Niners head coach Mike Singletary said today:

“When I look at Shaun Hill, I think he did a great job last year,” Singletary said. “I’m not sure how much better we get by bringing in a Jeff Garcia and adding to the mix when you have a guy like Shaun Hill.”

Ouch!!!

Sage Rosenfels, Daunte Culpepper and Shaun Hill appear to be holding onto the jobs that Garcia and his agent originally thought were obtainable.

The best news for me is that this almost certainly spells the end of the Jeff Garcia era in Tampa.  I will now take two shots of Patron and rejoice in my office.  

“Luke McCown is a talented and athletic quarterback who we have gotten to know well over the last four years,” said Head Coach Raheem Morris. “I know he is looking forward to the opportunity to be an integral part of our quarterback group this season.”

Luke McCown had an exclusive interview with the Pewter Report after signing his deal.   I’ll throw some snippets up, but make sure to check it out.  

Were you given the assurance that you will compete to be the starting quarterback for the Bucs next season?
“Yes. I expect to fully be in the mix to be the starter. I’m going to do everything in my power to make this my team – to be the starter and lead this team and get us back to the playoffs.”

Coach Jagodzinski ran a spread-type offense in college at Boston College. That is something you are familiar with from your days slinging the football around at Louisiana Tech. 
“Yeah, no question. When I was back in college that was the thing. The more options you can get to throw to the better. Be it five receivers, or four receivers and a tight end, or backs that can catch the better. Usually that makes defenses either have to blitz you, or do they have to play extreme zones which gives me a lot of opportunities to run the ball, so in college that kind of a system was a win-win situation. I feel comfortable in any kind of a spread offense. For me it doesn’t matter what kind of offense because I think I can perform and be successful, and we just have to get to work on it.”

Pewter Report has learned that the Bucs under new head coach Raheem Morris will be going a more vertical offense in the passing attack, and a zone-blocking scheme on the ground. Is that something you are looking forward to in a change in the offense?
“Yeah, I think you have to be able to stretch the field vertically. The thing is defenses are going to do their best to force you to check the ball down. You have to at least present the ability or the option to go vertical. When you have the kind of weapons that we are going to have to throw to, and the scheme that we are going to have to run, certainly I am looking forward to it, and I think we can be really good at it.”

You were a big fan of former head coach Jon Gruden, and voiced that support plenty of times. Yet he didn’t give you the chance to start this season. What is your reaction to his leaving the organization? 
“I enjoyed playing for Coach Gruden. I learned a lot of football from him. (In 2007) he did give me the opportunity to start three games, and he prepared me for those real well and allowed me to show what I can do. After my rookie season when everybody wanted to write me off (in Cleveland), we had 11 starters go on IR, he traded for me and wanted to give me a new start. For that I’ll always be grateful and thankful, that he did show that kind of confidence in me. I don’t have anything bad to say about him. I really don’t. He gave me a lot of opportunities. Last year was what it was. Maybe there were a few things I didn’t agree with, but what it boils down to is the organization – led by the Glazers – did what they think is best. I’ll take everything that I’ve ever learned under Coach Gruden and continue to apply it this year and make myself a better player.”

 

Some of the comments where right to the point (Simeon Rice) and some of them were pussy-footed (surprisingly Jeff Garcia, who would have though), but regardless, the point was made.  Some of Gruden’s former players do not like his coaching style.  He is an in  your face, hold you accountable type of coach, and some of today’s prima donna’s can’t handle criticism.  

At last, my man Gruden finally had a few things to say.  

On coaching again:

“Chucky will be back and hopefully my teeth will be as sharp as ever…(whether) it’s the NFL, college, high school or, maybe, I’ll just be the best damn flag football coach in the history of Florida. I’m now head of the FFCA — Fired Florida Coaches Association.”

On taking some shots from his former players:

“I’m not the first coach to take potshots. Hey, some people were taking potshots at Tony Dungy when I got here,” said Gruden. “Jeff Garcia, Michael Clayton, I wish those guys the best. I hope Raheem gets this thing going again.”

Reaction to his firing:

“It was rough the way it ended, losing three or four games,” Gruden said. “This was the first time in my life being on the front line of the firing squad after 11 years. I’ve just taken a couple days to unwind with my family. A lot of people have called, being very supportive. Some people have taken shots and I understand that not everyone likes or agrees with what I do as a coach.”

On his accomplishments in Tampa:

“We won a Super Bowl,” he said. “I got a game ball for winning more games than any Bucs coach in history. I got a game ball for my 100th win [including playoff wins]. There are only six teams [actually seven] in the NFL that had back-to-back winning seasons the past two years and the Bucs were one of them. Again, it was tough the way it ended but we did some good things and I know some people who think we overachieved.”

What he left the Bucs with:

 ”The reality is we came in with a bad salary cap situation and we left with some $50 million under the cap, so it’s not like we went out and spent a lot of money on players.”

On the possibility of coaching college football with his reputation of being unable to work with young QB’s:

“I really only had one young guy to work with in Chris Simms,” said Gruden. “I’d love a shot to coach some young college guys. Look, you know me. I’m an addict. I love to coach.”

On potential job opportunities:

Whatever I do, I’m going to show respect for the game. I’m going to use proper etiquette. Whatever I choose to do, I expect people to be demanding. Anything less would be unacceptable.”