Greg Schiano knew LeGarrette Blount was unhappy to learn he'd lost his starting running back job to Doug Martin this week, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach said Blount himself couldn't deny the story told by the tape.
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"He's disappointed, but he's been great," Schiano said, via the Tampa Bay Times. "He's about this team. He's about winning. At the very beginning I sat them both down and told them what the deal was. They knew it."
"I think -- when you watch the tape, and LeGarrette's a smart guy -– when he watches the tape, he sees that he got outperformed."
The two players relatively were even in the preseason's first two games, but Martin -- the 31st overall pick in April's draft -- started last Friday against the New England Patriots and excelled, finishing with 53 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries. He added three receptions.
Martin moves forward as the starter, but Schiano said the depth chart is fluid.
"It doesn't mean that that's it," he said. "As I've told them, 'It could go the other way if you outperform (Martin).' We don't hand out jobs and sign them over. It's always competition around here, continually. I think Doug's done a great job and that's why he's got the No. 1 seat. But he's got to work to keep it."
Blount is a power back who could be a nice complement to Martin's more well-rounded game (think Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw during their earlier years with the New York Giants). If Blount can keep his head on straight, a backup role shouldn't mean he becomes a phantom in Tampa.
Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @danhanzus.
