TAMPA — The Bucs tied for the NFL lead in penalties in 2015 and reset the franchise records for penalties and penalty yards, but lowering that significantly will be a priority for new coach Dirk Koetter, as well as defensive coordinator Mike Smith.
"I think it has to be an emphasis point from the very beginning," Smith said Wednesday in his first news conference since being hired. "That was one of the things we did well in Atlanta, in terms of talking to players about how important it is to play penalty-free. ... We want to be tough, we want to be aggressive, but we've got to play smart.