Fan’s expectations for the Bucs and the playoffs haven’t been this high in years.

Count head coach Dirk Koetter and co-chairman Joel Glazer as conductors on the excitement bandwagon.

Speaking to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times from the annual NFL Owners Meetings in Arizona this week, both shared their thoughts on the direction of the franchise.

“I’m more excited about this season than I’ve been in a long time because when I’m around the team and you’re in the locker room, when you’ve been around championship teams and seen some character and personalities and talents, you know what it takes to win a Super Bowl,’’ Glazer said. “And we have a team with some players that are headed in the right direction and we’re putting that together. It’s a team that’s ready to compete with any team in the National Football League and we saw it last year. We’re older, more experienced and added more pieces. I sense the excitement in Tampa. I’m excited. The season can’t start soon enough.’’

Glazer also was asked about his thoughts on Winston.

If you’re looking to put up a model of what a young player should be, I’d be pointing all young players to him,” Glazer told Stroud. “His work ethic, his involvement in the community. His leadership. Every aspect that you could ask for he has brought to the table. And I’ve had I can’t tell you how many people come up to me who have interacted with him and have just raved about their experience.’’

Bucs QB Jameis Winston and head coach Dirk Koetter – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

On Wednesday morning Stroud and other media in attendance had breakfast with Koetter. The Bucs head ball coach said one of the things that will help push the Bucs over the playoff hump is Winston continuing to develop as a quarterback and learning when to surrender a play.

“I think the next thing Jamies has to do is understand the ball is the most important thing and every play does not have to be a great play,” Koetter said. “Jameis has been really good at turning bad plays into good plays. All plays aren’t going to be home runs. I think he’s making progress, but he just has to continue when it’s time to cut our losses and go to the next play and sometimes going to the next play means punt.”

Koetter went onto to tell Stroud and the media at the table, the Bucs attitude is starting to change into believing they can be winners, as evidenced by the success in their own division.

“You’ve got the last two MVPs in our division and the last two (NFC) Super Bowl teams, ” Koetter said. “It’s just an unbelievable competitive division. Our guys say, ‘Hey, this is possible because we beat those teams and then watched them make it to the Super Bowl.’ Expectations are a good thing because if you don’t have them, you’re not going to be around as a player or as a coach.”