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Buccaneers Re-Hire Lovie Smith and Greg Schiano to Defensive Staff

By Alan Schechter

Oct 15, 2016; Piscataway, NJ, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Lovie Smith looks on during the first half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at High Points Solutions Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 15, 2016; Piscataway, NJ, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Lovie Smith looks on during the first half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at High Points Solutions Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Buccaneers go back to the future, bringing back Lovie Smith and Greg Schiano to join the defensive staff.

They say that those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it. For the Buccaneers, that statement goes to the extreme today, as they actually go repeating the past, deliberately.

The fans won’t like it too much.

The Pewter Plank has learned that the Bucs have brought in two former coaches to add to the defensive staff. Their names will make you cringe. Lovie Smith has been hired to work with the linebackers, and Greg Schiano has been hired to work with the defensive backs.

Why would the Bucs make such a move? Their defense is up and coming, why alter what is working? Let’s hear from the man who had the idea, defensive coordinator Mike Smith:

"Why not? Both of these men have solid track records as defensive assistants. Lovie Smith was here under Tony Dungy. If he could help that defense, he could help this one. Greg was a good defensive backs coach as well. They will be fine."

He is absolutely correct about the resumes of these two assistants. They both also have a combined record of 19-45 as coach of the Bucs. Neither of them are coming in to be the head coach, so the record doesn’t matter. They are coming in to help implement a program.

Head coach Dirk Koetter believes in the decisions of Mike Smith as part of a long-standing trust:

"Of course I trust Mike. He trusted me when I was his offensive coordinator in Atlanta. I believe in him fully. He wanted to make these additions, of course I said yes. Mike is my guy."

Jason Licht likes to defer to the on-field staff for assistant coaching decisions. But, surely he would have an opinion about these potentially controversial hires, right? That’s what we thought too…

"Dirk, Dirk, he’s our man. If he can’t do it, no one can."

Well, OK then. If nothing else, that keeps with the tradition of allowing the head coach to choose the staff. So, as the Bucs move ahead with their preparations for the NFL draft and beyond, they do so with an eye on the past. Two old “friends” return to help, though one of them was a finalist in the Bucs Most Hated Man tournament.

Next: The Last Five Draft Picks at Number 50

By the way, if you haven’t figured it out by now, I will remind you that it is April Fool’s Day! We just wanted to have a little bit of fun. Happy April Fool’s Day from your friends at the Pewter Plank.

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