Bucs Excited To Deploy A 'Dynamic' Bucky Irving On Offense

“Bucky, he’s pretty dynamic where he gives us the ability in the run and pass game,” Coen said on Monday. “The screen game, and then also from a special teams standpoint in the return game as well. I’m actually pretty close with the OC out at Oregon, Will [Stein]. He told me he was his favorite player that he’s ever coached and somebody that’s team-first and will do anything and everything he’s asked to do. From Chicago, a tough kid, loved him when he came up on his visit. Just the type of kid that I think will fit in really well in this building.”

Although Irving does not have elite straight-line speed after clocking in with a 4.55 40-yard time, he gets up to that speed quickly. “The nice thing I like about Bucky is that he gets to his top speeds early,” Coen added. “When he accepts the handoff, he bursts and accelerates through the hole and can make people miss in space.”

Tampa Bay’s offensive coordinator echoed that he wants his running backs to play “fast to and fast through. We receive the handoff, we want to be shot out of a cannon.” If they are successful in doing so, there will be more cannons firing at Raymond James Stadium next season.

Bucky Irving Wants To Form A 1-2 Punch At RB For Bucs, But He Doesn’t Take Too Many Hits

Bucky Irving is excited to share the backfield with Rachaad White next season, and after being drafted mentioned that he wants to form a “dynamic 1-2 punch” with him.

Bucs running backs coach Skip Peete sounded bullish about his ability to do so when discussing what Irving will bring to the offense.

“I think he’s a young back that’s versatile, he can play on all three downs,” Peete said. “Sudden, good change of direction, and obviously he can catch the ball out of the backfield. Create big plays, that’s the thing that probably excited me the most.”

The running back position is a grueling one, as they take a beating every Sunday. Much like a boxer, being able to absorb the contact and find ways to preserve themselves is important. Irving plays like each game is a boxing match in the way he dodges the punches.

“Some guys have that natural knack to where they run through contact and not to contact,” Peete added. “His ability to bounce off people is something that you notice quite a bit when you watch him play. For a guy that’s not real, real big, but I think he’s a guy that has a unique feel and doesn’t really take a direct hit. He’ll take glancing blows but not really too many direct hits as he runs with the football or catches it out of the backfield.”

Expect Bucky Irving To Play A Significant Role In Bucs’ Ground Game

While Rachaad White remains the lead back, that does not mean that Bucky Irving will not play a crucial part in the Bucs’ offense. After toting the rock 272 times last season, giving White more breathers will allow for more of a rotation and keep the guys fresh.

Throughout his time coaching in the NFL, which goes back to 1998 with the Raiders, Skip Peete has coached plenty of quality running backs and seen their development up close. Something he shared is that competition brings the most out of any player, which is what Tampa Bay has plenty of with White, Irving, Chase Edmonds, and Sean Tucker all vying for touches.

“I think competition is a great thing,” Peete said. “I’ve always felt that for the most part of my career coaching, I’ve always utilized more than one back and I never see it as – one, two, three, four, five [on the depth chart]. It’s all the backs. I’ve been fortunate to have a couple of backups be Pro Bowl players ahead of the starter. The starter in my mind is the guy that takes the first play of the game, and then you play guys as needed. But you got to have success while you’re in there.

“The more you have success, the more I’ll leave you in there. Doesn’t matter whether you’re a five-year guy, rookie, or second-year guy, the best guy to help us win to do the best job is going to play. I think Bucky was drafted to come in here and help this football team so I mean he’s going to have an opportunity to showcase what he can do. I think it’s going to create a lot of competition in the room, which is a good thing for everybody.”

The biggest knock for Irving entering the league was not his size, but his speed. The time he clocked may have knocked him down a peg on draft boards, but Peete does not see the stopwatch as being the end-all-be-all. There is a difference once you’re on the football field, and he has seen plenty of guys have success without being the most fleet of foot.

“Well, there’s a 40 time and then there’s football game speed,” Peete added. “I think when you watch him play, I think he’s quick enough to get away from the problems and issues, [he] has the ability to accelerate the crease and get through to the second and third level so I think that’s the most important thing. Some of the greatest running backs aren’t the fastest. I mean, I know Emmitt [Smith] wasn’t a 4.4, 4.3. I don’t think Barry [Sanders] was a 4.3 guy. I’ve coached some 4.3 guys, but those guys are pretty good runners. DeMarco Murray wasn’t a 4.3 guy; Marion Barber wasn’t 4.3.”

The Bucs are optimistic that Bucky Irving offers a different dynamic to the run game, and that should give him plenty of opportunities to contribute as a rookie.