Todd Bowles & Kevin Ross on the Mentality of a Cornerback | Bucs Total Access

Team Reporter Casey Phillips sits down with Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach Todd Bowles & Cornerbacks Coach Kevin Ross following the Week 4 game against the Philadelphia Eagles. They reviewed making adjustments in game, the next man up mentality & the mindset Coach Ross expects from the team.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
But not three. What's three?

Speaker 2 (00:05):
This is Buccaneers Total Access with head coach Todd Bowles.
That the hell of a job going back, Go back, Robbie,
Big up those a sideline route. It is pot Paw,
Pop Paul, my Cabots or the guy try call over it,
touch Down, Tampa Bay Fire, the Cannons, Get Up, Going
Trought to you by Advent Health. Whether you're in the stands,

(00:28):
on the field, or celebrating with your greatest fan, Advent
Health make sure you're ready for game day and every
day feel hole with advent Health Exclusive Hospital of the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Fire, the Cannons. Now your host, Bucks
team reporter Casey Phillips and head coach Todd Bowles.

Speaker 3 (00:47):
Welcome into the Todd Bowles show Casey Phillips here with
head coach Todd Bowles. A bit of an emotional rollercoaster
of a game. I would say, after you've had several
last second wins, this game, I mean, man, it just
felt like there was definitely some was the first half
coming back. What are the ways that you look at
just big picture and the takeaways with something that felt
like quite a tale of two halves.

Speaker 4 (01:07):
The big picture is starting out faster. You can't start
out slow against a good team and spot them fourteen nothing,
expect to come back and try to pull one out
at the end. I thought with the block, pun obviously,
and then they got two turnovers in addition to that,
and starting out fast on offense, they did, and we
didn't come on till the second half. We had to
be perfect and we weren't perfect, and we made some

(01:30):
errors there and you know, they came out with the win.
We just couldn't pull it out this time. And as
the season goes and you play better teams, you got
to make less mistakes.

Speaker 3 (01:38):
It's one thing to watch your team gut out one
of those wins when it's close and when it's that
last second, but to be down twenty four to six
and watch the way your team fought. I know, of course,
you know there's no moral victories, but I have to
imagine that as a coach, that is a really good
feeling to see that there is no quit.

Speaker 4 (01:55):
No, there's never any quit.

Speaker 1 (01:57):
We know we have fight.

Speaker 4 (01:58):
It's not the fight we're worried about. It's the fundamentals
and the technique and then carrying it out play by play,
whether it's the cultu or whether it's the player play
by play, series by series, and then coming through winning
a game making less mistakes.

Speaker 3 (02:11):
You know, we just talked about last week the ways
that Baker had really made a lot of strides in
protecting the ball. Tell me what seemed to change this
week and what went on in that interception in particular,
and just your message to him after that.

Speaker 4 (02:23):
Play, Well, he knew it as soon as he did.
It didn't really need to be a message. We can't
turn the ball over in the red zone or turn
the ball over period. We had plenty of time. We're
on the eleven yard line, we were going in for
six for the possibility of getting two to tie, and
it was the first down play and he got a
little anxious and he made a play, and you know.

Speaker 1 (02:41):
It can't happen.

Speaker 3 (02:42):
How about the rest of his game and especially some
of those plays that he made with his legs And
even though you know, the one interception he threw didn't
work out, there were a lot of other times that
him playing a little bit of hero ball does work
really well sometimes for the offense.

Speaker 4 (02:56):
Well, he got us back in. He made two big
plays down the field with Mac and with Bucky, but
he got us back in making the big plays, but
we still got to calm down and sell and make
the little plays, and it didn't work out for us yesterday.

Speaker 3 (03:08):
Yeah, those two seventy plus yard touchdowns just the second
time the Bucks have ever done that as a franchise
in a game which, ironically the other time was also
against the Eagles. How important was that to see after
so much of the first half, I mean, Baker had
twenty attempts for just sixty five yards. There were a
ton of short passes, only one longer than eight yards.
So what seemed to switch and work well to get

(03:31):
a few more of those chunk plays later on in
the game.

Speaker 4 (03:33):
Well, he bought some time obviously, and there were two
broken plays that he made the best of, and Bucky
stayed alive and make us stayed alive, and Bacon made
some great throws there. But it's scheme, coaches and players.
It's never just one thing or another. So it's just
not Baker. But we got to get more downfield throws
and explosive plays offensively without just broken plays as well,

(03:53):
And then we got to understand we got to make
the most of what we can when those guys aren't open.

Speaker 1 (03:58):
And we just got to check it down.

Speaker 3 (04:00):
I imagine basically every week we're going to be able
to have a bit of an a Mecca fan club
segment here on the show. I mean, he set a
new franchise mark for the most receiving yards by a
Buck in the first four career games, also set a
new franchise mark for the most receiving touchdowns by a
Buccaneer player in their first four games, and he has
the third best passer rating when being targeted in the
league this year. What have you already seen that compared

(04:22):
to even maybe what you thought prior to the start
of the season. What has helped him make some of
those big plays touchdowns and to be able to be
in such elite company when you look at to start
a career.

Speaker 4 (04:32):
Just his focus, his focus of wanting to be great
and asking questions to be great. He asked Mike and
Chris questions all the time. I mean, he always wants
to be from a technical standpoint, from a fundamental standpoint,
and from a knowledgeable standpoint out on the field. He
always wants to learn and be great, and he works
at it and works at it so it looks easy
on Sunday even though it's not.

Speaker 3 (04:54):
We've talked about when Mike went out that it's not
just the production you lose in Mike that is so sad.
That's the idea of also the way that the defense
can pay so much more attention to other people now
because Mike usually draws so much attention. Did you see
already just with one game that maybe the way Amecca
is being faced is going to be a little bit
different with Mike not in the game.

Speaker 1 (05:14):
Yeah, I do.

Speaker 4 (05:14):
I mean they put their best guy on Mecca, they
put Mitchell on him, they put twenty seven on him.
It was the Pro Bowl corner and he followed him
all over the field that way. So he's got a
lot more attention that way. But with Chris coming back
after getting a game under his belt, we expect that
to loosen up as well.

Speaker 3 (05:29):
How special was it to have Chris back, separate from
what actually even just happened in the game, but just
having him back out there and even the morale idea
after a guy like that went down with such a
horrible injury and he's such a heartbeat of this team.

Speaker 4 (05:42):
Just having him out there, seeing fourteen out there is unbelievable.
I mean the things he did to get back, the
work he's put in, the person he is, the toughness
that he shows, and how smart he is as a
player and makes us ten times better. You can't wait
till he get his feet underneath the may really start
helping us, because he's going to be a terror.

Speaker 3 (06:00):
Did you guys kind of anticipate that it might take
a little bit to get him back to full Chris
And if so, how did that affect a bit of
your game planning, how much you wanted to use him
and the way you want to ease him back in.

Speaker 4 (06:10):
I don't think it affected the game plan, but we
knew just having his first game after missing so much
time is going to be a little rust and get
the rust off. But the more he plays, the better
you're going to see him look and we expect to
see a whole different Chris next week.

Speaker 3 (06:23):
And then I know Bucky had one hundred and sixty
five yards from scrimmage, his first career one hundred plus
yard receiving game. Obviously a huge chunk was that one
seventy plus yard play, But what really stood out about
his game and the way he was able to both
in the run game and receiving game be such a
complete back.

Speaker 4 (06:39):
No, he's great in the open field as a receiver.
Obviously the run game. The fumble kind of mars everything
else he did. But he had some good inside runs
for us. He had some tough runs for us. He
just knows he can't turn the ball over.

Speaker 3 (06:51):
Yeah, what was the message after the fumble to I
know that again, players always know they're not supposed to
do that, So what's the message afterward and especially the
message that enabled him to be able to come back
and end up making such a huge play after that
play and not get checked out mentally.

Speaker 4 (07:07):
Well, the good ones take accountability before you even say anything,
They're going to come to you and tell that they're bad,
and they come back from it and they work harder
from it. And you never forget the bad plays that
you make, and Bucky you'll never forget that as well.
And he came back and made a big one bright
behind that.

Speaker 3 (07:23):
I know. We talked about getting Chris back, also getting
Tristan back, and both of those guys happen to also
be in the position rooms that have been hit the
hardest with injuries. In some ways, going into the game,
So just from that standpoint, getting bodies back, I'm sure
it was really nice, but specifically for Tristan and then
the ripple effect it had on the offensive line of
who could go back to their more normal positions. How
big of an impact did you see that make of

(07:44):
both Tristan and his spot, but then the rest of
the old line.

Speaker 4 (07:47):
From an energy standpoint, I thought it was great for
him to come back and then put everybody else back
at their positions. But they've been away from their positions
for quite a while, so they're really back at their
old positions, but their new positions, so that takes some
getting used to as well. So hopefully this week everybody
will settle in and we'll be able to look.

Speaker 1 (08:06):
Like we used to look.

Speaker 3 (08:07):
And how did Tristan look in his first game back?

Speaker 1 (08:09):
He looked good. He looked good.

Speaker 4 (08:11):
He did a lot of things passwise. There's some things
he's rusty on that he's got to get in the
groove of, but I thought he looked good.

Speaker 3 (08:16):
Casey Phillips here with head coach Todd Bowles, So I
know you guys were three or thirteen on third down offensively,
what did you see is the major struggles on either
that down or the downs ahead of it leading to it.

Speaker 4 (08:28):
So they were really trying to take away making Chris
and they were making Baker hold the ball a little bit,
and they got some pressure with a couple of stunt
games that way. I thought we had some third downs
that were manageable, and the ball bounced the wrong way
a few times, but we really got to do a
better job of just separating down the field and again
not just sitting there at the sticks.

Speaker 3 (08:48):
Ted Johnson got a little action and got his first
NFL catch. What are some of the things that you
feel like you see his potential and the way he
could be a bit of a unique weapon for that offense.

Speaker 4 (08:58):
Tess is probably our biggest deep threat. He's probably our
quickest and fastest that can run with the ball, so
as he gets the system down, his time will increase
more and more, and I really think he can be
a weapon down the line.

Speaker 3 (09:10):
I know that excluding their safety play, you guys held
them to thirty three yards in the second half. What
did you feel like improve most from the first half
to the second half defensively.

Speaker 4 (09:20):
Attention to detail. I think everybody did their assignment, played
assignment football and understand what they had to do, and
they really locked in.

Speaker 3 (09:27):
I know that they came into the game the eighth
best third down offense in the league, but we came
in number three on third down defense. So how did
you kind of see that that battle going going into
the game, and how do you feel like you guys
came out of that and specifically the ways that it's
kind of strength on strength there.

Speaker 4 (09:42):
I think in the first half they won. In the
second half we won. I think they ended up like
five or thirteen or something like that, five or fourteenth
for about thirty five percent, probably one more. We could
have used one more third down stop to get to
where we wanted to be, But I thought we really
picked it up.

Speaker 1 (09:57):
In the second half.

Speaker 3 (09:58):
Do you have a certain percentage you like to shoot
for on third down defense?

Speaker 4 (10:01):
Thirty three or lower?

Speaker 3 (10:03):
So we were hovering right around there, right around Okay.
I know Vita got his first two sacks of the season.
It was his fifth career game with multiple sacks. What
did he do well in this game? Particularly in the
past rush knowing especially you know, Hurts is not an
easy guy to bring down, not at all.

Speaker 4 (10:19):
I thought some of they were covered sacks number one,
so the secondary helped him out a lot there, and
we had a spy on Hurt so he really couldn't
get out of the pocket, and we knew if we
did that, Vita could beat his guy one on one.

Speaker 3 (10:30):
I know we talked about the fact that with Taylor
the week before hadn't been able to quite contain as
well as you would have liked, knowing how important that
was going to be with Hurts this week. What do
you feel like the defense did well or needed improvement
on in terms of specifically containing him in the first.

Speaker 4 (10:43):
Half, Specifically the first couple of drives, he got out
of the pocket and we just were out of our
rush lane. I thought we went too high on the
outside and I think we didn't get outside enough on
the inside, so he got something in the first half
that really hurt us. I thought we really corrected that
starting in the second order, late in the second quarter
going forward, and the second half did a good job

(11:04):
containing them.

Speaker 3 (11:05):
I mean, if you were told that you hold Saquan
to forty three yards rushing in a two point three
yard average, I'm sure you probably feel pretty good about
those numbers. If I had told you that heading into
the game. So what do you guys feel like you
were able to do so well against a guy that
so many teams struggle to hold to numbers like that.

Speaker 4 (11:20):
I thought Boss did a great job in the run
game Vita, obviously with those guys up there, and Simmons,
the guy we just got. He's a big, strong guy,
so we really pressed the pocket that way and let
the linebackers run free, so they made some tackles in
the backfield.

Speaker 3 (11:36):
And then I know that there was that fake push
push play for the touchdown. Can you lay out a
little bit of what happened on that and just the
challenge of trying.

Speaker 4 (11:43):
To stop that We got a lined wrong and we
didn't have a guy where they were supposed to be.

Speaker 3 (11:48):
I know you guys also held aj Brown to seven
yards and DeVante Smith to twenty nine yards between the
two of them. Again, if I told you that before
the game, you'd feel pretty good about those numbers. I'm sure.
So tell me what's to out about what you guys
were able to do well against them. Knowing again Saquan
and those two guys holding them to far below average
numbers for what they can do.

Speaker 4 (12:07):
Just the work on the outside, understanding what they were
trying to do to us, and then taking it away.
I thought those guys did a great job playing attention
to the game plan.

Speaker 3 (12:15):
What did you see happen on the Goddard TDS?

Speaker 4 (12:19):
One of them was the shovel pass. Obviously the shovel passes,
we overran it, We overran a gap and he got
in there. And then the other one was a little
toss play and we were misaligned on the toss play,
so they got two plays in. I thought that was
a creative play.

Speaker 1 (12:33):
So I'll give them a lot of credit for that one.

Speaker 3 (12:35):
And then I know, eleven tackles for loss as a team,
that's a pretty incredible number, and again against a team
that has several people that are very hard to bring down.
So how proud of that number were you for your defense?
And it also coming from so many different guys on
the defense.

Speaker 4 (12:50):
Just the fact that we were penetrating and they understood
what they had to do and catching them before he
got started. That was a big plus for us, and
they got it done.

Speaker 3 (12:58):
You got a couple elijahs Now, they're stepping up in
big ways on your defensive line. And know Elijah Roberts
got his first career tackle for loss. How have you
seen both Elijah's really step in and step up in
these different ways and the unique skill sets that they
bring for people who are on the team are just
not as familiar with their names.

Speaker 4 (13:15):
Elijah Roberts is really coming into his own. He's a
heck of a pass rusher for us, and he's getting
very strong in the running game as well. And since
Kanci went down, he's really stepped up and played a
big role. Elijah Simmons, he is a huge and strong
individual next to me that he may be the strongest

(13:35):
one wow that I've seen if he's awfully close to
having them in quite a few things as well. But
he's a very explosive guy off the ball. He can
really penetrate in the backfield and help us.

Speaker 1 (13:45):
Make some plays.

Speaker 3 (13:47):
I know both Jamel and Benjamin Morrison ended up going
down hurt. First of all, what did you see from
each of them prior to them going down In the
way they were playing.

Speaker 4 (13:55):
I thought both of them played very smart and they
played very tough. They were challenging the receivers, they got
their hands on a few balls and they competed.

Speaker 3 (14:03):
So then now you know, thoughts on both of them
for their injuries and how either having won or neither
of them might affect the way you're just having to
move guys around and the chess game you might have
to play in the secondary there.

Speaker 4 (14:15):
Well, it's early in the week. There's still some hope
right now. We're gonna wait and see what the test
results show when they come back. But in the meantime,
we're gonna have our work cutout for us in practice
as far as moving guys around. But we're kind of
used to that from last.

Speaker 3 (14:27):
Year, and then same thing with Greg Gaines and Hassan
Reddick at this point, and you know, what are our
hopes for the two of those guys.

Speaker 4 (14:34):
Hopeful for those two guys as well. Still early in
the week Wednesday, I'll have a better feel for how
theyre going to do.

Speaker 3 (14:41):
How about just overall, let's talk a little bit about
the special teams. Let's start with the blocked punt. What
have you guys been able to see on film about
that and some of the ways that it might be
able to get corrected now having already had a couple
of those to start the.

Speaker 4 (14:53):
Year, this one was really a routine play we got
to protect the middle if nothing else, and we did
not protect the middle well and that has to be fixed.

Speaker 3 (15:01):
And then man definitely a couple of bright spots on
special teams as well. If Cam Johnson's day, you know,
a forty six yard punt return, twenty one yard kick return,
he would have had another forty four yard or if
not for a penalty. His two punt returns of forty
plus yards this season are tied for the second most
by a Buccaneers returner in a single season, and his
per punt average was the highest by a Bucks returner

(15:22):
since two thousand and two to start this year. So
tell me what has stood out about him and just
the way he's been able to make such a big
impact on the offense without actually having to be out
there on the offensive side.

Speaker 4 (15:33):
He was always very talented. Now you're saying his confidence
come around as well. I think the hold up guys
did a great job of allowing him to catch the
ball and see the field. And once he gets going,
he's a very athletic guy. He can make people miss
and he can really run. So you're starting to see
that and the more he does it, the more his
confidence builds. And he really gets us from great field position.

Speaker 3 (15:54):
And then Chase, I mean, man, what an incredible game
from him and sixty five yard field goal, longest in
team history, second longest in NFL history, longest in an
outdoor stadium. Just what was it like for you to
watch the performance that he put on as.

Speaker 4 (16:09):
A kicker just the last two weeks of him coming back.
It's been great to see. And it was almost out
of his range and we were almost just ready to
just punt it and go forward or just throw a
hail Mary pass, and he wanted to try it. And
the fact that he wanted to try it gave me
confidence and letting him try it, and he kicked it
through there.

Speaker 3 (16:28):
It's incredible. And just In has now hit multiple fifty
plus yard field goals in back to back weeks, which
is the first time in franchise history that the Bucks
have made multiple of those. How does that now factor
into game planning and him as a weapon for you guys,
And just yeah, some of those decisions now moving forward
that you've heard the confidence he has, I.

Speaker 4 (16:47):
Think it's still weather related, you know, if it's windy
and everything else, I'm sure you can't make those kicks,
but the conditions have to be right. But we're confident
that if we give him a shot, we feel like
he can make it.

Speaker 3 (16:58):
Let's get into this Seattle first of all, just West
Coast trips, especially this one being basically the longest trip
you could have unless you're basically the Dolphins. It's about
the only way could get longer. What are the unique
challenges of that from trying to make guys be in
a good place for game time and the toll on
the bodies it can take that long of a flight,
and just all the different ways that it can affect

(17:19):
kind of the way you guys try to do things well.

Speaker 4 (17:21):
Time wise, we try to keep it as close to
Eastern time as possible, as far as from the time
we leave to the time we meet, to the time
we sleep to the time we get up to a
game time. If we can keep that as close to
Eastern time as possible, maybe even Central time, we feel
like we'll be okay from that standpoint. Being on the
plane a long time with those legs, it's like pretty

(17:42):
much going to London pretty much going to Seattle. So
we really got to hydrate and we really got to
do things to make sure, we're loose once we get
there as far as getting the players stretched out and
everything else, and after that it's just rest and play.

Speaker 3 (17:55):
A lot of new faces on the Seahawks, not necessarily
a team we play super often anyway, but a lot
of changes there from previous times we would have faced them.
So Sam Donald, what does he bring at this point
in his career and with this team in particular.

Speaker 4 (18:08):
He brings stability to that team. He understands the offense.
He gets the ball to the playmakers. He's very quick
release with the release, He's very smart, so he understands
how they play very well, and he distributes the ball.

Speaker 3 (18:22):
And then Cooper Cup what is he brought to Sam
Donald in the offense overall?

Speaker 4 (18:26):
Is a weapon him and Jackson Smith. They do a
great job of separating at the top of the route
and getting breaks. He's playing just like he did when
he was with the Rams. Great hands, very intelligent players
they have on the outside, so they're very smart and
they can dissect coveragses very well.

Speaker 1 (18:41):
So we're gonna have to be sharp.

Speaker 3 (18:43):
And then how about Kenneth Walker and the kind of
weapon he can be.

Speaker 4 (18:46):
Yea's Tim and Jarvine in the backfield. They got two
big backs. He's a very good stop and start runner.
He can set up his blocks very well as far
as getting through holes, and he's a tough guy to
bring down.

Speaker 3 (18:57):
How about their offensive line and just who they are
upfront and what you're gonna have to look at, especially
with so many potential injuries that you have going on defensively.

Speaker 4 (19:04):
Now, they're huge upfront. I mean, they have a real
big offensive line. They do a great job with the
power running scheme, and then they do some outside runs
as well, and those guys get on you and they
can really make a difference. They got their first round
pick up there, Zabel, who does a great job coming
out and he looks like he's going to be a
very good player.

Speaker 3 (19:22):
And what do you notice from their defensive front and
what are o line's gonna have to pay attention to aggressive?

Speaker 4 (19:27):
Very aggressive led by Leonard Williams. They get in the backfield,
they stay in the backfield, and they play in the backfield.
So from a schematic standpoint, it's gonna be a little
bit like Houston the way they get off the ball.

Speaker 1 (19:37):
So we're really gonna have to do a good job.

Speaker 3 (19:39):
And their secondary any things stand out to.

Speaker 4 (19:41):
You there long corners. They have very long corners and
they have a lot of ball hawks back there and
they try to funnel everything inside well.

Speaker 3 (19:49):
Coach, thank you as always for your time. We really
appreciate and good luck this week.

Speaker 1 (19:52):
Thank you.

Speaker 3 (19:53):
Coming up next is cornerback Coach Kevin Ross on Buccaneers
Total Access, brought to you by advent Health. This is
Buccaneers Radio.

Speaker 2 (20:00):
Buccaneers Total Access, brought to you by advent Health Exclusive
Hospital of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Dropping back before we
threatened the flitz of coming after the home.

Speaker 1 (20:09):
Fussy sack from the backfield.

Speaker 2 (20:11):
That's a forty two yard line. Vitavea has his fourth
sack of the season.

Speaker 1 (20:14):
Now more with Bucks team reporter Casey Phillips.

Speaker 3 (20:19):
Welcome back into Buccaneers Total Access. We had head coach
Todd Bowles for the first half of the show, but
now we are so excited to have with us cornerback
coach Kevin Ross. Coach, thanks so much for being with us.

Speaker 1 (20:30):
Glad to be here.

Speaker 3 (20:31):
I wish it was under a winning circumstances. That always
makes the show a little easier to do. But you know,
even before we started recording, you and I were just
talking and both of us had that feeling of like
if you had looked at the stat sheet right, you
would have thought we won the game. It's so interesting
the way this all worked out. How challenging is that
just from a you know, coaching standpoint and the messaging

(20:53):
to your players of you know, when you feel like,
in some ways you did so many things so well.

Speaker 1 (20:58):
To not end up on the w well on this level. Uh,
there's normally five, six, seven plays that make the difference
in the game. You just don't know when it's gonna happen.
And we had some unfortunate situations. Uh third downs we
could have stopped uh earlier in the game. Uh, you know,
but uh we didn't.

Speaker 3 (21:18):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (21:18):
To Philly's credit, they made the plays and we didn't.
But UH, I'm encouraged uh by the second half effort.
UH no completions to uh anybody. Uh we played strong,
pretty strong defense, so uh hopefully we built off of that.

Speaker 3 (21:35):
Yeah, what do you feel like was the biggest difference
first half to second half? When you look at the
idea of whether it adjustments or just execution. Better of
knowing that y'all held them to only thirty three yards.
That second half technically negative one if you wanna count
the safety. But I don't think we'll count that play,
So I mean it's still either way. That's unbelievable.

Speaker 1 (21:50):
Oh, it's encouraging. I mean it, I and it. It
was a little bit of both. You know, we made
some adjustments and the and the guys stepped it up. Uh.
And that's all it really was.

Speaker 3 (22:00):
What are the biggest challenges facing a guy like Hurts
who can do it with his legs, do it with
his throws, and the ways that your guys play into
both of those in terms of contain and you know,
knowing that you you have to watch so much.

Speaker 1 (22:13):
With him, you said it. Uh, you know, Hurts doesn't
get enough credit or for what he does. He doesn't
he doesn't overstep his balance. He does what he has
to do for to win for his team.

Speaker 3 (22:23):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (22:23):
Yesterday he used his legs and he got away a
couple times and uh some scrambles. But when you're playing
a guy like him, you know, it's it's dangerous because
if you come up, he can go over the top
of your head.

Speaker 3 (22:37):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (22:37):
They have two good wide receivers. They're really good at
you know, catching deep balls and things like that. We
contained that part. We just didn't contain the UH quarterback.

Speaker 3 (22:46):
And then I mean, yeah, you held Smith and Brown
to a combined thirty six receiving yards. Those are two
very talented wide receivers, very talented. What did you see
your corners do best against them? To be able to
hold those guys to numbers that are definitely below there?
They're typical.

Speaker 1 (23:01):
I l I liked their match going into the game.
I thought we matched up pretty well.

Speaker 3 (23:04):
UH.

Speaker 1 (23:05):
Our corners are tall and they're fast, and I didn't
think that they could get much separation from AJ's a
little bit more physical than UH sixes. But I thought
we had to, you know, the right ingredients to match
up with those guys.

Speaker 3 (23:19):
How did you see overall the team respond to the
emotional highs and lows of the game like that it
was such a roller coaster of things going so wrong
and then fighting back and having the chance and coming
up just short. That There's there's a lot to that emotionally,
whether it be things like turnovers or other things. What
did you see is the way everybody responded on on
both sides of the ball.

Speaker 1 (23:39):
Man, I I I thought, you know, and coach Bowlesey
did a great job all week long trying to warn
us about this kind of this type of game going
into that game. And uh we you know, we we
needed to start faster, and we didn't start fast. We
we went the opposite way again, and we were like
it's like okay, here we go again. Now we had

(23:59):
to overcome some uh you know, some bad plays to
uh win the ball game.

Speaker 3 (24:05):
I know also for you, uh Jamel went down uh
part way through the game. Uh, just in general how
he looked before that, and then just the struggle of
if he is gonna miss some time, you know what
that does to your your corner room and your rotation
and everything.

Speaker 1 (24:20):
It It doesn't do anything to our corner room other
than the next man up thing. We we depend on
everybody in that room. I try to get everybody ready
and uh ready to play and ready to go. We
don't try to change our philosophy on what we're gonna
do defensively and none of that stuff right there. So
it's if he does not play, Uh, if Marston does
not play, then it's next man up.

Speaker 3 (24:42):
And then how same Morrison was the next man up? Yeah? Uh,
how had he looked Uh. In his time before he
left the.

Speaker 1 (24:49):
G he was doing quite well. They they all all
all three of 'em were doing really well. Paris did
really good. They were they were doing really good things
out there. And uh, I'm just you know, say they
got hurt.

Speaker 3 (25:01):
Yeah, And what did you see specifically from Parish that
impressed you in this game?

Speaker 1 (25:05):
Oh, he's a great tackler. He breaks on the ball
really well, he reads really well, he reacts very very well.
He's playing beyond.

Speaker 3 (25:13):
This he is right now, I know, looking back a
little bit, we're talking to cornerback coach Kevin Ross. Jammel
got his pick six versus the Jets the week before
this one. How excited were you about that play? And
what did he do so well to be able to
get that.

Speaker 1 (25:27):
I'm just happy he caught that ball. I really am,
And I'm most happy for him. He needed that kind
of play. Hopefully it propels him to go to the
next step. He's been playing pretty well right now for us.
All three of those guys have been playing. They're just
playing really well right now for us.

Speaker 3 (25:44):
Yeah, what this season? If you look at You've been
here with Jammel for a long time. Now, where do
you see this season of these first four games prior
to him going out with injury, the level he was playing,
you know, compared to even other years, and just the
quality of his play this season.

Speaker 1 (25:59):
Well, to be quite honest with you, if he just
catches the ball half the balls that are thrown in
his way, he he's he's mentioned in a different breath
of air. Uh, he's, he's there. You just have to
finish the place.

Speaker 3 (26:12):
And then what are the types of you know, coverage
wide receiver that he's best at. That when you look
at what you're asking him to do, who he's facing,
You're like, this is Jamel's bread and butter.

Speaker 1 (26:24):
I like him in Man the Man. He's long, he
he's he's physical. I like him and Man the Man.
I like both of those guys. In Man the Man.
They they play very well. Uh. They disrupt timing. It
gives our rusher's time to get to the ball. So
I like him both a man and man.

Speaker 3 (26:43):
How do you see Jamel having grown over the years
that I know, We've heard a lot about his relationship
with Coach Bowles and the way that he really helped him,
especially you know that rookie year learn how to watch
film how to prepare for games in terms of both
on and off the field. Jammel, you know, years ago
to now, what are the biggest ways you've seen him grow?

Speaker 1 (27:03):
I think it's just natural for all those guys to
uh mature. They they understand how to prepare uh D.
The more you play, the more you're around, you understand
the dudes and the don'ts of the job. Often on
the field, uh which you should be doing, which you
should not be doing, how you eat, how you sleep,
how you rest, how you prepare, you know, studying wise

(27:24):
and things like that right there. So I think over
the years he's got a he's got his routine down
pretty good. Right now.

Speaker 3 (27:30):
I know you've said catching the ball, that's the big
focus for him for sure, outside of.

Speaker 1 (27:33):
Le let me let me kill this real quick. Yes,
it's not that he does not work on it. He
works on it every day with me. Every day he
works on it. He's just had to focus. I think
he gets excited before the ball gets to ing. Yeah,
and that's why he kind of yeah.

Speaker 3 (27:48):
He's already where he's going.

Speaker 1 (27:50):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (27:50):
Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Outside of that,
what are the biggest things you like to y that
you do work on him with that, you'd like to
see him still grow and improve in.

Speaker 1 (28:01):
Tackling technique. M, both him and Zion. Uh, tackling technique.
And we don't get a chance to practice that kind
of thing because of the NFL ruling. Uh. So you
know it's it's different hitting a a guy that's moving
and cutting and stiff arming and all this other stuff
as it is is a dummy. You say, well, why
don't you practice tackling, Well, we don't practice tackling a
whole lot because of the NFL ruling.

Speaker 3 (28:23):
Yeah, and so trying to do it just on tackle
dummies is a little.

Speaker 1 (28:26):
Hard to n Correlated dummies don't move people do.

Speaker 3 (28:28):
Yeah, it's very true. And then now Zion is, well,
you brought him up at got A, got his new
contract this year. What did he done in recent years
to become the guy that had earned that starting spot
and then earned the confidence of a new contract the
way that you you saw him get to a point
where you guys were like, yeah, this is this is
the guy again.

Speaker 1 (28:46):
Same thing. Uh, he's m he's maturing. Uh, he knows
what to do on and off the field. He has
a twin brother, that's in the league as well. So
these those guys, you know, kudos to their mom and
pop cause they did a good job with 'em. They're
uh athletic, they're smart, and they and they care about
what they do and good community people as well.

Speaker 3 (29:05):
Yeah, it's so true. And I feel like, you know,
there's some stereotypes about corners out there. I don't know
if you've ever heard Nah, he never heard these. No,
it feels like in some ways the mentality of the
corner that you need and and s how it interacts
with the idea of those stereotypes. Jamel and Zion are
not and I mean Benjamin in Parish as well. It

(29:27):
seems like that you have a room full of guys
that don't fit some of that stereotype but still are
able to have a bit of that killer instinct on
the field. Do you feel like that's fair.

Speaker 1 (29:35):
I think it's very fair. I I what I tell
those guys is and it's very true. They have to
think different than they had to be different because they
don't come off the field. Linebackers come off the field.
D line comes off the field. Those guys who are
gonna play seventy plays and they're gonna do special teams.
So they can't prepare like the other people do. They
can't think like the other people do. They they have

(29:57):
to put a little bit more into it.

Speaker 3 (29:59):
What is the mentality that you you want and need
when you're building the like mental part of the corner
position that may even be unique compared to others when
you're looking for someone in that area.

Speaker 1 (30:10):
I always tell him it's not about the offensive player.
I don't care who he is. It could be Mike
Evans or whatever. It's always about you. It's always about
your technique. It's always about your confidence and what you're
able to do. Don't make it about him. You think
you think you put him up here and you down here,
you'll lose.

Speaker 3 (30:26):
How much do you feel like you have to be
a bit of a psychologist on the sideline. I know
we hear things about certain coaches and how they talk
with quarterbacks in particular, maybe kickers and mid game. Are
you feeling like you need to do that with your
guys mid game, especially after giving up a big play
or how do you approach that?

Speaker 1 (30:43):
I try to. I try to tell those guys I'm
like a like a cornerman in a boxing ring. You know,
sometimes you can't see the jab coming or whatever he's doing,
and I try to tell him that. I try to
tell him what I need to tell him and get
away from him and let them kind of get the space.
Cause I know how it is when people keep coming
up to you and this, that and the other. So
I just try to tell them what I need to
tell them and get away from Yeah, I.

Speaker 3 (31:04):
Can understand that what are the ways that you see
specifically from Jamel and Zion over the years, that the
way that they have good football IQ? What are the
plays they make or the things that they talk about
in film room that tells you that they've gotten the
football IQ.

Speaker 1 (31:19):
Pirre Well, I just sit back and listen to them
in the meeting rooms, and I can tell right then
and there if they know what they're doing and what
they know what they're talking about. I can understand when
I hear them talking like that, I know we're ready
to play and they do a good job. They do
a great job with that.

Speaker 3 (31:33):
Oh he all right. We're gonna take a quick break
here on Buccaneers Total Access, brought to you by Advent Health.
We're talking to cornerback coach Kevin Ross will be right back.
This is Buccaneers Radio.

Speaker 2 (31:43):
You were listening to Buccaneers Total Access with head coach
Todd Bowles and Bucks team reporter Casey Phillips, brought to
you by Advan Health, Exclusive hospital of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Speaker 3 (31:55):
Welcome back into Buccaneers Total Access, brought to you by
Advan Health. We are joined now by quarterbacks coach Kevin Ross.
Let's talk a little bit more about Benjamin Morrison. I
know so sad he went down. It's always sad when
anybody gets hurt. But also it just felt like he
has shown such flashes of potential and was a guy
that you guys have been so high on since coming
in and that someone Bowles has really sung his praises

(32:18):
a lot. What do you remember about watching his college
tape and leading up to the draft and finding out
that this guy was going to get added to your
position room, What were those thoughts where you said, man,
I'm so excited this guy's joining this team.

Speaker 1 (32:30):
He's got some great feet, he's quick and changed the direction,
he's got good ball skills, he's got a great mentality
for the job, he's fun to be around, and he's
he's got he just got the right mentality period, and
that's I think that's the most important ingredient. He's got

(32:50):
great confidence as well.

Speaker 3 (32:52):
So you know when you say that the mentality is
the most important ingredient, how would you describe what that is?
And what is it that Benjamin has so much of?

Speaker 1 (33:01):
Man? He doesn't think you can beat him. He doesn't
think you can beat him on a consistent basis.

Speaker 3 (33:06):
I like that what excites you most about who he
could become here of the type of corner and the
type of player. If you were to try to describe
maybe his ceiling and how high that is, what would
you say?

Speaker 1 (33:19):
Mm I I would say ray, I would say he's
probably he might be the most athletic one out of
out of the group.

Speaker 3 (33:25):
Wow, uh, I'm saying something cause you had a pretty
athletic group, you know.

Speaker 1 (33:28):
It's it's a good athletic group. Uh T Between him
and Paris, I think they they're they're m neck and
neck on who's m who's the most athletic? Now the
fastest one? I I don't I couldn't tell you a
zion may. I don't know which one is the fastest one.
But those guys get see they have something you can't teach.
They had the left so that you know, when you're

(33:49):
throwing a ball, deep ball, whatever on him. They they
can their arm if it helps helps him tremendously. But
these other guys, they're changing direction, they're they're that's what's
gives gives them the edge.

Speaker 3 (34:04):
How about the challenge for I know he missed a
lot of time in the off season, preseason training camp,
and that's hard for any rook I mean it's hard
for any player, but especially a rookie when you're trying
to come in and get adjusted, specifically for a corner.
What are the biggest challenges of missing that much time
as a rookie trying to come in.

Speaker 1 (34:22):
Oh, that's huge, that's huge. I mean even if he
he didn't miss any time, the game speeds up every
week for those guys, and that's what he's missing right now.
We've been doing a great job of you know, Coach
Bowles has been on a great job of spotting him, playing,
getting him in the game things like that or there,
getting the feel for it everything, And he was doing

(34:44):
so well until he just got nicked up a little
bit there.

Speaker 3 (34:48):
How do you feel like he did handling that, both
from the mental side and then also just watching him
actually do the work, put the work in of of
how he handled being out and being are to be
ready when his no was called, He.

Speaker 1 (35:01):
Kept, he kept, he kept studying. To his credit, he
kept studying. He kept uh rehabbing. Uh didn't miss any meetings,
didn't miss any studying. Uh stayed on top. Asked his
questions of your day. Uh, He's gonna be a pretty
good decent uh corner.

Speaker 3 (35:15):
And specifically in coverage so far. Uh, what have you
seen as how he's handled it in his biggest assets
and in coverage in the games that he's gotten in.

Speaker 1 (35:23):
He just played in All pros yesterday and Uh he
changed direction pretty good and knocked the ball down tackled. Well, Uh,
he's in the right direction.

Speaker 3 (35:33):
We're talking a corner about coach Kevin Ross. How about
his uh blitz ability. We've seen him get used that.
We know that Bowles loves to blitz everyone that has
ever walked the face of the earth. Yeah, so how
is uh how has he handled that? And where could
he potic?

Speaker 1 (35:46):
He had one yesterday? Uh Hurts. I think Hurts saw
him coming and he k kind of rolled out away
from me, but he's uh, he's gonna be okay with
that as well.

Speaker 3 (35:57):
What are the biggest things that you're working on with
more and how much is it based on the fact
that he missed time and how much is just him
and as a rookie what you're kind of working on
with him.

Speaker 1 (36:07):
The main thing he needs is just plan experience. He's
got to get out there and you know, just one
thing to talk about it. It's one thing you know
to see it, but you actually have to do it
and feel it to get really good at what you do.

Speaker 3 (36:20):
How about when you the same question about Jacob Parrish
of remembering in college his film that you were watching
and when you found out he was going to be
coming here, what were the things that stood out of
the way he played in college and what you saw
about how that could translate to the NFL and specifically
translate here to our defense.

Speaker 1 (36:39):
Now he has the big advantage because he's a wrestler.
He ain't gonna miss too many tackles. He tackles better.
He's going to tackle better than anybody out there. I
like that. Yeah, so he's not going he' not phased
by contact or anything like that. Right there, don't phase
him at all.

Speaker 3 (36:54):
Are you a coach that values knowing your guys have
played other sports for things.

Speaker 1 (36:58):
Like that for some of the nice Yeah, you want
you want to you want to want some baseball in you.
You want to track, be able to track a ball.
You want some wrestlering, and you to be able to
get a guy down. Yeah, you want a few other sports.

Speaker 3 (37:10):
That's interesting. How about for you how quickly he was
able to adjust to the NFL? That I always feel
like there's coach Bowles always talks about this idea of
whether or not a guy acts like a rookie, plays
like a rookie, or plays and acts more like a vet.
It feels like Jacob Parrish is one of those guys
that doesn't act or play like a rookie. Is that
a fair statement?

Speaker 1 (37:31):
Oh that's facts. Yeah, that's facts. He can't get three
words out of it, you just so you never know
what he's thinking. But what he's doing is right now
is phenomenal. He's doing he's playing pretty well.

Speaker 3 (37:42):
Just yet again the opposite of the stereotypes, of course,
Oh yeah, yeah. Usually the idea is that you can't
get them to shut up. Is that fair.

Speaker 1 (37:48):
He ain't talking. Yeah, he ain't talking. He about he
about his business.

Speaker 3 (37:52):
Just goes about his business.

Speaker 1 (37:53):
I like that.

Speaker 3 (37:54):
How how do you feel like mentally and physically he
was in a position to come in this ready?

Speaker 1 (38:01):
I uh, I don't you know. I wish I could
tell you that. I. I don't know. I just d
he's very confident in what he does. Uh, he prepares
very well. UH asks the right questions. Rae Johnson does
a great job with him.

Speaker 3 (38:15):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (38:17):
He's he's smart and y. You might get him on
one play, but you'll never get him on the same play.

Speaker 3 (38:21):
MM. That's interesting. And what are the things that you
hope to work on with him moving forward?

Speaker 1 (38:29):
Catch the ball going the other way?

Speaker 3 (38:31):
Theme?

Speaker 1 (38:31):
Here, catch the ball go the other way. It's coming
for him. Yeah, uh I I uh, it's coming for him.
That's gonna come.

Speaker 3 (38:37):
How are your guy's eyes in terms of tracking quarterback,
tracking the ball? How would you say that your rookies,
your more experienced guys, how how do they do in
that area?

Speaker 1 (38:48):
We're tracking, we're not finishing. Hm, we're tracking, We're not finishing.
We're getting our hands on it. We're not finishing now
in that part. I don't know if is the anxiety
part or what have you, but we've got to get
that fixed.

Speaker 3 (39:02):
Yeah, something that the Jugs machine doesn't quite replicate.

Speaker 1 (39:05):
No, it doesn't at all.

Speaker 3 (39:06):
Yep. All right, we're gonna take another quick break here
on Buccaneers Total Access, brought to you by adv and Health.
We're talking to cornerback coach Kevin Ross. This is Buccaneers Radio.

Speaker 2 (39:15):
Buccaneers Total Access with head coach Todd Bowles now continues,
brought to you by Advan Health, Exclusive Hospital of the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Speaker 3 (39:25):
We are talking to cornerback coach Kevin Ross. Even though
you're the cornerback coach, corners and safeties, you guys all
work so closely together a lot of times in shared
meetings that it's not really even as separated as it
would people might think for those two different position groups.
So I'd also love to hear your thoughts on having
Antoine back this year. I know he missed a lot
of time with injuries. Last season wasn't quite the Antoine

(39:47):
that we all know and love, But man, it feels
like this year that is gone behind us and he
is back to the big play machine that we've seen
what stood out to you about this particular season so far?

Speaker 1 (39:58):
For him, he's the defense. He sets the tone in practice,
he practices the right way. Guy's followers lead, Guy's believe
in him. Coaches definitely believe in him. He sets the
tone for a defense.

Speaker 3 (40:10):
Specifically those big plays that he makes. I mean sacks
and sack fumbles and QB hits and you know the
fumbles we've seen him. Cause it just feels like in
the biggest moments is when he shines the brightest. How
much do those matter to the defense? And you know
that there's the ability of just kind of looking at
the stat sheet, but there's when did those plays happen?
How did those plays happen? That it feels like he

(40:32):
has such a knack for the most important times of
the game.

Speaker 1 (40:34):
I wish everybody could watch his practice. If they see
no practice, they would understand why he does what he
does in the games, because he does it exactly the
same way every practice.

Speaker 3 (40:45):
And what does that look like? What are the ways
that what do you mean when you say that of
what he does at such a high level, he's.

Speaker 1 (40:50):
At game day speed and practice. He doesn't jog. He
he's at game day speeds, he's tagging off, he's rolling
his hips, he's he's similating everything he do in the game. Everything.

Speaker 3 (41:01):
Wow, How does having a guy like him behind your corners?
How does that affect the way they can play? The
way you guys can game plan knowing that you have
truly safety behind you.

Speaker 1 (41:14):
He's a great communicator. Like you just said, it's a safety,
so now I know if I mess it, it's a
little bit, he can cover me up a little bit.

Speaker 3 (41:23):
How do you see the communication at this point with
your corners and the safeties and that whole secondary unit
at this point. I know that it's still early issu
in the season, but for where you want them to
be at this point, especially having some new guys in,
how would you rate the overall communication in your unit?
Because we all know that can be one of the
fastest ways of play gets blown up is a miscommunication.

Speaker 1 (41:46):
It's been pretty well this year. We're doing more meeting
together and everything, so it's helping out that way. The
offensive line in the secondary are very similar because you
have to communicate on scheme, what what's happening, what you're seeing,
so that everybody's on the same page. So they're they're
they're doing a great job with that.

Speaker 3 (42:06):
Right now, we're talking to a cornerback coach, Kevin Ross.
You know, we all saw how Tykee Smith came in
and just played so incredible and in that nickel spot
as a rookie, and he was another one that I
felt like Coach Bowles was constantly praising as a guy
who wasn't playing or acting like a rookie. Now you
move him to safety. What has it been like to
watch him handle being able to play multiple of these

(42:28):
positions at such a high level.

Speaker 1 (42:30):
At the watching the film today. From the Philly game,
he was p he played very physical, was in the
right spots, did the right things. He's got a bright
future ahead of him as well.

Speaker 3 (42:42):
How do you see his strengths playing into nickel and
how do you see them playing in the safety of
where he really excels.

Speaker 1 (42:48):
In each of those versatility counts. Because now you've got
two guys, you got Antoine, you got ty key An,
you can you can throw m Perish in that same
you know neighborhood. Those guys can do things. They can cover,
they can blitz, they can tackle.

Speaker 3 (43:05):
Yeah, I mean, when you talk about versatility, it really
is crazy, especially in this secondary unit. How much that's
come to matter in recent years. I mean, we've watched
how many position groups can end up getting hit all
at once in that group. And so you guys, we've
seen how much versatility, especially Taikei and like you said,
Christian Izzy and have how important has that become for

(43:25):
what you guys can do in terms of if you're
even just evaluating a player you want to draft just
looking at their pure skill set of Hey, we want
this guy as an outside corner, but this other guy
you can play all these different areas. How much does
that end up weighing into your decision on who you
want on.

Speaker 1 (43:42):
This team big time? Because Coach Bowl's scheme requires you
to do certain things. You're playing man the man. You're
playing a lot of techniques as far as our zone collages,
so they have to be a little versatile.

Speaker 3 (43:57):
What are the things that a Todd Bowles defense requires
of corners in particular of the physical traits, the mental
traits of the things that they end up doing that
maybe are a little different than other defenses, and just
what that means for who you need in that room.

Speaker 1 (44:13):
You're gonna have to be exceptional if you're small because
he likes tall guys. Uh, you just don't have to
if you want to impress him. You don't give up
no big place, and you challenge people. You're getting people's
face and you challenge people. You can do that.

Speaker 3 (44:28):
You can play for Tibulls and him having played in
the secondary, does he give particular grief or attention to.

Speaker 1 (44:35):
They're the most scrutinized position on the team, no question
about that.

Speaker 3 (44:41):
That's pretty funny. How do the guys respond to that?
And what are some of the relationships like there?

Speaker 1 (44:45):
Because I know I've got at a little saudy in
the beginning, but they they're starting to understand, Okay, that's
the way it's going to be, and that's that's just it.

Speaker 3 (44:53):
He knows what he's talking about. And maybe we should
listen to this, even if there's some trash talking in there.
How about going up against our offense in practice? What
are the things that doing that has done to help
prepare some of your young guys, you know for the NFL.
I mean, guy, you're transitioning from college to suddenly you're
facing Mike Evans in practice, and whether it's getting your

(45:14):
rookies ready for the NFL, or even just helping guys
like Zion and Jamel. What do you see as the
way that who our offenses, who our wide receivers are
affect them?

Speaker 1 (45:24):
Uh, they go against great competition every day. The way
you see Baker in the game, just the way you
see him a practice, he probably talks more crap than
me than anybody that's saying something, and you know we
get better that we get better that way, it's great competition.

Speaker 3 (45:44):
What are the things specifically, Let's say, I know Chris
hasn't been able to practice a lot this year up
until recently, So how about looking at Mike and Amcca.
What are the specific things that they bring that are
so challenging to go against? And how facing them those
guys individually make your guys better in terms of their
skill set and who would it would help you maybe face.

Speaker 1 (46:04):
What's great about it is that you got two different
body types. You got Mike who is kind of like
what aj Brown is. He can at the top of
the routes, he's physical. Then you got that number two
a book he can play. Yeah, he can do it all.
He can do it all. He's gonna have a great
career now. You've got a guy that can run, you know,

(46:27):
run crazy routes and got he's got the best hands.
I've seen it since when I was in Minnesota with
Randy Moss.

Speaker 3 (46:38):
Wow, that's quite a compliment. They're saying. Basically, he's got
Randy Moss level hands.

Speaker 1 (46:42):
Oh, yes, he does.

Speaker 3 (46:43):
That's not too shabby, right there.

Speaker 1 (46:45):
It does.

Speaker 3 (46:46):
So now going to Seattle. I know it's early in
the week, but I know you guys have already, you know,
started your meetings and game planning a little bit going
against Cooper Cup. What do you remember about other years
of facing him and then.

Speaker 1 (46:58):
Specific a lot of respect for him out of respect
for him, a good route runner, tough makes all the
tough catches will block. He's a good route runner, good
good player.

Speaker 3 (47:07):
What are the unique challenges of facing someone like him
with those traits?

Speaker 1 (47:10):
You gotta be ready for everything with him. He hopefull
he'll run and if he'll run deep. He beat us
a couple of years back with that deep ball. We
didn't we didn't think he was gonna go deep, and
he did go deep. So we gotta get ready for him.

Speaker 3 (47:22):
And then also now Jackson Smith and Jigba, tell me
what his skill set is and what he brings.

Speaker 1 (47:28):
I'm gonna have to ask ibuku about that guy because
to get a little insight on him. So we're gonna
cheat on him a little bit.

Speaker 3 (47:37):
Okay, I like that. How helpful is stuff like that
for you guys? When you know players who played with
other guys? How much do you use that?

Speaker 1 (47:44):
Oh, it's big time, It's big time. We can figure
out what irritates him with biolence him and this, that
and the other. So we'll figure it out. I like that.

Speaker 3 (47:52):
And then Sam Darnold new spot for him. Had a
bit of a career resurgence last year in Minnesota. Definitely
showed he can he can sling it at times. So
what are the things that he brings it? You guys
are gonna have to keep an eye on.

Speaker 1 (48:06):
They're doing a good job with him schematically, they're not
asking him doing things he cannot do, so they're doing
a great job. They're playing to the defense and special teams,
it seems like to me right now, so they're not
putting him in a situation where he has to win
the game and this, that and the other.

Speaker 3 (48:22):
Yeah, so West Coast game, and not just West Coast,
but as far away as you can basically go if
you're not doing an international game at this point. What
are the challenges of that from a player standpoint, from
a coaching standpoint of trying to make sure the guys
are gonna be sort of physically and mentally ready at
that time and then also just their their bodies and

(48:42):
what that's like for those long flights and the uniqueness
of that schedule.

Speaker 1 (48:47):
October and Seattle. Let's see fifty fifty five rainy, noisy crowd,
very noisy crowd. There, They'll be into it should be
a good game.

Speaker 3 (48:59):
And then I know that again we talked about there
have just been so many injuries. I feel like this
happened especially to the secondary last year. This year that
hadn't been as much of the issue for your position group,
and now there are multiple of them. How does that
affect you guys as coaches when it comes to the
game planning, and especially when you don't always know right
away if guys are gonna available, Oh, we gotta wait

(49:20):
till later in the week. How do you guys adjust
to that when injuries kind of hit your position room
specifically well.

Speaker 1 (49:27):
On defense, We're not going to change what we do
we do? We do so the next man up? Theories
is real?

Speaker 3 (49:35):
What do you like about coaching corners? Specifically that as
a position coach? You know, I always love that you
guys are the ones that spend the most time with them.
That it's different from you know, coordinators, head coaches that
you're you're with them all the time. What do you
like about coaching that group.

Speaker 1 (49:51):
Mentally tough people, not scared of anything? Is that how
you would not scared of anything? Mentally tough people?

Speaker 3 (49:59):
Is that how you would have described yourself as a
player for sure? Yeah, having been a player, how does
that affect the way you coach them?

Speaker 1 (50:11):
I I never used myself as an example to them.
I just know that what they what they're going through,
I've been through and I try to share to experience
that kind of way.

Speaker 3 (50:23):
What is your What has it been like for you
watching Coach Bowls as a head coach as well? I
mean you and Todd go back way. What has it
been like to watch him in that role?

Speaker 1 (50:35):
He's always been smart, He's always been smart. He's very
intelligent man. People thinking that he is serious, serious, but
they don't know the jokingside. Todd got a lot of
jokes to him. He talks, he talks, he talks more,
he talks.

Speaker 3 (50:49):
That's very true. I love it. All right, Well, coach,
thank you so much for joining us. We really appreciate it.
And good luck this next week. All right, that's gonna
do it for us on Buccaneers Total Access brought to
you by Advan Health, as is his bucket Nears Radio