Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

Bucs' Fournette: For 1st time, I really have a QB

Written by 
Published in Breaking News
Tuesday, 08 September 2020 13:40

TAMPA, Fla. -- New Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Leonard Fournette said Tuesday that after facing stacked boxes every Sunday with the Jacksonville Jaguars, he's looking forward to not being the focal point of an offense, one that has six-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady as its quarterback.

"For the first time in my life, I really have a quarterback, so that's an eye-opener for me. Not a lot of pressure is going to come on me," said Fournette, who played alongside Blake Bortles, Nick Foles and Gardner Minshew the past three seasons.

"Me coming to Tampa made perfect sense. I felt like they had all the keys I needed and vice versa. I can help the team out and also they can help me. I think it's probably one of my first seasons running in probably a six-man box. ... I made sure all of that was in consideration of me coming here."

With a carousel of quarterbacks over the past three seasons, Jacksonville built its offense on the ground. From 2017 to 2019, Fournette had 800 touches -- fifth most of any running back in the league -- despite playing in only eight games in 2018.

Although Fournette saw teams stack the box against him less frequently and DJ Chark emerged as a Pro Bowl receiver, Fournette saw a loaded box on 47.8% of his snaps in 2017, 39.1% in 2018 and 34.7% in 2019 according to NFL Next Gen Stats.

The Bucs, with one of the NFL's highest-powered passing attacks last season with a league-high 4,845 passing yards, but also an inconsistent ground game, saw a loaded box on just 21.5% of snaps last year -- third lowest in the NFL.

Fournette not only won't be the focal point of the Bucs' offense, he won't be the feature back, with coach Bruce Arians saying last week that Ronald Jones will remain the starter, with LeSean McCoy listed as second on the depth chart.

How does Fournette, the No. 4 draft pick in 2017, feel about walking into a situation where he's not the guy?

"Everything's gonna take care of itself," Fournette said. "My job is to come out here and compete the best I can, get in the playbook, understand what they want from me, and the rest will take care of itself.

"We have guys -- Shady, RoJo, other guys in there -- I'm comfortable with my role right now. I don't have to get beat up every week. We can split carries, which is gonna help a lot on our bodies towards the end of the year when we're trying to make that run for whatever, the playoffs, or whatever the case may be. I'm fine with my role right now."

When asked why things didn't work out in Jacksonville, Fournette said, "I don't know. Time changes everything. I'm moving past that. My time there was great. I made a bond with a lot of the coaches and some of the players -- that's my brothers for life, and some of those coaches I built a relationship with -- things happen. I guess it wasn't God's plan -- God had other things for me to do. ... I'm moving on from it."

As for his new team, Fournette will have to get up to speed quickly, but Arians said he will have a "solid role" Sunday at the New Orleans Saints, which will be the former LSU star's first time playing in the Superdome.

While the Bucs' offense -- with Pro Bowlers Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Rob Gronkowski, O.J. Howard and Cam Brate -- certainly had a big role in Fournette choosing Tampa Bay, former LSU teammate Devin White, the Bucs' draft pick at No. 5 in 2019, might have played the biggest role in recruiting him.

Fournette used to make White work out with him at 6:30 in the morning when White was a freshman. Fournette said things have come "full circle" now.

"Devin FaceTimed me actually and was like, 'Man, whatcha gonna do?'" Fournette said. "I'm like, 'Man, there's a lot of teams right now. It's tough right now.' I just felt my heart was needed in Tampa -- to be around a lot of guys like that, and also to be around Devin."

Fournette already got a head start on the playbook over the weekend by meeting with Brady.

"He'll have a solid role in this plan. He's a very bright guy. He picked it up pretty quick today. Obviously he can't do everything, but he'll have a solid role in the plan for the week," Arians said.

Rather than pigeonholing him into a role, Arians believes it's up to Fournette to create opportunities for himself, although helping in the passing game -- not a strength for Jones -- could be where he has a chance to shine.

"He's a big, strong back that can really catch -- he can do everything -- he can protect, he's a big third-down back and he's been a solid guy in the league. It just gives us another weapon," Arians said.

"The beauty of it is he doesn't have to learn the playbook anymore -- he just has to learn the game plan. It's about one-third of the playbook. So if he studies the game plan this week, he should know it by Friday."

Read 301 times

Soccer

Ex-Uruguay striker Forlán loses pro doubles debut

Ex-Uruguay striker Forlán loses pro doubles debut

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMONTEVIDEO, Uruguay -- Former soccer star Diego Forlán's newfound c...

New video puts ref Coote under fresh scrutiny

New video puts ref Coote under fresh scrutiny

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsPGMOL, the refereeing body for English football, has confirmed that...

Pulisic: USMNT given 'reset' by Pochettino arrival

Pulisic: USMNT given 'reset' by Pochettino arrival

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsAC Milan star Christian Pulisic praised a "reset" for the United St...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

Kings' DeRozan (back tightness) exits win early

Kings' DeRozan (back tightness) exits win early

EmailPrintSACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Sacramento Kings guard DeMar DeRozan was ruled out of Wednesday nigh...

Wemby hits another milestone with 50-point game

Wemby hits another milestone with 50-point game

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsSAN ANTONIO -- Spurs star Victor Wembanyama scored a career-high 50...

Baseball

Williams' Medal of Freedom, MVP up for auction

Williams' Medal of Freedom, MVP up for auction

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsBOSTON -- Ted Williams' Presidential Medal of Freedom, which was pr...

Guardians, AL Central champions, tweak staff

Guardians, AL Central champions, tweak staff

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsCLEVELAND -- Guardians manager Stephen Vogt made some tweaks to Cle...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated