The Bucs Training Camp Diaries are an annual training camp feature on PewterReport.com and we are fortunate to have two really good players to profile in veteran linebacker Kevin Minter, who will offer up his perspective of Todd Bowles’ defense, and wide receiver Scotty Miller, the Bucs’ sixth-round pick, who will take PewterReport.com readers through the trials and tribulations of rookie life in Bruce Arians’ first training camp in Tampa Bay. Look for Miller’s and Minter’s Bucs Training Camp Diaries twice a week throughout training camp and the preseason.

Minter is in a unique position because no other Buccaneers defender knows more about Bowles’ scheme than he does, arriving in Arizona as a second-round pick out of LSU in 2013, which was the first year that Arians and Bowles coached the Cardinals. In addition to his inside linebacker duties, Minter will serve as a coach on the field, preparing Devin White, Tampa Bay’s first-round pick, to start and flourish as a rookie while Minter battles for the backup middle linebacker role behind him.

Bucs general manager Jason Licht signed Minter last year after Kwon Alexander went down with a knee injury, and Minter made an instant impact on special teams and recorded a sack against Carolina’s Cam Newton before a calf injury forced him to the injured reserve list. Minter will be challenged by Deone Bucannon, Devante Bond, Jack Cichy and newcomers Corey Nelson and Emmanuel Smith for one of the two reserve inside linebacker roles. The 28-year old Minter will have to prove he can once again cover kicks and punts, and make some splash plays on defense in the preseason to solidify a roster spot in 2019.

Teams Will Start Knocking On Leftwich’s Door

By Kevin Minter as told to Scott Reynolds

I had a pretty good game against Miami. I had a clean look on a run blitz and dropped that dude in the backfield, but it didn’t count because of a penalty. That’s just my luck. If it wasn’t for bad luck I wouldn’t have luck at all.

Bucs ILB Kevin Minter – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Coach [Todd] Bowles dialed it up perfect on that one. Can’t miss a layup, though. That’s all I was thinking – that’s all I was worried about was making the tackle, which I did. I just ran my feet and what happened, happened.

When the call came in I knew I was going to get in there untouched because I’ve been a part of those. But I’ve been on the wrong side of that before where you try to go run and blow somebody up, and the back makes just one slash step and you miss – bad. Matter of fact, that’s how I tore my pec my second year. I shot the gap, caught it clean. It was my first play of the first preseason game, I shot it and the boy sidestepped and I stuck my arm out and that was all she wrote for my pec.

I’ve had a good camp and a good preseason so far. I’ve told you before, I’m just trying to get better everyday. Taking every day, every practice as an opportunity to get better. Obviously, it shows. You take your work seriously, you actually be a pro and good stuff starts to happen.

For the most part, guys were playing smarter this week. Obviously, we still had some pretty stupid penalties or whatever with the personal fouls, but as far as mental errors, and as far as busts, those was down. I mean obviously there is still stuff we’ve got to get better at, but these young guys are really making strides.

You’re starting to see it pretty much in every room. In the secondary, Jamel Dean, he got his hands on the ball twice. It was the same thing with the linebackers and the D-line. Everybody’s trying to get better and improve every week.”

Bucs CB Jamel Dean – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

When Dean dropped that first ball you know we were on him! We were on him – absolutely had to! I told him personally, “You owe us one.” And obviously he did what he did later with the pick in the end zone. It’s one thing to get on him, but we’re all talking to him saying, “Short term memory, man. Next play. Next play.” Then obviously what happened, happened with his pick. You can drop one – just don’t drop two!

The guy that has stood out on offense is (tight end) Tanner Hudson – he has made plays throughout all of camp. You all been seeing what we’ve been seeing for weeks. That kid, man … the hands on him. I’m pretty sure B.A. (Bruce Arians) is licking his chops going, “Oh yeah, I’ve really got somebody.” Obviously we’ve got O.J. [Howard] and [Cameron] Brate, but Hud’s hungry. He’s definitely hungry.

The standout guy on defense is definitely “Nacho” (defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches). “Nacho” has been making plays in games and in practice. He’s really figured out what he’s trying to do, and what he needs to do in this defense. “Nacho” is playing forward. He’s playing good with his hands. He’s taking on double teams. You love that as a linebacker – “Go ahead, Nacho, do your thing!”

Our rookie kicker [Matt Gay] made some more big kicks, including that game-winner. I see confidence in him, and that’s all you want out of a kicker is confidence. As long as they’re confident and they stay consistent, that’s all you want. He knows he’s going to make it. That’s how he comes up to every kick, “I’m going to make it.” You just got to be ready.

Our offense is doing really well. Byron Leftwich is good at finding guys and put them in the right spot to make plays. He’s got 19 (Breshad Perriman) doing his post, 13 (Mike Evans) all over the damn field – he can play X and Z. [Chris] Godwin all over the field – it’s going to be interesting. Get your popcorn ready this season.

Bucs OC Byron Leftwich and QB Jameis Winston – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

You can just tell from Arizona to here, you can tell what Leftwich picked up and what he’s trying to do with his offense. People should be excited. Leftwich, he’s going to be a good coordinator in this league. Don’t be surprised – teams will start knocking on Leftwich’s door for a head coaching opportunity the next few years.

He’s done it himself in this league. He’s been a part of winning teams or whatever, so he knows what it takes. Like I’ve said, being under B.A. as long as he has been, he knows what he’s doing, and he’s hungry. Like I said, don’t be surprised if someone tries to steal him from us down the road.

Camp is now over, but we’re definitely just scratching the surface. You can feel the culture change here. Guys are buying in, starting to realize that this could be a special team. We could make some noise. If we execute, and if we get this thing right, we can take this thing a long way – obviously playoffs, and maybe a championship, maybe a Super Bowl. We’ve just got to keep our head down, keep digging, and keep getting better every day.

Previous Minter’s Bucs Camp Diary Entries

Entry 1: Minter’s Bucs Camp Diary: With B.A. It’s Super Bowl Or Bust

Entry 2: Minter’s Bucs Camp Diary: We’re Going To Be A Top 5 Defense

Entry 3: Minter’s Bucs Camp Diary: Jameis Is On The Edge Of Being Great

Entry 4: Minter’s Bucs Camp Diary: It’s The Next Man Up

Entry 5: Minter’s Bucs Camp Diary: B.A. Wasn’t Happy With All Those Penalties

Entry 6: Minter’s Bucs Camp Diary: We Drafted Really Well This Year

Minter’s Bucs Training Camp Diary has concluded and we thank him for his time and contributions to this series. Bucs fans and PewterReport.com readers are encouraged to leave their comments or questions for Miller below, and to follow him on social media.

Kevin Minter on Twitter

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