Person of Interest: Buccaneers’ Mike Glennon
Oct 31, 2013, 10:01 AM | Updated: 10:15 am
By Danny O’Neil
“Person of Interest” is a weekly feature in which we put the microscope on one player from the Seahawks’ upcoming opponent. This week, it’s Tampa Bay’s Mike Glennon.
Vitals
 Buccaneers rookie Mike Glennon replaced Russell Wilson as North Carolina State’s starting quarterback in 2011, leading to Wilson’s transfer to Wisconsin. (AP) |
• Position: Bucs quarterback/Bizarro Russell Wilson
• Height: 6-6
• Weight: 225
• Age: 23
• Experience: Rookie (third-round pick, No. 73 overall)
The storyline
He’s the guy North Carolina State chose to replace Russell Wilson as its starting quarterback in 2011, precipitating Wilson’s transfer to Wisconsin for his final year of college eligibility. Glennon is also the guy the Bucs chose in the third round this year, two spots earlier than the Seahawks chose Wilson a year before.
There’s no statistical evidence to suggest that Glennon was better at quarterback. Not in terms of record, with Wilson going 30-20 in four years as a starter while Glennon was 15-11. Wilson had a better completion percentage and better touchdown-to-interception ratio.
But Glennon has a 7-inch edge in height, and that has definitely worked in his favor.
Glennon is the one that coach Tom O’Brien chose to be North Carolina State’s starting quarterback in 2011 when Wilson still had a season of eligibility remaining, and it was Glennon that the Buccaneers chose in the third round and installed as a starter for the winless Bucs back in Week 4. A month later, those Bucs remain winless.
The statement
CenturyLink Field’s reputation precedes it across the league, and Glennon has already heard how tough an environment it can be for an opposing quarterback.
“We’ve heard how loud it is,” Glennon said. “This week we’ve been preparing by having some speakers out at practice. We’ve heard nothing but great things about the stadium and the fans, so we’ve been preparing for the noise and playing in that loud environment.”
Glennon will be the eighth rookie to start for an opposing team at the stadium, those rookies going 2-6. The only two to win: Cincinnati’s Andy Dalton in 2011 and Tampa Bay’s Josh Freeman in 2009. Freeman is who Glennon replaced as the Bucs’ starter in Week 4.
As for Seattle’s approach, don’t expect the Seahawks to try and dial up the blitzes to bludgeon the rookie. The team’s M.O. when facing young opposing quarterbacks is to hang back, keep everything in front and wait for the opponent to misfire.
