Tampa Bay Times from St. Petersburg, Florida • 21

4C I Sunday, January 22, 2012 I Tampa Bay Times i I bucs.tampabay.com for more NfL news NFL College football East-West Shrine Game notebook mwu rases Graanizers Who could help Freeman rebound? .71 i sjX -rr PA'vW-r-" i Hunt for a Bucs head coach: Day 19 East linebacker Nick Sukay (7) of Penn State intercepts a pass Intended for Jarlus Wright (4) of Arkansas In the fourth quarter. East cornerback Charles Brown (14) of North Carolina also defends. Sukay is named defensive 1 player of the game. On the radar Rob Chudzinksl: Panthers offensive coordinator Perry Fewell: Giants defensive coordinator What's new Colts owner Jim Irsay, via Twitter, says he will hire a coach by the end of this week. Ex-Ohio State coach Jim Tree-sol has entered the mix.

Ex-Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer takes the same job with the Rams. Our take True to their word, the Bucs wont be rushed. And many of their candidates remain available. There's speculation Sherman will be Miami's offensive coordinator. He has ties to new coach Joe Philbin.

Clements is in line to be the Packers' offensive coordinator unless he comes here. The Bucs could pare down their list before going to the Senior Bowl on Monday. Rick Stroud, Times stuff writer CHRIS ZUPPA Timet BV OREO AUMAN limes Writer ST. PETERSBURG Mov-ing the East-West Shrine Game to Tropicana Field already made sense from a logistical standpoint, but a solid showing in the stands Saturday was a. promising sign for the game's future here, according to executive director I far old Richardson.

"What we're looking for is a place to have a home. You can't move an all-star game around," said Richardson, noting that the Shriners have their international headquarters and a children's hospital in Tampa. The game was played in Orlando at the Citrus Bowl the previous two years but last year drew just an announced 9,642 fans, and Richardson said the chance to play closer to the Shriners' headquarters, in a smaller venue, made a lot of sense. An accurate figure was not available but organizers estimated that at least 18,000 attended. There hasn't been any all-star game, including the Pro Bowl in the last 10 years have over 30,000 people in the stands.

Why would you play the game in a stadium?" he said. "Visually, atmosphere-wise, it looks like it's kind of a failure. I felt like if we could play here and get the support of the community, which I was thrilled with, by the way. St Petersburg people really got behind it I thought it could really be successful" The Shriners have a two-year 1 Ui JtiK TAMPA Regardless of which coaching candidate is hired by the Bugs, the most important thing he will have to bring is a plan for saving quarterback Josh Freeman. The Bucs' first-round pick in 2009 still has all the tools and temperament to become one of the league's best at his position.

But from a career standpoint, Freeman needs someone to extend a hand and help him to his feet after taking a hard hit This season, 5 RICK Freeman's big- STROUD gest failure Dues was protecting the football. He threw 22 interceptions and only 16 touchdowns. It would be simplistic to blame his lack of production on a lack of weapons. Running back LeGar-rette Blount and receiver Mike Williams did not come close to duplicating their rookie performance. But nearly half of Freeman's interceptions came while forcing the football to tight end Kellcn Winslow.

Freeman has demonstrated he can dominate the position. He threw 25 touchdowns and only six interceptions in leading the Bucs to a 10-6 record in 2010. But it's undeniable the right head coach and offensive coordinator pan have a dramatic effect on a quarterback. Consider what 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh has meant this season to Alex Smith, who has been beleaguered and booed almost since he was the No. 1 overall pick in 2005.

Which of the coaches the Bucs have interviewed have the best chance of helping Freeman? Let's take a look. Mike Sherman The former Packers and Texas coach, considered by many in the coaching community to be the front-runner, an offensive background. At 57, he has experience and success as an NFL head coach, winning NFC North titles with Brett Favre at quarterback. He also can relate to young passers as evidenced by the sudden rise of the Aggies' Ryan Tannehill from converted receiver to possible first-round pick after throwing 29 touchdowns and 15 interceptions this past season. Sherman also has.

a keen eye for talent on his coaching staff. He gave new Dolphins coach Joe KhZ; Top of the list 1. Mike Sherman: Former Packers and Texas coach 2. Mike Zimmen Bengals defensive coordinator 3. Tom Clements: Packers quarterbacks coach 4.

Marty Schottenheimor: Former Browns, Chiefs, Redskins and Chargers coach 5. Brad Childress: Former Vikings coach 6. Jerry Gray: Titans defensive coordinator Philbin his start in coaching by hiring him as a graduate assistant at Tulane. He also brought him in for his Packers staff. There has been talk Sherman might be able to bring in former Vikings coach Brad Childress as offensive coordinator.

Childress, who was the F-agles quarterback coach when Donovan McNabb broke in, interviewed for the Bucs head coaching job and also is on the Colts' radar. Finally, Sherman is a good teacher of fundamentals, and Freeman could benefit from those, including footwork. He also believes in being harder on the team's star players, which also could benefit the quarterback. Tom Clements Philbin received a lot of credit for the success of the Packers offense. But Clements, the quarterbacks coach, has done a spectacular job with Aaron Rodgers and backup Matt Flynn.

A former Notre Dame quarterback, Clements, 58, also was the play-caller as mi offeasive coordinator with the Bills for two seasons. Everybody is familiar with Rwlgers' success. He threw 45 touchdowns and only six interceptions. Digest that for a minute. When Flynn started his only game this season, the finale Rams and the Raiders.

"We like to think we're pretty good, too," Lynch would say. Usually, some defease usually is. The best advice for an offense? I lave a good defense of your own. "At this time of year, you've kind of shown your bag of tricks," said ESPN analyst Trent Dilfer. "You've shown the 78 formations you've used and the different personnel groupings and the down-and-distance tendencies.

You've kind of put everything out there on the table, and now you get a defense that can break you down and go, Wait a second, I see what they're "I think defense kind of wins out this time of year because they've broken you down to such a degree. They've kind of taken your bag of tricks away from you." You don't have to convince either the 49ers or the Giants. Not after the 49ers forced five turnovers against the Saints. Not after the Giants sacked Rodgers 1 8 0 I rv ju 7 I contract, with the game due back at Tropicana Field in 2013, but Richardson said the initial reception was promising enough that he'd like that relationship to continue longer. "It gives us something we can build on," he said.

"Hopefully going forward we can extend that and keep it here for some time. That's our goal." LEGEND AILING: Penn State linebacker Nick Sukay won the defensive MVP, and by the game's end, word had spread that legendary coach Joe Paterno was in failing health. "It was a great honor. He taught me so many things as a CHRIS ZUPPA Times West coach Brad Childress went for it on fourth down three times and called for an onside kick once. leges, there weren't many stars Miami tight end Chase Ford had a 64-yard catch to set up the East's first touchdown, and Hurricanes receiver LaRon Byrd caught a 3-yard touchdown with 20 seconds left in the first half.

opening quarter. Stephen Garcia, a former Jefferson High standout suspended from South Carolina this season, added to the North's 37-0 halftime lead by tossing two third-quarter TDs. De'Andre Presley, a former standout at Middleton High and Appalachian State, returned a punt 65 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter. TITLE TIDE: An estimated 32,000 gathered at a celebration at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa for the national title team. The Tide's 21-0 victory in i CHRIS ZUPPA Times West running back Lennon Creer of Louisiana Tech is congratulated by Devon Wylie of Fresno State after scoring the winning TD in the first East-West Shrine Game at Tropicana Field.

SHRINE continued from 1C person, taught you really how to become a man," Sukay said of playing for Paterno. "He was a great leader for all of us." THIS AND THATi USF seniors Jerrell Young and Jeremiah Warren got to wear Bulls helmets for the last time on the same field where they finished their freshman season. USFbeat' Memphis in the first St Petersburg Bowl at the Trop in 2008. Warren played much of the game at left guard, and Young was in the rotation at Former Bucs Martin Gram-atica was honored at halftime for being inducted into the Shrine Game's Hall of Fame. Florida's John Brantley was the sixth quarterback in the game and went l-for-6 for 21 yards in limited action; Florida State punter Shawn Powell followed Brantley's two drives with solid punts.

Rules limiting what defenses could do in terms of blitz packages allowed quarterbacks to complete passes at a high rate four quarterbacks combined to go 23-for-30 in the first half, led by Chattanooga's B.J. Coleman, who went 6-for-6 for 137 yards and a touchdown. The West team's two first-half touchdowns came on back-to-back drives, after a successful onside kick by Missouri Western State's Greg Zuerlein, recovered by Oregon State's Brandon Hardin. The game, in its 87th year, was played in St. Petersburg for the first time after being in Orlando the last two years.

drubbing New Orleans clinched the title on Jan. 9. GEORGIA: Senior cornerback Sanders Commings, 21, was arrested Saturday on a domestic violence charge. SOUTH CAROLINA: Freshman safety Brison Williams was suspended indefinitely. WASHINGTON: New defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox will get $750,000 this season to start a three-year deal.

That's $50,000 more than he was slated to make for the same job at Tennessee. 1 Gut sy calls in Trap imut SHELTON continued from 1C Defense trumps offense against the Lions, he completed 67 percent of his passes and threw for 518 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions. When it comes to presentation and preparation with a quarterback, it's hard to do much better than Clements. Rob Chudzinski Chudzinski, 43, is going to be a coach one day. The former University of Miami tight end progressed from grad assistant to offensive coordinator with the Hurricanes and coached tight ends with the Browns.

But last season, the job he did with rookie quarterback Cam Newton as Panthers offensive coordinator was evidence of his brilliance, especially considering he had very little of an offseason because of the lockout The Panthers offense finished seventh overall and fifth in points, and set a franchise record for total yards. Newton has a unique skill set with his ability to run the football. But he shares a lot of traits with Freeman. They are big men who can keep plays alive, make all the throws and are accurate on the run. Chudzinski is probably a long shot to land the Bucs coaching job, but his impact on Freeman could be great Defensive tackle Justin Smith has a hold of Saints quarterback Drew Brees during last week's NFC division playoff game, when the 49ers forced five turnovers in a victory.

if 1 Getty Images four times and recovered three fumbles. Hey, how do you think these guys got here? Last year, the 49ers were 6-10 and irrelevant It was defense that turned them around, a fierce group of linebackers, a bold set of defensive backs. This year, the Giants were 7-7 and an afterthought. And again, it was defense that turned them around. New York admits it gets its juice from a hungry front four starring Pierre-Paul, the former USF star.

They are much the same, these two. They have a little explosion on their own offenses, and they can run the ball a little. But the secret to both has been on the side of the ball that fans don't watch enough. Today, this defense wins it or that one. This pass rush or that one.

This takeaway or that one. Afterward, of course, the networks will interview the winning quarterback. That's happened before, too. B.J. Coleman throwing a 17-yard touchdown to Michigan State's B.J.

Cunningham. But the West rallied back on touchdown runs by Northern Illinois' Chandler Harnish and Colorado's Tyler Hansen. Harnish converted two fourth downs on scrambles in his touchdown drive, though the East scored just before halftime for a 17-14 lead. The game's defensive MVP went to Penn State's Nick Sukay, who had an interception in the end zone with 5:51 left to keep the score tied. Creer, who went up the middle for a 9-yard touchdown in the final minute, earned the game's offensive MVP.

"They opened up a big hole, and it was there for me," Creer said. "Hopefully I had a chance to get myself out there and show what I can do." Of the players from state col- fcUn, York defensive lineman Chris Canty predicted, "a bloodbath." Yeah, it sounds a lot like 1958, too. Around here, to be honest, it fooks that way, too. The skies are gray and ominous here, and the wind whips and the rain blows. Even if you didn't th ink the 49ers and Giants were going to spend much of the afternoon pounding on each other, the elements suggest there is no other way to play this one.

Not that either team really knows a different way to play. If they did, they might not be here. "This time of year is about defense," said 49ers safety, Donte Whitner. "All year long, we hear about the offenses. That's what people outside the locker room talk about.

But inside the locker, we know it's about defense." Consider this: Out of the last 30 Super Bowl winners, 26 have ranked in the top 10 in defense (so have 16 of the losers). Offense-first teams win every now and then, but only every now and then. It is the defensive teams that have to answer the questions about dynasties. Offense is a piano with a lot of different fingers trying to find the right rhythm. Defense is a drum.

All you have to do is pound it. Remember back when the Bucs played a nasty sort of defense, the kind that won them a Super Bowl for the 2002 season? John Lynch is one of the nicest men to i .1. evei iiuy uie spun, uui even iic would chew nails when the questions suggested he and his buddies would be helpless against the offenses of teams such as the owden leads all-star Times wires BOCA RATON The Bobby Bowden-coached North squad blew out Howard Schnellen-berger's South team 51-3 Saturday night in the inaugural Battle of Florida in front of just a few thousand at FAU Stadium. The college all-star game featured NFL draft-eligible players who were either born in Florida or played in the state in high school or college. Jacksonville quarterback Josh McGregor led three scoring drives for the North in the.