Buccaneers: Grading Dirk Koetter Halfway Through Year One
Average Record, Average Grade: C+
Sure, the Bucs went 3-5 in the first half of the season. That’s not good enough, but a lot of that isn’t on Dirk Koetter. The average grade is pretty much based on the team’s record. He has made some mistakes in-game management and play-calling, but Tampa Bay’s issues are more complex than that.
Game management mistakes are made by the league’s best head coaches, so a first-year head coach is bound to make his fair share. As far as play-calling, he’s been limited in what he can do. Four injuries in the backfield, along with the absence of two top targets for Jameis Winston, have made Koetter’s job incredibly difficult.
He’s still figuring some things out, but I don’t think there’s much of a question about if he’s the right guy to lead this team. He almost certainly is. The rest of the season can prove that, especially if a healthy Doug Martin can get the offense on track and Mike Smith can get his defense together.