Head coach Todd Bowles talks about Zac Robinson's football mind and offensive talents as keys to revolutionizing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offense.
Zach Robinson is different from any offensive coordinator Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles has hired in his four-plus seasons on the job.
When Bowles hired Dave Canales in 2023, Canales had never been an NFL OC.
After one year as OC in Tampa, Liam Coen left for the Jacksonville Jaguars' head coaching job in 2025. Bowles then promoted Josh Grizzard from within, though the 35-year-old had never been an offensive coordinator.
In Robinson, the Bucs hired somebody with two years of play-calling experience.
At the NFL combine on Tuesday, roughly a month after hiring Robinson, Bowles told reporters that Robinson stood out as a great football mind.
"He has a great feel for the game. He understands situational football. He knows what he wants and how he wants to do it," Bowles said from the podium Tuesday afternoon. "Just playing against him the last two years, I think I have a good feel of what he wants to do and wants to do, and I think he'll help us."
If last season's collapse down the stretch is any indication, the Bucs' offense could use some help.
The biggest help would be for the team stayed healthy.
Running back Bucky Irving missed seven games; future Hall-of-Fame receiver Mike Evans and his fellow wideout Chris Godwin missed nine and eight games, respectively -- leaving rookie Emeka Egbuka to take up a lot of slack. Tampa Bay's offensive line was decimated by injuries that required shifting and covering to the degree the team used nine different combinations across the line.
If the Bucs' offense suffers another injury-riddled campaign, it will be hard for Robinson's plan to work, no matter how solid it is.
But Robinson has shown that he can get the most out of star players. In his short time with the Atlanta Falcons, Robinson helped Bijan Robinson become one of only two tailbacks to eclipse 1,400 yards in each of the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
He helped Kyle Pitts to 928 yards and five touchdowns at tight end this past year, and helped Drake London to almost 1,300 receiving yards in 2024.
Bowles also sees the traits of an old friend in Robinson.
"He reminds me of Liam (Coen) a little bit from a game-plan standpoint and an execution standpoint," Bowles said.
If the Bucs' offense can be like it was under Coen (fourth in the league in scoring) and less like it was under Grizzard (tied for 16th), the team has a chance to do better than go home at the end of the regular season with a 9-8 record.
Robinson is also likely to impact Irving, who should be a fit for Robinson's outside zone scheme.
Bowles said outside zone "won't be the only thing we do" in running the ball, but one would think it didn't hurt Robinson's chances of getting hired.
"His personality and style and the way he likes to do things and the way our guys can fit his scheme," Bowles said, "I thought was the best among everybody we interviewed."
Time will tell.
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