Running Back Bucky Irving Ready to 'Ball Out' in Tampa Bay: 'I'm Not Satisfied'

Bucky Irving, former Oregon Ducks running back, has settled into NFL training camp and has already impressed Tampa Bay Buccaneers coaches and teammates with his work ethic and desire to get better. He is a self-proclaimed baller who scored his first NFL touchdown on a play designed to take advantage of his elusiveness and tackle breaking abilities.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (7) breaks into the end zone for a touchdown in the first quarter of the NFL Preseason Week 1 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024. / Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

Tampa Bay coach Todd Bowles elected to sit most veterans, including running back Rachaad White, in the Bucanceers first preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals. This opened the door for former Oregon Ducks star, Bucky Irving. Despite this being his first NFL action, Irving quickly settled into a nice rhythm.

"When I got out there and got my first hit, the game pretty much just slowed down for me and I started balling out with all these guys," said Irving. "Seriously, it's football."

That may be the case, but Irving has impressed Coach Bowles’ dating back to Tampa Bay’s rookie minicamp.

“(Irving) can stick his foot in the ground and run the ball. More importantly, he can make the first guy miss more often than not,” said Bowles to reporters. “And, you know, that’s a rare trait to have in this ballgame, especially when, you know, so many guys can tackle well and get to the ball real fast. To make the first guy miss and potentially have big-play ability, that’s something that we didn’t have a lot of last year.”

Now that the team is in fall training camp, Bowles continues to be impressed with the former Oregon star as the Bucs first pre-season game approached.

“I mean (Irving) had no jitters, he wasn’t nervous,” said Bowles. “He hit the holes, he caught the ball well, he pass blocked well. I will check the tape for everything else, but I thought he had a good first outing.”

Jul 25, 2024; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles during training camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports / Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

As is the case in the preseason, Irving’s playing time was limited as Bowles and new offensive coordinator, Liam Coen, wanted to use live action to see the other running backs on the roster. However, Irving took advantage of his opportunities with six carries for 28 yards, including a five-yard touchdown run.

"My eyes didn't get big," he said. "If you're a baller, you're used to making plays, You've just got to stick to it and keep working."

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (7) celebrates a touchdown carry in the first quarter of the NFL Preseason Week 1 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024. / Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

Irving left little doubt that he is a baller and stands ready to bring new life to what has been an anemic running game in Tampa Bay. Consider that starting running back White had 1,539 total yards from scrimmage and an amazing 336 touches in 2023. The plan is to bring in Irving as an elusive backup to White, ensuring that both remain fresh as the game gets into crunch time.

As to the strategy behind Coen’s offense, he has designed a variety of sets to disguise the play and hopefully put the defense back on its heels. It was this play calling that gave Irving his first goal line carry.

"I knew we had an inside-zone call," said Irving after the game. "I pretty much let my blocks set up and then cut back off my blocks, and then I had to break a tackle to get in."

While the sample size of Irving’s play is small, his potential seems to be unlimited. Yet, this does not change how he approaches the game and the work that still needs to be done.

"Just keep my head down, keep working," explained Irving. "I've still got a lot of things I need to keep working on to get better at, but I'm not satisfied. I'm just trying to improve and get better."

Irving comes to Tampa Bay as a fourth-round NFL pick. The reality of drafting any player includes the possibility of a boom or a bust. In this case, Irving is exceeding expectations and, given his work ethic, is likely to stay on the boom trail. While this is only pre-season, Buccaneer fans have a lot to cheer about now and hopefully that will continue into the regular season.

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