Todd Bowles & Kacy Rodgers Review the Buccaneers’ 2024-2025 Season | Bucs Total Access

Reporter Casey Phillips sits down with Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach Todd Bowles and Run Game Coordinator & Defensive Line Coach Kacy Rodgers after the Wild Card playoff game vs. the Washington Commanders. They talk about the close game against Washington, the success of the run-game defense and gives overall appreciation to the entire team.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
What not three? What the three? Please?

Speaker 2 (00:05):
He's Buccaneers Total Access with head coach Todd Bowles.

Speaker 3 (00:09):
Stop the hell of the dub go back, go back?

Speaker 1 (00:15):
Here's mate field shotgown look looks right? Not going up
those fwarters.

Speaker 4 (00:19):
Left of Codball Evans at the fine Another three too?

Speaker 1 (00:21):
What touchdowns have at bay?

Speaker 4 (00:23):
There you go, Fire the cannons, Mike.

Speaker 2 (00:25):
Evits brought to you by at vent Health. No matter
what helps you feel whole, swimming, laughing, or finding peaceful
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support you with world class expertise and whole person care,
because feeling whole always speakins at AdventHealth dot com. Fire
the Cannons now your host box team reporter Casey Phillips

(00:45):
and head coach Todd Bowles.

Speaker 5 (00:47):
Welcome into the Todd Bowles show Casey Phillips here with
head coach Todd Bowles. For you, I know that you've
had a lot of seasons as a head coach and
as a position coach and a player and all these things.

Speaker 4 (00:57):
What are the emotions for you?

Speaker 5 (00:58):
It always is so wild, how abruptly a season can end.
What are the emotions for you as a coach even
win a season ends, and what those first especially twenty
four to forty eight hours are like for you processing in.

Speaker 6 (01:09):
I mean, it always stings, obviously, the way you lose.
It doesn't matter. You lose and you're out and you win,
you move on. You're doing so well, and then.

Speaker 4 (01:19):
That's it.

Speaker 6 (01:19):
Next day, it's kind of it and you're saying goodbye
for a couple of weeks to the guys, and that's
always a different kind of emotion, and you gotta take
a while and let it sink in. And as the
days go by, and as the process goes by, you
start to reevaluate and readjust and get your mind right.
It's a load off because you can sleep a little better,
but everything else is still going through your mind fast.

(01:41):
It's gonna take some time.

Speaker 5 (01:43):
So what we're now the takeaways from the game for
you specifically kind of big picture ideas of what stands
out well.

Speaker 6 (01:50):
Obviously, continue to do the little things. The little things
we did to get us the six out of seven wins.
We didn't do in parts of the game to finish
the ball game. It was a hard fought game. It
was a tough game, and we just got to be
able to finish those things off, and some of the
things that crept up on us all season crept back
up on us in the game.

Speaker 5 (02:07):
I know, also early on, you know, there is just
some challenges of getting the offense to be able to
stay on the field defense to get off of it.
What were some especially on kind of the offensive side,
some of the struggles to have them be able to
maintain possession a little.

Speaker 6 (02:20):
Bit longer, some of the penalties early on, shooting ourselves
in the foot, putting us back there behind the eight ball,
having to go fifteen and twenty yards to get a
first down instead of ten turned into a lot more
difficult task from that standpoint.

Speaker 4 (02:33):
I know.

Speaker 5 (02:33):
Baker finished fifteen of eighteen fo one hundred and eighty
five yards and two touchdowns, set a new franchise high
completion percentage in a playoff game and the highest passer
rating in a playoff game in franchise history as well.

Speaker 4 (02:45):
What's stood out to you about his night?

Speaker 6 (02:47):
The Baker's been great all year. He competes at a
high level. He does everything he can to win for
the team. You can see that by the scramble he
had when he tried to run two people over just
to get a first down. He'll do anything it takes
to win. And very proud of the way he played
this year and his effort.

Speaker 5 (03:03):
Yeah, and looking at his year, I mean looking at
everything he accomplished. He said, so many records for himself
personally with his career. We saw a lot of different
all time team stats. What are the things that now
looking back over the course of the whole season, what
stands out to you about his performance even this year
compared to last.

Speaker 6 (03:18):
Just as understanding of the offense, how quickly he got
together with Liam and got us in the right plays
most of the time, and even survived Mike and Chris
getting injured and became a better quarterback and a more
cerebral quarterback from that standpoint, spreading the ball around, getting
more people involved, and making sure everybody had a voice
and had a place in the offense.

Speaker 5 (03:37):
And it is crazy to think, you know, last year
was the first year and it's the coming off of
Tom Brady and trying to follow in those footsteps.

Speaker 4 (03:43):
What did you see about just the way.

Speaker 5 (03:45):
Baker embraced the role last year, and then how it
might have been similar or different to getting to come
in as this incumbent guy and his own person this
year and the way that influenced both his on field
play and then also just his leadership style and the
way the team responded to him.

Speaker 6 (03:59):
Well, when we got it and he came in, we
just wanted them to be himself. We never tried to
compare him to Tom. We never wanted him to be Tom.
There was a different offense for him than Tom, and
he carved out his own niche just by being himself
on and off the field, and the guys really loved
that about him. He's easy to be around. He's very
easy to play for because he gets everybody hyped up
at the same time. So his energy, his leadership, his

(04:22):
knowledge of the game, and the flat out the way
he can play quarterback and spend the football has been
great for us.

Speaker 5 (04:27):
I know Mike Evans got going early, finished with ninety
two yards in a touchdown, also moved into first place
in franchise playoff points for a non kicker. What did
he do so well in this game, especially against someone
like Lattimore where a lot of Moore sometimes had success
against him, And we know there's also the emotional component
for the two of them, So to see the kind
of game that Mike had. Even with that scenario, what

(04:48):
stood out to you about this particular matchup.

Speaker 6 (04:50):
I think at this point in both their careers, there's
a sign of competition, but mutual respect. They understand they
going against each other and they have to be great
against each other. Might prepare well. Came out fast, he
started fast, He played a strong game for us. He
won a bunch of battles for us. He made some
heck of he made some heck of the catches for us.
And Mike's a great player, no doubt about it. Marshawn's
a great cornerback, but Mike's a great player. And you

(05:12):
leave them one on one too long, He's gonna get
open against anybody.

Speaker 5 (05:16):
And then what impressed you about Mike this season in particular,
even compared to others in his incredible career, that with
what was going on, you know, new offense and the
whole team this year, What were the things that stood
out about why Mike was particularly special this season?

Speaker 6 (05:30):
Just intelligent the way his career is gone over the years,
handling different coaches and different coordinators and still producing at
the level he's producing coming off injury. Understanding where we
were with Chris down as well and coming back with
a vengeance and carrying the team a couple of ball games,
and you know, just him just eyeing the record and
seeing the record and getting the record and still carrying

(05:51):
it on to the playoffs. Just the maturity of how
he can handle his injuries and come back and the
work ethic he can show the younger guys. And it's
been great to see that year.

Speaker 5 (06:00):
And speaking of injury, Kate Atten got to come back
from his injury after missing a few weeks, had a
couple catches, including a twenty yarder he actually passed Cambraid
and Goronk to move into first enfranchise history and playoff
receiving yards by a tight end. How did he look
in his return to action after missing some time.

Speaker 6 (06:16):
He looked fresh. You know, he didn't lump around. He
looked very fresh. Okay, he's a tough player, he's a
very cerebral player. Once he got in there, he looked
just like he never left.

Speaker 5 (06:24):
And what did you see from him looking at his
season overall of just the ways that he's had to
come in and grow up so quickly as a tight
end of being kind of the elder statesman in the
room from such a young age and asked to play
so many snaps under multiple different coordinators. What has stood
out to you about this season for him and just
the way he's taken on so many of these roles
of leadership, lots of snaps, being asked to do a

(06:45):
lot of different things.

Speaker 6 (06:47):
I think this season, especially when Mike and Chris got hurt,
there was a span of a couple of games where
he was our best receiver, whether it was a wide
receiver titland or running back, and he really branched out
and came into his own as a route runner, obviously
as a receiver more than we used them on the inside.
He was flexed out a little bit more and you
can see the versatility in them, and we really liked

(07:08):
what we saw on that before he got hurt.

Speaker 5 (07:10):
And then I know Jalen McMillan also, we've talked about
his growth this season. What did you see from him
in this game? And then just now that you've had
time to kind of look back at the arc of
his whole season, what are the things that stand out?

Speaker 6 (07:22):
Just his maturity and understanding in the offense, understanding where
he needs to be, getting to his spots, his route running,
its toughness, his mental toughness especially, and his knowledge of
the football game. And he really helped us in the
second half of the season.

Speaker 5 (07:35):
Then I know, Bucky ended up with the most rushing
yards in a playoff game by a rookie and team history.
Plus also had a touchdown. We know he had eight
touchdowns during the regular season, but they were all rushing.
This was his first receiving touchdown of the year. Take
us through his touchdown and then this game to see
that yet again, just another stat that he has. Now
that's all time in franchise history for rookies.

Speaker 6 (07:55):
Well surprised and'll see him get his first receiver touchdown
because it feels like he's had some before. I guess
they got him to stop short. But Bucky's been all
around back for us this year. He shot has really
helped him mentally and Sean as well. But he's really
coming to his own soon as he got off the
bus to get in this building, and we looked for
big things for Bucky in the future.

Speaker 4 (08:13):
Tell me about the play of your offensive line in
this game.

Speaker 6 (08:16):
What stood out Just a toughness. It was a tough battle.
They got two big guys on the inside. It was
a hard football game. We missed a couple of blocks
early on, but they still managed to grind out some
yards for Bucky obviously, and Baker made some runs in there.
They've been great all year. I think hats off to
them for what they've done this year. I haven't seen

(08:36):
done since I've been here.

Speaker 5 (08:37):
I know that Tristan has now gotten the All Pro
award both as a right and left tackle, which is
pretty incredible. What is it like to hear that from
him and to just think about what you've seen that
helped him earn that kind of honors.

Speaker 1 (08:49):
His work ethic.

Speaker 6 (08:50):
I mean, I'm excited to see him excited. You know,
he was extremely happy, and he was very skeptical moving
over there in the first place, but once he got
over there, he dove in with both policies craft as
he always does. And he's one of the few guys
that has it all. He has the footwork, he has
the toughness, he has the work ethic, he has the power,
and he has the wherewithal and right now he's living

(09:13):
his best life.

Speaker 1 (09:14):
I know.

Speaker 5 (09:14):
What about the midpoint of the season, I asked who
you thought was the most improved potentially on the offensive side,
and you had mentioned Luke Getticky as one of those
guys for you did Do you still feel that way
at the end of the season looking back at what
he was able to do this year.

Speaker 6 (09:28):
I do, I mean, I really do. And Cody Mark
isn't far behind him. He doesn't get a lot of
credit either, but from his first year the second year,
he's grown. Luke's third year, he's grown a great deal.
I think both of them working over there together, I
think Luke is one I think Cody is one A
and then.

Speaker 5 (09:44):
Ben Brettison also, I mean a guy that I feel
like was one of the more unspoken people on the line.
We didn't hear as much about him. What did you
see that he was able to bring, especially next to
a guy like Tristan and just the interior of the line.

Speaker 4 (09:56):
And what that looked like.

Speaker 6 (09:57):
He bought toughness, consistency coming in from the Giants. You know,
he got a bad wrap up there, but he came in.
He held down the left guard spot for us, had
a heck of a year, fit right in with the guys,
the chemistry those guys had, along with the leadership that
he brought in was unbelievable.

Speaker 5 (10:13):
And we've talked about whether it was for Tristan or
Luke or different guy Cody to move guys around the
line new positions, much less to do this with a
rookie like a Graham Barton to throw him in at center,
which is already such a challenging position mentally.

Speaker 4 (10:25):
Physically, all of it.

Speaker 5 (10:27):
How did you see him handle the transition to that position,
the transition to the NFL, and the chemistry with Baker
and the ability to make a lot of those calls.

Speaker 6 (10:34):
If you ask him, he'll say it was tough, but
he made it look easy. He made it look very easy.
The guys made it easy for him with the room
that he had and the guys around him. His work
ethic is unquestioned. And I think Graham's future is so
bright for him. He had a hell of a year.
He had a heck of a year for us, and
his future is extremely bright.

Speaker 5 (10:54):
And of course we know Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and
then Jalen mcmill in the way he emerged, your top
three wide receivers just incredible talented people. What did you
see from the rest of that group and the guys
in the depth where they ended up having to step
up in some big ways of whether it's Sterling Shepherd,
Trey Palmer, Ryan Miller, maybe even the potential of Cam
Johnson moving forward, What do you like about the depth
of that room and the things that they were able

(11:14):
to step up in this year?

Speaker 6 (11:15):
A lot of growth, a lot of growth. I thought
Trey is one of our better blockers with all the speed.
Everybody thinks he's just a downfield guy, but he's one
of our better blockers, the most aggressive guys. Ryan was
our do everything guy. He can block, he can catch,
He's very intelligent, he can play all three positions.

Speaker 1 (11:31):
So when he.

Speaker 6 (11:32):
Came in the ballgame, he was Johnny on the spot
for us. And he had a lot of production as well,
So it showed you his work from the practice squads,
came off our rock coming off with surgery, came in
and made some big catches for us. He might be
the toughest one out of all of them as far
as getting down and dirty and as far as running routes
and has outstanding hands. Also, he made a big impact

(11:53):
for us. Cam he just got to get healthy. We
got to get him healthy and he's a very talented player.
To get him healthy and consistent, and I think he's
going to help us a great deal.

Speaker 5 (12:03):
Can you take us through that fumbled handoff in the
game and what ended up happening after you guys looked back.

Speaker 6 (12:08):
At it, It just looked like we botched it going
into it between Baker and j Mac. It was just
a bad play. It didn't work out. It was something
that happened when your best players bought something. There's not
much you can do and you've got to move on
from there. And we had our chances still after that,
but it just wasn't a good play for us.

Speaker 5 (12:26):
And what were the challenges defensively? I mean especially there's
a few different momentum swings like that where you guys
had just gotten you know, the stop on fourth down
and then to find yourself back and kind of at
your heels a bit after that play as well. But
there were also some other times, you know, trying to
get off the field early that weren't going well. So
what did you notice defensively that were some of the
bigger challenges facing Jade Daniels facing some of those weapons

(12:47):
and why it was harder to get off the field, just.

Speaker 6 (12:49):
Not getting them on the ground. I mean, he's a
heck of an athlete. And we had some calls on
that were perfect. We had some coverages that were perfect
where we missed a quarterback early. Whether it was the
run game. He didn't kill us in the run game,
but the little yards he got, third and two, he
get three, third and three, he get four.

Speaker 1 (13:05):
You know, he.

Speaker 6 (13:06):
Would make it second and manageable for him if he
get out the pocket and got about three or four
or five yards running. So trying to contain him was tough.

Speaker 5 (13:13):
Casey Phillips here with head coach Todd Bowles, what is
it like to game plan against a team that wants
to go for it on fourth down so many times,
has such a high completion percentage at it over the
course of the regular season. How does that adjust the
way you guys try to face them and just makes
what you would normally do a little bit different out there.

Speaker 6 (13:31):
It's just one more down for us. We understand they
went for it a lot. We had our share to
make some stops and they got a couple plays as well,
But we understood what was happening to us. We understood
where the ball was going there was a few times
where we just didn't make the play.

Speaker 5 (13:45):
And what stands out to you now about that final
defensive drive of the game and where you guys it
looked like you almost had him and just overall what
that drive, the kind of pros and cons of looking
back at it, and what stands.

Speaker 6 (13:55):
Out They played hard. I mean we left it out
on the field. They played hard. We had a chance
to get him off the field third and two, we
missed him. He got the first down. They kind of
ran the clock down, but we had more than enough
chances to make our plays. Just got to execute better.

Speaker 5 (14:08):
I know Leavonte had a pretty big game. You know,
we saw they had the sack chasing down such a
you know, athletic quarterback. And what did you see is
his impact on this game in particular.

Speaker 6 (14:17):
Again, his leadership shows he loves the big games. He
plays big and big moments. He leaves out all out
on the field every game. This year, I can never
say anything he hadn't left it out on the field
for us. His leadership this year was probably, and this
is my sixth year with him, the most I've seen
him and probably the best I've seen him.

Speaker 5 (14:36):
Well, I know you also ended up using a lot
of guys next to him. You know you had kJ,
JJ played Deon Jones a fair amount this gate this game.
What did you see is especially Deon Jones addition to
this defense and how that ended up looking, and just
overall how the insidelnebackers outside of Levante played.

Speaker 6 (14:52):
He had a lot of speed. He has a lot
of speed. He's very good in past coverage. We needed
some of that speed to help offset some of the
runs by the quarterback. I thought he did a good
job sample size just getting him in the system, but
he did a very good job in pass coverage right
there and he can fly around being interested to see
him moving forward. I thought kJ and JJ really played
the run well. They didn't kill us in the run game.

(15:13):
Hold that team with that quarterback to eighty two yards
is a pretty good feat.

Speaker 5 (15:17):
And then tell me what you noticed about your defensive
line in this game.

Speaker 6 (15:21):
They've been huge all year. I mean, can Si Vita
Logan obviously gains Will all those guys have been huge
all year. They penetrate up the middle, Kanty has really
been unbelievable. Vita went to the Pro Bowl, Chancey should
have been there as well. And I thought Logan had
an excellent year, making a jump from last year in
the run game in the past game. And those three
guys are pretty much three of the top four guys

(15:43):
in sacks on our team, So they really carried us
and they had a heck of a year.

Speaker 5 (15:48):
And we saw Vita as a wide receiver briefly in
this game fullback that tracks.

Speaker 4 (15:53):
That looks about right.

Speaker 5 (15:54):
Tell me the thoughts on the route running ability of
Vita as a wide receiver.

Speaker 6 (15:58):
The route running leaves a little bit be desired. He
has outstanding hands. I think he's going to have to
get down to about two forty five and be a
very good route runner. So he got about ten pounds
to go. But you know, it was something we tried
and that we saw on film that just didn't work
out for us.

Speaker 5 (16:15):
And then tell me what it was like to get
Antoine back in the lineup. I know he ended up
missing a fair amount of time this year, and how
having him versus not impacts your defense, impacks your calls
and what you guys were able to.

Speaker 6 (16:25):
Do having him in was huge, you know, and he
was excited to be back. We're excited to see him
out there anytime he's out there, you know you're going
to get an energizer. So just having him back on
the field was really a big boost for us.

Speaker 5 (16:36):
How about the play of some of your other safeties
in this game. I know what you were using Kvon
Meriweather and Mike Edwards a few different ways with Jordan
still out.

Speaker 4 (16:42):
What did you see from them?

Speaker 6 (16:44):
Cavean has been great all year since the second half
of the season, and we got him back. He's probably
one of the smartest and most cerebral guys we had
back there the last couple weeks of the season. He
really carved out a niche for himself and been very consistent.
I was very happy and very proud of the way
came back and played, and he played like he was
a ten year VET. Mike had about two gaffs right there.

(17:05):
But Mike's a very seasoned guy and he understands how
to play the game, and he's very well. He talks,
he communicates very well.

Speaker 5 (17:11):
Tell me about your cornerbacks play during the game, especially
Jammel before he went down for the injury. After getting
him back from another one, tell me what your thoughts.

Speaker 6 (17:19):
Were on how he looked for the first third down.
He could have played better technique and they had a
penalty there, but he was playing fast and he was
tackling well. Zion got another penalty as well. It kept
a drive alive. So we shot ourselves in the foot
a few times defensively. But the last two weeks, Zion
has been playing really aggressive ball. He's been going after
his plays and I like his mindset.

Speaker 5 (17:40):
What did you see over the course of the season
when Jameel was healthy, when Zion was healthy, what stood
out to you about each of the two of them,
and how you felt about your outside corners when they
were in there.

Speaker 6 (17:51):
For the most part, they played well. I think early on,
maybe the Denver game, I would say that that was
not a good ball game for him. But when they
were together, it gives us freedom, more man than trying
to cover different guys and do a lot of things. Obviously,
when they get hurt and you have to adjust things,
you got to change up a little bit. But if
you can get them both healthy at the same time,
which is tough to do, obviously, you got two good.

Speaker 5 (18:12):
Corners, and I know turnovers this year may not have
been as high as you would have liked. From a
numbers standpoint, what do you think it was that kept
the defense from producing a few more interceptions or force
fumbles or turnovers.

Speaker 6 (18:24):
Got to make them happen. You got to go after
the place we've got to go after the places I
thought we were trying to save at times. We got
to get a lot better going after the football and
being hungry for it.

Speaker 5 (18:32):
For you guys as coaches, now, what are kind of
the first next steps of going into an off season,
the ways that you guys evaluate things, the schedule of.

Speaker 4 (18:40):
All of it.

Speaker 5 (18:40):
Of just as we talked about earlier in the show
season and so abruptly, what happens now first few days,
first few weeks of the off season for you guys, got.

Speaker 6 (18:48):
The first thing is winding down, getting some sleep, so
we start thinking about things and we'll take some time
off and everybody will get away for a little bit.
When we come back, we'll start formulating things and going
back over the season of what we can do better,
how we can place people in different places. At the
same time, you got the draft coming up, so you

(19:10):
have to get ready to look at other players as well,
So you got a multitask some but we're gonna do
a lot of things, and I'm trying to tweak a
lot of things as we get going. But the plans
will come in a couple of weeks. They won't come
this week, or today or tomorrow or anything like that.
So as we get going, we'll get rolling.

Speaker 5 (19:27):
And finally, looking back over the course of the season,
what's something maybe you're most proud of, either about your
players or your coaching staff, just as you look back
at some of the things you guys were able to accomplish.

Speaker 6 (19:37):
I'm proud of the players that really stepped in when
guys got hurt and really kept this team afloat. Guys
like Izzy and guys like Merriweather, even Schooly, if you
take away the Detroit game, he played some good football. Obviously,
Shephard coming in, Ryan Miller. Those guys doing a very
good job stepping in and keeping us afloat, helping us
get to the playoffs. And the coach is just adjusting,

(19:58):
no matter who we.

Speaker 1 (20:00):
Brought in and brought up off the.

Speaker 6 (20:01):
Practice squad or anything like that, and getting those guys
ready to play and taking the time to make sure
those guys are prepared and playing the right way.

Speaker 5 (20:09):
Well, coach, thank you so much for always taking the
time to talk with us all season. We really appreciate
it and we hope you enjoy your off season.

Speaker 6 (20:14):
I appreciate it.

Speaker 1 (20:15):
Thank you.

Speaker 5 (20:15):
Coming up next on Buccaneers Total Access, we'll have defensive
line coach and run game coordinator Casey Rogers.

Speaker 4 (20:20):
Brought to you by Advan Health. This is Buccaneers Radio.

Speaker 2 (20:24):
Buccaneers Total Access, brought to you by advent Health.

Speaker 6 (20:27):
Shotgun Look, Jared Goff, Bill High Snap, Here comes a pressure.

Speaker 1 (20:30):
Peace sacked on the back the thirty one yard line.
Levante David shoots like a watchet and got it. Phil
High at the rocket.

Speaker 2 (20:37):
Now more with Bucks team reporter Casey Phillips.

Speaker 4 (20:41):
Welcome back into Buccaneers Total Access. First half of the show,
we had head coach Todd Bowles.

Speaker 5 (20:44):
Now I'm so excited to be joined by defensive line
coach and run game coordinator, Casey Rogers.

Speaker 4 (20:49):
Coach, thanks for being with us.

Speaker 1 (20:50):
Thank you. Pat Man.

Speaker 5 (20:52):
So it's always wild to me how abruptly the season ends.
What are the emotions like for you guys as coaches
once it comes to a close.

Speaker 3 (20:58):
Well, especially in the professional aspect of the game, it's
really hard because after the season ends, the life of
the real football business side kicks in. So, you know,
being a position coach and seeing guys every year, working
with a predicted particular group of guys throughout the season,
the likelihood of that exact group being back the next

(21:21):
year is very highly unlikely. It's usually it could be
a fifty turnover or as little as ten. But you're
never gonna have that same group of guys together again.
And then Funny used to say that last night we
had our d line dinner and it was just good
to see even Earn came back. Who we just who
got claimed by another team. But every guy worked with

(21:43):
their last night for dinner. But as we sit there
and finished dinner and everything, that's the last time that
group of guys would be in that situation that I
was say coaching.

Speaker 5 (21:52):
For you, looking back now, having a day or so
to process the game, what are some of the big
takeaways from the game on defense for you?

Speaker 3 (21:58):
Well, the thing you just always remember and this all
the little things people talk about. You got to create
turnovers and we did not create enough turnovers. Well, and
you know you said, and then we got to eliminate
big plays. It's just all the stuff that you preach,
preached just kind of reared its ugly head at the
worst possible time.

Speaker 4 (22:16):
I know.

Speaker 5 (22:17):
Also in this first twenty four hour period, you guys
do exit interviews with the players, tell us a little
bit about what that tends to entail and what was
maybe your message to the guys, you know in exit interviews, well, well.

Speaker 3 (22:29):
In my exhibent, first of all, I want them to
tell me their reflection of the season. What did you think,
you know, what could we have done better? What did
we think we did good? You know from our meetings,
from the way we practice for our individual drills, what
can I do more to enhance you or things that
you might I might have not been providing that you need.

(22:50):
Then you kind of see what their off season plans are.
You know, these guys, It's funny you have an exit interview,
then a lot of them go to their cars and
they're gone or whatever. It's just kind of touch base
with them, seeing work, where they're going with their off
season plans are. And then you kind of talk to
them about what the future or what role do you
see for them going forward? You know, you need to
improve this and do that and stuff like that. And

(23:10):
then wish them well, trade numbers, make sure everybody can
contact and let them know that they need men know
where to find and that's kind of it. And then
for some of them, it's tough because some of them
are free agents. So the real the life of NFL
football really kicks in once the season ends and you know,
the powers to be have decisions to make and then

(23:31):
we go from there.

Speaker 5 (23:32):
For you guys, looking back at the game, Uh, what
were some of the challenges, especially early in the game
of getting off the field. I know that your poor
guys were definitely uh having to play for long periods
of time out there with some of those drives.

Speaker 4 (23:43):
What was what was keeping them on the field.

Speaker 3 (23:45):
Well, the thing is the way the Washington attacked us,
and if you really look at the last three teams
kind of did the same kind of game plan. It
was short passing game run it keep third down, very
managing third and three. It's really hard to stop in
the National Football League because so many aspects. What are

(24:05):
you defending the short passes? Then they throw along are
you playing well? Some teams thirty three like the run.
So that then the team this past team they had
to aspect of not only running, but the quarterback run,
so you had to keep him in the pocket where
you're kind of out numbered. If you blitz him, you
leave a could leave a bad matchup. It's just mobile
quarterbacks propose a lot of problems.

Speaker 5 (24:25):
I know, what are the specifically looking at the way
Jade Daniels does it, what are the biggest challenges of
trying to stop him of both, like you mentioned him
being so mobile, willing to do other things, and maybe
how is he even different week one as compared to
this one as a rookie quarterback.

Speaker 3 (24:39):
Well, you just see the growth. And the thing is
you sit there and you really look at going in.
You know, you felt like you had to stop the
quarterback to win, and ultimately the quarterback made enough place
to be.

Speaker 1 (24:49):
That's the thing.

Speaker 3 (24:51):
You know, My hat goes off to him to be
in such a young player and what he's done. And
I just made me think about it as you were
talking about the different aspects throughout the year that people
things people have tried. You know, if you remember back
they beat Chicago on a hell Mary Chicago was rushing
three inspiring the quarterback that didn't exactly work out. So well,
then you have people blitz him and he those one

(25:12):
on one Coach, it's just you're such chest Matt, so
you're playing the game trying to show him this little
confusing being such a young player.

Speaker 1 (25:21):
But he's very poorsed and I thought he did a
great job.

Speaker 5 (25:23):
We're talking to defensive line coach and running game coordinator
Casey Rodgers. What stands out about that last defensive drive
and knowing just how close you guys came to being
able to get.

Speaker 1 (25:31):
The ball back.

Speaker 3 (25:32):
Well, the thing is just these guys throughout the whole year,
and you know, the coach, I'm sure Todd has said
this manytime, the NFL is such a long season. You know,
you hit the spell, started off pretty strong, then you
hit the low where.

Speaker 1 (25:46):
We lost like four in a row. Then we have
to buy this.

Speaker 3 (25:48):
And then since the buy the way these guys have played,
not just statistically, just overall, you know, we kind of
figured out who we were and our identity started to
do really form. And the way they played the run,
they were just tenacious. We you know, my hat goes
off to home.

Speaker 1 (26:06):
I just it just didn't work out our way.

Speaker 5 (26:09):
I know that in the five games before this one,
you guys had held opponents in the second half to
nine points combined over those five games.

Speaker 4 (26:17):
What was happening at halftime?

Speaker 3 (26:19):
First of all, you know what the thing is that
you go after after half, you go in make the
adjustments or whatever. But you see what was working, and
sometimes maybe the stuff you were doing was working. We
just wasn't executing very well. So it's some sometime it's
very over ray or now you know you've kind of
had their best shot. This is what you're gonna get. Now,

(26:41):
it's easy to react. Now when they're opening kickoff, you
really you know what we practice, but you don't know
what they're really gonna do. So now you kind of
sometimes what the old coaching terms say, sometimes we just
kind of stick our foot in the water to see
you kind of what are they doing.

Speaker 1 (26:55):
Then once you kind of know, then you.

Speaker 4 (26:58):
Then you can address from there.

Speaker 5 (26:59):
You held Eckler and Robinson to forty three total yards
and overall the run defense for this game. What stands
out in terms of versus Daniels versus those guys and
what you were able to accomplish on both sides.

Speaker 3 (27:09):
Well, the thing is they were so multiple in the
run game. Of one, they had Robinson who came down
here of more in the dot back Eckler was shotgun
runs than the quarterback. He was mobile, So you had
so many different aspects of the running game to try
to neutralize. And I thought the guys really bought into
the game plan and it could identify this and least

(27:29):
we try to take that away to try to increase
our chances of winning.

Speaker 5 (27:33):
And if you were to kind of give your guys
a grade for this game, defensive line specifically, I know
you also oversee, you know, larger things at the run game,
but defensive line for both run and pass. What stood
out to you about some of the individual guys and
and your group as a whole in this game.

Speaker 1 (27:45):
Well, it's funny to me.

Speaker 3 (27:46):
The thing that jumped out and especially after I saw
it the person them grade and the tape was the
first snap of the game. Elijah really bulled the guard
all the way back. Logan and Vita ran a little
te he twist game, and I'm looking at the first
play he threw it away, but all three front guys
were hitting the quarterback at the same time, So I

(28:09):
get from that standpoint as coach, I knew they were
ready to play it. Wasn't like they didn't show up
for this, and so the effort not just this game.
Those guys have done all year and played together and stuff,
and then you look at the production of.

Speaker 1 (28:24):
Each one of them.

Speaker 3 (28:24):
Those things that stood are for me because those things
as a coach, you harp on we got to make plays.
We got to make plays, and got to make plays.
And when I look at their body of work from
that game and really for the whole year, I would
say they tried to.

Speaker 1 (28:38):
Adhere to that.

Speaker 4 (28:39):
Yeah.

Speaker 5 (28:39):
Absolutely, And like we talked about, you're also the run
game coordinator, which involves more than just the defensive line,
although it could probably just involve Vita and that might
be sufficient, but it does involve more people. And I
thought about the fact that while thankfully for the most
part your your defensive line was pretty healthy this year,
especially compared to the rest of the defense, lots of
injuries everywhere else on that defense, How did that affect

(28:59):
you as the run game coordinator and trying to work
with all these different players and people out there, knowing
that it takes more than just that front field.

Speaker 3 (29:06):
To me, having that title is the one of the
biggest joys I've had in coaching, and when we go
into each week going into a prep, the first thing
after we go through, the coach usually hit them on
the install this is what we're putting in, goes through
the personnel. I'm the first one up. It's the first
thing we talk about is the run game. So I'm
the first one presenting to the whole defense. And then

(29:29):
from that standpoint for me is now one. I gotta
get my point across of because this is the one
time I got all of them, and I don't just
have the front. I got the linebackers, got the DBS,
every we all, everybody, every position group is involved with
us trying to stop the run. So I got twenty
twenty five clips to make sure they see like this
is what we're facing. This team is not so good.

(29:51):
This team is really really good. And you know, we
tried to hardco going into the game. Bleeve Washington was
the third ranked rushing offense in the league, so we
knew one end, but we cannot let them get the
running game started. So just the way those guys really
buy in, and you know that's the thing is stopping
to run as every position and that's the thing I

(30:13):
really like about the way we play defense, everybody's involved
in trying to get that done.

Speaker 5 (30:17):
Yeah, the buy in is so important when knowing that
for outside corners, I'm sure they're originally thinking that's not.

Speaker 1 (30:21):
Exactly to get in that.

Speaker 5 (30:24):
Yeah, So I know for the for your position group, man,
three of the top four SAT getters on our team
were from your defensive line. Colijah led with seven and
a half in the regular season, playing in just twelve games,
which is also incredible.

Speaker 4 (30:38):
Why did Calijah have such.

Speaker 5 (30:39):
Success, especially in so few games this year with those
kind of numbers and at his.

Speaker 3 (30:43):
Spot, Well, he's a talented, talented player and his passionately,
every person has a passion.

Speaker 1 (30:48):
This guy's are run stopping.

Speaker 3 (30:50):
He's very passionate about being a rusher and certain aspects
of our defense. We can create some one on one
match up for him and he really excels.

Speaker 1 (30:59):
He wins more than he loses.

Speaker 3 (31:00):
So that's a good call that they have as a
pass rusher, and the guy just so explosive and he's
just a different element and it's kind of a complimentary,
different kind of piece. You know, in the past here
we had defensive linemen that three hundred, three hundred three hundred. Yeah,
so now you got two ninety in love three hundred
plus and Vita there you.

Speaker 4 (31:20):
Get plus three hundred plus. We don't need to get
into the specifics.

Speaker 3 (31:25):
Then we got Elijah, who's to eighty issues. You know,
it's just a compliment, but they kind of work well.

Speaker 1 (31:31):
They worked well together. It works for us right now.

Speaker 5 (31:34):
And I know with Callidja, we had talked a little
bit about the fact that when he was drafted it
was largely for the pass rush idea, not sure how
he was going to do in the run game because
to eighty and I think that it seems like everyone
has been very pleasantly surprised with his contributions there. Why
do you think he's been able to have more success
maybe than even you guys expected him to be able
to have.

Speaker 3 (31:54):
The thing, you know, going in and I think, as
a matter of fact, I remember bringing it up in
and we were doing the draft readings, is that, you know,
tremendous pass rush. I will concern would be, you know,
the going against all these bigger offensive linemen and they
wear you, wear you down in the run game here.
But the thing is once been around Collijah and how
hard he works and he's really really tough, really tough.

(32:16):
So if we knew he could hold his own there
and then the stuff we do stunt wise and twit's
with his quickness. I sometimes he's a major mitch match
for a slower offensive line.

Speaker 4 (32:27):
How fun was it to watch he and Vita have
that sack competition.

Speaker 3 (32:29):
Going that wa That was good. And the funny thing
is is when we were I would walk in the room,
they had a little board up, so they were chicken,
who's who had most? Who had this? And it's just
it was unbelievable. And when we when we go into
our room and we start our individual prep for a team,
you know, each one of 'em is assigned an assignment

(32:50):
of personnel group in the run game. Colijah's assignment is
the old line. So he tells us who's w this
is their old line. This guy struggles with this move.
This guy here, he is so passionate about it. You know,
he put the time in and it's just like that
just kind of.

Speaker 1 (33:06):
Works for that group.

Speaker 4 (33:07):
That's really interesting.

Speaker 5 (33:07):
All right, we're going to take a quick break here
on Buccaneers Total Access. We're talking to defensive line coach
and run game coordinator Casey Rogers brought to you by
Advan Health.

Speaker 4 (33:14):
This is Buccaneers Radio.

Speaker 2 (33:16):
You were listening to Buccaneers Total Access with head coach
Todd Bowles and Bucks team reporter Casey Phillips. Brought to
you by ad Van Health.

Speaker 5 (33:25):
We are here with defensive line coach and run gamey
coordinator Casey Rogers.

Speaker 4 (33:29):
Us.

Speaker 5 (33:29):
Right before the break, we were talking about that competition
between Elijah and Vida.

Speaker 4 (33:32):
Glija just barely got him.

Speaker 5 (33:33):
But still, I mean, Vida finishing with seven sacks is
just incredible.

Speaker 4 (33:37):
Especially at his position. So explain to everyone just how
impressive it is.

Speaker 5 (33:41):
And why you think this year in particular was like
this is his banner year of sacks.

Speaker 3 (33:46):
Well, Vita plays nose for US in our three four defense,
and if you know anything about football, three four defensive
noses usually when it's third down, they run off the field.
Our guy, if he's off the field, runs on to
the crazy So that it's impressive in itself. And if
you go through the history of the NFL, who plays

(34:06):
on third down at his side when it passing situations,
it's you know, you can go through all the great
ones and you can't find somebody as big as he
is that plays on third down and is involved as.

Speaker 1 (34:18):
Much on third downs.

Speaker 3 (34:19):
We asked him to rush the passion, but a couple
of games here, don't know, if you guys know, we
asked him to drop in the coverage too.

Speaker 4 (34:24):
Yeah, we did see that. That was pretty crazy to watch.

Speaker 1 (34:26):
So there you go.

Speaker 3 (34:27):
So we ask a lot of him, and he's just
a generational talent from that stempoint of the stuff we
ask him to do for his size and stuff that
he's able to do efficiently and on a high level.

Speaker 1 (34:38):
So hack goes off to him.

Speaker 3 (34:40):
But to be as big as you are what we
asking or demand of him to give us in the
run game to help us out. Didn't have that much
stamina left to rush a quarterback. That's a credit to
him and his training and because that's not an easy
task at all.

Speaker 4 (34:54):
Yeah, I remember.

Speaker 5 (34:55):
That was the big story in the off season, was
he lost some weight and he worked out with Sue
and all of us are Do you feel like you
saw the fruits of that this year?

Speaker 3 (35:02):
No question, no question. And the funny you mentioned Sue.
I have the privilege of coaching him, but he was
one of the true pros when it comes to taking
care of his body, eating right, getting rest and training.
You know, you can say a lot of things about Sue,
but ultimate pro from there, and then for Vita and
him to spend the whole off season together just really

(35:26):
helped Vita grow in that aspect to kind of see where,
you know you are talented, you know you can play,
but to extend your career and maximize your ability, you
have to do this And that was big to see.
And then Funnie last night at the dinner, Veta's going
back with Sue this year, but also Collijah is going
So my hat's off to Sue.

Speaker 4 (35:46):
Whatever other teams offensive line, they're.

Speaker 3 (35:49):
Gonna be together the whole off season training with Sue.
So there's just funny to see how that had materialized.

Speaker 4 (35:56):
Yeah, that's great and how have you?

Speaker 5 (35:57):
I mean, that's a great example already of how the
influence each other, both from like a leadership standpoint. But
then it almost reminds me of as we talk about,
when you know Chris Godwin and Mike Evans are out
there together and making defenses choose what they're gonna do
with these two incredible weapons. It feels similar when Vita
and Callija are out there. How have you seen that
affecting opposing offenses trying to decide to pick your poison.

Speaker 3 (36:20):
Well, that's that's the choice they have to make. Because
we talked about creating one on ones for Collijah. The
matchup is because Elijah getting on one on one, because
two have to go with Vita, then one has to
go with.

Speaker 1 (36:34):
Yah Yad, then another one.

Speaker 3 (36:35):
So they're gonna run out of people here very soon.
So one of them are gonna command the double and
then if you double Colijah, you leave Vita one on one.

Speaker 1 (36:42):
If you double, you leave Elijah.

Speaker 3 (36:44):
Want that.

Speaker 1 (36:44):
It's just the way it works, the way and the
way we try to do.

Speaker 3 (36:47):
Whoever gets that one on one matchup, we kind of
expect them to try to win.

Speaker 5 (36:51):
And then I'm sure that it feels like at this
point Vida and Callidja are doing so well that they're
playing at such a high level. But I know coaches
are never saying they're perfect. So tell me what are
the things that you feel like you are still working
on with both Vita and Kalija.

Speaker 3 (37:03):
Well, Vita, you're constantly preaching him to like continue to
use in his hands because when it's big and as
strong as he is, when he uses his hands. There's
not too many humans walking the earth that can stay
in front of him. Yeah, sometimes he let them get
their hands on him before and that slows him down.
Then far as CALIZI just did he at this passion
as he is about the pass rush just increased that

(37:27):
stort playing the run. You know, that's one thing that
having the coach sue that I thought he did a
very he could rush the quarterback, but he was.

Speaker 1 (37:34):
That's just the toughest playing to run.

Speaker 3 (37:36):
And that's kind of touch because most pass rushers don't
want to play the run, but he's a special because he.

Speaker 1 (37:43):
Can and he and he buys in. So my hat
goes off to him.

Speaker 4 (37:47):
Yeah, for sure.

Speaker 5 (37:48):
We're talking to defensive line and run game coordinator Casey
Rogers Logan Hall. What did you see has improved the
most for him since coming in as a rookie and
just the ways that I think maybe Bucks fans don't
know to even appreciate his contributions other than you including
those sacks, and then other than those sacks.

Speaker 3 (38:04):
Well, the thing about Logan, uh, the growth you see
from year one, it's just learning. It's our defense is
very complex and it's a lot for a young player
to kind of gravitate through all the nuances of so
you're one was kind of feeling his way. Year two,
you was kind of seeing turn the corner, but we
weren't having any production. You know, he was he wasn't

(38:25):
just he wasn't producing the numbers we needed him from
him PERSI. Then going into year three, it's just like
the you feel like the light finally came home from one.
I think he had a tremendous offseason and now you're
seeing him you've just talked about. I think we finished
fourth in rush defense overall this year league. Logan started

(38:45):
sixteen out of seventeen eight.

Speaker 4 (38:46):
Wow.

Speaker 3 (38:47):
Last year we were a top ten in rush defense.
Logan Hall started every game. You said him saying, he
kind of been there. He been doing his job, because
if we were last in rush defense you be talking
about right, Yeah, so you ain't talking about it, but
he's out there. When he runs out there, then his
sack production is a lot of people don't give him
a lot of credit. Understanding the way our structure of
our defense. You got Collijah and Vida in the middle,

(39:09):
and you got y'all, y'all, Joe Nelly and those guys
on the outside. So when we go third down and
rush in the past or where does Logan go?

Speaker 1 (39:16):
He runs off the field. You see what I'm saying.

Speaker 3 (39:18):
So he has just as many sacks and he gets
a lot less opportunity. We're blessed to have those guys.
What if he got more opportunities, you have more production.
So that's the thing is. But to our credit, I think,
you know, Todd did a great job of kind of
recognizing that we could make plays. So we created another
package that Logan, Vita and Calijah were stayed on the

(39:38):
field on third down and which gave him more rush opportunities.
And if you really think about it, when we dropped
it Logan, it was.

Speaker 1 (39:45):
To come to help us on the pass rush. Now
you're kind of seeing.

Speaker 4 (39:48):
The reason for that reason for the Yeah.

Speaker 5 (39:50):
And then how about Greg Gaines and Will Golston, the
guys who maybe we don't hear their names as much
but definitely have been big parts of this defensive line.

Speaker 4 (39:57):
What did they contribute this year?

Speaker 3 (39:59):
Well, when you look at Greg, that's another guy. Take
my hat off too, because Greg, we got him from
the Rams. Greg started in the Super Bowl that they won, yep.
So now you come here and I don't listen, you
got a tough job the handles to kind of beat
out Vita, who's the general tell him, but he came
in and has bought in. And to go from a

(40:19):
starter to knowing your primary role is to sub for Vita,
that that takes a lot, especially when you start talking
about pros and their egos and this and that is
that I take my hat off because he never complains
whatever I need, boom boom.

Speaker 1 (40:35):
And it's tough to be a guy that.

Speaker 3 (40:37):
Can rush and can't make plays to run off the
field on third down when he's talented, but the other
guys are maybe a little bore, you see what I'm saying.
So the dynamic of the room with all those guys
just kind of it's it's amazing. And I told him
that last night at our dinner. But you know, Will,

(40:57):
how he's been here and you know, go from starter
to whatever. Unique coach And that's how I told Themarl
CJ Mike just as a as a as a group,
they are Jordan coach. And the thing you love about
him as a group is unselfish. They were there and
if for the big picture not individual actively.

Speaker 5 (41:18):
That's great, all right, We're gonna take one more break
here on Buccaneers Total Access. We're talking to defensive line
coach and run game coordinator Casey Rodgers.

Speaker 4 (41:24):
Brought to you by Avan Health. This is Buccaneers Radio.

Speaker 2 (41:27):
Buccaneers Total Access with head coach Todd Bowles. Now continues,
brought to you by ad Van Help.

Speaker 5 (41:33):
We're talking to defensive line coach and run game coordinator
Casey Rogers. I was remembering the staff that I heard
about the last especially basically since the bye week, that
we have been out rushing teams by over like one
hundred and twenty yards out rushing them. I'd love to
hear kind of your thoughts on you getting that front
row seat to watching the evolution of our run game
from worse to first on that yards per carry.

Speaker 3 (41:55):
Right, Well, that's the the premise of our defense has
been always the first thing we wanna do is try
to stop the run. So that's kind of been our
big with one of our biggest bed rock principles as
we go in and that's the way we always attack it.

Speaker 1 (42:10):
And one of the first coaches I.

Speaker 3 (42:11):
Worked for in this league, Coach Parcels, used to have
this little formula and when you look at both rushing
yardis if you have over one hundred yards different, that's
usually egal seven points. So if they have twenty, you
have one hundred and twenty. That's pretty usually a seven
point difference in the game. So that's big there when
you start so many of the little nuances they go

(42:33):
into not just at the stakes, oh how it factors
in points. So that was big. But then you talk
about the element of iron sharpens iron. Going against our
O line and one on one an individual, then going
against them in team, it only makes us bet because
you know Carbs and those guys Liam, they do a
great job one not only giving their guys creating good angles,

(42:57):
but causing confusion with the motions and flash is that
then you got misfit and you got a talented, talented
offensive line. Those guys, they are really a unique group
because you never really see one without the other. Yeah,
and you're talking about having a good offensive line, those
guys have to be on the same page and those guys, uh,

(43:17):
my hat goes off to them because those same core
guys were here and you wasn't really talking about how
great rushing offense we were same guys. A year later,
you're telling me they wanted the best to do it.
So a total hat goes off to them. They carbs
and push. They do a great job with them technically fundamentally,

(43:38):
and they do a good job of scheming. You know,
if you give them this a look, now, they're gonna
find a way to attack it. And then with Bucky
and Rishard, boom, then you're throwing Bake running.

Speaker 1 (43:46):
That's that quarterback running a problem.

Speaker 4 (43:48):
It's a problem, especially one of the lowers the shoulder
like Baker does.

Speaker 3 (43:51):
You go, so you go so that but you can
kind of see it's everybody wondering about how you wing.

Speaker 1 (43:56):
It's still a matchup game.

Speaker 3 (43:57):
So here you go. You're running out there. He got
Jayala early in the year, you had Chris and Mike
who you cover. Then you got Kate I and that's
a problem here then, so you want to play split
safety all we'll hand it off the bucket and Richard,
oh you got all them covered. Then Baker takes all.
It's just a drive defensive coach is great.

Speaker 5 (44:14):
Yeah, if you were imagining, especially a game planning against Bucky,
how much would that keep you up at night?

Speaker 3 (44:18):
That would keep me up up at night because there's
no well we can we can outnumber them, but then
you're leaving Mike one on one out there. It's just
it's just it's the chess match, you know so well,
you know, well, if we double Mike and we take
Bucky away, who covering Kate And by the way, you
don't want to leave Jalen by hisself. It's just so
many different aspects than the different formations and motions and

(44:40):
now you're looking for top bucket, but it's two backs
out there, then Richardo's in motions, then the screen game day.

Speaker 1 (44:47):
It's a lot of problems.

Speaker 5 (44:48):
Yes, it's a lot of problems. We're very happy you
don't have to deal with on our side of things. Well,
and talking about dealing with something, I was thinking about
what a welcome to the NFL moment it must have
been for Graham Barton, who's already moving to an new
position and a very challenging one. And there's Vidave on
the other side in training camp as the welcome to
the NFL. I imagine that that was in general, any
new offensive lineman we have, that's that's not a it's

(45:12):
quite a scary way to enter the NFL. What did
you notice about the way that Graham handled such a
literal massive task.

Speaker 4 (45:18):
Well, it's such a.

Speaker 3 (45:19):
Such a competitor from the right on going into OTA's
and right into training camp, and you're right, that's the
first thing you line up. But from standpoint, if you
can block, feed us, stay in front of him, there's
not too many guys you're gonna face on Sunday, they're
gonna be any better. So that's that's that was a
credit to him one picking up and he's such a

(45:40):
competitor and his athleticism shows, and you know, they had
some good battles in training camp, so we knew.

Speaker 1 (45:46):
We had a good play.

Speaker 5 (45:47):
What are some of the things that you've worked with
coach Bowls for a really long time, both here and
other places as well. What are some things that maybe
people don't know to appreciate about what he's done with
this defense, particularly with so many injuries.

Speaker 4 (46:00):
Ought about what Bulls was able to do with the
group of guys that he had this year.

Speaker 3 (46:04):
Well, the thing I look at him and I work
with a lot of uh different coordinators. Some coaches in
this league are this is the system MM and they say,
whether you're a cover two team. You know, you lose
a corner, put it in the next cover two corner.
Maybe he can't do that. Co Todd does a great
job of kind of thinking outside the box.

Speaker 1 (46:22):
You know, this is our system. This guy's down, this
is his bagup, his backup. Can't do this. But what
can he do?

Speaker 3 (46:29):
M he j He just wants to know what can
he do and will tailor the game plan to something
he can do. So a guy who could be deficient
in covering man, the man will put a safety over
the top. This guy can't play his own, but he
can play man. You play man will plays on over here.
So thinking outside the box and not putting guys in
situations that this unfavorable matchup is something we don't do.

(46:51):
We try to create the favorable matchup. This guy he
he struggles in coverage, well will blitz him. This guy
struggles Russian, so we'll drop him. And it's the other
guy who can rush. So thinking outside the box. And
that's the thing most any good defensive coordinator, good defensive coaches,
you run into. That's the quality that all of them have.
They think outside the box. Now you got eight first

(47:15):
rounders out there, just put them out there. That's not
a problem. But when you don't in this league, you
still judge by wins and losses. You better find a
way to utilize the personnel that you have.

Speaker 5 (47:25):
We're talking a defensive line coaching run game coordinator Casey Rogers.
What would you say, are going to be your goals
for the run game next year? And maybe goals for
your defensive line next year?

Speaker 3 (47:35):
It will just continue to try to improve because the
thing and the thing that is tough for me to realize,
and I guess I have realized. When you win the division,
now get the first place.

Speaker 4 (47:45):
You play the hard people.

Speaker 3 (47:46):
So you're going in and you're talking about our rush defense,
and let me tell you what. Let's see who we
played Philly and I think they number one rushing off.
You played Washington, you played Detroit Baltimore on top four
in Washington, those are the top four.

Speaker 1 (48:00):
You play them all.

Speaker 3 (48:00):
Yeah, So for you to play all the best of
the best and still be ranked at how you were,
that's a credit to you. Cause you didn't play the
little sisters of the blind, so they paid the best
of the best. And so the thing is just to
continue to improve because when in the division again, you
got another first play schedule and all that comes with that.

Speaker 4 (48:20):
That's gonna be challenging for you. What did this season
teach you.

Speaker 3 (48:24):
As a coach about perseverance and just keep playing cause
you never know, you just never know. Uh y, we
we kind of seen it here we started off four
and two. Then you kind of hit the log like
here we go in but you know, uh so then
you know, after the bye, you make some objections, the
team got some momentum and here and then you just

(48:45):
take off any strings and wings wins together. Then we
go to Dallas and after the game we we drop
one there now and we're in a dog fight to
try to make the playoffs. And I remember walking out
of the locker room and see Todd's wife their way
and she says, just remember we've been there before and
we have you know. So the thing about this team

(49:06):
my backs against the wall. Sometime we come out harder
and you know, continue to fight and go like that.
And this guy, this these core guys, that's really a team.
And we've got some great individual players, but it's really
a team. It's like sometimes the offense is gonna have
to carry us. This gay defense you need to try
to win this one or you know, and when we

(49:26):
clicking and playing well on both sides of the bout
including specially and we're gonna we'll ship would be hard
to beat.

Speaker 5 (49:31):
Yeah, And then what are the hardest things maybe about
defensive line playing and coaching that people.

Speaker 4 (49:37):
Might not know.

Speaker 1 (49:38):
Well, the hardest thing is the wear and tear on
these guys.

Speaker 3 (49:42):
You know, if you play a wide receiver, you could
run ten or twelve routes and nobody touch you. I'm
coaching a position where somebody is putting hands on you
every play. There are not many plays where the inside
defensive line is not getting touched by physically by someone.

Speaker 1 (49:57):
Then you throw in Vita.

Speaker 3 (49:59):
He has two sets her hands on him eighty five
percent of the time. So to wear and tear, and
then to be good, you have to practice it so
constantly everyday, hands on them, people pushing. Then the body
only got so many hits in it, so to wear
and tear and the grind. And you know, these guys,
when you get into the rosters and you talk about injuries,

(50:20):
you know these guys are playing in the rest their
bodies towards the end of the year. Are not one
hundred percent. Yeah, you know, and you just see that.
And as a coach, I'm just trying to get him
through practice, get him to sign. He has a risk,
he has a shoulder, he got a hamstring. We lost
the cash, you know, and those wearing terrors and it
ain't like you can just go down to the shop and.

Speaker 1 (50:41):
Slap a new one on and keep it moving, you know,
if only.

Speaker 3 (50:45):
But but they still have to practice, have to prepare.
It's just to wear and tear and the grinds on
their bodies and all that that people don't see, you know.
You might see his contract numbers, but you don't see
what he has to do to like a term we
use around him, We're just trying to get the Sunday.
Whatever you got to do, extra treatment, massages, whatever you

(51:05):
got to do to get to Sunday, and that the
wear and tear and the rest they put their bodies
under weekend and weekend.

Speaker 5 (51:12):
And it also seems like that might apply to coaches
as well, because you also were hurt recently.

Speaker 4 (51:17):
Is that true?

Speaker 1 (51:18):
Yeah, I got to work on the camp claim, but
it is rough side.

Speaker 5 (51:23):
I saw you basically getting carried off at halftime. Thankfully
you had large people there nearby to carry you off.

Speaker 4 (51:29):
What what did you do?

Speaker 1 (51:30):
I'm sitting here and I just stepped wrong and I
popped my cat and I was like, oh man.

Speaker 3 (51:34):
Then I couldn't put any weight on it, couldn't walk,
and they helped me get into the locker room.

Speaker 1 (51:38):
Then I had to take a golf cart out of
the locker room by it. But it's just like it
was hazard duty on that size.

Speaker 5 (51:44):
And then did I also see that you had official
Casey Rogers scooter parking in the hallway outside the meeting room.

Speaker 1 (51:49):
It's a rough crowd around here, had no empathy.

Speaker 4 (51:52):
I saw that when that it taped off a little
signed for you.

Speaker 1 (51:56):
It is a rough crowd.

Speaker 3 (51:58):
That's another part of like coming to work here and
everything is just it's the team aspect for everybody understanding
it's a business and we have to win games. But
everybody's in it together and you know, and nobody is
above getting.

Speaker 4 (52:11):
Roasted, yes, any stretch, by any stretch. That is so true.

Speaker 5 (52:15):
Well, coach, thank you so much for coming and spending
time with us. We know you're very busy right now
wrapping up the season, but thank you so much. We
appreciate it.

Speaker 4 (52:21):
And we hope you enjoy your off season.

Speaker 1 (52:22):
Oh thanks so much, thanks for all.

Speaker 4 (52:23):
Right, that's gonna do it for us.

Speaker 5 (52:24):
On Buccaneers Total Access, brought to you by Advent Health,
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