Whenever I hear the old “Jon Gruden won the Super Bowl with Tony Dungy’s team” stuff, it makes me laugh, because few people know there was never a bigger turnover of personnel on one side of the ball like there was on offense from 2001 to 2002 than any other year in Bucs history.
In certain sets, over 65% of the offense was brand new! Coaching changes do that.
Consider these line up changes from Dungy to Gruden on Offense.
Offensive Line
Kenyatta Walker to Romen Oben
Randall McDaniel to Kerry Jenkins
RT Jerry Wunch to Kenyatta Walker (player move)
RB
Warrick Dunn to Michael Pittman
WR
Keyshawn Johnson to Keyshawn Johnson
Jaquez Green to Keenan McCardell
Karl Williams to Joe Jurivicius
Dave Moore to Ken Dilger
Todd Yoder to Ricky Dudley
Thats just from 2001 to 2002, That is 7 new players, 8 player moves out of 11 possible positions. 65-70% change!
From 1986 to ’87, Ray Perkins molded the team into a new image. Leeman Bennett had a similar if not successful change, as coaches tend to favor a certain region like John McKay did with Southern Cal players. Perkins? Alabama- SEC. With this coaching staff coming in, a LOT of 2011 players are in danger of not only being cut from the team, but perhaps never playing NFL Football again. Money may have something to do with it, but for example Quincy Black, his 2012 salary is guaranteed. Will Albert Hanesworth stay on the team? Not at 6+ million dollars you would think!
Aqib Talib? Could you see him on Tony Dungys first team? Nope, Dungy cut players like Tiji Armstrong. But you COULD see him on Grudens first team. So it all depends on who takes over, and who quit on tape!
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