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Tony Dungy: New Bucs assistants are not set in their ways and are used to young players.
By RICK STROUD
© St. Petersburg Times, published February 9, 2001
TAMPA -- Tony Dungy said he deliberately raided college campuses and robbed the cradle of coaches to add to his staff.
That's why two of the three new Bucs coaches introduced Thursday have no NFL experience and the other spent one year breaking down film with the 49ers. Two are younger than some of the players they will coach.
It's a practice that Dungy learned from former Steelers coach Chuck Noll.
"He felt once you have a system in place, you always hire college coaches," Dungy said. "You're looking for new ideas and input, but not people who think this is the way you have to do things. College coaches also are used to getting a freshman and four years later having to do it all over again. With free agency, it's the thought process you need now in the NFL. I think it's also important for guys to be able to relate to the players."
Joe Barry, the 30-year-old son-in-law of Bucs defensive line coach Rod Marinelli, spent one year as quality control coach with the 49ers and will coach linebackers. Mike Tomlin, a 29-year-old University of Cincinnati assistant, will coach defensive backs; and former Wake Forest coach Jim Caldwell, the graybeard of the bunch at age 47, will coach quarterbacks.
Dungy refuted speculation that the Bucs were unable to attract NFL assistants or couldn't afford them. In fact, five members of Dungy's first staff had no NFL experience.
"I don't think salary has been an issue," Dungy said. "I don't remember losing a coach here that went anywhere because they got paid more money or wanted more money ... I didn't put too much stock in that one. We don't necessarily do things the way everybody else does, but we think we have a pretty good way of doing it. It's won a few games for us." Dungy said he spoke to Giants quarterback Kerry Collins before hiring Caldwell, who coached quarterbacks at Penn State.
"The thing about Jim is he didn't play the quarterback position, so he sees the offense from a different perspective," Dungy said. "(Collins) told me his quarterbacks were well-prepared and he told me he was tough."
Caldwell, who met Wednesday with quarterback Shaun King, said he didn't think his jump to the NFL would be a tough one.
"It's a challenge," Caldwell said. "Obviously, it's the top level of football in the world. But I've had a number of guys that I've either coached with or played with that made that jump and certainly enjoyed it."
Tomlin was recommended by Bearcats assistant coach Keith Willis, who played for Dungy with the Steelers.
"I didn't expect to be standing here today," said Tomlin, who was recruiting for the Bearcats on Wednesday. "I'm not a hard guy to figure out. I'm very motivated and a high-passion guy when it comes to football."
Barry has worked with the Bucs during several training camps and is most familiar with the current staff.
"I was shocked that it kind of happened after one year of being with the 49ers. But I'm up to it. I'm confident in myself," Barry said. "When I'm in the confines of this building, I really don't look at Rod as my father-in-law. I look at him as a co-worker, as an outstanding defensive line coach."
Dungy still has to replace offensive assistant Wendell Avery, who was dismissed in October.