Tampa Bay changes offensive coordinators

TAMPA, Fla., Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Jeff Jagodzinski was fired Thursday as offensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and replaced with quarterbacks coach Greg Olson.

A release on the Buccaneers' Web site gave no reason for the change, one day before the team's final pre-season game.

Tampa Bay Coach Raheem Morris said it's not a big concern making the switch so close to the regular season. "The fundamental core beliefs of offense are exactly the same," he said at a news conference. "The direction and where we are going from here and how much we plan on growing is what is going to be new."

He said the plan was to have the Buccaneers' passing game be more of a "vertical threat."

Jagodzinski joined Tampa Bay in January after he was dismissed from his head coaching position with Boston College for interviewing with the New York Jets about taking a head coaching position.

Olson has been with the Buccaneers as quarterback coach since 2008. He was the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions in 2005 and for the St. Louis Rams in 2006-07. He's also coached for the Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers.

Tampa Bay is the second team to change offensive coordinators just ahead of the regular season. Last week, the Kansas City Chiefs fired Chan Gailey with head coach Todd Haley to take on the coordinator duties.