Buccaneers coach Dirk Koetter commissioned research that came up with the startling conclusion that it’s hotter in the afternoons in Florida than the mornings.
So when it comes to matters of science, we’ll defer to him.
Now he’s turned his attention to the fact his three top cornerbacks are all 5-foot-10 (Brent Grimes, Alterraun Verner and rookie Vernon Hargreaves), saying that their research shows that’s not as big a problem as some think.
“They’re not going to grow,” Koetter said, via Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times. “They’re not going to grow, alright? So we’ve got 5,000 stories out there about short corners. You can’t bitch about your players. They’re the ones you’ve got. These guys aren’t going to grow.”
Koetter said after looking at Pro Bowl rosters the last 15 years, they realized size wasn’t everything. Or at least, that was their justification for signing Grimes and using a first-round pick on Hargreaves, knowing they’ll see big receivers like Julio Jones and Kelvin Benjamin twice a year.
“There’s plenty of research both ways about size and corners. There’s some misnomers out there,” Koetter said. “There’s just as many corners that are 5-10 that have been successful as corners that are 6-4. So the guys are who they are. We’re happy with our guys and we’re going to keep working with them.”
But because they’re all adults, Koetter won’t be waiting on a growth spurt, knowing one’s unlikely to happen.