago for many years, I really don't think he's that good of a coach. He caught lightening in a bottle and got da Bears to the SB.

I suspect they have someone better in mind to replace him which is why they are pulling the plug so early.



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MI Expat NY

January 7th, 2016 at 9:51 AM ^

Agree.  Only made the playoffs once in his last six seasons, and despite contributing far more resources to the defense, saw diminishing returns on that side of the ball.  Mainly his problem seems to be that he is still sticking with his bread and butter Tampa 2 that only seems to work in the NFL these days if you have otherworldly talent in the front 7.  

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WindyCityBlue

January 7th, 2016 at 11:19 AM ^

...da bears are going through a small coaching carosel of their own.  We'll see if Fox sticks (I think he will).  Regardless, Lovie should have been fired when he did.  He had a great first half of his tenure in Chicago, but was trending in the wrong direction in the later half (as the previous poster mentioned about the playoffs in the last 6 years). 

Overall, I don't think he's a very good coach and franchises can probably find someone much better.  Just my $0.02

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dieseljr32

January 7th, 2016 at 8:48 AM ^

The way NFL teams operate bug me. Lovie Smith fired after progress in just his second year? He had so much success in Chicago. Mike Pettine gone because he got caught up in the Browns organization. Chip Kelly was 26-21 when he was let go. And the one that worked out in our favor, Jim Harbaugh. Enough said. More like the National Fired League.

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LSAClassOf2000

January 7th, 2016 at 9:04 AM ^

Well, if there's any silver lining for Smith himself at all, I think he walks away with about $10 million as he was signed through 2017, as I recall. Still, I wonder if the record means he takes a tour of the coordinator ranks for a bit, or perhaps there is a team (in the next season or two - Lovie could probably hang out for a bit if he wanted) that would be willing to give him a shot. 

Still, wouldn't have excepected Smith to be on the list of coaches now looking for a job at this juncture. 

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treetown

January 7th, 2016 at 9:17 AM ^

Jim Harbaugh went from Stanford to the 49ers and "immediately" they were playoff bound and Super Bowl contenders. 

Of course it is not that simple. Harbaugh clearly has an eye for talent and knew the 49ers at that time had a good roster that fit what he wanted to do.

But as we've seen, a lot of people who are in the BUSINESS of pro football actually know very little about the COACHING of pro football, so they see only the superficial observation - Before Harbaugh - no playoffs, After Harbaugh - playoffs and nearly the Super Bowl.

It only made their "win now" impatience worse.

 

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