Running Back Bucky Irving Is Ready To “Sail” In Tampa Bay: “I’m Not Satisfied”

Tampa Bay coach Todd Bowles opted to sit most veterans, including running back Rachaad White, in the Buccaneers’ first preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals. This opened the door for former Oregon Ducks star Bucky Irving. Despite this being his first NFL action, Irving quickly settled into a nice rhythm.

“When I went out there and got my first shot, the game slowed down for me and I started playing with all these guys,” Irving said. “Seriously, it’s football.”

That may be the case, but Irving has impressed Coach Bowles since rookie minicamp in Tampa Bay.

“(Irving) can put his foot in the ground and run the ball. More importantly, he can make the first guy miss more often than not,” Bowles told reporters. “And, you know, that’s a rare trait to have in this ball game, especially when, you know, so many guys can tackle well and get to the ball real quick. Making the first guy miss and potentially have big-play ability, that’s something we didn’t have a lot of last year.”

Now that the team is in fall training, Bowles continues to be impressed with the former Oregon star as the Bucs’ first preseason game approaches.

“I mean (Irving) didn’t have any jitters, he wasn’t nervous,” Bowles said. “He hit the holes, caught the ball well, blocked the pass well. I’ll check the tape for anything else, but I thought he had a good first outing.”

As is the case in the preseason, Irving’s playing time was limited as Bowles and new offensive coordinator Liam Coen wanted to use live action to get a look at the other running backs on the roster. However, Irving took advantage of his opportunities with six carries for 28 yards, including a five-yard touchdown run.

“My eyes didn’t get big,” he said. “If you’re a ballplayer, you’re used to making plays, you just have to stick with it and keep working.”

Irving has left little doubt that he is a football player and is ready to breathe new life into what has been an anemic running game in Tampa Bay. Consider that White had 1,539 total yards from scrimmage and an astounding 336 touchdowns in 2023. The plan is to bring in Irving as an elusive backup to White, making sure both stay fresh as the game enters in crisis.

As for the strategy behind Coen’s offense, he devised a variety of sets to mask the play and hopefully put the defense back on its heels. It was this play call that gave Irving his first goal line.

“I knew we had a call inside the zone,” Irving said after the game. “I almost let my blocks set up and then cut my blocks, and then I had to break a tackle to get in.”

While the sample size of Irving’s play is small, his potential appears to be limitless. However, that doesn’t change how he approaches the game and the work that still needs to be done.

“Just keep my head down, keep working,” Irving explained. “I still have a lot of things to keep working on to get better, but I’m not satisfied. I’m just trying to improve and get better.”

Irving comes to Tampa Bay as a fourth-round NFL pick. The reality of any player’s choice includes the possibility of a boom or bust. In this case, Irving is exceeding expectations, and given his work ethic, he’s likely to stay on the boom path. While this is only the preseason, Buccaneer fans have a lot to get excited about right now, and hopefully that will continue into the regular season.