Lovie Smith has been hired as the new coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
One year removed from being fired by the Chicago Bears coach Love Smith will be returning to the NFL, this time to coach the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Smith was fired by the Chicago Bears after a 10-6 season in 2012 (81-63 overall). Smith made the playoffs in only three of his nine seasons as the Bears coach, making it all the way to Super Bowl XLI in 2006 where he would lose to his former boss Tony Dungy and the Indianapolis Colts.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Lovie Smith have agreed on a five year deal worth about $5 million per season with a team option on the fifth year. Coach Smith will be taking over for Greg Schiano, who was fired by the Bucs on Monday after going 11-21 in two seasons with the organization. Smith will be making his return to Tampa, where he was the linebackers coach under Tony Dungy from 1996-2001.
The Bucs are also bringing in former California coach Jeff Tedford as their new offensive coordinator. Tedford will look to help out a Bucs offense that was averaging a league-worst 176.3 passing yards per game in 2013, not to mention their 22nd ranked rushing game which averaged just over 100 yards per game.
Coach Tedford is no slouch on offense, having mentored a number of great players while coaching at Cal including Marshawn Lynch, DeSean Jackson and Aaron Rodgers. He will now have the luxury of coaching a great young running back in Doug Martin, as well as a top receiver with Vincent Jackson now at his disposal.
Smith is a defensive minded coach so we can expect some major work done in that department, starting with a decision on cornerback Darrelle Revis who, if released before the draft, will save the team a 3rd round pick for a 4th rounder to the Jets. I expect them to retain the cornerback, who when healthy, is in the discussion for one of the top corners in the league.
Coach Smith has a tendency to lead the league in takeaways and with a guy like Darrelle Revis already on your squad I can only expect great things for this defense next season.
The quarterback situation is still up in the air at the moment with the Bucs having Mike Glennon as well as the 7th pick in the draft. Whether the Bucs decide to draft a quarterback with that pick is still a mystery at this point but I wouldn’t count on it, I mean Lovie Smith did make it to the Super Bowl with Rex Grossman under center.
One thing is for sure and that is Tampa Bay made a huge splash with the hiring of Lovie Smith and will be a team you shouldn’t underestimate next season.
