TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -Gerald McCoy grew up watching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on television, admiring the play of Warren Sapp and envisioning himself becoming a dominant NFL defensive tackle, too.
The third pick in this year’s draft out of Oklahoma never imagined the opportunity to realize his dream would come with a chance to learn from none other than his all-time favorite.
Mentor and pupil got together on the practice field one day this offseason, with Sapp giving McCoy a crash course on what to expect in training camp and what he needs to work on to have a chance to have a successful rookie season.
They plan to stay in touch with each other in coming weeks – and years.
“I worked out with him a little bit while I was still here at OTAs. Everything he showed me, I went and worked on it, worked on it and worked on it,” said McCoy, who is being counted on to plug a hole that’s existed in Tampa Bay’s defense since Sapp left the Bucs following the 2003 season.
“He showed me a lot of minor things. He said personally, he can’t do it in one summer. We have to keep working and keep working to get where he thinks I can be – just like he did. He just kept working, and eventually he got better until he was unstoppable. That’s where he wants me to be, but he said it’s going to take time.”
The Bucs don’t intend to bring McCoy along slowly. The 6-foot-4, 295-pound tackle was inserted into the starting lineup on the first day of camp, hours after agreeing to a five-year, $63 million contract.
Tampa Bay drafted UCLA defensive tackle Brian Price in the second round, believing he can help McCoy transform the defensive line into a dominant unit.
The Bucs ranked 27th in total defense in 2009, 27th in points allowed and tied for 26th in sacks.
“Personally, I think we can be game changers. They didn’t draft us to not be. They didn’t draft us just to be another guy. They didn’t draft us to sit on the side and come in here and there,” McCoy said. “They want us to be game changers. That’s what Sapp did. They think I can have the same type of impact as him, so that’s what I want to do.”
The Bucs obviously liked what they saw of McCoy at Oklahoma, where the 22-year-old had 14 1/2 sacks in three seasons while playing the “three-technique” right tackle position in a scheme smiler to the defense run by Tampa Bay.
eason workouts.
“He’s getting acclimated with the Tampa heat with the pads on. … He’s made a few mistakes but he’s a sharp young man and he takes a lot of pride,” Morris said. “The thing I notice is he’s hard to get a smile out of him on the football field. When you’re on the field, he’s all business. He’s locked in and serious. You can tell that he wants to get it, and that’s what I like about him.
“I like his demeanor, I like his approach to practice, I like his approach to the game. You see it in the class room and you also see it on the field. I’m pleased at where he’s going and where he has the ability to go.”
About $35 million in McCoy’s contract is guaranteed, but the rookie said money won’t change him or his objective with the Bucs, who are coming off a 3-13 finish.
“I want to help this team and get back to playing like Tampa plays. Tampa was really known for playing defense, and that’s what I want to come and get us back to,” he said. “My goal is to be the best football player I can be. I want to be in the Hall of Fame, I want to be in the Pro Bowl, I want to be known as being one of the best ever. … By doing that, the money will come and I will share it with my family. The money is the money – not saying that it’s not great – but I’m a football player.”
McCoy also wants to continue building his relationship with Sapp, who played nine years with the Bucs and four more with the Oakland Raiders before retiring after the 2007 season.
“Thing is, I watched him on TV as a child. … I used to watch those linemen challenges with him and Jason Taylor and John Randle. I was rooting for Sapp,” McCoy said. “Out there, it’s a little different. I could actually comprehend and knew what he was talking about. It was something I didn’t take for granted. I took it all in, and I cherished those few moments we had because that’s not something everybody gets.
“He took out of his time. He didn’t even make me come to him. He drove down here to meet me. That was real nice of him to do that.”
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