Below is a selection of Tampa Bay Buccaneers quotes from today's earlier media availability. Full video of press conferences can be found on Buccaneers.com.
Head Coach Dirk Koetter
(On team captains)
"Two D (defense), two O (offense), one special teams."
(On the return game being marginalized by the new rule changes)
"I still think the thing on that is if you have a great return guy and if you had Devin Hester on your team, you're still going to be up there. For most teams in the league, the difference between about 15 spots in the rankings is one yard or less than a yard. It's so tight because you've got so many touchbacks. You've got most of these kickers kicking it at 80-plus percent touchbacks and it's tough to get the ball past the 25-[yard line]. Teams that have elite return guys or that somehow break one and all of a sudden you have a 90-yarder mixed in with all your 23 yarders – that's going to help your average. That was the intent of the rule. They wanted to minimize returns."
(On if returns are based on the kicking team more than the return team)
"Absolutely. Once again, unless you have that return guy that's going to take it out from nine yards deep. I just don't know how many teams have that."
(On how important it is for a team to have a 'franchise quarterback')
"I think having that franchise quarterback that everyone in the building believes in is important. Whether he's the first pick of the draft or not, wherever he's picked. Wherever you find that guy, you find him. I do think it's important. I also think that there [are] some good veteran guys in the league that have started and experience still counts, but everyone still wants to be building towards that guy the think can make all the plays."
(On how the team has responded to Mark Duffner as the defensive coordinator)
"That's very difficult to say how Coach Duff – he brings his energy. That's him all the time and he's got more responsibility. How does the team respond to it? Practice is practice. The game is going up, so we'll find out."
(On the difficult decisions he's had to make this season as head coach)
"I think that's probably the number one job of a head coach. Just to do what is best for the organization. Obviously on some decisions – ownership, GM – it's not only just the head coach. There's other people and I'm not specifically talking about these, but whatever the situation, I think the head coach has to look out for the best for the organization. I think also it's important that the head coach takes the lead on doing what's best for the players"
(On playing at home after a couple of weeks on the road)
"It is going to be great to be home. Obviously, it's a lot easier on everybody. The players get to see their families more. They get to sleep in their own beds. They get to come to work and not stay in a hotel. It's eight and eight. At the end of the years it's eight home, eight away."
-BUCCANEERS-
