1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pre-season

The 1976 Buccaneers preseason was played before the regular season during their expansion season, some players who could not make the roster would play the pre-season before being released.

## Overview

### Scoring

The Bucs opened their history with a game in John McKay's old college stomping ground of the Los Angeles Coliseum against the Rams.

It wasn't close as the 26-3 score indicates but Pete Rajecki kicked the historic first points with an 18-yard fieldgoal and Parnell Dickinson did reach the endzone on a one-yard run around left end only for it to be called back for holding.

Steve Spurrier went 11 of 16 for 99 yards starting at quarterback with the coach's son, JK McKay catching three passes for 59 yards. Louis Carter led the ground game with 27 yards on five carries.

The following week saw a closer loss in Green Bay as the home team Packers prevailed 10-6. The offense took a step back with neither Spurrier nor Dickinson doing much through the air. Carter again led the ground game with 47 yards and former Gator Vince Hendrick weighed in with 35 more on 11 carries.

The first victory came in the confines of the Jacksonville Gator Bowl with a 17-3 decision over the Atlanta Falcons, a game watched by little over 11,000 people. Spurrier went 11 of 19 for 147 yards with TE Bob Moore leading the receiving corps with three catches for 42 yards. Essex Johnson had 47 yards on the ground with Carter adding another 44.

The first game in Tampa Stadium came the following week against Miami, a 28-21 game that had the crowd enthralled for so many reasons. Spurrier again started and had his best game of the pre-season, going 20 of 36 for 244 yards and two scores, the latter one of which went to WR Barry Burton from 26 yards out. Carter led the ground game with 77 yards on 13 carries.

The penultimate exhibition game was a 10-7 loss to Chicago in which the Bucs' score was a 92-yard kickoff return by Isaac Hagins who had just been signed to the squad. Spurrier went 16 of 26 for 129 yards with two picks, five of his passes being caught by WR Lee McGriff.

The final game was another loss, 24-13 to Cincinnati, but that featured another kickoff touchdown by Hagins, this one from 102 yards out. Essex Johnson had 62 yards against his old team and added 54 yards on three receptions, whilst Parnell Dickinson showed his mobility with 59 yards on the ground. Future Buc strike QB John Reaves had three touchdown passes for the Bengals.

## Awards and Leaders

1. Passing Leader: Steve Spurrier - 690 yards
2. Rushing Leader: Louis Carter - 205 yards
3. Receiving Leader: Essex Johnson - 111 yards
4. Preseason MVP: Isaac Hagins - 2 kick return TDs
5. Offensive Player (s) of the Preseason: The Auguaral (Sort-of) Backfield (Parnell Dickinson, Louis Carter, Essex Johnson, Manfred Moore, and Vince Kendrick)
	1. Parnell Dickinson: 15 carries, 90 yards, 6.0 yards per carry, 2 rushing TDs
	2. Louis Carter: 52 carries, 205 yards, 3.9 yards per carry, 1 rushing TDs
	3. Essex Johnson: 48 carries, 159 yards, 3.9 yards per carry, 1 rushing TD
	4. Manfred Moore: 23 carries, 70 yards, 3.0 yards per carry, 1 rushing TD
	5. Vince Kendrick: 33 carries, 85 yards, 2.5 yards per carry, 1 rushing TDs
	6. Tandem stats: 171 carries, 609 yards, 3.5 yards per carry, 6 rushing TDs
6. Defensive Player (s) of the Preseason: The Enduring Defense (Bert Cooper, The Petersons, Pat Toomay, Dave Pear, Council Rudolph, and Steve Reese)
	1. Bert Cooper: 22 tackles, 1.0 sack, 2 passes batted down
	2. The Petersons: 27 tackles, 1 pass batted down, 1.5 sacks
	3. Pat Toomay: 12 tackles, 1.0 sack
	4. Dave Pear: 20 tackles, 1.0 sacks-12 yards, 1 fumble recovery
	5. Council Rudolph: 19 tackles, 4.0 sacks, 3 passes batted down
	6. Steve Reese: 14 tackles, 1.0 sack, 3 passes batted down

## Preseason Statistics

### Passing

1. Steve Spurrier
	1. Completions/Attempts: 65-111
	2. Passing Yards: 690
	3. Times Sacked-Yards Lost: 14-104
	4. Passing TDs-INT's: 2-3
	5. Longest Pass: 42 yards
2. Parnell Dickinson
	1. Completions/Attempts: 9-27
	2. Passing Yards: 130
	3. Times Sacked-Yards Lost: 5-47
	4. Passing TDs-INT's: 0-3
	5. Longest Pass: 35 yards
3. Lee McGriff
	1. Completions/Attempts: 1/1
	2. Passing Yards: 22
	3. Longest Pass: 22 yards
4. Louis Carter
	1. Completions/Attempts: 0/1
5. Larry Lawrence
	1. Completions/Attempts: 2/5
	2. Passing Yards: 30
	3. Times Sacked-Yds Lost: 1-10
	4. Longest Pass: 16

### Rushing

1. Jimmy DuBose
	1. Carries: 13
	2. Rushing Yards: 39
	3. Yards per Carry: 3.0
	4. Longest Rush: 8 yards
2. Louis Carter
	1. Carries: 52
	2. Rushing Yards: 205
	3. Yards per Carry: 3.9
	4. Longest Rush: 8 yards
	5. Rushing TDs: 1
3. Manfred Moore
	1. Carries: 23
	2. Rushing Yards: 70
	3. Yards per Carry: 3.0
	4. Longest Rush: 12 yards
	5. Rushing TDs: 1
4. Morris LaGrand
	1. Carries: 3
	2. Rushing Yards: 9
	3. Yards per Carry: 3.0
	4. Longest Rush: 5 yards
	5. Rushing TDs: 0
5. Parnell Dickinson
	1. Carries: 15
	2. Rushing Yards: 90
	3. Yards per Carry: 6.0
	4. Longest Rush: 20 yards
	5. Rushing TDs: 2
6. Steve Spurrier
	1. Carries: 8
	2. Rushing Yards: 41
	3. Yards per Carry: 5.1
	4. Longest Rush: 15 yards
	5. Rushing TDs: 1
7. Vince Kendrick
	1. Carries: 33
	2. Rushing Yards: 86
	3. Yards per Carry: 2.6
	4. Longest Run: 6 yards
	5. Rushing TDs: 1
8. Essex Johnson
	1. Carries: 48
	2. Rushing Yards: 159
	3. Yards per Carry: 3.3
	4. Longest Run: 11 yards
	5. Rushing TDs: 1
9. Alan Pittman
	1. Carries: 1
	2. Rushing Yards: 5
	3. Yards per Carry: 5.0
	4. Longest Run: 5 yards
10. Harold Hart
	1. Carries: 8
	2. Rushing Yards: 16
	3. Yards per Carry: 2.0
	4. Longest Run: 4 yards

### Receiving

1. John McKay
	1. Receptions: 5
	2. Receiving Yards: 72
	3. Longest Reception: 27 yards
2. Jimmy DuBose
	1. Receptions: 4
	2. Receiving Yards: 40
	3. Longest Reception: 21 yards
3. Manfred Moore
	1. Receptions: 3
	2. Receiving Yards: 21
	3. Longest Reception: 9
4. Alan Pittman
	1. Receptions: 2
	2. Receiving Yards: 15
	3. Longest Reception: 9 yards
5. Louis Carter
	1. Receptions: 11
	2. Receiving Yards: 84
	3. Longest Reception: 17 yards
6. Don Westbrook
	1. Receptions: 1
	2. Receiving Yards: 35
	3. Longest Reception: 35 yards
7. Fred Pagac
	1. Receptions: 1
	2. Receiving Yards: 22
	3. Longest Reception: 22 yards
8. Morris LaGrand
	1. Receptions: 3
	2. Receiving Yards: 23
	3. Longest Reception: 11 yards
9. Vince Kendrick
	1. Receptions: 9
	2. Receiving Yards: 76
	3. Longest Reception: 13 yards
	4. Receiving TDs: 1
10. Barry Smith
	1. Receptions: 8
	2. Receiving Yards: 92
	3. Longest Reception: 41 yards
11. Bob Moore
	1. Receptions: 9
	2. Receiving Yards: 92 yards
	3. Longest Reception: 15 yards
12. Essex Johnson
	1. Receptions: 6
	2. Receiving Yards: 111
	3. Longest Reception: 26 yards
13. Lee McGriff
	1. Receptions: 7
	2. Receiving Yards: 79
	3. Longest Reception: 15 yards
14. Joe Wylie
	1. Receptions: 2
	2. Receiving Yards: 42
	3. Longest Reception: 28 yards
15. Barry Burton
	1. Receptions: 1
	2. Receiving Yards: 26
	3. Longest Reception: 26 yards
	4. Receiving TDs: 1
16. Harold Hart
	1. Receptions: 3
	2. Receiving Yards: 15
	3. Longest Reception: 5
17. Isaac Hagins
	1. Receptions: 1
	2. Receiving Yards: 42
	3. Longest Reception: 42 yards

### Punting

1. Steve Broussard
	1. Punts: 31
	2. Punt Yards: 1,204
	3. Yards per Punt: 38.8
	4. Touchbacks: 3
	5. Inside 20: 5
	6. Longest Punt: 65 yards
2. Barry Burton
	1. Punts: 3
	2. Punt Yards: 81
	3. Yards per Punt: 27.0
	4. Longest Punt: 39 yards

### Punt Returns

1. Carl Roaches
	1. Punt Returns: 3
	2. Punt Return Yards: 22
	3. Longest Punt Return: 13 yards
2. Joe Wylie
	1. Punt Returns: 5
	2. Punt Return Yards: 32
	3. Longest Punt Return: 15 yards
3. Manfred Moore
	1. Punt Returns: 5
	2. Punt Return Yards: 22
	3. Longest Punt Return: 16 yards

### Kickoff Returns

1. Carl Roaches
	1. Kick Returns: 2
	2. Kick Return Yards: 44
	3. Longest Kick Return: 22 yards
2. Don Westbrook
	1. Kick Returns: 3
	2. Kick Return Yards: 49
	3. Longest Kick Return: 20 yards
3. Morris LaGrand
	1. Kick Returns: 2
	2. Kick Return Yards: 29
	3. Longest Kick Return: 17 yards
4. Joe Wylie
	1. Kick Returns: 6
	2. Kick Return Yards: 139
	3. Longest Kick Return: 32 yards
5. Manfred Moore
	1. Kick Returns: 7
	2. Kick Return Yards: 186
	3. Longest Kick Return: 37 yards
6. Isaac Hagins
	1. Kick Returns: 4
	2. Kick Return Yards: 230
	3. Longest Kick Return: 102 yards
	4. Kick Return TDs: 2

### Defense & Fumbles

1. Joe Blahak: 10 tackles, 1 interception-26 yards
2. Ricky Davis: 9 tackles, 1 interception-19 yards, 2 passes batted down
3. Ken Stone: 12 tackles, 4 passes batted down, 1 fumble recovery
4. Jimmy Gunn: 8 tackles, 2 passes batted down, 1.0 sack
5. Mishael Kelson: 2 tackles, 4 passes batted down
6. Mark Cotney: 12 tackles, 1 interception-3 yards, 4 passes batted down, 1 forced fumble
7. Mike Washington: 12 tackles, 6 passes batted down
8. Frank Oliver: 7 tackles, 1 interception, 3 passes batted down, 1 fumble recovery
9. Ted Jornov: 4 tackles
10. Bert Cooper: 22 tackles, 1.0 sack, 2 passes batted down
11. Jim Peterson: 13 tackles, 0.5 sacks
12. Calvin Peterson: 14 tackles, 1 pass batted down, 1.0 sack
13. Jim Cagle: 9 tackles
14. Pat Toomay: 12 tackles, 1.0 sack
15. Brad Watson: 2 tackles
16. Dave Pear: 20 tackles, 1.0 sack-12 yards lost, 1 fumble recovery
17. Council Rudolph: 19 tackles, 4.0 sacks, 3 passes batted down
18. Tim Guy: 2 tackles
19. Dewey Selmon: 6 tackles, 1.5 sacks
20. Lee Roy Selmon: 7 tackles, 1.0 sack
21. Steve Reese: 14 tackles, 1.0 sack, 3 passes batted down
22. Johnny Fuller: 1 tackle
23. Earl Douthitt: 2 tackles
24. Mike Shaw: 1 pass batted down
25. Curtis Jordan: 6 tackles
26. Larry Ball: 12 tackles
27. Steve Colavito: 3 tackles
28. Warren Capone: 1 tackle
29. Pete Barnes: 2 tackles