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On Tuesday, running backs, offensive linemen and special teams players arrived in Indianapolis for the NFL Scouting Combine and on Wednesday, the event kicked off. As has become customary, each team’s head coach and general manager met with members of the media for a pre-Combine press conference. For Dirk Koetter, it was his first as a head coach in the NFL.

INFO: NFL SCOUTING COMBINE SCHEDULE

Koetter, who had been promoted from offensive coordinator to head coach this offseason, spoke to reporters for about fifteen minutes, addressing several topics, including the Bucs’ plans for their week in Indy.

“We’ve got 60 interviews lineup over the next few days,” Koetter said. “I’ve been fortunate to have watched some film on those guys and look forward to meeting them.”

Those interviews, Koetter said, might be more important than the actual workouts.

“It’s real important,” he said. “It may be the number one thing that, from a coaching standpoint, we get out of the Combine. We get a chance to talk to the players one-on-one. I think that’s real important.”

Unlike last season, Koetter will be sitting in on all workouts, not just the offensive ones. And, based on countless mock drafts, he could be spending a lot of time watching defensive workouts. Nearly all mock drafts available have the Buccaneers using the No. 9 pick on a defensive player.

READ: MAYOCK RAVES ABOUT DEFOREST BUCKNER

If the Bucs do draft a defensive player in the first round, they’ll be playing in a different system, with Mike Smith arriving as defensive coordinator this spring. Smith’s system, Koetter said, could see the Bucs employ a 3-4, as opposed to the 4-3 that they used almost exclusively the past two seasons.

“We’ll be different some,” Koetter said. “As you know, we hired Mike Smith as our defensive coordinator. Smitty and I have a long history together, both in Jacksonville and Atlanta. We’ve put together a terrific defensive staff. I think we will be a multiple team on defense. I think that’s one of the toughest things for an offense to go against so that’s what we’ll try to do on defense.”

On-field workouts officially begin on Thursday. Koetter and the Bucs’ staff will remain in Indianapolis until Monday, when the Combine comes to a close.

Source: Interviews Key for Dirk Koetter at Combine by Joe Kania