Now that he has a agency grasp of the Bucs beginning working again job due to Leonard Fournette’s launch this offseason, Rachaad White must have higher grasp of the soccer. Tampa Bay’s third-round choose final yr had a promising rookie season with three touchdowns (two receiving, one speeding), but in addition had three fumbles.
That’s a high number for a working again, particularly one with simply 190 touches, together with 11 kick returns. White’s first fumble within the common season got here on the opening kickoff towards Kansas Metropolis in Week 4. He later fumbled the ball on offense in back-to-back video games versus New Orleans and at San Francisco later within the yr.
Tennessee working again Derrick Henry led all working backs within the league with six fumbles in 2022, however had 382 complete touches (349 carries, 33 receptions) final yr.
Chatting with the media on the NFL Annual Assembly, Bucs head coach Todd Bowles has excessive hopes for White this yr, however says the Arizona State product has to scrub up his fumbles.
“Simply get higher – we talked about him turning into a extra full again,” Bowles stated of White. “I do know the ball went on the bottom a couple of too many instances that we talked about and conscious of him holding on to the soccer, primary. Taking good care of the soccer, after which with the brand new offense, I search for him to proceed to speed up and get higher in all phases to grow to be an entire, three-down again.”
White talked about his fumbles in an exclusive interview with Pewter Report this offseason.
“Yeah, for certain – it’s powerful. On the finish of the day, soccer is soccer,” White stated. “My complete faculty profession, I by no means fumbled the soccer. You’ve simply acquired to return in right here, and also you’ve acquired to regulate. Clearly, on a few of the performs that I fumbled the ball on, you simply study from it.
“You’re simply keen, I used to be eagerly attempting to make extra performs and do extra for the staff in addition to simply assist me get on the sector extra. Simply sure issues I needed to perceive and study to not power something – that issues occur, and that grows over time.”
White ran for 481 yards and one landing on 129 carries (3.7 avg.) whereas catching 50 passes for 292 yards and a pair of scores throughout his rookie season in Tampa Bay.
Rachaad White Is Keen To Work With New Bucs RBs Coach Skip Peete
Along with his three fumbles through the season, White additionally fumbled as soon as within the preseason at Tennessee. Whereas he was desirous to make performs final yr, which led to some turnovers, White is keen to study from new working backs coach Skip Peete. Teaching working backs Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard final yr, Peete’s working backs in Dallas didn’t have a single fumble.
“Coach Peete’s observe report proves itself,” White stated. “Guys like that, Tony and Zeke, guys that didn’t fumble the ball in any respect final yr. I already carry that in my head, however to have Coach Peete preserve harping on that’s going to be nice.”
White just isn’t solely going to embrace extra carries and catches this season as Tampa Bay’s starter, he’s additionally going to embrace Peete’s teaching type. The 60-year previous veteran coach has been instructing working backs for 3 many years.
“The preliminary dialog that we had went nice, went nicely,” White stated. “I like Coach Peete. Simply over the telephone, I might inform although he’s a seasoned, older man, he’s acquired quite a lot of swag. I might simply hear it and inform how the best way he talks and the way he comes off.
“Yeah, I’m able to study, we talked about that loads. I’m all the time open and know I’ve acquired to get higher and I’ve acquired to study. I don’t know all of it. I’m not excellent. I don’t have all of it found out. That’s the largest factor when my mindset is like that, and also you’ve acquired a coach like Skip Peete. The identical factor together with his observe report and the fellows he’s had. You’re simply desirous to study and desirous to get higher. I’m in nice arms.”
The Bucs are hoping Peete might help White have some safer arms in 2023.