Bucs head coach Todd Bowles did not just hire another offensive coordinator this offseason — he admitted he needed one who could take something off his plate. Not only did Bowles have to address Tampa Bay’s second-half collapse at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, but he also had to answer for the defense’s complexity and the futures of several key players.

Then came the conversation about all the new coaches who were brought in.

While the defensive side of the football only added one outside voice in defensive line coach Marcus West, it is a different story on offense. Replacing Josh Grizzard with Zac Robinson as offensive coordinator sparked a bevy of changes as Robinson brought in his own coaches. Bowles detailed the changes he expects next season and why the offense’s latest play-caller reminds him of Jaguars head coach and former Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen.

What Makes Zac Robinson Different Than Previous Bucs OCs?

Todd Bowles knows all too well the annual process of finding an offensive coordinator. Since taking over as Bucs head coach in 2022, he has had Byron Leftwich, Dave Canales, Liam Coen, Josh Grizzard, and now Zac Robinson lead that side of the football.

After (unfortunately) inheriting Leftwich, Bowles admitted on Tuesday that he has interviewed just about every offensive mind out there in recent seasons. He is not wrong, but what makes Robinson different from other candidates, and what changes will he bring into the building?

Bucs OC Zac Robinson – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“Change-wise, probably a little more experience,” Bowles said. “I’ve gone with a first-year offensive coordinator for the past two or three years. I know Liam had it for a minute in L.A., but he went back to Kentucky, and that’s really where he made his bones at. We wanted a little more [experience], and we played Atlanta the last two years, so Zac has kind of been auditioning for it, so to speak.

“I talked to him a little bit before the last time we played them. He was a good fit for everything. I like his demeanor, his control, and knowing the game a little better on offense. I thought that would help me out a lot more instead of doing so much over there [on offense], I thought some of my responsibilities on defense probably lacked a little bit because of the offensive-type deal. So, he was a good hire for us.”

Robinson will spend the coming months continuing to build out his vision and blueprint for the Bucs offense. With quarterback Baker Mayfield as the nucleus, much of the surrounding talent remains intact that allowed Tampa Bay to have a top five scoring offense in 2024.

Bucs OC Zac Robinson – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Kyle Terada

His experience calling plays at the NFL level will not only expedite the learning curve previous offensive coordinators have had, but it will lighten the load. Bowles will not have to do much intervening or bringing him up to speed, which in his mind will allow him to dedicate more time in getting the defense right.

“It’s probably not so much time per day, as it is during the game – understanding situations and you know, just going through those situations and having been through them,” Bowles said. “He has a better feel and understanding for that from an offensive standpoint.”

Zac Robinson Is Similar To Liam Coen In His Offensive Game Planning

While Zac Robinson is not on the level of Liam Coen’s offensive genius and ability to be a mastermind based on his work with the Falcons over the past two seasons, it does not mean he cannot put together successful gameplans. Look no further than what Atlanta’s offense was able to do against the Bucs.

Not only were they able to generate points, but they exploited the weaknesses of Todd Bowles’ defense and found a way to pick up yards in bunches. To Bowles, that stood out during the interview process, and he believes Robinson can do the same with Tampa Bay’s weapons.

Bucs OC Zac Robinson – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Mark J. Rebilas

“Zac reminds me of Liam a little bit from a gameplan standpoint and an execution standpoint but he’s his own person,” Bowles said. “We’re not running the same thing so to speak but his personality and style, the way he likes to do things, and the way our guys can fit his scheme I thought was the best among everybody we interviewed.”

No one is asking Robinson to be Coen, but the goal is to get the offense back on track and more like it was in 2024. It might not mean being a top five offense, but even being in the top 10 would go a long way to getting the Bucs back on track to winning the NFC South and going on a playoff run. What was just as encouraging hearing from Bowles is the level of awareness Robinson has as an offensive coordinator. Being a former quarterback surely helps his level of knowledge when it comes to managing the game from start to finish.

Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: Jeffrey Jones/PR

“Just talking to him and interviewing him, he has a great feel for the game,” Bowles added. “He understands situational football; he knows what he wants and how he wants to do it. Just playing against him the past two years, I think I got a good feel for what he likes to do and wants to do.”

It will take some work, but the pairing of Todd Bowles and Zac Robinson could bear fruitful results. There is reason to be optimistic, but it will be a while before the internal belief can manifest into Bucs wins in 2026.