Annually, training camp ushers in change for each NFL club as installations are made and playbooks are tweaked. For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a revitalized offensive scheme is taking shape this summer under the tutelage of new Offensive Coordinator Liam Coen.
In the new system, the run game will feature an uptick in diversity, conceptually, to keep defenses off balance. The scheme will include a variety of mid-zone, wide-zone, tight-zone, duo and gap runs, which will provide linemen and rushers with flexibility.
"Mid-zone, outside zone - all that - it creates a bigger palette, and it forces the defense to guard not just a certain perimeter, but it makes them guard the whole field because the defense doesn't know what we are going to do," stated lead back Rachaad White. "We could go outside and try to hit the outside, or we can go mid-zone and hit outside, or we can cut back with the movement of the linemen and the movement of the motion. I love it and we still have our gap core plays to get our linemen out in space and get the big boys running."
Mid-zone, a system that White has familiarity with from his collegiate days at Arizona State, allows the rusher to take a course to either the B- or C-gap, then to subsequently go outside or cut back while the offensive line flows laterally. In gap, the center, right guard and right tackle angle block, which allows the left guard to pull and lead the running back. This reconfigured ground attack will maximize the athleticism of the Bucs' offensive line and the multi-faceted skillset of both White, the club's starting back, and rookie Bucky Irving.
Last season, White established himself as one of the most lethal dual-threat backs in the NFL. He finished the year with over 1,500 yards from scrimmage and fell just 10 yards shy of surpassing the 1,000-yard rushing milestone. White accumulated 272 totes for 990 rushing yards, six rushing touchdowns and 3.6 yards per attempt. In addition, he showcased his pass-catching prowess with 549 receiving yards on 70 catches for an average of 8.6 yards per reception. White showed off his natural ability in the open field and elevated the offense on screens and sweeps. In 2024, Irving will add another dimension to the ground game with his downhill charge and impressive lateral cuts.
"He is quick and agile, and he reminds me of a younger Chase Edmonds and respecting the game of him coming in and how he can catch the ball," stated White on Irving. "He is quick but can still run the ball and we are going to bounce off of each other very well."
In the Bucs' 2024 offense, there will be an increase in shifts and motions to provide a defensive tell. The additional movement and eye candy will help keep defenses guessing, providing running backs with an insightful assessment of course paths and where the holes will open. The unit is focused on communication and moving from reactive to finish mode, running behind the pads with purpose.
"We have all been locked in and have been on the same page," noted White. "We are focusing on finishing and putting body on a body. The scheme and the creativity, Liam Coen has done a great job of that with the shifts and the motions. You kind of know with the motions of where the ball should hit and probably where it is going to go."
