The Bucs offense was unbelievable in 2024. And whereas one man – Liam Coen – deserved lots of the credit score for that success, however he wasn’t the one one. With a passing assault that ranked third in yards per sport and fourth in EPA/move I needed to take a deeper have a look at passing sport coordinator Josh Grizzard, who’s a possible alternative for Coen because the staff’s offensive coordinator in 2025.
Josh Grizzard’s Background
Bucs move sport assistant Josh Grizzard – Photograph by: Miami Dolphins
Earlier than coming to Tampa Bay in 2024, Josh Grizzard spent seven years in Miami working as a top quality management coach and vast receivers coach at numerous instances. In a league the place new coordinators usually usher in their very own coaches it speaks volumes that Grizzard was retained underneath Adam Gase and Clyde Christensen, Dowell Loggains, Chad O’Shea, Chan Gailey, Eric Studesville and George Godsey, and Mike McDaniel and Frank Smith.
Throughout his time in Miami, he additionally crossed paths with the brand new head coach of the Chicago Bears, Ben Johnson. The 2 labored collectively in 2017 when Johnson was the assistant vast receivers in addition to 2018 when Johnson was promoted to vast receivers coach.
Whereas Grizzard is younger at age 34, once you mix that form of expertise with the yr he spent with Coen, you get an offensive thoughts that has been uncovered to loads of schemes/methods.
Josh Grizzard’s Position In The Bucs Offense
To make use of his personal phrases when requested what his position within the offense was, move sport coordinator Josh Grizzard described his utilization in season as, “During the season, it’s more of helping him [former Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen], get ahead on different parts of the gameplan. Looking at different tendencies around the league. Things that we can utilize from other places. Things that I’ve done in the past, things that he has done in the past, and just try to be like a sounding board for him on some ideas.”
One space that Grizzard shares a perception with Coen is the usage of movement to assist create alternatives for the offense. The Bucs had one of many highest movement charges within the NFL in 2024, and Grizzard was a contributing issue. When talking about the usage of movement he mentioned, “It’s a lot of the things that Liam was around as well, whether it be at Kentucky or his history with the Rams. But we’re aligned in that on the utilization of motions and shifts to manipulate defenses, attack space. So, a lot of that stuff you’ll see here as well.”
Bucs move sport coordinator Josh Grizzard and OC Liam Coen – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
When requested at the start of the season about his ideas on snap movement, Grizzard, who was part of the vanguard of the idea in Miami mentioned, “Yeah, we are looking into applying pressure on the defense. And when you have somebody in motion at the snap it makes them communicate where their checks, they’re pressuring, how are they going to handle the motion, not knowing who it’s going to come from. So, when we try to apply the pressure to them by being in motion, we’re just creating advantages for ourselves. And also, to manipulate defenses, to find voids in zones through the use of motion. So, that’s definitely something we believe in.”
Grizzard’s position as a passing sport coordinator had him working with a number of place teams, working with Tampa Bay’s quarterbacks, vast receivers, tight ends and even their working backs. He additionally oversaw the Bucs’ third down offense. In a December press convention, Coen credited Grizzard with the Bucs’ success on the cash down the place the Bucs led the NFL in third down conversions at 51.1%.
“I think, first of all, shoutout to Josh and really the staff in general have done a phenomenal job throughout the whole year,” Coen mentioned. “The fellows answerable for these areas – Thad Lewis is answerable for the purple zone, ‘B-Mac’ (Brian McClendon) is answerable for two-minute, and ‘Grizz’ (Josh Grizzard) occurs to be answerable for third downs. Their concepts, performs, and ideas and schemes is what does come to life as what you see on Sunday. Positively, not all of these performs come proper from me – we’ve a full workers. These guys put lots of work into these areas.
“Being able to operate a little bit in terms of maybe one week we’re operating on man-zone cans, maybe one week we’re operating off of all-purpose call-it-and-run-it plays…Mixing in some of those criteria and putting our guys in the best position to be successful. Then, oh by the way, our guys going out and executing. Our offensive line, the way that they’ve been able to protect, especially on some of those shorter third-and-up-to-7 windows. We’ve been able to protect at a pretty high level and the ball is able to come out still. I think that’s probably the combination. I think when you have Mike Evans, that usually helps too.”
Creativity And Variety Of Offense
Bucs OC Liam Coen, RB Bucky Irving and move sport coordinator Josh Grizzard – Photograph by: Corey Perrine/USA At the moment
Having overseen the preliminary growth of Dolphins vast receiver Jaylen Waddle in his rookie season when Waddle caught 104 passes for 1,015 yards and 6 touchdowns, and dealing with Liam Coen to develop one of the crucial harmful passing assaults within the NFL, Josh Grizzard affords a Dave Canales-esque air of intrigue and potential if the Bucs have been to contemplate him for the position of offensive coordinator.
His publicity to totally different ideas and types of offense provides him a robust basis to construct an offense that’s a number of and fewer predictable. Having frolicked with Miami head coach Mike McDaniel, who makes use of 21 personnel (two backs, one tight finish) greater than nearly every other offensive designer within the league, in addition to Liam Coen, who was extra 11 personnel-heavy, that allowed Grizzard to see the virtues of learn how to create matchup benefits by the usage of participant groupings. It additionally provides him a singular vantage level into how he may attempt to proceed the Bucs’ success with their very own distinctive 21 personnel grouping of Bucky Irving and Rachaad White.
By his personal admission, an enormous a part of Grizzard’s most up-to-date position has been to go searching the NFL to search out methods probably the most dynamic methods to assault defenses by utilizing the newest and most artistic methods to provide his offense an opportunity to succeed. These have been qualities that head coach Todd Bowles has appeared for in his final two offensive coordinators. It ought to give Grizzard a robust alternative to interview for the now vacant position of offensive coordinator for the Bucs.
You’ll be able to take a look at Grizzard’s ideas in his media availability session previous to the 2024 season by clicking right here.
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