With beginning quarterback Baker Mayfield not enjoying within the first preseason recreation, it was Kyle Trask who received the primary crack of working this new Liam Coen offense for the Bucs. Though typical preseason offenses are vanilla and solely give a short window of what it’ll appear like for the common season, it was nonetheless good to see Trask have a possibility to indicate some progress within the new system as he makes an attempt to ascertain his function because the backup quarterback.
Kyle Trask Lays Down Constructing Blocks For Bucs Offense
There have been some good and unhealthy moments for Kyle Trask because the Bucs defeated the Cincinnati Bengals on the highway 17-14. He orchestrated an eight play, 77-yard landing drive on the crew’s second possession that included passing performs of 24, 21 and 19 yards. Trask additionally had two turnover-worthy throws, together with an interception in direction of the start of the second quarter, however fortunately the Bucs protection was in a position to power the Bengals to punt.
Bucs QB Kyle Trask – Photograph by: USA Immediately
Following the sport Trask evaluated what it was like attending to play to begin the 2024 season.
“It was good to get on the market, get some dwell reps and get an excellent rhythm going,” Trask stated. “Undoubtedly some issues to study off, as all the time. There’s all the time going to be some issues that aren’t essentially clicking, particularly the primary recreation on the market, however some nice studying moments, and we’ll put that underneath our belt going ahead. However I felt actually good total.”
Trask performed simply the primary half, ending with a stat line of finishing 12-of-20 passes for 144 yards with one interception and being sacked as soon as. He had a quarterback score of 61.2.
Out of 5 drives, two of them ended up with the Bucs both scoring or being in scoring place, as Chase McLaughlin missed a 51-yard subject aim try. Tampa Bay had additionally gotten simply over midfield when Trask thew an interception, so that will have resulted in one other scoring alternative.
Advantages Of Teaming Up With Liam Coen
Bucs QBs Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask and OC Liam Coen – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
Kyle Trask’s landing drive was in fact the spotlight of his night time, powered by these massive passing performs. Operating again Bucky Irving ultimately scored the opening landing for the Bucs, speeding from 5 yards out. Trask made the fitting reads and hit receivers in stride, and that allowed the Bucs to maneuver the chains on that scoring drive. Fast, rhythmic throws are staple of what Liam Coen’s offense is all about.
“It’s good if you name the play and also you need it towards a sure protection, and we received the protection we wished,” Trask stated. “It’s good once we can execute it. That’s sort of the entire philosophy of this offense, is we need to run the fitting performs versus the fitting protection, going to the road with a number of performs in our pocket. I’m simply actually happy with the fellows for a way they executed and communicated all night time.”
Pertaining to working with Coen particularly, Trask complimented on how a lot of assist he was through the night.
“Liam’s been nice within the headset,” Trask stated. “Very clear communicator, and permits you to get out and in of the huddle, and offers you little pointers alongside the best way. I assumed he was superior, I assumed it was nice.”
Backup QB Competitors Is Not Over But
Head coach Todd Bowles will all the time say that everybody is competing for a job. That may be coachspeak at instances as we all know gamers like Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans, Tristan Wirfs, Lavonte David and Anotine Winfield Jr. don’t have to fret about their job safety.
However Bowles is truthful in the case of backups and different function gamers.
Bucs QBs Kyle Trask and John Wolford – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
Kyle Trask is within the last yr of his rookie deal after he was drafted by the Bucs in 2021. He had a reliable alternative to win the beginning job final yr however was beat out by Mayfield. Since Mayfield is the starter transferring ahead, Tampa Bay could transfer on from Trask following this season if the crew looks like it will probably improve on the backup QB place.
Making issues fascinating this season for the yet-to-be-determined winner of the backup QB spot is that John Wolford is again for a second season in Tampa Bay and is aware of the offense in all probability higher than anybody contemplating his time spent with the Rams. Wolford had a stable outing in Cincinnati as effectively, serving to the Bucs to 2 scoring drives as he went 12-fo- 18 for 131 yards and was sacked twice.
So is it a real competitors for the fitting to again up Baker Mayfield? Bowles made it sound prefer it was, whereas additionally declaring that there’s nonetheless an extended option to go earlier than a winner is set.
“It’s just one recreation,” Bowles stated. “They’ve received two extra video games to see how this performs out. They each made some good performs, they’d each prefer to have some performs again, clearly. Kyle threw it delicate a few instances and he’s received to let it go. John made some good throws beneath when he was underneath stress, however it’s nonetheless a contest. There’s nonetheless two video games to go. It’s nonetheless shut.”