BREAKING: BUCS HIRE KEITH MIILLARD AND GRADY STRETZ AS D-LINE COACHES

[NotDeadYet]

   Good words from Mr. Sapp! I'd forgotten there was that connection from the Raiders, and Sapp did do well there after a year or two...
   More on Keith; some good stuff; I'm gettin' psyched!!
http://www.coachmillard.com/Keith_Millard_Football_Academy/Home.html

[CyberDilemma]

Found this on the site you linked to NDY.....

Keith Millard was born in Pleasanton, California. He was a tight end and linebacker at Foothill High School in Pleasanton. Keith attended Washington State University where he was voted first-team All-Pac-10 as a senior and won the Morris Trophy as the Pac-10's top defensive lineman. He played tight end as a freshman and was moved to defensive tackle as a sophomore, cracking the starting lineup for the first time as a junior.

Keith was a 1st round draft choice of the Minnesota Vikings in 1984  -- the13th overall pick. He was also drafted by the Arizona Wranglers of the United States Football League in '84, and after being traded, he played one season with the Jacksonville Bulls in 1985. Keith Millard ranked second in the league with 12 sacks and was voted to the All-USFL team. That effort was also good enough to land him on the All-Time USFL team.

Keith Millard joined the Vikings in 1985 as a rookie and burst onto the scene by leading the team with 11 sacks as a defensive end. In 1986, he had another stellar year with 10.5 sacks.

In 1989, Keith Millard moved to defensive tackle and set what remains an NFL record for sacks by an interior lineman, registering 18 sacks en route to his second consecutive Pro Bowl invitation and third consecutive All-Pro honor.  In 2010, Keith was voted 21st on the list of the Top 50 All-Time Minnesota Vikings as part of the team’s 50th anniversary.


At 6’ 5” and 263 pounds, Millard was infamous for reading the snap counts of many top offenses. Keith earned two consecutive NFL Defensive Linemen of the Year Awards and, in 1989, was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year.


Keith’s large stature was a huge asset in bulking up the Minnesota Vikings defensive line. His All-Pro honors and record setting sacks continues to make him a Minnesota Vikings all-time great.


After retiring from playing the game he loves, Keith Millard went on to coaching. He coached at the college level before getting a job on the Denver Broncos coaching staff as the club's assistant defensive line coach and pass rush specialist. He was in charge of creating and implementing all pass rush techniques used in the Broncos' defensive scheme. The Broncos had one of the toughest defenses in the league thanks to Keith Millard.


Keith went on to serve as the defensive line coach of the the Oakland Raiders, helping enhance the pass rush talents of a number of players, including All-Pro Warren Sapp.


Keith has since opened the Keith Millard Football Academy, where is providing private pass rush and defensive line coaching to NFL college and high school players.

[SepeBucs]

I'm not a fan of two coaches sharing responsibility. But like PR said, these sound like quality coaches in their own right and lets see if it works. Can't really be much worse can it?

[CyberDilemma]

Steve Whites twitter comments regarding the new hires...

# After thinking it over I really like the Millard and Stretz hires by the #Bucs. Im hoping however that they dont literally try to split up..

# Run defense and pass rush responsibilities. There isnt a way I can think of where that will work in practice. However if they are both..

# Coaching up all aspects with Millard really focusing on the inside guys I think the Bucs will have great success up front

Last note, no Im not doing a blog post on the hires. I think Im blogged out for a minute. Im sure others will have plenty to say though

[The Anti-Java]

Good hires IMO.

[Detrimental]

Quote From Warren Sapp

 

"Keith Millard is one of only two coaches (Rod Marinelli- Bears) who has the knowledge and skill, plus the temperament to coach, teach and prepare the defensive lineman of today's NFL landscape.  Those looking for a teacher as well as a fellow hunter to attack offenses, just take a look and I guarantee you will love what you see. It was a pleasure to work with Keith for 3 years." 

 

Warren Sapp

Love it

[blind melon]

I tweeted Sapp to see what he thought about the hire.

(Lol - never tweeted before...)   I'll post if there's a response.

[BucsWin31]

I love this hire...i'm too excited for this draft

[2goodbucs]

Looks like Grady Stretz got the inside scoop of Linebacker Vontaze Burficit just in case the Bucs are looking for a linebacker next year.

[mgchat76]

"I have had great success developing players over the past 7 years as an NFL Defensive Line Coach. Some players include, Bert Berry, Reggie Hayward, Derrick Burgess and Chris Clemons. Also, this past season, Trevor Scott led all NFL Rookies with 6 sacks. All of these players (except Trevor) had been in the league at least 3 to 4 years prior to me coaching them and all hit double digit sacks for the first time under my tutelage. In addition, Warren Sapp had 10 sacks in 2006 , last time being in 2000 with Tampa Bay." (Keith Millard)

This sounds fantastic to me, glad they're addressing the run D as well as the pass rush.  I don't want to see us giving up 150 yds to 2nd and 3rd string running backs next season.

[yuccaneers]

Like the fact that all three defensive hires all have playing experience and were leaders when they played - all seem to have the ornate ability to lead, teach, communicate and motivate players to achieve higher production and elevate there play even when they don't have superior talent to work with.   

[yuccaneers]

They sound like good hires. I'm excited to get some more information in the next few days.

We're still waiting on more information on Pat Morris, highly doubt there will all of a sudden be a title wave of information flowing freely on either of the three coaches hired today.

[1sparkybuc]

I love the fact that the Bucs took their time to make this decision. You have to wonder if Sapp was involved in any way.The plan evolves.

[ufojoe]

They only hired two D Line coaches? Why not three or four? Cheap Glazers!

[BucNY]

I'm not surprised at all!

I had no idea who we would hire but I knew that we wouldn't jump out there and grab the first qualified coach we found. This team wants a very specific type of coach and I knew we would find them. Great job to the Glazer's for holding out and getting a guy who seems like he fits in with the rest of our young, energetic coaching staff.

About Sapp's comment....Warren is not a guy who will sugar coat anything. If Sapp says this guy has what it takes then clearly he believes it 100%.

Another great hire of an relative unknown for the bucs. Damn, we're doing this the right way. Big name D-line coaches leave for promotions. Great young coaches with potential will stick around a little longer before we find out about them and try to promote them.