Whether McCoy really believes it, well, hey, he said it, didn’t he? “He’s like my brother”. I don’t think Jameis turned it over today at all. “If he feels like that’s what our team needs in order for us to win, who am I to tell him, ‘No, I’m not going to do that?’ Because I want to win too”. I am excited about it. Passing the torch?
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“He’s smart, he’s competitive, wants to win as much as we do”, incoming offensive coordinator Todd Monken said.
But McCoy says nothing was ever further from the truth. As the third overall pick in 2010, whose first two seasons ended on injured reserve, McCoy knows how it feels to be swallowed whole by expectations. Natural progression suggests he will improve on those numbers, which bodes well for the Bucs playing relevant football into December.
“We were missing a franchise quarterback”.
“First day is always an exciting day”, said Winston.
“It’s unfortunate in both cases that those two guys aren’t able to be out here, ” Koetter said. Because you guys are used to seeing me do things a certain way.
As the Buccaneers prepared to open camp, they received the perfunctory introductory speech from their first-year head coach.
“Jameis is very perceptive, about not only what needs to get better, but what our offense and our team needs to get better”, Koetter said. The one person who was not quickly convinced? That does not make sense to me. I just asked him to keep doing it, bring it up a notch, step it up, just like I have to do, just like we all have to do … continue to be who you are.
The Bucs, coming off a 6-10 finish that cost former coach Lovie Smith his job, have missed the playoffs eight consecutive seasons and haven’t won a postseason game since their 2002 Super Bowl run.
McCoy and Winston have never spoken about the perceived schism. There was never any need to. “You don’t have to worry about him while he’s here in Tampa.’ I did that because I know the pressure that comes with being a first-round pick”.
One year ago, Winston entered training camp as a controversial rookie with a lot of questions to be answered.
But by the time the Bucs upset the Falcons in Atlanta on November 1, ignited by Winston’s emotional pregame speech, it was clear teammates would follow the quarterback out of the locker room and beyond.
Winston says he needs to be better.
“Just Jameis, the way he handles every single day”.
Now lets remember, you don’t have to be a rah rah, in your face guy to hold players accountable. McCoy wouldn’t reveal the exact details of the conversation, but the four-time Pro Bowler, known for his gregarious and animated personality, hinted that he was moving away from the spotlight. He sets the tone for our team.
“I love Jameis, man”, McCoy said, per Laine. Winston threw an interception in the Bucs’ first game that was returned for a touchdown.
McCoy’s comments also should bury the underlying drama about a touch of jealousy from McCoy, and whether he truly buys into the kid’s coronation. Mike Evans is looking to rebound from last season, when he had just three touchdown catches, down from 12 his rookie season.
The team’s first training camp practice will be on July 28, but the first public practice will be held on July 30. “I just know that he has a little bit more in him”. He’s put so much into me.
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“Last year, I had a lot of personal foul penalties and offensive pass interference and things like that”, he said.
