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.

Miller is battling for a roster spot at wide receiver behind established veterans like Pro Bowler Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Breshad Perriman. The Bucs drafted the 5-foot-11, 174-pound Miller for his blazing 4.4 speed and production as a deep threat at Bowling Green where he caught 215 passes for 2,867 yards (13.3 avg.) and 23 touchdowns. Miller had a huge senior campaign for the Falcons where he caught 71 passes for a career-high 1,148 yards (16.2 avg.) and nine touchdowns.

Outside of Bobo Wilson and Justin Watson, Tampa Bay’s fifth-round pick from a year ago, there isn’t much established competition on the roster. The Bucs have six other receivers in the mix for the final two or three roster spots behind Evans, Godwin and Perriman that are either rookies or first-year players. Miller has a chance to shine in training camp and the preseason, but must be a factor on special teams if he is going to make the final 53-man roster in Tampa Bay. That means either winning the punt or kick return duties, and being willing and able to cover kicks and punts, too.

I Want To Get Back As Soon As Possible

By Scotty Miller as told to Mark Cook

Tweaking my hamstring and not being able to play on Friday night really hurts. I have been here for three or four months and all the work we’ve put in, all the practices, and then for it to come down to something like a little tweak on a little grab the other day – and on a game week – it stinks. It’s frustrating, but it is what it is and there is nothing I can really do about it. I will just get in the training room and get better as fast as I can.

Bucs WR Scotty Miller – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

With a hamstring you really have to make sure it is 100 percent before you come back. Especially for a quick-twitch guy like me that is running and sprinting all the time. My whole game is predicated on speed so I really have to make sure I am ready to go before I get back out on the field. I am fortunate I didn’t pull it completely so I just have to keep rehabbing and get in the training room and get it right.

We have a really good receiver class, the rookies and such, so seeing my guy Spencer Schnell play will be something I am looking forward to. He’s my guy. He’s another slot receiver, another undersized kid with an underdog mentality. A similar type of story as me. So I am excited to see him get his chance.

DeMarkus Lodge has been good. He has been hurt some too, but had a great spring. He and Anthony Johnson and Cortrelle [Simpson] are all guys that it will fun seeing get some playing time. It will be different to see them go up against another team and I am hoping they make some plays.

It has been tough bring on the sidelines only being able to watch this week in practice. I don’t like it. I want to get back in there. I hate standing there watching and not doing anything. I just want to get back as soon as possible.

Bucs WR Spencer Schnell and head coach Bruce Arians – Photo by: Cliff Welch?PewterReport.com

I really like all of our coaches and I have talked about my receivers coach, Kevin Garver, but I really like watching and listening to our running backs coach T-Mac [Todd McNair]. He is always messing around with me. I like the way he coaches his guys too. He used to play the game too, so he brings that to the table as well. It is fun to listen to him talk about what he did when he played in Kansas City and how much the game as changed.

It is tough being away from my fiancée this long. We FaceTime every night, but it is tough because we get home really late. I try and make as much time for her as I can. I was supposed to see her this week, but I won’t be traveling with the team. She will be at all the other Bucs preseason games, though. We have done the long distance thing before, so we are used to it. I’m just waiting until I hopefully make this team and we will be good to go.