Read-Option: Crediting Koetter?

By now it’s obvious that making the switch at defensive coordinator was the correct call. Mike Smith really was one of the worst defensive coordinators in the league, and it wasn’t getting better anytime soon – in fact it was getting worse from 2017 to 2018.

The switch to Mark Duffner had to be made, and my question is how much credit are you giving Dirk Koetter for the move?

Did he ultimately make the move? Yes, he did. But was it too late?

Bucs DC Mark Duffner and head coach Dirk Koetter – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Even if the Bucs in out, they’ll be 9-7 and will have to get some help from teams around the league to sneak into the playoffs. If he had made the switch to Duffner during the bye week instead of after the loss at Atlanta, would that game had been different? They only lost at the very end, remember.

Or should Koetter have even brought Smith back at all at the beginning of the year?

Koetter certainly get the credit for making the move. I’m not taking anything away from him there. He had the guts to make a move mid-season. All I’m asking is, is it realistic to wish he would have done it sooner or did he do it in the timing he had to do with his hands somewhat tied until then?

How do you see it?