EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsTAMPA, Fla. -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving has a message for any doubters as he heads into Year 3: "I've been doubted my whole life."The 5-foot-10, 195-pound running back from the south side of Chicago is coming off a season in which he averaged just 3.4 yards per carry, and he missed seven games because of shoulder and foot issues. That was after Irving enjoyed a breakout rookie year, when his yards per carry were at 5.4."I've always been told I'm too small, I'm not fast enough," Irving said. "Things like that -- it motivates me and gives me an edge when I step on the field."The doubters were there ahead of the Bucs selecting Irving in the fourth round of the 2024 draft after he ran a 4.55-second time in the 40-yard dash at the combine -- tied for 14th among running backs. And they were they when he posted a 29.5-inch vertical, the lowest among running backs.He answered them by rushing for 1,122 yards and eight rushing touchdowns as a rookie. And he added 392 receiving yards while helping the Bucs win the NFC South.Now he's looking to recapture that form since getting a clean bill of health after offseason shoulder surgery and being a full participant in training camp.New offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, who spent the last two seasons in the same capacity with the Atlanta Falcons, called him a "stud" and said he's an "explosive play waiting to happen." That should bode well for an OC known for getting his backs into space."Bucky has been great," Robinson said. "Obviously, the talent speaks for itself. The way he runs the football, his feet are always in the ground, so he's always able to change direction and, obviously, that keeps him so balanced to be able to break tackles. The versatility he has in the pass game and the run game -- he's done a great job. It's been a blast seeing him cut some of these runs and you start seeing it."The team is moving back towards a more wide zone run scheme, in which offensive linemen move laterally to stretch the defense and the running back must read the block and cut vertically, which suits Irving's one-cut running ability well.The Bucs did a lot of that during Irving's rookie season under then-offensive coordinator Liam Coen, before moving away from it last year under Josh Grizzard -- who utilized more power and duo blocking schemes, as well as inside zone.They've also added Kenny Gainwell, the Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive MVP last year, who matches Irving's skill set while adding some unique attributes of his own. Sean Tucker rounds out the group with a downhill running style and was also used at the goal line last year."I think I'm a big guy in between the tackles, Bucky is a spread-out guy, and both of us do basically the same thing when we get ready to run routes and stuff," said Gainwell, who's listed at 5-foot-9, 200 pounds. "So, I mean, it's just different sizes [and] body types, but at the same time we both have to be ready for what is to come and go out there and attack it."The Bucs have some Pony packages where the two could line up together. It was something they utilized under Coen with great success, back when they had Rachaad White paired with Irving."I think it's a great thing getting both of us out there, and, you know, him being back balling," Gainwell said. "I'm super excited to see him back on the field. I think it's just great to see us both out there on the field at the same time -- I love it."Irving has welcomed the new addition, citing "just having a leader like that in our room" being one of the main benefits."Kenny is an even better person, we all know what he can do on the field," Irving said. "... He's been around some great backs, so just being able to sync up that knowledge. I always say, 'man, it's always good to have two good backs in the room.' We complement one another and [we'll] see how far this thing goes."As for Irving personally, he said he was able to grow a lot as a person in his time away from football this year, and it's brought him a different perspective that he believes will translate into his on-field performance."I learned a lot about myself," Irving said. "What this game means to me, I've been doing this since I was 4 years old, and [it was my] first time being hurt. Being able to also know you [are] more than just a football player and just being able to self reflect on things that you can learn outside of football. Just being able to be around my team and know the joy [that] they bring when you [are] around them ... just being able to know adversity is going to come at some point."At the end of the day, it's going to determine how you come out of that. It's going to make you stronger."
