Honestly, if you told a Bucs fan back in 2023 that their ground game would actually be a strength, they’d have probably laughed you out of the building. For two straight years, the Tampa Bay rushing attack was basically non-existent, rotting away at the bottom of the league. It was embarrassing. But the transformation of the buccaneers running backs 2024 was nothing short of a miracle.
Gone were the days of running into a brick wall for two yards on every first down. Tampa Bay went from 32nd in the league to 4th in rushing yards, putting up a massive 2,536 yards on the ground. That’s a jump that doesn’t just happen by accident. It took a new scheme, a legendary rookie, and a three-headed monster that finally gave Baker Mayfield some breathing room.
The Bucky Irving Factor: A Star Is Born
Nobody really expected a fourth-round pick from Oregon to become the focal point of the offense. But Bucky Irving didn't care about expectations. He finished the year with 1,122 rushing yards and 8 touchdowns, averaging a wild 5.4 yards per carry. That 5.4 mark is the third-highest for a rookie in NFL history—we’re talking Adrian Peterson and Clinton Portis territory.
Irving was slippery. He forced 91 missed tackles, which was fourth-most in the entire NFL. Watching him play was like watching a pinball; he’d hit a gap, disappear for a second, and then somehow pop out the other side for a 15-yard gain. He broke the Bucs' single-season record for rushing average and basically took the "lead back" title by force.
Rachaad White’s New Reality
Then you’ve got Rachaad White. In 2023, he was the workhorse because there was literally nobody else. In 2024, his role shifted, and it actually made him more dangerous. White still put up 613 rushing yards and was a monster in the passing game, but he didn't have to carry the load alone.
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The tandem of Irving and White became the only duo in the league where both players had three or more games with 100+ yards from scrimmage. It was a "lightning and lightning" situation rather than "thunder and lightning." They both had that ability to make defenders miss in space, and Offensive Coordinator Liam Coen used that to perfection.
Why the Scheme Finally Worked
We have to talk about Liam Coen. Before he left for a head coaching gig, he completely overhauled how this team ran the ball. In the past, the Bucs were obsessed with mid-zone and outside-zone runs that just weren't working. Coen brought in gap schemes, traps, and counters. He pulled the linemen. He made the defense think.
Basically, the Bucs stopped being predictable. They started "playing the game on the other side of the ball," as Coen liked to put it. You’d see Graham Barton and the rest of the line creating visible cutback lanes every single week. By the final seven games of the season, the Bucs were averaging 183.3 rushing yards per game. That is absolute dominance.
The Sean Tucker Explosion
And let’s not forget Sean Tucker. The guy was an undrafted free agent who spent most of his rookie year on the bench. Then Week 6 against the Saints happened. Tucker went off for 192 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns. He was hitting 9.7 yards per carry in that game.
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It was one of those "where did this come from?" moments. It earned him NFC Offensive Player of the Week, making him the first Bucs RB since Leonard Fournette to get that nod. Even though he stayed as the third option for most of the year, having a guy like Tucker as your "backup" says everything you need to know about the depth of the buccaneers running backs 2024.
Breaking Down the Numbers
The statistical jump is almost hard to believe when you look at it side-by-side with the previous seasons.
- Total Rushing Yards: 2,536 (New Franchise Record)
- Yards Per Carry: 5.25 (New Franchise Record)
- Rushing Touchdowns: 16
- League Rank: 4th in total rushing (up from 32nd)
It wasn't just about the yards, though. It was the efficiency. The Bucs led the NFL in third-down conversion rate because they weren't constantly facing 3rd-and-9. They were in 3rd-and-short because the run game was actually picking up chunks on early downs.
What Most People Get Wrong
A lot of national media credited the Bucs' success solely to Baker Mayfield’s resurgence. While Baker was great—throwing 41 touchdowns—he’ll be the first to tell you that he owes a lot to the guys behind him. When a defense has to respect Bucky Irving's jump-cut or Sean Tucker’s straight-line speed, they can’t just sit in a two-high shell and dare you to run.
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The run game fixed the pass game. It was a symbiotic relationship that turned the Bucs into a top-3 total offense in the league. People think it was just a "lucky" draft pick with Bucky, but it was a deliberate philosophical shift from the front office down to the coaching staff.
The Unsung Heroes
You can't talk about these backs without mentioning the blocking. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin were "digging out" defenders on the perimeter. The offensive line, led by rookie center Graham Barton, played with a "savage" mentality that Coen demanded. They weren't just blocking; they were hunting.
Looking Back at a Historic Turnaround
The 2024 season will be remembered as the year the Buccaneers' identity changed. They aren't just a pass-first, air-it-out team anymore. They found a formula that works: multiple backs with different skill sets, a creative gap-blocking scheme, and a commitment to being physical.
The buccaneers running backs 2024 proved that you don't need a $15 million-a-year superstar to have an elite ground game. You need the right people in the right spots. Bucky Irving is now the face of that room, but the contributions from White and Tucker shouldn't be overlooked. This was a collective effort that saved the season.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans and Analysts:
- Study the Tape: Watch the Week 6 Saints game to see exactly how Liam Coen used Sean Tucker and Bucky Irving in tandem to confuse a high-level defense.
- Monitor the 2025 Backfield: With Irving established as the lead, keep an eye on how the carry distribution shifts in the upcoming season, especially in the passing game.
- Evaluate the Offensive Line: Focus on the "pulling" metrics of the guards and center; the Bucs' success is tied directly to their ability to move the line of scrimmage laterally.