Todd Bowles & Justin Peelle On Preparation & Finishing Games | Bucs Total Access

Reporter Casey Phillips sits down with Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach Todd Bowles and Tight Ends Coach Justin Peelle after Week 10’s game vs. the San Francisco 49ers. They discuss the need for the team to close out games, their confidence in players like QB Baker Mayfield & TE Cade Otton, and talk about Coach Peelle’s experience as both a player and coach.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Fuck that three three, He's Buccaneers total access with head
coach Todd Bowles.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
The hell the job going back?

Speaker 3 (00:18):
Sure may feel shotgun.

Speaker 4 (00:19):
Look looks right. I'm about to let those towards left
court ball Evans at the five another three two? What
touchdouts have a b there you go, Fire the Cannons
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Speaker 1 (00:30):
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Fire the Cannis now your host, Bocks team reporter Casey
Phillips and head coach Todd Bowles.

Speaker 5 (00:50):
Welcome into the Todd Bowles show Casey Phillips here with
head coach Todd Bowles. Just tell me a little bit
about what your message to the team was after the game.

Speaker 2 (00:57):
In the locker room, we'll get some resk in health
and recalibrate. You know, we play some tough games the
last couple of weeks. It's ten games into the season.
We're pretty banged up right now, but that's not an
excuse to lose ball games. We got to correct the
little things we need to correct. So while they're taking
their break and getting healthy, make sure we watch a
lot of tape, make sure we understand the preparation we

(01:17):
need when we come back, and got to help each
other out. We got to hold each other accountable, not
just coaches, but players. Have to hold players accountable and
they understand that when they get back.

Speaker 5 (01:27):
How do you make sure that the feelings from a
game like this. I know you guys always have that
twenty four hour rule, but I know a lot of
times also you'd like to have another game soon to
try to get.

Speaker 6 (01:36):
The taste out of the mouth.

Speaker 5 (01:37):
But when you have a bye week like this, how
do you try to make sure it doesn't linger a
little bit? Or how do you also think about what
you've learned, maybe even last year, about snapping a streak
like this and getting back on track.

Speaker 2 (01:48):
It's all about focusing on the little things what we
didn't do to win the game. When you lose a
close game like that, hardly ever the other team beats you.
We lost a couple of games that we did some
things at the end, and we did them last year
as well, But we got to focus on little things
and correct those things in the second half of the
season for us to win these games. We're in every
ball game, regardless of who's playing, whether they're injured, whether

(02:09):
the starters, whether they're healthy. We're in every ball game.
We have a chance to win every ball game. We
got to cut out the little mistakes for us to
win those ball games.

Speaker 5 (02:17):
I know injuries, of course, have been quite the story
of the season. What do you know at this point
after the game about some of the guys Maybe you'll
get a chance to get back after the bye week,
or also some of the updates of what came out
of this last game.

Speaker 2 (02:28):
I know Mike and Mike and Dean are getting better.
We'll see how they work out next week when we
start practice again. Tristan has a low grade knee spraying.
Thankfully it's not more than that, and he'll be probably
week to week, so we'll see how he feels going
from there. Zion will get a hamstring MRI tomorrow, so
we'll see how he's feeling.

Speaker 5 (02:47):
And then also a Baker's game, tell me what stood
out to you about his performance, just.

Speaker 2 (02:52):
Getting rid of the ball, throwing on time, and understanding
what he's gone up against. They have a very good
pass rush, and when Tristan went down, we really started
getting at a ball and plan a smart football game.

Speaker 5 (03:03):
Tell me what went through your mind watching him on
that fourth and seven is he's stiff arming Nick Bosa
and trying to complete that past.

Speaker 2 (03:09):
He's gutsy. I mean he's gutsy. He gave us a chance.
He gave us a chance. It was fourth and seven
that was do or die for us. He got us
another set of down that gave us a chance to win.

Speaker 5 (03:18):
And then I know his ability to evade sacks seems
maybe more surprising than almost anything about his game, is
how slippery he can be and how much he can
make things like that happen. Is that something you already
knew about him coming in here? Or has that even
maybe gotten better since he joined the box.

Speaker 2 (03:35):
I knew it about him, I didn't know how much.
But certain guys have that knack. You don't have to
be the fastest or most athletic. You have a feel
for the pocket, understand when it breaks down, the how
to maneuver within that pocket.

Speaker 7 (03:46):
Baker's one of those guys.

Speaker 5 (03:48):
As we talk about guys like Nick Bosa. We had mentioned,
you know how tough their defensive front is. I gets
some really talented guys there. What did you see from
the offensive line, both in pass protection and the run
game facing one of the better fronts in the league.

Speaker 2 (03:59):
For the most part, I thought they did a very
good job. They did a very good job blocked, and
they gave Baker time. Tristan was having a heck of
a game before he went out. Luke was probably one
of the more unsung guys over there. He's probably one
of our best players on the team and probably in
this league at right tackle right now. So with Graham
and Ben and Cody, they did.

Speaker 7 (04:17):
A heck of a job.

Speaker 5 (04:18):
And then how did you see a school step up
in the wake of Tristan going down?

Speaker 2 (04:22):
He fought, you know, he gave up the one pressure,
but he fought and he came in the game wasn't
too big for him.

Speaker 7 (04:26):
He made some good blocks.

Speaker 5 (04:28):
And then also what happened on the fumbled snap. Was
that a miscommunication thing or just a noise thing?

Speaker 2 (04:33):
What kind of likes It looked like a quick snap,
and maybe Barton heard one thing and Baker did another,
But it was a quick snap and caught him off guard.

Speaker 5 (04:41):
I know that there's the x's and those side of
injuries and when guys go down, but then there's also
the emotional side in the moment in the game, especially
it's somebody like Mike Chris Tristan, people that are sort
of the bedrock of the team in so many different ways.
How do you try to help the team even in
the middle of the game, and then also following it
deal with the emotion side of it being their friend,
their their leader, their captains.

Speaker 2 (05:03):
Oh, it's huge, and most of the guys want to
play because they don't want to let him down. Once
they get hurt, they play even harder when somebody like
that gets hurt. You never want to see it happen.
It's very unfortunate. Obviously got a leg rolled up on
a little bit there, but you know.

Speaker 7 (05:16):
They played hard after that. They played a lot harder
after that.

Speaker 5 (05:19):
We know, especially the three games before this one. You know,
Kate Otten had just been lighting the field on fire
in terms of catches, yards, all sorts of things. Had
five catches early and then that was about it for
the rest of the game for him. What did you
see that he was doing well early in the game,
and then what were some of the things that shifted
or changed about maybe how the forty nine ers were
playing it that shut him down a little bit later.

Speaker 7 (05:39):
Well, he could always get open.

Speaker 2 (05:41):
I think later in the game had a good mix
of zone and man knowing he was the guy to
throw two and they kind of doubled down on him
a little bit more.

Speaker 5 (05:48):
First game of the year that we didn't get a
touchdown in the first half, What did you see that
either the forty nine ers were doing well or that
wasn't working as well for us, especially early in the game.

Speaker 2 (05:57):
We had our opportunities, we weren't good on third down
offensively for the first time in a long time. We
weren't good on third down extending drives, and that kind
of gott in a way of it.

Speaker 5 (06:07):
The wide receiver group as a whole only had four
catches in the game. Do you feel the need to
get them more involved or thankfully there are so many
other weapons that have been doing really well in terms
of people like Kaid, like the running backs, or is
there do you worry about trying to force it or
how you can try to use these guys a little
bit more, depending on especially when and if Mike comes back.

Speaker 2 (06:26):
We we tried to get them involved a little bit more,
but when Tristan got hurt, obviously we had to do
more protection type of things, and going down the field
required against that pass r US requires you to have
a lot of protection for a long time, and they
were getting back there as the game wore on later on,
so we had to do more quick passes than normal.
But we definitely plan on getting them involved.

Speaker 5 (06:44):
I know o Rashad had his touchdown, which tied work
Done and James Wilder for the second most receiving touchdowns
by a running back in franchise history. So take me
through that touchdown and then just kind of what that
stat says to you about his ability to get in
the end zone.

Speaker 2 (06:58):
That way screen, he made a heck of a jump
cut once he got the ball to create some room
for himself and right there he slithered it into the
end zone. We know what kind of receiver Rashod is.
Excellent hands, excellent feel for the game once he catches the.

Speaker 5 (07:11):
Ball and then BUCkies he had a touchdown, and then
especially the two plays right before that for eight fourteen
and then his twelve yard touchdown. That's his fourth rushing
touchdown of the season, which tops all rookie running backs.
Take us through his touchdown and then also just that
drive how important he ended up being.

Speaker 7 (07:27):
Buckeye has great vision.

Speaker 2 (07:28):
He has outstanding vision, and most of the time, as
you can see, he makes the first guy miss. And
anytime he can make the first guy miss, he's in
for a long yard's run. And he did that during
that drive and during the touchdown.

Speaker 5 (07:40):
I know, after that touchdown drive, he and Rashad had
one hundred and thirty nine of one hundred and ninety
eight total yards of the offense at that point, and
the team has passed one hundred yards rushing for the
seventh time this season, sixth time in the last seven games.
Just speak to their consistency a little bit between the
two of them, and then the run game overall after
that was not a stat these last couple of years.

Speaker 6 (08:01):
To be able to start just doing that over and
over again on such a consistent basis.

Speaker 2 (08:05):
I mean, it's a good mix. It's a different way
to move the ball. They're different type of runners. They're
both valuable when they're in there or shot. It is
more of a hesitation, slithery cutback type of runner. Bucke's
a one cut runner that can make you miss, and
they're a good one two punch that way. And with
Sean you have a third one and they both can
catch the ball out of the backfield.

Speaker 5 (08:22):
Casey Phillips here with head coach Todd Bowles, tell me
a little bit about what happened on their final drive
that ended in the game winning field goal and what
now in hindsight kind of looking.

Speaker 2 (08:31):
Back at that, they made some plays in the passing
game on the outside. We missed the tackle. We missed
two tackles. Actually, W's got them down there, and we
gotta have more pressure on them. We got to have
more pressure from the outside. Talking about the corners, we
just got to play tighter.

Speaker 5 (08:46):
We knew that the forty nine ers are a team
that can be really stubborn about running the ball, have
a lot of different options and ways to run the ball.
What did you see from your run defense and especially
just what you guys had prepared for in the way
they executed, what your vision was for the run defense
the first.

Speaker 2 (09:00):
Two or three plays, I thought it was pretty good.
You know, those guys average about one fifty eighty almost
two hundred yards a game, rushing the football from the
tape we've seen and keeping the seventy five yards. I
thought the run defense held up pretty good.

Speaker 5 (09:11):
And then how about third down defense and red zone defense?
What stood out in those situations?

Speaker 2 (09:16):
Third and short? I did not like third and longer.
We were better red zone defense. One time he got
the touchdown the kittles, he had a little bit too
long in scramble. We got a plaster longer in that case.
But we still made some plays down there, and we
gave ourselves a chance.

Speaker 5 (09:30):
And we'd talked before the game about how McCaffrey and
deebo are both just so multifaceted and where they can
put them and what they can do. How do you
feel like your team handled the two of those guys,
knowing that they are two of the more explosive and
interesting type of offensive players you might face.

Speaker 2 (09:45):
I mean, they were gonna make some catches, but I
thought they competed, especially Izzy, And I thought Izzy did
a great job of getting hands on receivers all day.

Speaker 6 (09:53):
And what did you see from Josh Hayes in coverage?

Speaker 2 (09:55):
Josh broke up a bunch of passes in the first
half one or two he'd liked to have back. I
could like to have a penalty back, but he competed,
he fought for his second game back. I thought he
played a lot better than last week.

Speaker 5 (10:06):
And what did you see from the overall tackling? Knowing
that again this is a forty nine ers or a
team that have some very elusive guys, what did you
see on the tackling front?

Speaker 2 (10:14):
I thought we missed too many tackles from and we
missed about four or five that went for longer yard
as they were like five yard passes that went for
about seventeen or twenty plus that we got to shore
up on tackling.

Speaker 5 (10:26):
What's the challenge in that when tackling isn't always something
you can work on as much in practice due to
all of the different contact rules and obviously wanting to
keep your guys healthy during the season, what are some
of the strategies to work on that mid year?

Speaker 2 (10:39):
It's more or less angles than want too. You got
to understand you got to wrap up in this league.
Nobody's going to go down if you just push them.
You got to wrap up in this league. We understand
that we got to be better at it.

Speaker 5 (10:49):
And what did you see from Zion before he went
down for his injury.

Speaker 2 (10:52):
Zion played tough, but he didn't tackle like he typically tackles,
so you can see something was wrong with him. I
think he missed about three tackles in the ball game
if you take away that he had the two penalties.
So it wasn't one of his better games. But he
still made some plays for us.

Speaker 5 (11:07):
And how about Thunderberk when he had to come in
once that injury it happened.

Speaker 2 (11:11):
I think he came in a little timid and we
talked about it, man talked about it all week during
the game, and he's got to play tighter, he's got
to play tougher, and he's got to let it rip.
And for him getting action for the second time really
without any training camp or anything else, he's still learning
the game. He's going to be a good player, but
it's gonna take a little time.

Speaker 5 (11:29):
And Greg Gaines got in there for a sack.

Speaker 6 (11:31):
Take us through that play.

Speaker 2 (11:32):
And what he did well, Greg make a heck we'll play.
He kept working, he kept working, he had time to throw.
It's the secondary did a good job covering. Greg came
around the end and he got a sack.

Speaker 5 (11:42):
What are the things maybe that he has to the
defense that we don't always realize. I mean, when you're
playing behind a guy like Vita, you're just not going
to be the one that always gets the attentions or
the reps. But when there were injuries earlier this year
and just in general, when he gets in however often
that is what is he brought to this defensive line.

Speaker 2 (11:58):
Well, other than toughness, he has short area quickness. He
can really shoot gaps and step from one side to
the other and cause a ruckus up inside. And people
don't really get to see that because they think it's
Vita all the time.

Speaker 7 (12:10):
But Greg does hacking a job down there.

Speaker 6 (12:12):
And then take us through Joe tryon shrinks sack.

Speaker 2 (12:15):
I think the back tried to block him and chip him,
and Joe ran through him and he got the sack right,
he ran straight.

Speaker 5 (12:20):
Ahead and then Elijah also added another one. What did
you see from his sack?

Speaker 2 (12:25):
Closta played well. He was in the backfield most of
the day. He had like five tackles, he had a sack,
he had a couple of TFLs. He played well.

Speaker 7 (12:33):
He's really coming in his own Yeah.

Speaker 5 (12:35):
His two tackles for loss on the day. It's the
third game this season with multiple tackles for loss, which
is tied for the third most in the NFL. What
has led to him having that kind of a stat
and especially thinking back to when you guys drafted and
what you had hoped he'd be able to be in
that area just being healthy.

Speaker 2 (12:51):
You know, his quickness is there, is feel for the
game is back. He uses his hands well, He comes
off the ball, and he can back door one or
two plays and make a play when he needs to
make it. But he has very good football instincts.

Speaker 5 (13:03):
Head coach Todd Bowles. I know you'd said that the
game before this had been one of Vita's best all
around games that you'd seen in a while.

Speaker 6 (13:10):
How about this last game from him? What did you see?

Speaker 2 (13:12):
Still pushing the pocket, he's great inside. They were running
the ball out on the edge. He dominated inside and
he was getting close to the quarterback quite a few times.
Didn't result in sacks, but at resulting other people making place.

Speaker 5 (13:24):
How did you feel about just the pressure on the
quarterback overall? We saw there were three sacks, and I
imagine with a team like this where there are so
many kind of things you're having to stay on your
toes about and stay honest about that. To get after
the quarterback in that way was probably pretty exciting.

Speaker 2 (13:39):
With the weapons they have and the way he can
move in the pocket and get out the pocket, you know,
it's kind of tough. It was, you know, reminiscent in
my homes, the way he can get out the pocket
and make people miss. So to get three sacks on him,
we could have got a little more pressure on him,
but to get three sacks on him was pretty good.

Speaker 5 (13:53):
We know George Kittle always a tough one to go against.
What happens specifically on his touchdown, he.

Speaker 2 (13:58):
Got back there a long time, We got a plaster longer.
He had quite a bit of time to throw the ball.
He gave some time for himself in the pocket by scrambling.
Hayes had him at two or three cuts and he
kind of made four or five, and you know, he
threw a heck of a ball, made a egg of a.

Speaker 6 (14:13):
Play the rest of the game.

Speaker 5 (14:15):
What did you see on how the team approached trying
to cover him? And then just in recent weeks, where
do you think some of the maybe struggles against tight
ends have come from in.

Speaker 4 (14:24):
The middle zones.

Speaker 2 (14:24):
They've come from being the middle zones wide open, biting
on play action. But I thought they did a decent
job on Kittles. The biggest thing was missing the tackle
at the end of the ball game and letting him run.
And we had him for about an eight yard game
and we missed it and let him run for about
another twenty. That's the biggest thing, getting them down on
the ground. And I think we had that problem with
one or two guys as.

Speaker 5 (14:43):
Well, And we saw that you again were sort of
platooning kJ Britt JJ Russell a little bit. How did
you think each of them did and how is that
platooning between the two of them looking so far?

Speaker 2 (14:53):
I thought kJ did a lot better in the run game.
I thought he was where he's supposed to be, played physical, downhill,
JJ played downhill physic going to run game. He had
the one bus in the pass covers that we got
to clean up, but other than that, he did okay.

Speaker 5 (15:06):
Lavonte has moved now into third place on the most
games playlist in our franchise, just behind Ronde and Derek Brooks.
Not too shabby there in terms of the longevity and
those other names on the list, what do you credit
that to for him? And then just where is he
at at this point now of how long he's been
doing this and how he's able to still be in
there contributing in such.

Speaker 6 (15:25):
A big way.

Speaker 2 (15:26):
Really taking care of his body number one, You can't
play that long without taking care of your body.

Speaker 7 (15:31):
Number two.

Speaker 2 (15:31):
He's so mentally tough, and he loved the game. It's
something he grew up playing. He still treats it like
he's playing in high school. And that's rare for a player.
You either get bored or you get a bunch of
money you don't want to play anymore. He's not like that.
Every day is like a game for him, whether it's
practice or a game. He still loves playing. He's like
a sixteen seventeen year old kid.

Speaker 5 (15:53):
And then Tyke Smith ended up getting a late in
the week injury and I think you as probably were
counting on him, of course, for most of the week
to be available. How did that affect your game planning
when that was you know, sort of late addition to
that injury report and what you had planned on doing
with him, Well, he.

Speaker 2 (16:10):
Was a big part of our game plan. But I'll
tell you what. Izzy stepped in and he played probably
the best game on defense I thought.

Speaker 5 (16:16):
I is.

Speaker 2 (16:16):
He was very physical with the receivers. He covered, he tackled,
he blitzed, he understood the game plan, He executed everything
that we talked about during the week, and I thought
it was one of his best games since he's been here.

Speaker 5 (16:27):
Take us through that muffed punt and recovery on special teams.

Speaker 2 (16:31):
Tavia did a great job going down and throwing a
guy into the returner. He's a very veteran type guy.
He can do those type of things. He made a
heck of a play for us, and you know it
gave us a short field responsible for seven points. He
made a heck of a play.

Speaker 5 (16:45):
It feels like every time there has been a truly
game changing play on special teams, it's been him, and
I feel like, especially to not be a returner, it's
one of the most impactful people I've seen in a
long time on special teams.

Speaker 6 (16:57):
Would you agree with that?

Speaker 5 (16:58):
And what do you think has led to just becoming
such an integral part of that unit.

Speaker 2 (17:03):
It's hard for me to give him a compliment because
it goes to his head. He may be watching so
I'm gonna just say he's a very good football player.
Tob wants to run jet sweeps, he wants to return,
he wants to be a receiver, he wants to be
a blizterer. And if I say he did a good job.

Speaker 6 (17:21):
Then he's gonna want all those He's gonna.

Speaker 2 (17:23):
Come in with glasses, sunglasses with stars on him, and
he's gonna come in Hollywood. So he did a very
good job, and he's a very good football player, and
he's one of our best special teams players.

Speaker 6 (17:35):
I like it.

Speaker 5 (17:36):
I like it all right, So tell me your thoughts
on the timing of this bye week right now, from
a health standpoint, from a momentum standpoint, from everything on
a coaching I feel like everybody always wants the bye
week probably be as late as possible as typically how
a lot of people feel about it. But I didn't
know your thoughts on the timing of this one.

Speaker 2 (17:53):
Now this time of year. I think, now this year,
anytime you get a bye it's gonna be for health
health reasons, whether it's week four, week ten, or week whatever,
it's going to be for health reasons. But it's always
good to get it to the middle of the end
of the season, but that depends on your injury status.
If you're healthy, you want to go straight through. If
you're not, and we're pretty beat up. It came at

(18:14):
a good time. Unfortunately it came with a loss, but
it gives us a chance to recalibrate and get ready
for the stretch run.

Speaker 5 (18:20):
And then tell me a little bit about the schedules
that you have planned for your coaches, for the players,
and how you guys try to maximize the bye week,
both in terms of the health and getting their bodies right,
but then also the ability gives you to prep and
look ahead a bit.

Speaker 2 (18:33):
We're so beat up right now. We couldn't practice on
Wednesday anyway, and they're mandated four days off, so after
today meeting wise, they'll be off until next Monday. From
a coaching standpoint, we have time to go back and
self scout what we do well, what we don't do well,
what we can do, what we can't do, and kind
of mold it for the second half of the season
into that way, and then get ready for the Giants

(18:53):
a week ahead of time because they have a bye
week just like we do, so we'll both be coming
off a buye and then we get ready for the week.

Speaker 5 (19:00):
What do you feel like is gonna end up being
some of the big takeaways as you do the self
scouting and as you just start to reflect back on
the season to this point so far, what do you
think are some of the big themes that are going
to stand out?

Speaker 2 (19:11):
Offensively penalty shooting ourselves in a foot especially early on. Defensively,
I think it'll be tackling and it'll be big plays
over the top. From a communications standpoint, who would you say.

Speaker 5 (19:22):
Is maybe the most improved player on each side of
the ball to this point in the season.

Speaker 2 (19:27):
Offensively, I really think Gettiki is having a heck of
a season.

Speaker 7 (19:30):
He had a good year last year.

Speaker 2 (19:32):
I think he's since he came back from injury, he's
been on point. He's one of our best players. I
think he's one of the best right tackles in the league.

Speaker 7 (19:39):
I think it.

Speaker 2 (19:39):
Goes unnoticed or unsung, but he's having a heck of
a season. Defensively, he didn't play in this game, but
Tyke Smith has probably had the best season over there
so far, and he's had a heck of a year
for us, and he sets the edds he played, he
gets the ball out, he calls his turnovers. He's a
very good tackler for us, and he's a very heady
football player.

Speaker 5 (20:00):
Well, coach, thank you as always for the time, and
I hope you enjoy your bye week. Coming up next
on Buccaneers Total Access with Todd Bowles, we'll have Titands.

Speaker 6 (20:07):
Coach Justin Peel. Brought to you by Advan Health. This
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Peace sack to the back beel at the thirty one
yard line. Love Monte David shoots like a rocket and
Gotty Bill Hie after rocket. Now more with Bucks team
reporter Casey Phillips.

Speaker 5 (20:27):
Welcome back into Buccaneers Total Access.

Speaker 6 (20:30):
Here we had head coach Todd Bowles in the first
half of the show.

Speaker 5 (20:32):
Now I'm so excited to be joined by Titands coach
Justin Peel.

Speaker 6 (20:36):
Coach, thanks for being with us, Thanks for having me.

Speaker 5 (20:38):
I always loving to we get a chance to talk
to new coaches, especially get let our fans get to
know you guys who don't always talk a lot. So
I know later in the show, we'll definitely get into
a little bit of your playing and coaching career as well,
but for now, let's kind of get into this last
game that happened a little bit, just kind of overall
takeaways from the game for you guys offensively at this point.

Speaker 3 (20:55):
Uh yeah, I mean, I thought there were some good
things we did out there. Obviously, it was a very
good defense. They've been, you know, one of the top
defenses for the last few years. So we did some
good things that there's some stuff that I thought we
left out there, and I think players will tell you
the same things. But you could start to see the improvement.

Speaker 5 (21:10):
And then I know when it's a skid like this
that the NFL is so tough of just the one
game per week, and then when you get a few
losses in a row, it can just feel so heavy
at times when it's like you guys know, like hey,
at any point this can turn around. What's the message
you try to send of how to make sure you
snap out of this and it doesn't become a continuous
thing the lasts after the.

Speaker 3 (21:29):
Buye uh you know, it's really for the buy. It's
to get away and get get some rest and come
back refocused, re energized, And really it's a cliche, but
it's a cliche for reason. It's just one day at
a time. Right, You just come in and you try
to get better every day, and then you get to
the game and you try to play better, and you
just you know, keep folks on the little things and
just continue to work when really, I mean, I know

(21:51):
it's boring, but it's really one day at a time, ye.

Speaker 5 (21:53):
Cliche for yeah, right, yeah, I know for you guys, man,
especially you you have not been here before this year,
but there had been several issues in terms of trying
to get a touchdown early in games, and then man
finally got that figured out. Of those first drives getting
touchdowns multiple games in a row, this was actually the
first game you guys didn't get a touchdown in the
first half. Right, You guys had done a great job
of starting fast. What were some of the things that

(22:14):
maybe they were doing well or that wasn't working on
our end to have a little bit slower start.

Speaker 6 (22:18):
Than we have been.

Speaker 3 (22:19):
Yeah, you know, that's what's a really good question. You know,
I thought that the guys were ready, and it felt
like everybody was energised to come out, and it just
didn't execute. I guess, for lack of a better term,
I mean it was and it wasn't really one person.
It was just you know, different positions, different times, right,
and then we just couldn't get in a rhythm early on.
That's really what it was is we just couldn't get
into a rhythm and we couldn't get going. So, I

(22:40):
mean it's hard, especially when you go against at the
defense like that.

Speaker 5 (22:43):
And I'm sure that Caid has now become quite a
focal point of the defense in a lot of different ways,
especially after you know, recent games of him being a
huge weapon in the wake of losing Mike and Chris.
We saw him get five catches early then after that
seemed like they were able to slow him down a
little bit. What went well early on to get him
those catches, then what maybe adjustments or things did they.

Speaker 6 (23:01):
Do that made it hard.

Speaker 3 (23:02):
Yeah, I think it was just a case of the
ball just didn't find him right, and it's you know,
he had the really he had the first down. I
think it was the third play the game, ran a
nice route and Bake was able to find him over
the middle there and then you know, a couple of
things here and there, but it just the ball just
wasn't finding him. For whatever reason it wasn't, you know,
and again and give credit to them, but the way
that the way that the game went down, and we just,

(23:24):
I don't know, for whatever reason, we couldn't get him
the ball.

Speaker 5 (23:26):
What did you see from him overall, especially including some
of those catches early in the game, if you were
going to give one of those nice grades, I know
you coaches loved your position rooms.

Speaker 6 (23:33):
How did Kaid do?

Speaker 3 (23:34):
No? I thought he played hard, you know, and like
Kate always does, he plays hard and he does his job.
He does what we asked him to do, and you know,
goes about it in the right way.

Speaker 5 (23:43):
We're talking to Titans coach Justin Peel. What conversations did
you have with Kate after Mike and Chris went down
about maybe the way that his role would or would
not change, or what this would mean for a guy
like him in the wake of those injuries.

Speaker 3 (23:56):
You know, I really didn't have that conversation. It was
really just continue to go about and play your game.
I always telling him for every game, just go play
your game, Just go be who you are and you know,
whatever happens happens. But he's such a he does such
a nice job of every day. He's consistent, he's got
his routines, and he just approaches everything the same. And
you know, obviously losing losing those two was difficult, but

(24:18):
it was It wasn't a hey, you're gonna we're gonna
start doing this, this and this. It was just go
run the route that's called block to block that, you know,
block the run or whatever it may be. Just go
do your job. And then you know, the ball started
to find him and then it was and which was fun.
It was fun to watch for him.

Speaker 6 (24:34):
I know that.

Speaker 5 (24:34):
Yeah, I mean looking at these three games he had.
Even before this one, he had at least seventy receiving
yards three games in a row. Before that, it only
happened twice in his first forty two games with the box.
Also had at least eight receptions in three straight games,
which joined just Brock Bauers and Travis Kelcey, is the
only Titans with such a streak since Caid came into

(24:54):
the league and tied for the second longest streak of
games with at least eight receptions in seventy five receiving
yards by a Titan in NFL history.

Speaker 6 (25:03):
Behind only Travis Kelce.

Speaker 5 (25:04):
That is some crazy stats for him of what this
stretch of games has been like and how he's emerged
as this huge weapon in this offense, and especially for
a guy like I'm sure Baker is just like, thank you,
I love you so much during this time. Tell me
in your mind hearing those stats, what is it about
this time and where Kate is that what this offense is?
Why have we seen this kind of an explosion from

(25:26):
him lately?

Speaker 3 (25:27):
Oh well, I mean, obviously the obviously is with you know,
Chris and Mike being down, but it really goes to
his credit of he he worked, he worked to get
better and you know, working on his routes and the
details of his routes, and you know when he's getting
given the opportunity to making the most of that opportunity
and it kind of and we did it. Obviously, we
did have to lean on the position a little bit

(25:47):
more with those guys going down, and he stepped up
and you know, he made plays when give him the chance.

Speaker 5 (25:52):
I remember I had Liam Cohen on this show earlier
this season, and it was before these numbers for kid,
and he's said he'd actually apologized to Kate at one point,
being like, man, I'm so sorry we haven't gotten you
more involved, and man, it seems like he definitely took
that to heart that suddenly this is a big part
of it. How do you remember seeing it where the

(26:12):
way Liam did make such a concerted effort. What were
some of the things that happened within this offense to
let that happen.

Speaker 3 (26:19):
Well, I think early on there were some injuries where
you know, Kate's role had to we had to adjust
his role so to speak. It was never we were
always going to try to involve him, so to speak,
but then there was injuries, so his role adjusts early on,
and then it just you know, he would make a
play and then he'd make another play and they're like, oh,
we can try to do some more with him, and
you know, things like that. But it was it wasn't

(26:41):
never not to It just didn't happen. And it's you know,
I've coached guys where sometimes you could design place for
him and then they don't get it, and then you
don't design anything for him and they end up with
five or six catches. So it was it was really
just kind of the circumstances.

Speaker 6 (26:55):
And then he has all those catches with no gloves.

Speaker 3 (26:57):
Yes, I know, No, I don't. I mean it was
it's I don't know how he does it. And it
was funny because he actually he actually cut his finger
there yesterday. He did something. It was a little something,
but it was in a spot where I was looking.
I was like, huh, that's a lot. No, it's you know,
I asked him out at one time and he goes
it just I don't, he goes, I don't like him.

(27:19):
And then you know, whenever he does have a drop
and he goes it's I've never dropped the ball because
of the gloves, and which is probably true. It's just
really a concentration thing. But it's he's just an old
school He's old school like that, and I don't know
how I couldn't do it. I mean, my finger's still hurt.
I haven't played the game in twenty years, so.

Speaker 6 (27:34):
That's so crazy. And also, as you talked about him being.

Speaker 5 (27:37):
Old school, of course, also that he is the guy
that now has been asked to do a lot of
blocking as well a lot of the other parts of
the tight end that are the less glamorous. Yes, shall
we say how have you seen his blocking progress? And
just both the mentality and mindset he has towards it,
and then also just the actual x's and o's physical
gifting abilities to do it.

Speaker 3 (27:56):
Yeah. You know, with a lot of these guys, and
he's only in his third year, I think sometimes we
forget because he's played so much football in his in
his first three years. But usually it's a process coming
out of college to block because a lot of them
aren't aren't asked to do it. And then the physical
maturity or the physic the maturity and the physical part
of it, right is you've got to kind of grow

(28:17):
into that. And then he's always had the willingness. I
remember because I interviewed him coming out out of U
dub and it was there, just you know, there's some
technique stuff, and you've got to work the technique, you've
got to get stronger, and he's never turned it down
and he's always been he's been willing to do it.
He just had to work on some technique things and
he's done a great job with it. And you know,
we work. That was a lot of what we did

(28:37):
in the off season, and he embraced it. He enjoys
it all all those guys doing and so it's it's
been fun to see that aspect of his game grow
along with the pass catching and stuff.

Speaker 5 (28:48):
It's cool to hear that you were able to interview
him and scout him back, you know, with a different team,
and then be able to reunite. What do you remember
about what you had seen and learned about him in
college that came across to you and now that you
were coming here of like, oh yeah.

Speaker 3 (29:00):
I remember, yeah, I remember, because that was it was
when you were we weren't allowed to be on campus.
I think yeah, it was one. I think it was.
It wasn't the COVID year, but it was a falling
or whatever it may be. And you know, you do
a zoom interview with him, and you just get to
know people right, and you could tell just by talking
to him he loves football. He's extremely intil. He's got
a high IQ, but he's got a high football intelligence
as well. Obviously his background with his UH I do

(29:24):
believe it was his grandfather's as a legendary high school
coach out there and in Washington, So you can tell
it was just and then just talking to the importance
of the importance of the game and how much he
loves and then the way he and then when I
got here, you had heard about his work ethic through
the you know, the interview process, but then you get
here and you witness it, and it's something special.

Speaker 5 (29:44):
I feel like I when I ask people about who
Kate is and his personality, the statement I've heard multiple
times is he is the nicest human I've ever met.
He is, And it's I love the slight annoyance he
was in there every time.

Speaker 3 (29:58):
I love it.

Speaker 6 (29:59):
It's like, God, he really is.

Speaker 3 (30:00):
So he is and I try to like have fun
with him and needle him and prod them, and it
just and it just gives you just kind of looks
at you and kind of gives you laugh and it's
not even working. Okay, I can't even I can't even
give you fun of you. Yeah. No, No, He's a
great individual, obviously he does. He is one of the
nicest people I know.

Speaker 6 (30:18):
I love that.

Speaker 5 (30:19):
What is the dynamic like with him in the tight
end room? There are a lot of different personalities there.
What does that dynamic look like? And how does Caide's
personality fit into that? And especially him being the leader
of the group, being the you know, he's been the
elder statesman since he was basically a kid himself coming,

(30:39):
which is crazy.

Speaker 6 (30:40):
So what does that dynamic look like.

Speaker 3 (30:42):
No, it's a it's a fun room. And I've and
I've always tried to keep you know, the rooms you
want to have fun. It's a it's a family. It's
you know, everybody helps each other out. And it's there's yeah,
you're all competing and there's only you know, only X
amount of you are going to be on the field
at the same time. But it's it's got to be
we all help each other out, we all push each other,
we all have some fun with it, you know, we

(31:03):
all make our jokes. And like you said, there's some
personalities in that room, but it and he just fits
right in. I mean he doesn't. The nice thing about
Kate is, yes, he's had this success and then he
is the starter, but he he acts like he's just
one of the you know, one of the boys, and
he doesn't. He doesn't have this arrogance about him, and
he's always trying to help, you know, he helps dev
and in pain and know him and Coke came in together,

(31:26):
and so they've got their relationship and so he's always
helping people. It's and I think that aspect of of
him has kind of grown a little bit this year too.
Is that leadership part?

Speaker 5 (31:36):
And then how about the chemistry with Baker that we
hear a lot about it when it comes to quarterbacks
and wide receivers, but of course it's going to be
the same thing with a tight end And what does
it take to build Where where do you see that
chemistry play out in the game of evidence of it?
And where do you feel like they're at at this
point in terms of that kind of knowing each other.

Speaker 3 (31:55):
They are, they're in they're they're in a good spot
and they you could see it on the practice field
and they have dialogue. And it goes back to and
forget what game we were playing a couple of weeks ago.
I think it was a versus at Atlanta. It was
a third down and he threw it was on our
sideline through an out route. It was plus thirty, plus forty,

(32:17):
and I was shocked that he threw it, and because
we'd had it up and he just said never, he
had never gone And then you know, Kid comes over
and said we're surprised to go No, I kind of
knew he was gonna throw it, and then you watch
the film and Baker hits his back foot and rips
it right there. So you could kind of tell that
over time. I'm sure they've had and I know they
have conversations, but then just out on the practice field,
and both of them are extremely intelligent, and you know

(32:41):
they have that same football mind, so I do think
they see the game the same way.

Speaker 6 (32:45):
Interesting.

Speaker 5 (32:45):
And then how about Baker's leadership and the influence that's
had on your room, offense overall. Just what it's been
like to watch that development, It's.

Speaker 3 (32:53):
Been It's been fun. I've always admired Bake from Afar.
He got me, got me a couple of times with
my last team, which but he's always had that competitive
spirit and you can see that in the way he
is with the guys, and the guys play for him.
They enjoy that about him that you know, that gun slinger.
I mean the play he makes yesterday with you know Bosas,

(33:14):
He's holding on to him and he makes that play
on four it down. It's just there's no quitting the guy.
And he's extremely competitive. He's sharp and then he can
relate to the guys. You see him joking with the
offensive lineman and with the receivers and with everybody, and
so that's I mean, he it's fun to watch and
it's fun to be around.

Speaker 5 (33:30):
All Right, we're gonna take a quick break here on
Buccaneers Total Access. We're talking to Titans coach Justin Peel.
We're brought to you by Avan Help. This is Buccaneers Radio.

Speaker 1 (33:37):
You were listening to Buccaneers Total Access with head coach
Todd Bowles and Bucks team reporter Casey Phillips.

Speaker 4 (33:44):
Brought to you by ad Van Help.

Speaker 6 (33:46):
Welcome back into Buccaneers Total Access.

Speaker 5 (33:47):
We're talking to Titands.

Speaker 6 (33:49):
Coach Justin Peel.

Speaker 5 (33:51):
So let's talk a little bit more about Kate just
overall his potential and ceiling.

Speaker 6 (33:55):
Where you see them going to laymanship and he is
still so.

Speaker 5 (33:57):
Young, Yeah, but he has a lot of football in
his already to be that young. Where do you see
him going and the idea of who he could become.

Speaker 6 (34:04):
Of a course of his career.

Speaker 3 (34:06):
You know, that's a good question. It's really when you
talk about, you know, protecting the future, it's the first
thing comes with the health. Obviously, assuming he stays healthy,
he could do what he wants to do. He's, like
I said, his work ethic and his knowledge of the
game has gotten him so far. And he's not you know,
he's not the fastest guy, and he's not gonna up
the high blah blah blah blah. But he just the
kid knows how to play football. And that's a very

(34:26):
under valued trade on and say undervalued, but it's like
when you when you have football players last a long
time and if you just know how to play the game,
which he does. I mean, he's he's he's got a
he's got a long.

Speaker 7 (34:39):
Career ahead of him.

Speaker 5 (34:40):
It's great and one of the biggest things that you're
working on with him at this point, the things that
you are hoping to help him get there that you
guys are focusing.

Speaker 3 (34:47):
On, Oh, all of it, really. I mean, there's nothing
specific and I never really say specifics because it's really
between the player and I. But there's you know, you're
always working, You're always working on everything, right, and that's
I'm I'll never forget. I coached the guy and he
had an unbelievable year. And April fifteenth or whatever, the

(35:07):
first day back and he walks into my office and like,
all right, what are we getting better on in this area?
In this area? And I was like, oh, that's you know,
that's the way you're supposed to do it, and that's
and that's how in KDE's that same way, you know,
and it's you know, I always ask Hikay, what do
you want to work on today, and he'll list off
a couple of things that we could do out of practice.
So you're really working on everything. Obviously he's with him

(35:28):
being a little bit more in the past game. We
we've done some stuff there, but he continued to work
on you know, at the Lion of scrimmage, and it's everything.
It's really everything.

Speaker 5 (35:35):
And then for him, do you do you guys have
certain goals, numeric goals or production goals or ways that
you kind of measure some of the.

Speaker 6 (35:43):
Stuff that you give him.

Speaker 3 (35:44):
Not really, because everybody else I've you know, some of
the other players that I've coached, I've been that way.
And the funny story is is he you know, he
had the mustache for a couple of games.

Speaker 6 (35:52):
Yes, right, Yes, what were our thoughts on? Yes, that
might be the edgiest thing.

Speaker 3 (35:58):
No, but it was in the and he goes, I'm
gonna shave it, and I'm like, he just got you know,
and he's like, yeah, but we've lost. And he said
it straight facing stone cold and I was like, oh, okay,
you know.

Speaker 4 (36:11):
It's but he was sincerely no, but it was true.

Speaker 3 (36:14):
And it was like, he goes, but we haven't won,
and he goes, I want to you know, that's more important,
and it was like, it is the goal and it
was refreshing for him to say that. So even yeah,
no doubt. And so with a guy like Kate, I wouldn't.
I mean, you can ask him. I highly doubt that
he has ever put numbers down for a goal, for
a season goal.

Speaker 5 (36:33):
How about we talk a little bit about the rest
of your room as well. Tell me about Cooke Keifton,
what he's meant to the team on and off the field.

Speaker 3 (36:40):
Yeah, he's he's he brings the lighter side of it,
but he's he he's awesome as well, and you know,
his role is obviously limited, but he embraces it. You know.
I think he played three plays yesterday and did a
really good job on all three of them, and ask
the right question. He helps those other guys out, you know,
and obviously he's doing a good job on on special themes,

(37:01):
but it's he brings the lighter side of it when
it's supposed to be and then when it's time to work,
he works. And you know, him and Pain are I
don't want to say the edgier of the of the group,
but they are the you know, yes, exactly exactly. And
but in Coe has been great. You know, he's the
Since the day I got here, he's been awesome.

Speaker 5 (37:22):
I feel like he has the most stereotypical, blocking, tightened
personality of anyone I've ever met. Of like, oh, we
got the long hair mohat.

Speaker 3 (37:32):
I don't even know what he's doing with that right now,
that that with that mold he's got working on. No,
he's great, he does, I mean, he embraces it. And
it's again it's he's co's very you know, he knows
who he is and that's okay, this is my job
and when it's my job, it's is what I'm going
to do.

Speaker 5 (37:46):
We're talking to Titans coach justin Peel. How about Pain
Durham Now, especially with the kind of the opposite end
of draft a little bit more with the past catching
in mind, what have you learned about him and what.

Speaker 6 (37:56):
He could bring.

Speaker 3 (37:57):
He's got some toughness to him, He's got he's got
the physical part of it. Again, another extremely smart player.
I've been very far to that whole room is really
really smart, which is fun to, which is fun to coach.
He's he is another one where we've kind of been
working on his blocking a little bit more, and I
thought he's he's made some striates. He had a couple
a couple of good things though yesterday and just getting him,

(38:17):
you know, because he he only played a year of
high school in a couple of years, and so he
he himself is still young in his in his football journey.
So but he's got the intensiti's and he's, like I said,
he's fun to be around, and he's he's got a
personality as well.

Speaker 6 (38:31):
Yes he does. I love that.

Speaker 5 (38:32):
What do you feel like, is it the blocking that
would basically be what would get him on the field
a little bit more at this point?

Speaker 3 (38:37):
Oh yeah, I mean I just again, it's just the
way that our offense runs right where, you know, for
the most part, we're going to be eleven. We're trying,
we'll playing twelve. When it works and when we do
and he goes in there and he does his job
for the he does a nice job with it. It's
just you know, that's the offense we're in right now.

Speaker 6 (38:52):
Yep.

Speaker 5 (38:53):
How about what do you remember about scouting Devin Kolp
going into this year?

Speaker 3 (38:57):
It was hard because I had to watch a lot
of Washington and having gone to Orgon that's yeah, that's
a little painful.

Speaker 5 (39:03):
Probably speaks to the fact that you got some talented
guys here that overcame the pudice.

Speaker 3 (39:08):
Yeah, no doubt, and don't worry. I'm glad, you know.
I'm glad I didn't have to live through them last
year when they were winning everything.

Speaker 5 (39:15):
And now, yes, you came to the team that has
the most Washington people's.

Speaker 3 (39:22):
I know they let me know about it, but in
a couple of weeks they're going to know about it too.

Speaker 6 (39:26):
I like it.

Speaker 3 (39:26):
No, it's uh has done a nice job. You know
when you when you watch this film, he's not afraid
to be physical. You put the ball in his hand,
and he's a tough tackle, smart kiddie, and he's got
a good passion passion for the game. So I mean
it was, and he was in bright person or very good,

(39:46):
good personality, lights up the room type of guy. And
he was funny. He was fun to talk to.

Speaker 5 (39:51):
I feel like I'm going to just be pouring Solomon
open wound with his next question, But what is it
about the Washington I yet to.

Speaker 6 (39:58):
I had to ask.

Speaker 3 (39:59):
It's don't trust me. There's some good back and forth
in that room. And then obviously with Vita.

Speaker 6 (40:04):
And Greg and Greg and.

Speaker 3 (40:07):
Then who's missing one? Try on and yeah, I think
that's it.

Speaker 6 (40:11):
That's Jaylen McMillan.

Speaker 3 (40:13):
Oh, j Mac, that's right. I forgot everybody. Yeah, yeah,
they are. I'm surrounded.

Speaker 6 (40:16):
They're more than our roster.

Speaker 3 (40:18):
That's all right. We got I got Bucky here with me,
So I got somebody. No there, It's obviously it's a
good program.

Speaker 6 (40:25):
They've look you're like physically it's hard.

Speaker 3 (40:29):
It's like, yeah, no, it's a good program. I'm there
coach Pete who was a wide receiver coach at Oregon
when I was there, a lot of those guys played
for But yeah, it's it's still Washington. But that's all right.

Speaker 5 (40:42):
Which now, speaking of Bucky, I'll let you brag on
him if we If I made you.

Speaker 3 (40:46):
Yes, it's just typical. I'm sure you had.

Speaker 5 (40:49):
Watched all of Bucky's college experience there, so tell me
what it's been like to watch him get to come here.

Speaker 6 (40:54):
And play so well.

Speaker 3 (40:55):
It's fun. I mean, he another one. And again I
say all the washing stuff jokingly, but Bucky is great kid.
I did. I got to watch him a little bit.
It's hard when you're on the East coast watching the
West coast, but watch them a little bit. And then
when he got here, he's done a nice job. Takes
you know, he takes a lot of pride in what
he does. He works hard, he studies at it, and
it's been fun to watch him.

Speaker 5 (41:15):
What are the biggest challenges for Titans coming from college
to the NFL?

Speaker 6 (41:20):
You do have such a young room.

Speaker 5 (41:22):
What are the things that you see tend to be
the biggest challenges and what sets guys up to be
able to make that transition successfully at that position.

Speaker 3 (41:30):
Physically, it's the blocking on the field because you're going
against I mean guys that are in there. Most of
these kids coming out and out of what they're in
the early twenties, some of them are even their teens.
But now it's you're coming out and you're going against
you're blocking, you're playing physical game against guys you know,
mid or late twenties, you know whatever that, So that

(41:51):
takes some time to get used to the speed of
the game, to take some time to get used to
everybody's fast in college. Usually the guys we bring in
they're the fast ones. They are the more athletic ones.
We're now at this level, obviously everybody is. And then
the off the field aspect of it, which I probably
is more is the bigger hurdle. Is the playbooks longer,

(42:12):
the detail of what we do is longer, the the
days are longer, right, You're you're here all day. You know,
the season can get can get to be a grind
or you know, you got the three preseason games and
what are at seven? So you're playing twenty now a
lot of these a lot of these college kids are
playing twenty as well. But it's just it can it
can be long, right, and it and it's and then

(42:33):
the I do believe every game, every game in the NFL,
there's very little separation and talent versus we're in college.
You can you could play a game where you could
take a you know, I don't want to say take a breather,
but it's you know, you may be out at halftime
or after the third quarter or you know, things like that.
So just the overall intensity, it is a change for

(42:54):
these guys.

Speaker 5 (42:55):
All right, we're gonna take one more break here on
Buccaneers Total Access. We were talking to Titans coach Justin
pe We'll be right back. Brought to you by Ivan Help.

Speaker 4 (43:01):
This is Buccaneers Radio Buccaneers Total Access with head coach
Todd Bowles. Now continues brought to you by ad Van Help.

Speaker 5 (43:09):
We're talking to Titans coach Justin Peel. Like I said earlier,
I wanted to help fans get to know you a
little bit as one of.

Speaker 6 (43:14):
The new coaches this year.

Speaker 5 (43:16):
Ten year playing career, yeah, and addition to a pretty
long coaching career.

Speaker 6 (43:20):
Now at this point as well.

Speaker 5 (43:21):
So for you looking back at your playing career, what
sends to stand out if you were to take people
through your journey a bit of who you played for
and also some of the awesome poleat pool you got
to play with, not too shabby.

Speaker 6 (43:32):
Teams in there.

Speaker 5 (43:32):
No.

Speaker 3 (43:33):
Yeah, So I was drafted by the University organ of
San Diego when the Chargers were still in San Diego.
Marty Schottenheimer was the head coach who was one of
my favorite coaches played for. And it was interesting because
I came out I was a pass catching tight end,
is what they said. And then I realized early early
that I needed to figure out another way to stay

(43:54):
on the field, so it would be it did become
blocking and had you know. I was there in San
Diego for four years, played with a lot of really
good players. Drew Brees l t Antonio Gates was a
year behind me. So I was fortunate, you know, the
late junior say. I mean, there were so many guys
that really kind of raised me in this game that

(44:15):
was in with the Chargers, and I left. I went
to Miami for two years coach Saban for a year,
learned a lot under him, and then went to Atlanta
for three years. Mike Smith that was, and then it
was Matt Ryan was our was our quarterback, and we
during Matt was it was Matt's rookie year. And then
Tony Gonzalez came in after year one. So Tony came

(44:37):
in after year one, I believe, so I got to
know and I got to know him, got to watch
him and obviously one of the if not the greatest,
you know, tight end of all time. And then after
that finished up my last year in San Francisco under
coach Harbaugh, and there I was with Vernon Davis and
Delaney Walker, who both had very good careers. So it
was I was very fortunate to be around those are
just the tight ends, but a lot of really Hall

(44:58):
of fame players, hall of fame coaches. So it was
I mean, I was very blessed. You know, it stayed healthy,
and it was very fortunate.

Speaker 5 (45:05):
Hadn't beat around players like that, especially at the tight
end position, not only influenced maybe the way you played
the position, but then the way you have coached it.

Speaker 3 (45:13):
Yeah, you look back, I remember, I mean, things that
Tony would say and then i'd you know, how he
would break down leverage or get it, you know, get
on an edge, and the way he saw the game
from the past catching aspect of it. Antonio Gates was
the same way. Obviously Tony had his basketball background, and
then you know, you see somebody like Vernon Davis who's
just an absolute freak of an athlete, and I was like, well,

(45:35):
I can't do that. So but Vernon was. I mean
he with Vernon and Delaney were fun to be around
in San Francisco, So there was a I was very
fortunate to be around a lot of good players. And
then on the defensive side or the other offensive players
that just watching like Drew Brees and LTI are the
ones I always go back to it. Just watch the
way that they handled themselves, in the way they approached
another one, Darren Sproles was the same way. I mean,

(45:56):
Darren's like five foot two and he was He's a
very possible Hall of Famer. But the way that those
guys their work at and the way they approached every
day and that you know, how they took care of
their body, how they trained all those things. I was
very fortunately be around a lot of really good people.

Speaker 5 (46:11):
It is not a guarantee that just because you had
a good or long playing career that you'll make a
good coach.

Speaker 6 (46:17):
What do you feel like it was that made you
good at this?

Speaker 5 (46:20):
And then what were some of the maybe hardest adjustments
of going from playing to coaching.

Speaker 3 (46:26):
The playing to coaching, the adjustment is the hours and
as a player never understood it until you're actually coaching.
And then there are not enough hours in the day
as a coach. So but I always look at it like,
because I know what they they're going through. I know
what they're going through, what they've been through. But I
also know that you can push them to do more

(46:46):
because because those are some of my best position coaches
would tell me this is going to be hard, but
I know you can do it, and so you can.
You can push players the right ones. You can push
them to do more. And that's always that fine line
of not asking to do something that they physically they
can't do, but asking him to do something that's hard
that you know that they can do.

Speaker 5 (47:05):
Like that. We're talking to Titands coach justin Peel. You
know you said that you know where the players are
coming from? Are you now once you got into coaching,
how long before you were like, oh, I see what
my coaches were saying.

Speaker 6 (47:16):
Yeah, I love you. Immediately feel guilty about some of
the things that you said.

Speaker 3 (47:21):
Yeah, you know. It's it's funny because they every so
often players will pull up one of my clips and
I and I and it's not good. It's it gets
everything I don't teach, don't don't do that. Yeah, no,
it's but it is. It's as long as you've got
the right players that that are trying to do things
the right way. Coaching is really not that hard as long,

(47:44):
you know, as long as you're able to work with them.

Speaker 5 (47:46):
Not only did you play alongside some really talented people,
You've coached a lot of really talented people.

Speaker 6 (47:52):
Have been very fortunate had some decent people there.

Speaker 5 (47:54):
I mean Zach Ertz and Dallas Goddard and cal Pits
and a bunch of these different guys. What has it
been like for you getting to coach such talented people
even before coming here in the ways that it's influenced
your coaching ability, Well.

Speaker 3 (48:07):
It's good players make coaches look good, so to speak. No,
the two that the two that would stand out would
be Zach and Dallas in that in that group in Philly. Uh,
Zach came in my my first year coach, and we
drafted Zach and so him and I kind of like
I learned how to coach and he learned how to
play in the NFL, and we kind of did it together,

(48:28):
so to speak. And he's, uh, you know, happy for
his career and all of the success that he's had.
And then Dallas came along in Dallas for three years
in Philly, and just he was fun because he was
just such a natural athlete and he was in the Again,
you talk about personalities he had, he had a bunch
of different personalities and he was you know, he was
He took a little bit longer to get going, but

(48:49):
he he was fun because he just embraced it.

Speaker 5 (48:51):
Tell me how you feel like you've seen the tight
end position evolve over the years and where you see
it even maybe heading in the future.

Speaker 3 (49:00):
It's evolved. It's definitely you think about it. Tony was
the for Gonzalez was the first quote unquote basketball player
playing tight end. And you know, I guess you can
say Shannon Sharper, you could say Kellen Winslow U Senior,
but it kind of took off with Tony and then
you know, you go Todd he but there's a bunch
of those guys. And then Antonio Gates obviously does does
a really good job. It comes in and doesn't and

(49:22):
so you can see that the bigger, faster, more athletic
tight ends versus the prototypical you know, six five, two
sixty extension of the offensive line. And so people have
gone more towards pass catchers, but there's always you always
need that guy to block at the point of attack,
and that's where you're That's where I think it's you're
lucky when you find a guy like like a Kate,

(49:44):
they can they can function in both aspects of it.
Dallas scot Or was the other one that could do both.
Brent Selik ahead and fil I mean, so there's just
going off the guys that I've had, the guys that
could do both. Where it's going. It's hard to tell
because it's just the way it's really trying to find
that three down tight end or tight end is tough
because you're asking a guy to go block a you know,

(50:05):
two hundred and ninety pounds three hundred pounds defensive end
and then turn around and go win on third down
versus a safety that's in theory is supposed to be
a better athlete. So those ones are we're all looking
for him, and I think we're we're fortunate right now.

Speaker 5 (50:19):
And then now coaching within Liam's scheme, tell me what
you like about it for the tight end position, and
then just what it's been like to watch him in
his first year here have to deal with a lot
of injuries and making a lot of adjustments on the fly,
and uh, just what that's been like for you guys.

Speaker 3 (50:34):
Yeah, I think it's a credit to Liam. He's got
a really really sharp mind, and he's very creative with
it and how he how he distributes the ball and
how he wants to attack it, and he sees it.
He's and he sees the game and he's got a
feel for the game, and especially when he's calling it.
As far as the tight ends go, I mean, obviously
we've been worked in lately and it's all it's about.

(50:54):
And you could ask him this, but it's how you
can contribute. If you can contribute, then we're gonna we're
gonna use it right and and that's what they've that's
what the Titans have done a little bit of late.
And then obviously, but Liams he's fun to he's fun
to work for. He's got a got a smart mind,
he's very energetic and very passionate.

Speaker 5 (51:12):
And then how about going against our defense? Uh, in practice,
whether it's all the way back in the off season
and training camp, what are the ways that our defense
has been helpful for you guys to go against and
prepare your guys.

Speaker 3 (51:23):
Well, I think anytime you go against Vita, he's just
going to make you better and.

Speaker 6 (51:28):
It will be painful.

Speaker 3 (51:29):
Yell better Levante and yeah, yeah and when and you
know all those guys have because there's so multiple and
they do they do a lot of different things that
they that's what the challenge is. And then you know,
obviously they've got some talent over there. And but yeah,
Vita's as a very good player. Lavante is a very
He's the Lavante's been the one that's really impressed me

(51:50):
the most since coming over here. I've been gone, having
gone against him a couple of times, but just watching
him every day in practice. He just goes and he's
very extremely competitive when Antoine the same way. Those guys
are extremely competitive, good leaders, always helping people out.

Speaker 6 (52:04):
That's awesome.

Speaker 5 (52:05):
Well, coach, thank you so much for taking time to
talk with us. We really appreciate it. And I again,
we know you got a lot going on here in
the bye week to start getting to and self scouting,
but we definitely appreciate you taking the time. Thank you
all right, and thanks to all of you for listening
to us here on Buccaneers Total Access We are brought
to you by Advent Health.

Speaker 6 (52:19):
This is Buccaneers Radio.