New Buccaneers coordinator of pro scouting Shelton Quarles spoke to the media on Monday. Last week on Thursday Quarles was elevated to his new position after serving as a pro scout for four years. The question to Quarles are in bold and his answer follows.

Talk about the excitement you had of moving up in the organization.

“I’m just excited about the opportunity. I came here in ’97 as a player and I was excited about that shot and when they offered me a position in the scouting department, I was fired up about that as well so hopefully I’ll be able to attain the same level that I had as a player.”

What is the best part about scouting for you and about the transition from player to scout?

“It keeps me in the game of football, which is something that I love and something I have a passion for so as long as I continue to have that passion and the fire continues to burn, the sky is the limit.”

What does it say about a guy like Donald Penn to take the path that you took and how good of it is the scouting department to find guys like that?
“It’s good for us. It lets us know that there are players other than guys that have been drafted. We feel really happy about how Donald played this year. We wish that he would have gotten in [the Pro Bowl] originally and hopefully he’ll come back with the same effort that he had this year and maybe increased a little bit and be a future Pro Bowler for years to come.”

Talk about what you’re trying to get accomplished here at the Senior Bowl this week
“I’m just looking to see some guys and hope they perform and find some late-round guys that will be able to come in and contribute to the success of our football team and I’m all for it. We had a bunch of guys play for us last year that played as rookies and played really well for us and so we’re excited to get those guys back and also add to the mix.”

Is this something you aspired to do after playing football?
"It was more of a developing thing. I thought about it to a certain extent, but when you’re out there playing you don’t get to see much of the personnel side of the game. Like I said, I’m excited about the opportunity, and I’m excited to stay with the organization."

What is the hardest part of your job?
"The hours. It’s a little bit different than when you’re a player. People on this side work at least 12 hour days, and there’s a lot of time spent on the road."

How many assistants or people do you have working under you?
"We have a couple of guys that assist me with every day activities. Most of the preseason, I’m on the road traveling. Last preseason I was at 10 games. Then I was at the majority of the games over the course of the season."

Does the uncertainty of free agency make it difficult for you to decide which potential free agents to watch film on?
"It does to a certain extent. You know, you have a few guys that you target. You hope that they will be there and available."

~ by Eric Dellarata and Andrew Scavelli