Bucs Hire a Pair of DL Coaches, QC Coach
By Patrik Nohe
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced on twitter just a few moments ago that they have hired three new coaches, a defensive quality control coach and pair of defensive line coaches that will co-mentor the Buccaneers young line. Keith Millard and Grady Stretz will team up to coach the Bucs D-line next season.
Keith Millard will specialize in coaching the pass-rush. He was originally a first round pick in 1984 by Minnesota and played nine years, being named an all-pro three times. In 1989 he was the NFL Defensive player of the year. He also has 13 years of coaching experience including stints with the Broncos and Raiders. He will work with Grady Stretz who has been a coach in the college ranks for over a decade, starting at UCLA and spending the last five years as the D-line coach at Arizona State. Stretz will focus on run-stuffing. Stretz was a defensive tackle in college at UCLA where he was all-conference.
The Bucs defensive line is certainly not short on potential. With more talent sure to come in the draft (most likely in the form of a couple of defensive ends) the Bucs need to make sure they develop that potential into actual results. Gerald McCoy, Brian Price, Roy Miller and Kyle Moore can all develop into very good player with the right coaching, which is what the Buccaneers hope they have found. You’ll find our thoughts after the break.
I personally am split on the decision. I think having two coaches could be confusing and cumbersome to young players, but it could also serve to benefit them as they’ll get more individual attention from each coach. It all depends on how the two work together. If they get along and provide a united front then there is no reason that this pairing can’t be insanely successful. But as soon as ego gets in the way or somebody gets on a different page it could really have a detrimental effect.
I trust Mark Dominik, thus far he has done a very good job of assessing talent in both players and coaches and I give him credit for making changes when they have been needed. For now I am going to trust this works out, but I’ll be keeping an eye on it. It’s vital that this line develops into a strength for the Bucs, they’ve spend a one, a two, a three and a four in the past two years build it, now is the time to get results.
The Bucs also signed defensive quality control coach Tyrone Pettaway. Pettaway worked with the Kiffins at Tennessee and USC the past two seasons as a defensive assistant and was a training camp assistant in Pittsburgh with coach Mike Tomlin before that. Having been around both Monte Kiffin and Mike Tomlin it’s pretty obvious that Pettaway will have a good concept of the defense and the organizational expectations in Tampa.