New Regime in Tampa Bay

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“We just played collectively as a unit. Everybody did their job and pitched in.” ~ Derrick Brooks

“It`s tough. You just never know which play is going to be the one that changes the ballgame.” ~ Derrick Brooks

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have made some very controversial moves lately, cutting ties with the likes of Derrick Brooks, Cato June, Joey Galloway, Warrick Dunn, and Ike Hillard.

Yes, I said Derrick Brooks who is an 11 time Pro-Bowler and has been lifetime Buccaneer ever since he entered the league in 1995.

Brooks has been the face of a "Tampa Two," a defensive philosophy by then head coach Tony Dungy and defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin.

The Tampa Two roots were originally created by Bud Carson and Chuck Noll in the Pittsburg Steelers Steel Curtain days. The Tampa Two has been used all over the NFL ever since, with the Colts and Tony Dungy to Lovie Smith and the Bears.

The Tampa Two consists of four lineman, three linebackers, two corners, and two safeties. The Tampa Two is known to have aggressive players in the system and you need to have attitude.

The Tampa Two relies on good tackling and gang tackles—they also are forced to attack the ball at all times and need hard hitting safeties for the run defense. The main part of the defense is a cover middle linebacker who relies on instincts to make plays and great tackling.

Enough with all this history about the Tampa Two lets talk about the 2009 Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The first step into the new regime was when the Buccaneers hired Mark Dominik as the general manager and then Raheem Morris, the former defensive coordinator for Jon Gruden.

Shortly after and the longtime defensive leader in Derrick Brooks was cut, which was said to be a move to get younger and more physical, this is the end of the Tampa Two in Tampa.

Monte Kiffin joined his son Lane Kiffin at the University of Tennessee and that caused the official end of the Tampa Two as the Buccaneer’s defensive scheme.

With the 17th pick in the 2009 NFL Draft the Buccaneers took Josh Freeman out of Kansas State. Freeman was widely known to be the third best quarterback in the draft class behind Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez. Freeman has all the physical tools to be a great quarterback, good footwork, very strong arm, decent accuracy, mobile, and a winner mentality.

Freeman didn’t have the talent around him at Kansas State but he still produced. At KSU he sometimes forced things and he has to realize that he can’t do that in the NFL anymore. Josh Freeman already has the head coaches support, Raheem Morris was his defensive coordinator at Kansas State in 2006.

The Buccaneers also added former New York Giants running back Derrick Ward, who should be a force in the backfield to help whoever will start at quarterback.

The rebuilding of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is already in full affect and expect many more moves over the next few years.

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