OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR ZAC ROBINSON

Opening Statement:

"First off, I just want to thank my wife, Mia, first and foremost. You know, you get into coaching and you've got to have unwavering support day-to-day. It's impossible to do what we do without that. I want to thank my kids – we've got Madi as you can see, up in the front row [and] she's ready to rock with her Bucs outfit, and then my son Cooper, it's actually his birthday. Let's go ahead and give it up for big 'Coop' [claps]…He just turned two today. All of the support that they give is obviously what it's all about. I want to thank the Glazer family – to be able to be part of an organization that has a history of success and championships…I'm looking forward to doing a great job for them and the rest of the city of Tampa. I want to thank [Head] Coach [Todd] Bowles. I was telling Coach Bowles a couple of days ago [that] I'm just glad I don't have to game plan against him anymore, because I got no sleep those weeks. So, [I am] looking forward to working with a legendary coach that's obviously meant a ton to the game of football. He's a great mentor for people that have been in this role and players, coaches, everybody – so, I'm looking forward to working with Coach Bowles. Jason Licht and his group – I've only been here a handful of days, and seeing their operation and the way that they communicate, it's evident to see the success that they've had here and it all starts with the leadership from those guys. With that, I'll open it up to you guys."

(On how much he will be advocating for WR Mike Evans to return to the Buccaneers)

"Yeah, obviously. Shoot, we've got to work through a lot of things. I have a ton of respect for Mike and his game throughout his career. Obviously, watching from afar, I know he's got to work through a lot of things, but [I] would obviously love an opportunity to work with Mike."

(On his previous experience working with QB Baker Mayfield while with the Los Angeles Rams)

"Sure, it's a big deal. We got Baker in 2022 [when] we had had some injuries at the quarterback spot. I've known of Baker for a long time. I went to Oklahoma State, he went to Oklahoma…He'd dice us up every single time that they played. I had a ton of respect for him from afar as a player, and then, to be able to get him in there and see just the type of worker he was…I'll never forget, we gave him a handful of plays. It was a short week, Thursday night game, so we gave him kind of a menu of plays and Baker could probably tell you about 20-25 plays. It was like at 10 o'clock at night and he came in the next day and I saw his notebook – we had a bathroom break, [so] I saw his notebook – he had highlighters everywhere, color coded. Right away, I was like, 'Okay, I know the player, I know the talent, but he's made of all the right stuff.' Obviously, that time that we spent together was invaluable during a tough season [where] he came in and ignited that group. I'm fired up to work with 'Bake' (Baker Mayfield) and the rest of the guys. It's a good group of dudes and I'm looking forward to it, for sure."

(On how the 2022 Los Angeles Rams responded to having QB Baker Mayfield join them midseason)

"Like I mentioned, it was a challenging season. I knew Baker had been through adversity – he had had great success in Cleveland and then obviously went to Carolina…He came in right away and was meeting guys for the first time in the huddle on Wednesday's practice and you could just see everybody gravitates towards Baker. That's what you're looking for from that position. You want that true igniter, you want that guy that elevates the rest of the group. When you have a guy like that, you have a chance to win every single Sunday. The impact that he has, obviously just as a leader…You can speak to the talent and the type of player he is and all those things, but those guys that give you a chance every single Sunday – and the guys in that locker room know it – it's a big deal."

(On what he likes about QB Baker Mayfield's mental and physical abilities at the quarterback position)

"Baker was the No. 1 pick in the draft for a reason. In terms of the arm, there's not a part of the field that he can't attack. You start there and then you get to the instincts and the feel for the game…You mentioned it, the movement part is huge. You have to be able to move at this day and age in the NFL as you guys know. His ability to throw on the run – he's probably the best in the league at throwing on the run. He's great in the keeper game, great in the boot[leg] game. [I am] looking to evolve that part and making sure that we're playing to Baker's strengths and the rest of the guys' strengths. That's a huge part. The third-down conversions, those are tough downs, and when you have a quarterback that can obviously extend those plays and pick up first downs with his legs, that's huge."

(On Robinson attempting to bring some stability to this offense)

"This is a group of guys that have a lot of continuity. They've played a lot of good football together. So, there will be some carry over, obviously from Liam [Coen] and I working together in [Los Angeles], the foundation and the beliefs that we have coming from Sean [McVay] and that system is definitely what we're going to be all about. I feel like I know these guys as players, just from watching tape the last handful of years, but I'm looking forward to obviously getting to know these guys on a personal level. That's what it's all about. Obviously, we'll stay connected as a group and build this thing the right way. It's a great group of guys, great group of coaches, and I'm just fired up to get an opportunity to coach these guys."

(On whether he tailors his offensive system to his players' skillsets)

"I think we all have a foundational belief in what we want to go, scheme-wise. Now, offense is ever evolving. You're adapting to your players, you're adapting to your quarterback, your offensive line, the skill group – all of those things. Ultimately, that's what the offseason is great for. Like I said, there will be some great carryover and there will be some new things that we did in Atlanta. There will be some things that I've never done and they've never done that might fit us. The great thing about offensive football is there's more than one way to do it. I think before you even get to scheme and specifics, it's your style of play. We want our guys to always be in attack mode, we want our guys to play with relentless play energy, effort, and strain. I think you start there. You want the guys to just love playing the game together. That's evident from what I've watched from these guys over the last couple of years. You start with those things and then you build the scheme and the fundamentals and the techniques after that. Like I said, there's great foundation here with the players with the scheme that has been put in place here and we'll be just tailoring and tweaking from there."

(On Robinson having success when facing the Buccaneers previously)

"Like I said, when we played the Bucs, I got no sleep those weeks. It is a tough defense to prepare for. Those were great battles. We haven't gotten too specific into scheme…They did a great job against us the first game of the season, they definitely got after us pretty good. Those games are always challenging and they were always really good battles."

(On receiving a phone call from Head Coach Todd Bowles about getting the job)
"Yeah, you never know if you feel good about certain things. Obviously, I was pumped to be able to get that phone call -- [I was] just about to get to the airplane. I was just hanging out by the gate and [Head] Coach [Todd] Bowles called me and I was ecstatic. I called my wife, called family and we were all pumped. That was definitely one of the best phone calls I've ever [received], and I was happy to get right back [over] here."

(On what stands out to him about the strengths of the offense besides the quarterback room)
"You [have] to start with the offensive line. The offensive line is built the right way. When that group is going, there's no offensive line that you'd rather have around the league, so it starts with those guys up front. I think you look at the skill groups, it's a very versatile group. The receivers speak for themselves, you've got a number of guys that can do a number of different things, and their skillsets all match up really well. I'm excited about that. Then you take a look at the [running] backs -- didn't study Bucky [Irving] coming out because we weren't thinking about taking a running back, but then obviously that 2024 season where he came on the scene, there was a number of things he can do in the run and pass game, now I'm excited to get to work with [him]. The tight ends situation, they have got really stable and steady tight ends -- I know Cade [Otton] is a free agent, those things work themselves out. Collectively as a group, it's exciting as a coach to come in and have that at your disposal, and [I am] just looking forward to building this the right way with these guys."

(On how he game plans to get the highly-regarded playmakers the ball while being the focal point of a defense)
"You mentioned the players over plays, that's what our job is every single week to make sure that each guy is getting the right amount of touches. In critical moments, you're going to those guys. I wouldn't look at it as a challenge just because there's so many guys here that can catch the football, that can run with the football, that are so versatile. I don't look at it as a challenge, just really a blessing to be able to have that amount of talent that is at your disposal."

(On how he plans to work with the team to implement the offense this offseason)

"It's a build-up. You start when you get these guys in the building and you talk about the style of play that I just mentioned. You talk about the fundamentals of blocking, throwing, catching, run-after-catch, ball security, you start there and then you slowly build the scheme and obviously, that will be us as coaches getting together this offseason -- collaborative effort -- just to make sure that the teaching progression is right. Like I mentioned though, there will be a decent amount of carry-over that's going to be great for these guys when they come in. There will be some new, and so we're definitely looking forward to all of us as coaches hunkering down over the next couple of months and before we know it, the players are going to be back. It's a fun time of the year when you're able to just get in there with the coaches and get down into it, 'Hey, what are we?' You're figuring out all of these different things. I feel like I know these players, but [have] to know them on a personal level, [have] to work on them up-close, but it's a fun part of the year for us as coaches to all get together and collaborate on that."

(On how different the quarterbacks are with the Buccaneers compared to the Atlanta Falcons)
"It's hard because I know Baker [Mayfield] so well, and I know the experience that he's had. Obviously, Kirk [Cousins] had great experience too and we had a young guy, but you're treating the quarterback position very similarly. You want to have clarity for those guys; you want to make sure that they have the answers [and] understanding the criteria in the run game. At the end of the day, you're tailoring it to the quarterback's strengths, but you are coaching those guys hard, you are coaching them the same way that you would whether it's a veteran or a rookie. Obviously, Baker's experience with the system, the amount that he can handle from a capacity standpoint is huge and all those things will kind of take care of themselves. At the end of the day, coaching the quarterbacks like you coach quarterbacks, obviously you can put more on certain people's plate when they've played and seen so much football like Baker which we're looking forward to."

(On how his playcalling has evolved over the years)
"You learn a lot. You learn through experience and there's always going to be things as a play caller -- you leave that game and you're going to have a handful of things you want back for sure. I think you learn your process of the rhythm of the week, the game-planning, you get to Sunday and there's a lot of feel involved. You have a plan going in, you [have] to be able to adjust. Those two years of that experience are invaluable and you're always growing in this game, you're always learning, you're always getting better and [it] definitely felt like that was the case just with more experience, just like players. The more experience you get, the better off you're going to be."

(On the conversations he has had with Head Coach Todd Bowles)

"We've just had general conversations talking football. I do know that [Head] Coach [Todd] Bowles has been a great mentor. [Jaguars' Head Coach] Liam Coen and I are great friends and the mentorship that he provided Liam as a young coach coming in, those have been kind of more of the talks that we've had. I know he's done a great job with handling players and coaches. Everybody looks to [Head] Coach Bowles as a true leader and mentor. I'm just excited about that part and then we'll figure out the rest. Day two on the job, so we're kind of hitting the ground running."

(On his talks with Jacksonville Jaguars' Head Coach Liam Coen)
"I talk to Liam [Coen] basically every day, except for when we were playing against each other. We stay in contact about football things, our families are close, so yeah, I talk to Liam basically every day."

(On if any talks with Liam Coen sold him on taking the Buccaneers Offensive Coordinator position)
"I didn't need to be sold on anything for this job. I was excited for this job as soon as it became available. This is a great job for a lot of the reasons I've already mentioned. There was no sell, I was hoping I got an opportunity to be here and I'm excited to be here."

(On interviewing for the Buccaneers Offensive Coordinator position back in 2024, and his relationship with former Falcons Head Coach Raheem Morris)

"It never got to that point; there was talk about it, but Raheem [Morris], I love him like a brother and was going to go with Raheem wherever he ended up. Obviously, he he got the job in Atlanta and so [I] went with him, learned a ton from him, he's an unbelievable coach, person, leader, all those things and those experiences with Raheem I'll remember forever. Like I said, I love that guy like a brother and him taking me under his wing and bringing me wherever he was going was pretty cool."

(On if he was surprised the way things ended with the Falcons)
"It's a results business, [I] understand those tough decisions are made, but at the end of the day, [I] won't talk about that and I'm just excited for the opportunity to be here."

(On WR Emeka Egbuka's rookie season and heading into year two of his career)
"Yeah, he's an unbelievable player. The versatility that he brings within the route tree, run-after-catch, there's really nothing that he can't do and obviously, you guys all saw it up close all throughout the year. I was able to study him when he was at Ohio State -- actually went to their Pro Day, watching him catch the football, he has incredibly great ball skills, all those things that you love. Any player making that jump from year one to year two, year two to year three, you expect to see great strides. I know he had a ton on his plate just from what he had from Ohio State, then you jump into the combine, and you just get right into it, so I'm sure he needed to just take a step back and take a breath of fresh air and kind of reset himself. I'm looking forward to working with him and the rest of those guys."

(On what he wants to stand out about the offense next season)
"I mentioned it earlier, but I think it's just unmatched play-energy, effort and strain, the joy for playing the game of football, all 11 [players] playing as one. You start from there and then the plays are the plays, but these players, they make these things come to life. If you start there and that unmatched play-energy shows up on tape and that opponent is looking at that every single week, that's what we're striving for."

(On running the offense out of the pistol formation in Atlanta and if he will utilize a similar offense with the Buccaneers, or if it depends on the personnel)
"We won't dive too much into that. Obviously, we're tailoring everything to your personnel and what you believe is the best way to move the football and there's definitely some advantages to that -- working out of the pistol. My background comes from [Rams' Head Coach] Sean [McVay] and true run-and-pass marriage, underneath the center, all those things that come with that. Obviously, we'll pick our spots with what that looks like exactly and we'll find out once we kick it off in September."

(On what he picked up from his time working with Los Angeles Rams Head Coach Sean McVay)

"It's been huge. I went to the Rams in 2019 and had never coached before. Sean is an open book with everything. We meet together a ton as a staff, and you realize quickly how little you know when you go from playing to coaching. I got in there and Sean was nothing but awesome as a leader and all of those things that you guys already know and see. But then, in terms of the schematics, and the reasons and the 'why's' and the intent of the play, 'Hey, why are we trying to attack this coverage a certain way? Why are we having to can this versus a specific look?' All of those things over the five years I spent there – I mean, you're getting your PhD in football. We had a ton of great coaches that came through there, [with] obviously guys who have head roles now, or offensive coordinator spots, or defensive coordinator spots. Sean was instrumental to my football career [and] obviously gave me my first start. I'm always indebted to him that way, but the things that you learn off the field, as well, with the leadership [were] huge. And the scheme stuff is next level – your understanding of defenses becomes greater [and greater] the longer you're there, so all of that stuff was big for myself and the rest of the coaches who have come through there."

(On if there are any updates regarding the offensive staff he will have in Tampa Bay)

"I'll leave that to Coach [Todd] Bowles. We're obviously working through it. I know that there are a lot of great coaches here and so Coach Bowles will update you guys whenever that time comes."

(On how much Buccaneers NT Vita Vea alters a gameplan)

"Big time. The run game is challenging. Like when he's in there, there's not a ton of space. You're always having to be cognizant of where he's at. When he's out of the game, [you're] trying to activate some different things when he's not in there because when he's in there, he's a problem. Our offensive line coach in Atlanta was sweating every time we would be playing him, but he is a great player and I'm excited to be on the other side and not having to face those problems anymore."

(On if being in Tampa Bay is a different type of challenge due to the multitude of skill players that play an integral part of the offense versus having Atlanta Falcons RB Bijan Robinson as the natural focal point)

"Yeah, again, I wouldn't say challenge. Like we were saying earlier, I think it's a great opportunity to have a collection of skill players that can do a number of different things. These guys – again, I'm getting to know these guys on a personal level, but just kind of understanding the building and getting an understanding from their position coaches and talking to those guys – it's a selfless group of guys and it shows up on tape. All they want to do is win. However the football gets distributed, I know Baker [Mayfield] will make the right decision with the ball with where it's supposed to go dictated on coverage, but it's a blessing to be with the amount of guys that can do a lot of damage with the football."

(On if he has spoken with WR Mike Evans to this point)

"I'll kind of leave that [between us]."

(On his philosophy on third downs and in red zone situations)

"First off, I think you look at the type of coverages that you're getting in those different windows – the two-to-five-[yard] window, the six-to-10, whatever it ends up being – identifying those matchups first and foremost. When are you getting the man coverages? When can you take advantage of man coverage in those third down windows? And, like I said earlier, it's players over plays in those moments. It's concepts that guys own and then the ability for the quarterback to take off and go and make things happen when it's not there is huge. All of those things [go into it] on third down. For red zone, it's being efficient down there – no negative plays. We did a great job last year of doing that, but that's what the red zone comes down to is no negative plays, we've got to have efficient plays down there and you've got to score when you get down there. You get more scheme-specific on red zone just because the coverages are a little different every single week, but those are always fun to gameplan for. Every team has different challenges. If you play Coach [Todd] Bowles, that third down day is a monster. You're trying to work through all of the issues with the protection and all of those things. So, those are definitely fun times to gameplan knowing how crucial those moments are."

(On if he carries anything with him from his time with Tom Brady)

"It was a short amount of time, as you mentioned. Being up close and seeing how he worked, his process, all of those things [and] the way he was so detailed with his fundamentals is something I took from him as a young player and still use obviously to this day as a coach. The fundamentals have changed at the quarterback position from my time there, but overall, just seeing the detailed process that was the reason why he obviously had a ton of success."

(On if it makes his job easier having an All-Pro tackle in Tristan Wirfs)

"Yeah, all of those guys. Tristan speaks for himself. He has had an unbelievable career. He's still playing at an unbelievable level – he's the best tackle in the game. Definitely you feel great about that spot. You feel great about the right spot with [Luke] Goedeke. You just feel great about all of these guys, so that's what's exciting about it. I've gotten to meet a couple of these guys so far [and] I know they're made of the right stuff. I'm excited to work with that group."

(On if he has an advantage in his playcalling due to his familiarity with the NFC South division)

"Yeah, I think just the familiarity… Obviously, I worked with [New Orleans Saints Defensive Coordinator Brandon] Staley. I worked with [Carolina Panthers Defensive Coordinator] Ejiro [Evero and] obviously was around the Atlanta guys last year that are coming back, so definitely, it's big. You know those players, you know the schemes. Everybody is going to be evolving this offseason with something new, but I definitely see it as a big advantage for sure."

(On contributing to a team that seems ready to win now)

"It's day two on the job, so I'm just putting everything together right now staff-wise and all of those things. I know this place has had a lot of success for a reason. Like I mentioned, the Glazer family, Coach [Todd] Bowles, Jason Licht – they set the table for everything. The culture just being here a couple of days is evident. You see that [and] you see that with the type of players they bring in. That's where it all starts. Once we put this whole thing together throughout this offseason and we get guys in the building, that's when the real work starts. I'm looking forward to that opportunity to get to know these guys and build from there."

(On if there is something to be said for throwing three or four deep balls a game to stretch the defense)

"Sure, I think, as long as coverage dictates. We'll never tell the quarterback to just launch a deep ball if nothing is there, but you've got to be able to stretch the field vertically, absolutely. As soon as you don't have that element, the field feels small. I know there are some guys here, obviously, that can get down the field. Obviously, we know Mike [Evans], we know what 'J-Mac' (Jalen McMillan) can do, obviously Chris Godwin and [Emeka] Egbuka, but watching Tez Johnson, he's got elite speed down the field and he can track it. All of those things are exciting, but it's exactly what you're saying – you've got to be able to stretch the field vertically, horizontally and all of those things and we've got the quarterback to do it."

(On if he will be in the booth or on the sideline for game days)

"I'll be sideline. My first year I was in the booth and then last year I came down like Week 4 and I was kicking myself for not being on the sideline the whole time. I can see the game down there just as well as in the booth, but you get more of a feel. Obviously, you're working with your players, you're getting to look those guys in the eye when they come off, so I will definitely be on the sideline."

(On if it's 'organized chaos' on the sideline)

"It's honestly not that bad. You just want to be able to look the guys in the eye. Like Baker [Mayfield] comes off the field, 'What did you see? Let's take a look at the [Microsoft Surface tablet].' To the offensive line, 'Hey, they're leaning on this.' That communication with the players on game day is huge."

-BUCCANEERS-