There’s a lot that we already know when it comes to the players and personnel on the Bucs. That goes double for the offense when considering every starter is returning along with many key contributors, and their first round pick was spent on their wide receiver of the future. This makes offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard truly the one enigma about this offense that we don’t know just yet.

We all can surely hypothesize and connect the dots for what Tampa Bay’s offense will become this season. It’s not exactly like Josh Grizzard is a stranger to it as he was here last season and has experience on several coaching staffs at the NFL and college level. His track record with the Bucs being responsible for third downs and having the best conversion rate of any team in the NFL is definitely a good sign.

But at the same time, he’ll be a first time play caller at the NFL level. This’ll be the fourth play caller for the Bucs in four seasons and the third straight in a row hired by head coach Todd Bowles. While the overall outcome was positive each season, there was a stark difference between when Dave Canales was calling plays for the first time in his career compared to Liam Coen, who was much more seasoned at it doing it before.

Bucs OC Josh Grizzard – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Ultimately it ended up in each coach becoming a head coach so alls well that ends well for them. This also isn’t to say that Grizzard will have a slower acclimation process than Canales did or can’t take the team to a higher level than Coen. It’s just simply that we don’t know and there’s some mystery behind it.

We’ll find out what Grizzard brings to the table later this month when training camp begins in late July. Realistically, though we won’t get an understanding until the start of the regular season when more game plan specific plays are called instead of generic offensive plays against you’re own defense or in a joint practice where you don’t want to give anything a way.

Josh Grizzard Wants A Lot Of Discipline On Offense

That’s why it was good to hear Grizzard talk about his own coaching philosophy when being interviewed by Bucs team reporter Casey Phillips on the Bucs’ YouTube channel. It gave everyone a look at what should we expect while also understanding how relatbale he can be with his players.

“I would say it won’t be overly different (than last season), there’s a definitely an accountability that starts and ends with me,” Grizzard said. “Because it is my unit even though we have the position coaches and they’re in charge, we look at it like they’re the head coach of their room. But I would say being 34, even though I’m older than say a rookie or even like J-Mac or somebody’s that been here for a couple years, I still have enough knowledge of pop culture and sports and things that go on so we can relate, keep it light and have fun.

“But then know that when things are wrong and they need to get corrected or they’re not working hard enough that there is still a coaching element to it that this thing has to be disciplined and we need to put up a good product of football on the field.”

So what will be a staple of his offense? Simply enough, outwork everyone.

Bucs OC Josh Grizzard and QB Baker Mayfield -Photo by: Cliff Welch P/R

“When people watch our film, our hope and what we’re trying to design right now through the strength and conditioning is that we’re going to be a disciplined team, we’re going to play longer and harder than the next opponent,” Grizzard said. “I know that’s how we look at it when we’re preparing for a defense is how hard is this team willing to play? Can they play as hard in the fourth quarter as they can in the first quarter?”

Grizzard Getting Words Of Wisdom Along The Way

Josh Grizzard didn’t just decide to be an offensive coordinator over night. He’s been preparing for this for a long time and is taking the opportunity. Some of it he’ll have to adjust to on the fly, but each day he’s answering his own questions and figuring it out.

“Over the last few years just starting to think more in terms of calling plays and designing the plays and making sure that those are okay,” Grizzard said. “You can design a play but are you willing to call this? Are you really taking this as a chance or is it something like ‘Hey, I don’t feel great about it.’ Situationally, what would I do here? What would I do here? So those are all over the last couple of years.

He’s not doing it alone either. Grizzard has talked often about leaning on his coaches for help, too. That includes senior offensive assistant Tom Moore at 86 years young, who’s been coaching in football for 64 years this upcoming season. There’s literally nobody in football with more experience than him, so Grizzard is certainly going to listen to what he has to say.

Bucs GM Jason Licht and senior offensive assistant Tom Moore – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“Coach Moore has given me some really good advice from his first time calling it,” Grizzard said. “Just trying to lean on other people to get some advice on how to be best prepared for it.”

Check out the entire interview with Phillips and Grizzard by clicking this link.