Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Where do they go from here?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are now searching diligently for their next new head coach. Where exactly do they go from here in order to make themselves contenders again?

You can have all the best players a team can ask for but without the right head coach in place to keep everything and everyone in check, successful results won’t come. The Buccaneers made a bold move by parting ways with their now ex-head coach Lovie Smith which was the right decision to make.

The Buccaneers are now searching for their next new head coach that will inherit a team that is full of good talent that just needs the right guidance and direction. The problem with Smith was that he didn’t hold his players accountable for their actions on the field and didn’t have the right personality for the team.

Too many times, the Buccaneers’ defense missed tackles, they played slopped football with the huge amount of penalties (261 yellow flags) they got hit with and above all else, they didn’t really have the team focused on the task at hand. They lacked that sense of urgency throughout the season to really push their team to new heights considering they drafted their franchise quarterback of the future in Jameis Winston.

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The Buccaneers have all the pieces necessary to win but firing Smith was the right thing to do. They needed someone new that can not only relate to players but make their presence felt with everything that needs to happen to become contenders again.

All it takes is the right head coach in place and the right behaviors to be installed for a team to head in a winning direction.

General manager Jason Licht has an immense task ahead of him to make sure he brings the perfect candidate in for the job. Someone that can imprint their new culture across the team to ensure results right off the bat in 2016. There is no patience anymore with this franchise, they are built to win now.

Licht needs to bring someone in that can be understanding to his players but know how to push them to raise their standards even higher at any given moment on the football field.

Ideally, the Buccaneers want to bring someone who has experience on all sides of the football to ensure a balance to each area. It won’t be easy but the Buccaneers have a golden opportunity to bring a head coach that is capable of making an impact the moment they step foot into the building.

So far, while the screening and interview processes are in the early stages, Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter will have a chance to throw his name in the hat. The only bright spot on the Buccaneers in 2015 was their offense as he was a great mentor and coach for Winston.

As a rookie, he had a pretty good year as he totaled 4,042 passing yards on 312 completions for 22 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. He stayed focused on what mattered most and didn’t bring any distractions whatsoever to the organization. Winston looks like he is the real deal and exactly what the Buccaneers need for major success in the future. Having a new head coach like Koetter would only further his development.

More nfl spin zone: Lovie Smith's Firing Hurts Buccaneers' Progress

Overall, as the search continues for the Buccaneers and filling their head coaching vacancy, there is much confidence they’ll get the right person in place to ensure a much better 2016 and beyond.

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