Like Father, Like Son: Can Klint Kubiak Be The Next Offensive Coordinator In Tampa?

As names are revealed for the @Buccaneers' OC vacancy, it's funny to see fans' reactions and immediate disdain and confusion. Some were hoping for names that were widely known and popular from other wildly successful offenses. Many were looking to see a familiar name from an old regime in Tampa. Others wished for their own Create-An-OC, where he/she were both new and old school with years of experience and a fresh new take that no one has ever seen before.

Well, it turns out a few candidates meet some of those criteria in their own way. Let’s look at three candidates, their history in the NFL, and how they may fit in Tampa.

First up: He’s the proverbial Son Of A Coach. Klint Kubiak

Kubiak spent three years in Denver as an Offensive Assistant(2016-2018), Quarterback Coach, and Passing Game Coordinator(2022). Arguably, that's where he got his most significant experience en route to being a candidate as the Buccaneers' next OC.

He's also got experience as an OC in Minnesota, where the Vikings ranked 14th during the 2021 season.

In Denver, the Broncos' offense was below average every year of his tenure, with the best season coming in 2016 when it ranked 22nd in scoring. The team also posted a 9-7 record that season.

But you can't judge an OC just based on record and rankings. Let alone determining the value of an Offensive Assitant. You have to take into consideration who the actual play caller was.

Above Kubiak in his first season was Rick Dennison. Denison had spearheaded three Top 10 Offenses in the seven years he spent as OC in Houston and a previous stint in Denver. In Houston, Denison was the OC for Klint's dad, Gary Kubiak.

Overall, Denison showed he could muster up a potent offense when given a decent amount of talent. In Houston, his WR1 was Andre Johnson, and his QB was Matt Schaub. At RB was Arian Foster. For three consecutive seasons, the Texans fielded a Top 10 Offense.

Fast forward to 2016, when Dennison, in his 2nd go-around with the Broncos, was fired at the end of the season. Kubiak stays on an Offensive Assistant as Mike McCoy and Bill Musgrave take over as Co-Offensive Coordinators. Musgrave had been a primarily middling OC throughout his career. One Top 10 Offense throughout his ten-year career. His best offense came in 2016 with the Raiders.

Mike McCoy was in the same boat as Musgrave regarding his overall track record as an OC. He had one remarkable year when Peyton Manning was under center in Denver during the 2012 season. That'll come with an asterisk, as it's assumed Manning called plays and adjusted things on the fly. The offense ranked #2 in points that season.

With Kubiak learning from three offensive coordinators in such a short period and the amount of knowledge he could've picked up, it could be a feather in his cap. He's likely seen and heard how a successful offense should be run from the likes of Dennison. And, on the flip side, he's seen just how badly Musgrave and McCoy could do it.

Compare that to the likes of the former OC in Tampa, who was mentored primarily by one guy. That one guy’s faults became Leftwich’s faults. That one mentor’s ways became Leftwich’s ways. Leftwich didn’t know differently, so didn’t do anything to stand on his own and correct any mistakes that his mentor didn’t teach.

Keep in mind that for much of Kubiak's time in Denver, Kubiak was relatively limited with offensive weapons. Especially at the QB position. In Minnesota, he had a relatively capable QB and well-above-average WRs and RBs to work with. In his one season as OC with the Vikings, Kubkiak called plays for an offense that ranked 11th in points scored.