Lovie Smith leading candidate for Bucs job; things are about to get real hectic in the NFC south.

[Rags]

If they make this signing they could be real scary on defense next year.

 

 

League executives informed of the Bucs process have told NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport that there is talk of bringing together the old Tampa Bay group, including former Bears general manager Jerry Angelo, formerSeahawks general manager Tim Ruskell and others.

Angelo and Ruskell spent over a decade together in Tampa, helping to turn the franchise around in the late 1990s. That period also coincided with Smith's run asBuccaneers linebackers coach from 1996 to 2000.

The same trio ended up in Chicago, overseeing theBears operation until being ousted last season.

Smith also has interviewed with the Houston Texans, though Penn State's Bill O'Brien appears to be the front runner for that job.

If Smith is indeed hired in Tampa, he is expected to recruit former defensive lieutenant Rod Marinelli. However, the Cowboys are unlikely to let him out of his contract as defensive line coach, per Rapoport.

As Marc Sessler pointed out earlier in the day, theBuccaneers' roster is far from devoid of talent.

 

www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000307195/article/lovie-smith-a-strong-candidate-for-buccaneers-job

 

He could jut as easily go to the Texans though.

[Zod]

There is a reason he isn't a head coach right now.

 

He isn't very good

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

Fields a good defense but tends to struggle with offense... he will need to bring in a brilliant OC wherever he goes.

[Mr. Scot]

I can't really say that scares me much.

[TheRumGone]

There is a reason he isn't a head coach right now.

He isn't very good

Lol yeah right

[top dawg]

There is a reason he isn't a head coach right now.

 

He isn't very good

 

I don't know about that.  Compare his record to the rest of the league, and that's a hard sale.

[ajax4132]

One Donte Moncrief and one Jordan Matthews please

[csx]

Hes not a bad coach and is probably a good fit there. I wouldnt say it scares me though.

[Awesomeness!!]

There is a reason he isn't a head coach right now.

He isn't very good

This is a joke right?

[CPcavedweller]

Fields a good defense but tends to struggle with offense... he will need to bring in a brilliant OC wherever he goes.

Have you seen our offense lately?

[Ruff]

There is a reason he isn't a head coach right now.

 

He isn't very good

 

lol

 

okay.

[CharlottePanther]

Call me over confident, cocky whatever but nothing scares me anymore. We beat Jim Harbaugh, Bill Belicheck and Sean Payton all in one year. We have won the NFC south in a year the Saints are at full force with Payton back abd went 11-5, we went from a 1-3 start to NFC south champs and the no 2 seed. We did all this with a offense that only produced 3200 passing yds all season.

We have beaten two legit contenders back to back (9ers and Pats) both coming off a bye and one of those games in a west coast time zone. We have destroyed teams when at times our offense has looked pathetic, we have destroyed teams when our O has looked unstoppable. A season or two ago I use to fret about what other teams did. "Oh no, the Bucs got Revis and Vjax" "Oh no Sean Payton is back." We are no longer in danger, we have become the danger. Bring it.

[Matthias]

I like the idea of the Rivera-Smith rivalry.  Someone once hinted at one of the reasons Rivera was let go as the Bears DC some years ago, was because Lovie was afraid of his success.  Feared that he would be fired in favor of Rivera being the Bears HC perhaps.  Bring Lovie on Bucs!

[TheRumGone]

They have an elite defense with the right coaching. We should be scared if they land Lovie.