Mike Glennon to get first NFL Start

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Mike Glennon

ESPN.com’s Adam Shefter is reporting this morning that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have plans to bench starting QB Josh Freeman, effective immediately.

Of course, this means that Mike Glennon will be getting the starting job…and perhaps a bit sooner than some of us thought he might.  Nonetheless, Glennon will now be making his first career NFL start this Sunday at home vs. the Arizona Cardinals.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have decided to bench quarterback Josh Freeman for rookie Mike Glennon, according to league sources.

The Bucs are making the change now because they feel it is beneficial for Glennon with the bye week coming after Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals, team sources told ESPN. He can start this week, then have two weeks for the coaches to review his performance and make corrections before the Bucs play the Philadelphia Eagles on Oct. 13.

Coach Greg Schiano, according to the sources, felt this was a more favorable scenario than having Glennon anticipating his first NFL start for two weeks.

“This league is about finding a franchise quarterback, and with Josh’s roller-coaster career, we don’t feel he’s that guy,” a team source said.

There are five weeks before the trade deadline, and if a team loses a starting quarterback and has interest in Freeman, the Bucs are willing to trade him. For now, he’s their backup quarterback.

[snip]

Tampa Bay selected the 6-foot-6, 225-pound Glennon in the third round (73rd overall) of the 2013 draft. He was the third quarterback taken in the draft and will become the third rookie to start a game at the position this season, joining the Buffalo Bills’ EJ Manuel and the New York Jets’ Geno Smith, the two quarterbacks picked before him. Manuel and Smith have started since Week 1.

This is also now being reported by CBSSports.com, and is currently the front page top story on their NFL page.  And if you follow that link quickly, you can get a gander at the back of Mr. Glennon’s head.

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No offense to Arizona, but not a bad team against which to get one’s first career start, as they are currently ranked 26th in the league in pass defense.

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Of course this also means that, barring mid-week practice injuries to anyone, Glennon will now join Philip Rivers and Russell Wilson as former Wolfpack quarterbacks who are currently (and CONcurrently) NFL starting quarterbacks on Sunday.

We’ve been having some discussions about previous times when this might have happened for former QBs from other schools, but I’ll leave that to the comments for discussion.

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Tip of the hat to my colleague BJD95 for the heads up and the link on this one, btw.

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About Wufpacker

A 2nd generation alumnus and raised since birth to be irrationally dedicated to all things NC State. Class of '88 and '92.

Alums NCS Football NCSU Sports History

41 Responses to Mike Glennon to get first NFL Start

  1. YogiNC 09/25/2013 at 9:22 PM #

    I forgot about Ponder. That’s a 20% lock then.

  2. Greywolf 09/25/2013 at 10:28 PM #

    @vapackfan
    You ask, “He seems to be “all in” with
    NC STATE. Definitely heading in the right direction. Anyone disagree?”

    Don’t disagree but acknowledge it’s still a little early. Will NCSU administration continue to fund the quality assistants. I don’t sweat Doeren like some but I do sweat Matt Canada. He is brilliant and is cutting edge with his motions and muddles, yet he is patient while putting it all in.

    I didn’t understand it when it was happening but in hindsight, I thought sticking with the game plan when we were 3 TDs down was the smartest thing we could do. Instead of desperately throwing long passes and rushing the offense, he continued to build confidence with the offense with a sustained drive — what some refer to as ‘clock mismanagement.’ I honestly don’t know but I’ll go along with Canada and Doeren over one of us internet experts.

  3. tjfoose1 09/25/2013 at 11:00 PM #

    Cassel, not Ponder (back injury), might be starting for MN this week.

  4. tjfoose1 09/25/2013 at 11:10 PM #

    Those who were making the “clock mismanagement” argument don’t get it.

    At this point in DD’s tenure, at that point in the game, with what had transpired (injuries, bad calls, and bad breaks), it was exactly what they should’ve done.

    Not run the clock, but sustain a patient, unpanicked drive for a TD. Quickly if possible, but not hurried.

    Said it at the time to those around me in CF, still say it now.

  5. tjfoose1 09/25/2013 at 11:21 PM #

    Wish Glennon well, but I don’t see it.

    He might, through no fault of his own, once again wind up playing an indirect role in getting a coach fired.

  6. tjfoose1 09/25/2013 at 11:35 PM #

    “He took a lot of undeserved grief from our fans that I never understood.”

    I wasn’t one, but I certainly understand. Saying start me or I’m leaving isn’t exactly the way to endear yourself to those who think the starting QB position should be determined by merit and results.

    If Pete Carroll thought like TOB, Matt Flynn would be the starting QB for the Seattle Seahawks.

  7. tobaccordshow 09/26/2013 at 7:43 AM #

    Little bit of revisionist history there, huh foose? It was actually Russell Wilson, the dear golden boy, who said I’m not going to spring practice and if you make me, I’m leaving. And he did. Yet that action is looked more kindly upon by you than a mere threat of wanting to get the most of a collegiate career?

    Glennon was right. He needed to showcase 2 years to have a shot at an NFL career. He got it and he’s getting his shot.

    And in what way do you ever see that Glennon had an indirect role in TOB’s firing? He was simply there when it happened.

    I’m not begrudging either QB. As a Wolfpack alum, I wish all of our athletes well who represent our university well. And you could not ask for better representatives than either of these guys.

    Go Chargers, Go Hawks, go Bucs!

  8. Deacon Blues 09/26/2013 at 8:51 AM #

    ‘Foose, word on the Rutgers boards is that Schiano is already done in TB. He is rumored on the short list for some college jobs, but who knows there. No sour grapes from Rutgers toward the man either, he picked them up out of the basement.

    Glennon is the right move at this point. By then end of the season you know what you are drafting with that very nice pick. Hope for Glennon it is not a QB.

  9. BJD95 09/26/2013 at 9:51 AM #

    Foose is right on re the current team and staff. I don’t really need to comment this Fall other than to say “yeah, what Foose said.”

    I am more hopeful re Glennon – hell, even TOB is quoted as saying he is eager to see what he can do with a non-shite OL.

    The plan was always for Glennon to have two years. RW’s baseball implosion threw a wrench into things, and I believe that everyone acted rationally and gracefully. As we can see, Glennon really did have pro potential. Not getting two seasons as a starter would have been devastating to his career path – and it was what he had been promised all along.

    I think it speaks volumes about the character of both men that RW and Glennon not only didn’t get into trashing the other, but also remained friends throughout. I think each would embrace the other when they meet in Week 9. ,

  10. tjfoose1 09/26/2013 at 10:45 AM #

    “Little bit of revisionist history there, huh foose? It was actually Russell Wilson, the dear golden boy, who said I’m not going to spring practice and if you make me, I’m leaving. ”

    Um, no it wasn’t. I’ve been consistent all along. I’m not injecting “revisionist history”. Even the doofuses at 99.9 understood that Glennon was gone if he didn’t get the starting gig in 2011.

    A lot of folks at the time where also making the same incorrect claim that you just repeated. I got tired of how many times I corrected them, that it was Glennon, not Wilson, that was saying he was gone if the starting job was not his. Wilson merely wanted the chance to compete for it.

    So I’m not misunderstood, and to cut off those reading words I did not type, I’ll explicitly state here that I don’t blame Glennon for this. Glennon was told certain things during his recruitment. He needed to prepare for his intended profession.

    I said the same thing back when it was going down. Wilson always intended to come back to play his final year at NC State. He never said he “was leaving” (and not coming back). He simply did what he had always said he was going to do all along, since the day he signed. He was then told he wasn’t welcome, not even to compete.

    You may chose to not believe me, that is fine. To each his own. I was privy to a lot of “inside info”, first hand, during this time period, but you may not believe that either. All I can do is share it.

    Wilson just wanted TOB to live up to the agreement that was made when he signed. TOB didn’t make that agreement (Amato did), and understandably, was tired of Wilson missing spring ball.

    I’m not making a judgement (not here, anyway). Certain “promises” were also made to Glennon. He too wanted them honored. Problem was, TOB at the time did not expected Wilson to become the player he did. He was then faced with conflicting “agreements”.

    It was three good people caught in a tough situation. Once the situation developed, there was no correct way to handle it. The error was in ever letting the situation develop. That, IMO, is on TOB, fair or not. He’s the HC for a reason.

    That’s why you let the position be earned on the field, period. Because of the previous 3 years experience, it was obvious if Wilson came back to compete for the job, he would win. Thus, that couldn’t happen.

    I’m just saying how it went down and correcting the “revisionist history”. Believe what you will, though the snark in your “Golden boy” comment offers a clue to your sentiments.

    “And in what way do you ever see that Glennon had an indirect role in TOB’s firing? He was simply there when it happened.”

    You don’t see it? The many ways? Really?… Ok, to just give one… TOB put all his eggs in one basket, so to speak, saying 2012 was going to be the pay off year (many here agreed. I think CD and I were 2 of the few who were commenting that you don’t diminish what you have based on projections of the future) because it was Glennon’s senior year. Everything was supposed to be in place. Instead, in no small part due to the fraction created by the whole Wilson/Glennon scenario, the TEAM fell apart, lacked leadership, and played well below expectations. The UVA game is a good microcosm. That game sealed TOB’s fate.

    Note I used the term “indirect role”. Not Glennon’s fault or doing, but he played a role.

    “Glennon was right. He needed to showcase 2 years to have a shot at an NFL career. He got it and he’s getting his shot.”

    True. He wanted TOB to live up to what was said during his recruitment.

    “And you could not ask for better representatives than either of these guys.”

    Agreed. All things considered, I don’t see how things could have worked out better for either of them.

  11. tjfoose1 09/26/2013 at 10:53 AM #

    “Glennon is the right move at this point. By then end of the season you know what you are drafting with that very nice pick. Hope for Glennon it is not a QB.”

    I agree, I should have expanded more. What I meant by “I don’t see it”, is that I don’t see Glennon being the savior of the season, to be able to prove, this early on, that he can be a franchise QB and save Schiano’s job. What is much more likely is that this talented team’s season turns into a train wreck.

    Glennon’s in a tough spot, though his time at NC State might have uniquely helped to prepare him, at least with handling the locker room issues.

    If you think the entire team is in support of this move, you’re fooling yourselves. Glennon is dealing with extreme pressures on the field and in the locker room.

    But Glennon is a tough cookie, certainly tougher (IMHO) than Freeman. We’ll see.

  12. Wulfpack 09/26/2013 at 12:24 PM #

    To add some more context for those that may mot know, Raheem Morris, the former Buc coach, pushed the franchise to draft Freeman. Morris and Freeman were close at Kansas State where Morris was D Coordinator. It hasn’t worked out which is why Glennon was drafted by TB. The locker room may or may not be for it but Freeman was a trainwreck, both in his play and his “leadership”. As a Panther fan I care not for the Bucs, but I am pulling for Glennon. Though he is going to have a heck of a time with that Panther D twice this year!

  13. tjfoose1 09/26/2013 at 12:29 PM #

    Who wants to be in the team photo anyways. 🙂

  14. tobaccordshow 09/26/2013 at 3:44 PM #

    Foose, I’m not really complaining with much of what you said. But it’s said in a way (initially) that painted MG as a scourge which was later lightened up to it worked out for all parties. I took exception to that in that I saw Wilson, who I LOVE, saying that he wasn’t going to play spring ball. If I’m coach, I need all commitments on deck and I need everyone who wants to play to also practice. Wilson wasn’t going to go to Spring Practice. He was allowed to in the past and it was a tough thing for TOB to do to “lay down the law” during his Senior Year. TOB drew the line, Wilson stepped over it.

    TOB knew he had either a) Wilson for one year or b) Glennon for two. TOB set his expectation and let the chips fall where they would.

    I’m certainly no TOB defender. I was ready to give up my LTRs if TOB wasn’t removed after last year. The only reason I’m still giving hard earned money to a mediocre product is to see what DD can do.

    I understand what Wilson did. I understand what Glennon did. I understand what TOB did. No one was out of line, in my opinion, even with Wilson going to Wisconsin.

  15. tjfoose1 09/26/2013 at 4:45 PM #

    “But it’s said in a way (initially) that painted MG as a scourge…”

    Yep. My initial comment could’ve been taken that way, agreed, which is why I later expounded. Apologies to MG, and everyone else for that, for not being clear.

    I’ll further add, and I’ve said this before, that based solely on what has been publicly reported, I make the same decision TOB did at the time he made it.

    I just happen to know a little more than what was publicly reported. If the forums were still up, you could see numerous references and postings from me on this, made during the time this was unfolding.

    But regardless, worked out well for both of them. No way RW gets the publicity he got w/o the Wiscy transfer, and as a result, get drafted where he did. Obviously, no way Glennon winds up in his current position if RW stays at NC State.

    Only one of the 3 who appears to have “lost” is TOB. But who knows, even TOB’s position might upgrade soon.

  16. tobaccordshow 09/26/2013 at 8:28 PM #

    You and I are on the same page foose. Case closed 😉

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