Butch Davis is high on Greg Schiano's coaching wish list. They worked together at Miami. (Mark Dolejs-US PRESSWIRE)

But he also mentions several other good Schiano-related tidbits. Most notably is Schiano is intent on hiring Butch Davis to be his defensive coordinator. When I initially wrote about potential assistants and coordinators, I mentioned Davis but also that I wasn’t sure he would be receptive. Schiano, though, would know best and according to King really wants Davis on his staff.

Davis struck out as a head coach in Cleveland, but gave Schiano his shot as D-coordinator as the head coach of Miami and is still, much like Dave Wannstedt, a premiere defensive coach. Schiano would help alleviate some of the doubts about his experience by adding Davis, and the defense would certainly be better for it. Personally, I hope Schiano gets Davis. That would be a major victory for the young head coach.

King also touched on Schiano’s relationship with Joe Paterno and his connection with paralyzed Rutgers player Eric LeGrand.

“Thursday was one of the most exciting days of my life, getting this job, and also one of the saddest, because I missed Joe’s service,” he said. “I learned so much from Joe. Like, ‘The only bad decision is indecision.’ I can’t tell you how significant a statement that is.”

Schiano and his wife travelled to Penn State on Tuesday to pay their respects, but considering he started on Joe Pa’s staff I’m sure it was extremely bittersweet for him to have to miss the memorial.

As for LeGrand, Schiano and his family had become almost a surrogate family for the young man. When asked by one of his children what he would do about Eric, Schiano told them:

“I told the kid we’d bring Eric down to Tampa, he’ll stay at the house and we’ll turn him into a Bucs fan.”

Rex Ryan liked both Freeman and Sanchez in 2009.

A very interesting little tidbit was in this morning’s MMQB column by Peter King. It seems while talking to Rex Ryan about his upcoming book and after taking a couple swipes at the Ravens, the topic of the 2009 NFL Draft arose.

Ryan tells an interesting story in the book about pursuing a franchise quarterback once he got the Jets job. The choice came down to USC’s Mark Sanchez and Kansas State’s Josh Freeman. “We sent both of them a mini-playbook and asked them to learn what they could from it before they met with us,” Ryan told me. “They both blew the doors off us when we got them in a room. We’d ask about out formations and bam-bam-bam, they knew it all quick. Both very, very sharp guys.”

But in telling the story in the book, Ryan says one of the factors that swayed the Jets was how Sanchez was regarded by his peers. He said 24 high school and college mates showed up to catch balls for Sanchez. When they’d been to Kansas State to work out Freeman, two of his receivers showed up. “Honestly,” Ryan told me, “that might have been what separated them — the immense respect we sensed from the people who played with Mark and knew him so well.”

So let me get this straight, because more guys showed up to catch Mark Sanchez’s passes at his pro-day, that is what put him over the top? Ignoring the fact a lot more guys are hanging around Los Angeles than Manhattan, Kansas that may be one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard. Now, granted the Jets aren’t complaining having gone to two straight AFC Championship games with Sanchez, but by the same token Freeman had a MUCH better season last year without nearly the same talent around him. You put Freeman on the Jets and they go just as far, if not further. Put Sanchez on the Bucs and they’d have just picked top ten again last weekend.

Whether or not Rex Ryan saw it, Josh Freeman is about as beloved by his teammates as any player in recent memory on the Bucs, or in the NFL for that matter. Just listen to the way his coaches and teammates talk about him.  The Bucs are unquestionably his team. Personally, I think the better QB wound up in Tampa, so thank you Rex.

SHED NO TEARS FOR CHRIS SIMMS. From Steve Stone, of Tampa: “Please don’t go out and buy a hallmark card for Chris Simms. In your MMQB article, you imply that the Bucs are doing an injustice to Simms by holding on to him and should put him out of his misery by releasing him. The local media in Tampa are hammering the Bucs and also share the same sentiment. I have a problem with this.

“The Bucs last year went out on the limb and committed millions of dollars to Simms at a time when his football playing career was in jeopardy. When the contract was signed, Simms could not even throw a football 15 yards, and received little interest from the other 31 NFL teams. The Bucs were not obligated to sign him to a multimillion dollar contract, but they did the right thing, which is seldom seen in the NFL, and paid him after he gave up his body for the team and provided him financial security. After watching Chris play while he was healthy, an argument could be made that the Bucs paid too much for his services based on his stats and performance prior to the injury.

“Now a year later, the Bucs should just release Simms after investing millions of dollars in him. Simms needs to come to training camp, fight for a roster spot, prove he is healthy and honor the contract he signed. The Bucs are doing nothing wrong by holding on to him and trying to get some return on their investment. If he proves healthy and is one of the top quarterbacks, he will either make the team or possibly be traded to a quarterback needy team.

“Peter, if misery includes the $5 million earned last year for not playing a down, please let me know what line to get into to be miserable. I would be happy to trade places with him if he has it that bad. I’m glad the Bucs are always looking to upgrade the most important position in football, which is more that I can say for some teams (see Chicago Bears). Also, can you move the Bucs down a few more spots in your rankings? The Bucs seem to play better when they get no respect from the media.”

Steve, this might be the best letter in MMQB history. Well thought-out, reasoned, smart. Thanks for writing it. It caused me to re-think my opinion on the issue and look into it a little bit more. Yes, the Bucs re-signed Simms for a $3 million signing bonus and a $2 million salary in 2007 — on Dec. 27, 2006, after Simms ruptured his spleen and there was some doubt whether he would be able to play at a high level again. If he makes the Bucs this year — which I doubt will happen — Simms will make $2 million in salary, plus a $1 million roster bonus. I’ve also learned this: The Bucs did not get an offer from any team during the draft. They’ve had some conversations, but no solid offers recently.

Steve, you’re right — the Bucs deserve the right to try to get something for Simms if they can. Now, I would also say this. Chris Simms has been nothing but a classy, hard-working kid for the Bucs since he was drafted, and he got a serious injury for them when he was doing everything he could to help them win. As soon as they determine they won’t be able to get anything for him, and as soon as they’re convinced he’s got no future in Tampa, they’ve got to do the right thing and let him go.