Is there any other way to go but up? When the player who lifetime has more sacks under your tutelage is deceased, there is a problem. Bucs Defensive Line coach Todd Wash will more than likely not be returned, as evidenced by the Bucs going after Vikings DL coach Karl Dunbar earlier in the week.
To be sure the Defensive line has underachieved since the loss of Rod Marineli years ago. A good position coach helps develop young players. After 5 games, Defensive Tackle Gerald McCoy said on 620 WDAE’s Buc’s player interviews that he did not know what he was doing yet to play instinctively.
Marineli was one of the Bucs best assistant coaches ever. He is directly responsible for the brilliance that turned into Simeon Rice’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers career.
From Tony Dungy’s book, when Rice came to Tampa Bay in 2001, there was a game Rice found himself just putting in his all. He was amazed at how complete were his efforts into the game they were playing. On the last play, Rice gave another in a row of all out efforts and got the sack, the Bucs won, and Marineli went to go tell Rice he finally got it. Rice of course responded with “this may not worth it”.
Though Marineli was disappointed, he eventually got the message through to him, and Simeon Rice is one of the best defensive ends the Bucs have ever had next to Lee Roy Selmon.
So the search will go on for McCoy and Price’s new coach, teacher, mentor. The person they choose could make all the difference in the world.
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