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Rookies need to make special plays

By RICK STROUD

© St. Petersburg Times,
published August 19, 2001

CLEVELAND -- The first day of training camp, special-teams coach Joe Marciano broke out a tape of the '96 Bucs with John Lynch and Derrick Brooks covering kicks, busting wedges and making tackles.

It was so long ago that Tampa Bay was wearing orange and had a winking, stiletto chewing pirate on the helmet.

The message was clear -- make a play on special teams and you might make a career.

Since there are no starting positions and few backup spots available, special teams will determine whether any first-year players are with the club Sept. 9 in Dallas.

Among the rookies who have caught Marciano's eye is receiver Robert Kilow, a free agent from Arkansas State who returned a punt 41 yards against Miami Monday night.

"I looked at Kilow in college and he was very productive," Marciano said.

"It's a little different playing Tennessee State than the Detroit Lions. I think he runs scared, which is good, because he runs fast and runs hard. Running scared can be a good thing. I bet you could say a lot of those guys run scared, although I'm not in their shoes. Running scared can be a good thing."

Third-round pick Dwight Smith, who has a chance to see playing time as the fifth defensive back, is a lock to make the team and could be used as a kickoff or punt returner.

Still, it's tough for an team to turn kick return duties over to a rookie.

Even Smith, who returned kicks at Akron, had trouble fielding the ball cleanly in the preseason opener against the Dolphins.

"The problem with first-year players is they're always going to make mistakes," Marciano said.

"(Smith) goes out there and he's not going to embarrass himself by fumbling, so he lets the ball hit the ground and doesn't go after it."

The competition is more fierce for players like safeties John Howell, Antonious Bonner and Than Merrill. They have to beat out some proven veterans David Gibson, Eric Vance and Jude Waddy.

"The strong safety position is Gibson, Merrill, Bonner and Vance," Marciano said." Bonner is a hell of a special-teams player and Vance is a hell of a special-teamer.

"The guys we drafted, it was just an educated guess that they could be good special-teams players, like Merrill and Howell and Dwight Smith. Face it, we don't have many starting positions opening on this football team. So if they're going to play behind somebody and not be good special-team players, then your special teams are going to suffer."

RULED BY KING: In addition to his obvious conditioning and improved accuracy, quarterback Shaun King has gained attention from coaches and players for his leadership -- a trait that was lacking in his first year as a starter.

"I think he's progressed in this offseason," offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen said.

"Shaun King is going to be a fine player. He's done a ton already in a short career and we haven't heard the last of him yet."

SAY IT AIN'T, JOE: Maybe Joe Hamilton is the second coming of Doug Flutie. But even the ex-Patriots, ex-Bears, ex-Bills quarterback had to spend a few years in Canada before getting his big break in the NFL.

This may be a minority opinion, but look for Ryan Leaf to be the Bucs' No. 3 quarterback behind King and Johnson.

Leaf has a higher upside as a potential starting quarterback and that's precisely what the No. 3 spot is for.

When the Bucs drafted Hamilton, they projected him to be a possible backup to King.

The Bucs essentially committed themselves to Leaf when they restructured his deal after claiming him off waivers and want to see him next training camp.

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