Greg Schiano: Gerald McCoy "can be a dominant force"
Posted by Michael David Smith on April 15, 2012, 9:00 AM EDT
When Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano examines the roster he inherited, one player gets him particularly excited: Gerald McCoy.
McCoy, the defensive tackle whom the Bucs selected with their first-round pick in the 2010 NFL draft, is just the kind of player Schiano says he needs on his defensive line.
"I'm excited to coach Gerald," Schiano told the Tampa Bay Times. "He plays defensive tackle the way I like. He comes off the ball with a flat back, he's a penetrating guy who can change direction. We've got to get him back healthy and keep him healthy. I think he can be a dominant force if we can just get some miles underneath him, some plays."
When healthy, McCoy has shown flashes of the talent that made him the third pick, after Sam Bradford and Ndamukong Suh, two years ago. The problem is that McCoy has suffered a torn biceps in each arm, ending his season after 13 games his rookie year and ending his season after six games last year. If McCoy plays 16 games this year, there's every reason to think he can become the kind of player Schiano is hoping to see.
Because he was drafted in the final year before the new rookie wage scale was implemented, McCoy got a five-year, $63.2 million contract with $35 million guaranteed. If he gets hurt again, he's going to look less like a dominant force and more like an expensive mistake.
23 responses to "Greg Schiano: Gerald McCoy "can be a dominant force""
sensiblebuc says:
Matt Stafford 2.0
He'll fulfill his potential this year.
sportsmeccabi says:
$63 million?
That's twice as much Tampa's last great 3 technique made over his entire career.
nallrob says:
shian11 says:
McCoy has gotten hurt both years with torn biceps in both arms. Most coaches would say it has been because of bad technique. Although not an uncommon injury, it is often caused because of poor coaching, or being yungry instead of technically sound. When you have young players like mccoy(1st rnd), claiborne (1st rnd), bowers (1st grade), price (2nd rnd) and they all struggle, it goes to coaching!! When you have high drafted linebackers and they all struggle, it goes to coaching!! When you have high drafted receivers that can't get open, it goes to coaching!! When you have a dominant running back, who can't hold on to ball, it goes to coaching!! When you have what some have said should be a dominate offensive line that couldn't protect qb, it goes to technique and coaching, when you have a qb that was behind in almost every game quickly by double digits, it goes to game planning and coaching. Not to beat a dead horse, but this coaching change could be the most impactful personnel move of offseason!! That is why you have a full coaching staff plus advisors in butch Davis and jimmy raye, because if this talent is there ( and there is no way they has missed on everyone) imagine what the right coaching could do.
fishfiletkray says:
The fans who actually watch the games knows that he makes the whole defense better when he plays. Their defense fell apart when he got injured this year.
bucrightoff says:
When he plays, Tampa's record is much better than when he doesn't. I think now with these issues gone (surgery on the biceps typically make them stronger) McCoy is going to have a big year. Might not show up on the stat sheet, but his disruptiveness isn't a stat that is tracked.
mrlaloosh says:
Hopefully McCoy will help Tampa beat out Carolina for last in the NFC South.
rbell2123 says:
BUST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
dawsonleery says:
McCoy is looking like a bust right now. Tyson Alualu, LaMar Houston, Terrance Cody, a few D-linemen taken after him have been a lot better.
someidiotfromouthereintheprojects says:
man that dude makes a lot of money. they should have adjusted the rookie wage scale a loooooong time ago. that dude makes 3 times more than cam newton. i watch as many nfc south games as i can am i'm not even sure if i've seen him on the field.
you falcons and taints fans sure are smug considering how little your teams have done lately other than get worse.
outerspace23 says:
McCoy if he stays healthy is going to be a force in the NFL.
kalib933 says:
In general most defensive linemen, especially DT, don't start to really do well until their third year. Yes, there are exceptions where guys like Suh and great very quickly but if you look at the numbers, most don't hit their prime until year 3-4.
Falcon fans are delusional…Their team is built for the regular season and that's it. It's easy to rag on the Bucs now the way they finished last year. But what do the falcons have as a staple in their history? "The dirty bird". Cool! At least the Bucs were dominant for a decade and won a super bowl while manuacturing a defense now used in every level of football.
nflfollower says:
Shian11——I'm not entirely discounting it, but you will have to expound upon your statement that torn biceps are a result of "bad technique" before I buy that explanation. Sounds more to me like a muscular imbalance between the biceps and their opposing muscle the triceps may be responsible.
6ball says:
A better roster than you think.
leeeroooyjeeenkiiins says:
McCoy is one of those guys that doesn't make a lot of highlight plays but does make a pretty large impact. Unfortunately, that impact has obviously been limited by injuries. It's nice to see Schiano single him out and hopefully it will silence some of the clowns in this area who have already labeled him a bust, but if he can't get the injuries in check that's unfortunately exactly what he'll become. Hopefully he can stay healthy, if so it will male a huge difference for us.
mattamp says:
Re "Booger" McCoy: Buc fans have seen this act before. Big talk, big contract, most of career spent on IR. Wasted pick.
toosharp23 says:
@nflfollower
McCoy's bicep was torn during eccentric elbow extension which is decelerated by the bicep muscle meaning their was to much stress going against the bicep which movement is concentric flexion. The triceps brachii which concentrically accelerates elbow extension actually pulls the arm at the elbow in the direction of the tear, so having a weak triceps has nothing to do with the injury…….. Both instances he was arm tackling instead of wrapping up… As the Offensive players ran past him he reached out and grabbed hold trying to use only his biceps to finish the tackle thus they get torn..
profootballwalk says:
Muscles capable of working harder than the anchor points can hold on = steroids.
ezmagic says:
COACHING is right….. And It's the joints/ligaments that get damaged with steroids. They can't keep up with muscle growth and increase in strength…. Muscles won't damage they just grow and get stronger and FAST… Ligaments cant and will tear/damage… I know from experience 😉
@ profootballwalk..
Or you have a 300# man grabbing a 200 or more pound man running in the opposite direction who can squat over 450 pounds (low estimate) with just his arm and trying to pull him down instead of wrapping up. I am sure McCoy can not curl anywhere near the weight that is generated (in terms of force) by the opposing players body weight and legs while running. McCoy whose bench at the combine was relatively weak for his position isn't on steroids, just a undisciplined tackler.
tbf22 says:
DTs don't have the luxury of working with a lot of space. sometimes all you can get is a hand on the RB. and you hold on to whatever you can and try to bring him down. I'd rather McCoy attempt an arm tackle than not try and make the play. 90% of the time the Dlinemen are being blocked the same time they are trying to make the tackle. It's not like he is trying to only tackle with his arms. Sometimes you do what you can while being blocked.