The Bucs have employed a brand new line of defense coach and it’s somebody that’s accustomed to Tampa. Ian Rapoport from the NFL community is has reported that the Bucs are going to rent Charlie Sturdy to be their subsequent line of defense coach after Kacy Rodgers departed take the identical job with the Lions.
Bucs DL Coach Charlie Sturdy Has Historical past In Tampa
When you’ve heard of the identify Charlie Sturdy earlier than, that’s as a result of he used to teach at Raymond James Stadium. Sturdy was the pinnacle coach of USF from 2017 to 2019 the place he compiled a training report of 21-16 and a 1-1 report in Bowl video games.
Charlie Sturdy’s teaching historical past goes a lot additional than that. He started his teaching profession as a pupil assistant on the College of Florida in 1983 and 1984 after which Texas A&M in 1985. From 1986 to 2009 Sturdy has had stops at Southern Illinois, Florida on three separate events, Ole Miss, Notre Dame and South Carolina.
Sturdy had numerous roles in that point that included extensive receivers coach, exterior linebackers coach, defensive ends coach, affiliate head coach, line of defense and defensive backs coach and defensive coordinator.
His first head teaching break occurred in 2010 when he took over Louisville. In 4 seasons Sturdy had a report of 37-15 with the Cardinals and a 20-9 convention report. Louisville went 3-1 in Bowl video games beneath Sturdy with the spotlight of profitable the 2013 Sugar Bowl 33-23 over Florida.
Following the 2014 season Sturdy departed Louisville and was employed by the College of Texas on a five-year deal value $5 million per season. Issues didn’t go as deliberate throughout his time with the Longhorns. He by no means compiled a profitable season at Texas going 16-21 in three years and misplaced their solely Bowl sport look within the Texas Bowl.
After being let go by Texas he was in a position to get again on the profitable observe as head coach of USF. However after a going 4-8 in his third season, he was fired by the Bulls and have become a defensive analyst for Alabama the following season in 2020.
Sturdy does have some teaching expertise on the NFL degree having been the line of defense coach of the Jaguars in 2021. He was employed by head coach City Myer, who was let go earlier than the top of the season as a result of a myriad of controversies. Sturdy was not retained when Doug Pederson was employed as head coach the next yr.
Again it was to the collegiate ranks for Sturdy. He was the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for Miami in 2022 and as soon as once more a defensive analyst for Alabama in 2023, the ultimate yr of Nick Saban’s teaching profession because the Crimson Tide gained the SEC Championship defeating Georgia however then misplaced to Michigan in extra time on the Rose Bowl through the School Soccer Semifinal sport. Sturdy didn’t coach in 2024.
Charlie Sturdy Has A Nice Defensive Line Room With Bucs
If there was any spot to go to when making a return to teaching and on the line of defense, there’s no higher spot than the Bucs. Tampa Bay has a unbelievable mixture up entrance with veteran nostril deal with Vita Vea and up and coming star Calijah Kancey, who his heading into his third season.
Vea has been a mainstay on the Bucs’ line of defense for a number of years being a high degree run stopper and growing into a fantastic cross rusher. Vea led the Bucs in 2022 with 6.5 sacks, was third on the workforce in 2023 with 5.5 and was second on Tampa Bay’s protection in 2024 with seven.
That simply trailed Kancey, who led the Bucs with 7.5 regardless of lacking the primary 5 video games of the season. Kancey has been an absolute drive on the Bucs’ protection and the one factor that has slowed him down over the primary two years of his profession are accidents in coaching camp which have stored him out of the opening month of the schedule every time.
Tampa Bay additionally noticed nice enchancment from Logan Corridor, who might be going right into a contract yeaer this season. Corridor had profession bests with 5.5 sacks, which was tied for third on the workforce together with 28 tackles and 6 tackles for loss. Corridor went all out within the Bucs’ Wildcard sport in opposition to the Commanders, recording seven tackles.
The defensive tackles have been one of the best group for the Bucs on protection this season. It’ll be as much as Sturdy to get one of the best out of them as soon as once more.