FAB 2. Smith’s Defense To Be “Real Dangerous” In 2017

When head coach Dirk Koetter hired his former boss, ex-Falcons head coach Mike Smith, to be his defensive coordinator last offseason there was a buzz that the Bucs defense was going to be multiple and give opponents a multitude of looks. But as growing pains set in during the first half of the season, the Bucs never really left their 4-3 base outside of switching from Over to Under fronts on occasion.

There was a buzz last preseason that Tampa Bay would be incorporating some 3-4 packages, but that never materialized as the Bucs players took a while to find their footing in Smith’s new scheme. The only multiple looks Smith offered up were variations in his coverages from the Quarters scheme he often deploys.

Bucs defensive coordinator Mike Smith – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Tampa Bay’s defense showed improvement in many areas, including quarterback completion percent allowed, which fell from 70 percent, which ranked 32nd in 2015 under Lovie Smith, to a modest 63.3 percent; and third down defense, which fell from 46 percent, which ranked 30th in 2015, to 34.4 percent, which ranked first in the NFL. But that improvement would take some time.

In the first four games of the 2016 season, Tampa Bay’s defense surrendered 32 points per game, giving up 33 points to Arizona and 30 points to Los Angeles in back-to-back weeks while starting the season 1-3. Over the next four games the Bucs went 2-2 and Smith’s defense showed modest improvement, allowing just 26 points per game, but allowed Oakland and Atlanta to score 30 and 43 points, respectively, after holding Carolina and San Francisco to 14 and 17 points in the two previous games.

As the communication improved on the field between the players, Smith’s defense found its footing in Week 10 against Chicago, holding the Bears to 10 points and getting a pick-six and a safety in the process. That started a four-game run in which the Bucs allowed just 13 points per game on defense, including 17 points at Kansas City, three points against Seattle and 21 points at San Diego, a game in which Tampa Bay’s defense had another pick-six. The Bucs went 4-0 over this span and put themselves in playoff contention.

A key injury to run-stopping defensive end Will Gholston caught up with the defense down the stretch as Tampa Bay went 2-2 and fell one game out of the postseason picture. While the Bucs held Drew Brees without a touchdown pass and the Saints to just 11 points in a home win, Tampa Bay’s defense floundered on the road, allowing 26 points at Dallas and 31 the next week at New Orleans. Tampa Bay rebounded at home a week later with a win against Carolina with another pick-six, the team’s fourth of the year, and a defensive goal line stand on the game’s final play.

Now heading into his second year in Tampa Bay, Smith is ready to incorporate some new looks.

“We had some growth this year, we had some times that probably didn’t look like we wanted it to look like,” Smith said at the start of the OTA period. “The first thing is for me personally, is I’ve got to do a better job getting these guys prepared. I do think that as we’ve started this offseason program, the knowledge that our players have, what they’ve been able to retain from last season to this season has been very good.

Bucs defensive coordinator Mike Smith – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“We’re not starting at ‘2+2 is 4,’ we’re into calculus. That’s a good thing for us as a coaching staff and as a football team. We’re able to install a lot quicker, we’re going to be able to put in a few more wrinkles and hopefully it’ll be effective. The big thing for us is we know these guys now. We know what they’re capable of doing and we’ve also added, I think, some guys that are going to come in and help us at all three levels.”

The Bucs added prized free agent defensive tackle Chris Baker from Washington in the offseason to help a defensive line that gets Jacquies Smith and George Johnson back off injured reserve. Tampa Bay drafted Kendell Beckwith in the third round, and he’ll compete with Davante Bond at strongside linebacker once his recovery from a torn ACL he suffered last November is complete. In the secondary, the Bucs re-signed Chris Conte, signed free agent J.J. Wilcox and drafted Justin Evans in the second round to stockpile talent at the safety position.

With these new pieces in place and the holdover defenders having a much better grasp of Smith’s base and nickel defensive schemes, what can the Buccaneers and their fans expect from Tampa Bay’s defense? Here are a few things to keep an eye on during training camp.

3-4 Wrinkles In Tampa Bay
The Buccaneers will keep the 4-3 as their base defense and continue to use a 4-man line in nickel defense, but with the foundation laid last year, Smith can build upon that and install some 3-4 defensive looks to confuse opposing offenses from time to time. Part of the reason the Bucs couldn’t run a 3-4 scheme last year was due to the personnel. There weren’t enough body types to fit that defensive front in 2017, especially with the injuries that hit along the defensive line throughout the season.

This year, with the arrival of Baker, who played defensive end in a 3-4 over the last couple of years in Washington, and Stevie Tu’ikolovatu, who along with Sealver Siliga has ideal size to play nose tackle in a 3-4, Smith has the right personnel to use a 3-4 alignment as a wrinkle. Will Gholston, Gerald McCoy, Clinton McDonald and Baker all have the size to play defensive end in the 3-4, while defensive ends Noah Spence, Robert Ayers, Jr., Jacquies Smith and Ryan Russell could all three play outside linebacker in a 3-4, in addition to Bond and Beckwith. Kwon Alexander, Lavonte David and Beckwith could all play inside linebacker in the 3-4 scheme, too.

“Last year was a new defense,” McDonald said. “It was hard for Mike Smith to incorporate a 3-4 being it was his first year. He sees the talent and potential on the team, and if we want to go 3-4 we can go 3-4. If we want to go 4-3, we can go 4-3. No decision has been made so far on what defense we will be running, but I’m very excited to see the defense out there. We’ve got very high intensity guys, high strength guys and veteran guys.”

Bucs DE Robert Ayers, Jr. and DT Chris Baker – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The players love the challenge of possibly playing different positions in the upcoming season and the havoc that can be brought upon opposing offenses.

“I’m capable of playing in a 3-4, and I guess the more you can do, it always helps,” Jacquies Smith said. “And multiple looks can help this defense. But Mike is the defensive coordinator, so he can pick the pieces and put them where he wants them. We just have to learn what he wants us to do and then go out and execute it to make the defense just that much better this year.”

Because of the newfound position flexibility, the Bucs can shift from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4 look with the existing personnel on the field rather than have to make substitutions.

“Most of the looks are interchangeable anyways, no matter what team you are looking at or what their specialty is,” McDonald said. “If you go to a team like New England that is a traditional 3-4 team, they put looks on the field that makes it look like a 4-3. It kind of disguises the defense from the offense so they can’t see who’s coming [on blitzes] or who’s not coming. We have that ability and that same potential. Mike Smith is a defensive-minded coach for a reason because he knows how to exploit those looks.”

A Bigger Bucs Defensive Line
Don’t believe the weights listed on Tampa Bay’s roster. They’re not accurate.

For example, Spence is listed at 251 pounds when he played last year at 238, according to defensive line coach Jay Hayes. Although he’s slimmed down and reduced his body fat this offseason, Spence has actually put on muscle and is up to the mid 240s.

“I think a lot of that has to do with the individual and his interactions with our strength coach, Dave Kennedy,” Smith said. “We have a plan that we try to get each guy to implement, and Noah did a very good job. He changed his makeup and I think the pictures show it – you’ve seen some before and after pictures – and he’s a guy that’s going to be fun to watch. Unfortunately, due to the surgery that he had, he hasn’t been able to participate so we’re going to get a little window before the season starts to see what he’s capable of doing.”

McDonald is listed at 297 pounds, but played last year at 290. He has gained 10 pounds this offseason and is up to 300 pounds. Gholston is listed at 281 pounds, but looks like he’s 290. McCoy is listed at 300 pounds, but looks like he’s over that mark.

Bucs DT Sealver Siliga – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Baker is listed at 320 pounds, and definitely looks that big – if not bigger. Siliga is listed at 345 and is at least that size. Tu’ikolovatu is listed at 320 pounds, but appears bigger. He looks as big as Siliga does.

“We had to get bigger up front,” Mike Smith said. “We have to do a better job stopping the run and getting to third-and-long. You don’t want many third-and-3s. They’re so hard to defend.”

While the defensive tackles have put on some mass, defensive ends Ayers, Spence and Ryan Russell have shed some body fat percentage this offseason in an effort to gain speed, quickness and agility.

“I think it’s going to be real dangerous,” Jacquies Smith said. “We’ve got guys that, like I said a long time ago, get better and add things to their game every year. Guys like Robert Ayers, Noah Spence, Ryan Russell – you’ve got guys out there that are working hard and working on their game, so whatever part I can add to help this defense be a lot better, that’s what I’ll do.”

Mike Smith’s plan is for the bigger, beefier interior linemen to aid in stopping the run on first and second downs, and for the sleeker, faster defensive ends like Spence to get to the quarterback on third downs.

“I don’t ever want to put a number on any player as far as what he can or can’t do,” Smith said of Spence when asked if he thought the second-year defensive end could reach 15 sacks this season. “I know this, Noah is one really tough football player that did a whole lot last year in a very unique situation. He played the second half of the season basically with one arm, and I’m anxious to see him get back out and rush the passer. I thought he had a great first year and we found out a lot about him as a football player and I’m looking forward to being able to get him back out there.”

Better Coverage In The Bucs Secondary
Not only did new cornerbacks Brent Grimes and Vernon Hargreaves III, Tampa Bay’s first-round pick, help improve the Bucs pass coverage, the secondary as a whole played a big role in helping the team record 17 interceptions, which was tied for second in the league last year. Grimes led the Bucs with 24 pass breakups and four interceptions, including one of Tampa Bay’s four pick-sixes last year.

“Well, genetically he’s blessed to be able to do the things he can do at his age not many guys can do,” Smith said. “I think his athleticism has not fallen off. I don’t think his speed has fallen off. I think he still has a number of years of high level.
“I thought he played as good as he played last year. He plays on the ball and that’s what you want your corners to do. He hasn’t changed. He is the same old Grimes playing football. He’s great for the locker room. He has a lot of wisdom that he can share with some of the younger players.”

Players like Hargreaves, who only had one interception last year in a trial by fire rookie campaign, but has stepped up and answered the call of being more aggressive this offseason.

“Well, he’s had a lot of snaps,” Smith said. “He played close to 1,500 snaps last season, which gives you a lot of knowledge. He’s learning and I think he’s more confident. He understands down-and-distance, he understands field position, and I think that’s something that we want. I know Coach Koetter talked to him about being more aggressive and I think he’s taken to that very well. He’s done a nice job here in camp of attacking the football.”

Hargreaves will undoubtedly progress this year, and when he does, Tampa Bay’s secondary will be even stouter against the pass. While the team is pleased with the development of second-year player Ryan Smith, who was the team’s fourth-round pick last year, Tampa Bay’s defensive coordinator doesn’t like to rotate his cornerbacks.

Bucs defensive coordinator Mike Smith and CB Vernon Hargreaves III – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“If they are playing well, yes, we like to not sub the corner out,” Mike Smith said. “I think you get into a routine with the one-on-one battle throughout the game. That’s why so many teams will often because it becomes a one-on-one chess match in terms of pushing off and leverage.”

While Wilcox and Evans are behind in terms of being on the field due to injuries, Conte and Keith Tandy, whose career-high four interceptions last year tied Grimes for the team lead, are becoming more and more confident in Smith’s scheme with every practice as the current starters.

“Keith is very cerebral,” Smith said. “He has a great understanding of what we’re trying to do, he understands football and he’s continued to play and participate in the OTA’s like it’s been the season.”

With a bigger defensive line designed to better stop the run, the ability to truly show opposing offenses multiple looks by incorporating some 3-4 looks, and tighter coverage in the secondary, Smith’s defense looks prepared to make a quantum leap forward in 2017. That has been evident with how well the Bucs defense played in the team’s mandatory mini-camp this week. Koetter’s passing offense, which is going into its third year in Tampa Bay, struggled against Smith’s defense despite the additions of offensive weapons like wide receiver DeSean Jackson and tight end O.J. Howard.

“I think Mike Smith is going to turn it up a lot,” McDonald said. “I don’t know about turning it loose, but I know he is going to turn up the heat a lot. I’m very excited to play for a guy like that.”

That’s all part of Smith’s plan this offseason – wrinkles and all.

“Obviously we’re multiple and we’re going to do different things this year,” Bucs defensive end Jacquies Smith said. “So whatever the mad scientist cooks up there, that’s what we have to be able to do. It’s going to be fun.”