Can Greg Schiano Turn Around Tampa?

Buccaneers new head coach, Greg Schiano/AP Images

After a rough 4-12 2011 regular season campaign, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers look to get back to their 2010 ways under new head coach, Greg Schiano.

By: Ryan McGlynn

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers came into the 2010 regular season with no expectations under new head coach, Raheem Morris, and the second year quarterback out of Kansas State, Josh Freeman. After going 3-15 the previous season, they had the greatest single season turnaround in franchise history going 10-6. Expectations were polar opposite going into 2011, but they failed to meet them with just 4-12, which brought about the firing of Morris. The Bucs hope to surprise everyone again with another turnaround season under new head coach, Greg Schiano. 

Schiano was the head coach at Rutgers University from 2001 to 2012, but he does not have much NFL experience, only coaching in Chicago as a defensive assistant and then defensive backs coach. He has the reputation of being “a builder” since he brought a struggling Rutgers program to a respectable team in the Big East. Tampa does not need building as much as they need bringing up because, as they have shown before, they have the talent. Like all coaches who try to make the leap from the college level to the pro level there is a lot of skepticism. Schiano just recently hired Butch Davis as a Special Assistant to make this skepticism die down. Davis will assist and advise Schiano in a wide range of football aspects since he has the experience of being a head coach in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns from 2001-2004. Schiano has a solid group of young players to work with, including LeGarrette Blount, who is a proven running back despite the team ranking second to last in rushing last year, and Freeman who has a lot of potential. On the defensive side of the ball Tampa ranked last in rushing yards allowed per game. Schiano is a defensive minded coach whose teams are known to be tough and physical, which is exactly what he needs to bring with him.

In order to be successful, Schiano must have a great staff around him and that is what he is trying to do by hiring Mike Sullivan. Sullivan will serve as offensive coordinator and although he is not a household name, he will come in and have the respect of the players. He was the former quarterbacks and receivers coach with the Giants, where he won two Super Bowl rings. He helped in the development of Eli Manning and young receivers like Victor Cruz. They are hoping he can do the same with Freeman and get the offense firing on all cylinders. Schiano still needs to fill out the rest of his staff which he hopes can build a team that will win for a long time with him at the helm; however, in the NFL, in order to stay at the helm you must win, and only time will tell if the Buccaneers can do just that.