Bucs get key contributions from small-school gems
Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Howard Jones scoops up a fumble by Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins and returns it for a touchdown during the first half Sunday.ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE By Ira Kaufman | Tribune Staff Published: October 30, 2015 at 08:41 PMTAMPA — To succeed in the personnel department of the Buccaneers, it helps to have an archaeologist’s mindset.No NFL team has turned over more rocks in an effort to find treasure than the Bucs, who are proving that small schools can produce big dividends on the football field.Three players who had never taken an NFL snap before this season — guard Ali Marpet (Hobart College), wide receiver Donteea Dye (Heidelberg) and defensive end Howard Jones (Shepherd University) — are making key contributions while hailing from colleges that have hardly been described as football factories.“If they see talent, they’re going to bring you in,’’ said Dye, who caught a seven-yard touchdown pass at Washington last week in his second NFL game. “The Bucs give you a shot. They let you chase your dreams.’’Dye caught 22 scoring passes in his final two seasons at Heidelberg, a private liberal arts college in Tiffin, Ohio, 53 miles southeast of Toledo, that counts Jon Gruden’s father, Jim, among its notable alumni.The Bucs signed Dye off the street in May and promoted him from the practice squad to the active roster Oct. 6.“I’d see Dye out here on the field every day, working with the Jugs machine or catching footballs from our equipment guys,’’ said tackle Demar Dotson, the longest-tenured Buc. “Anytime you can find a diamond in the rough like that, those are usually the hungrier guys. This is definitely a place where you can say it’s the land of opportunity.’’After posting two sacks against Jacksonville in his first pro game, Jones returned a fumble 43 yards for a touchdown against the Redskins last week. He started 48 games for Shepherd, using his exceptional speed to set a school record with 35 sacks.Jones entered the league with Pittsburgh in May 2014, and signed with Tampa Bay’s practice squad five days before the 2015 season opener.“This organization just wants to know if you can play,’’ Jones said. “They give you a chance, and then it’s up to you. As a player, you can’t ask for more than that.’’Marpet has started all six games at right guard, impressing coaches and teammates with his toughness and tenacity. The Bucs have rushed for 373 yards in the past two weeks and much of that success is due to Marpet’s skills in the trenches.Marpet is only the fifth player to reach the NFL Division III school, and is the highest draft pick after going to the Bucs in the second round.Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht is proud of the detective work turned in by his personnel department, headed by Jon Robinson.“You want all your top rookies to play well, of course,’’ Licht said, “but it’s a different kind of feeling, not just for me but for our scouts, when they unearth guys like that. It’s a rush. When you put your name on a guy from Heidelberg, Shepherd or Hobart and they come through, it’s very gratifying.’’Licht and coach Lovie Smith decided early on in their Bucs tenures that the club would “churn’’ the bottom of the roster and the practice squad in a constant search for new talent.Dye and Jones were romoted to the 53-man roster on the same day, Oct. 6.“It says that we of course do our homework,’’ Smith said. “What it also says is that if you’re a good football player, we will find you. Word will get out and you’ll get an opportunity. Once you get into camp, we don’t ask guys what college or conference they came from. Put them on the field and if you are the best guy, you can be from Hobart, Heidelberg or wherever. You need to see guys get that chance and then make it and do well. That’s what we’re seeing right now.”FINDING GEMSBucs DE Howard Jones (Shepherd), rookie G Ali Marpet (Hobart) and rookie WR Donteea Dye (Heidelberg) are from small colleges, but making key contributions.[email protected]Twitter: @IKaufmanTBO
