Late in the 2012 season, we created an unintended stir in Tampa by reporting that an unnamed Bucs player vented frustration after a 41-0 loss to the Saints by remarking, “Can we send these coaches back to college?”
Coincidentally or not, some of them are doing just that.
That latest, according to Ira Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune, is defensive backs coach Ron Cooper. The first-year NFL defensive backs coach who had nearly 30 years of college coaching experience has opted to join the staff at the University of South Florida, which also is located in Tampa and which plays its home games at Raymond James Stadium.
Per Kaufman, the move wouldn’t be happening unless head coach Greg Schiano wanted Cooper out. Which makes sense, given that the Bucs were at the bottom of the league in pass defense in 2012.