"Youngry," they will say.
But it fit. And it has caught on.
"These guys all bought into it," Morris said. "They feel they are youngry. They went 10-6 last year and didn't make the playoffs. Coming off that deal, every game is a playoff game for them. When you do go to the playoffs, you can get into a comfort zone and expect you will go. But not making it after a successful season puts some fire in these guys."
Last year, the Bucs had the youngest roster in the NFL and many of their players remain young enough to need to shave only sporadically. Eleven of their projected starters have less than three years of pro experience.
Their youth is no accident. It is the design of general manager Mark Dominik, who has eschewed veteran free agents in favor of the draft. The Bucs' starting lineup is likely to have only three players who are not homegrown.
The Bucs have faced a little heat for not being more aggressive in free agency, but much of it was dismissed because they had success last year.
"I feel our team, although young, is not immature," Dominik said. "We're not a finished product. We haven't even made the postseason in this new regime. We have a long way to go. But I have confidence in our young guys because they started to prove it last year."
It's a lot easier to live with inexperienced players when you have a quarterback who can cover up their mistakes.
The Bucs have one in 6-foot-6, 248-pound Josh Freeman. Even though Freeman himself is a youthful 23, he already has engineered six fourth quarter or overtime comeback drives for victories. He also threw 25 touchdown passes against six interceptions last year.
What's more, he is a team captain who doesn't have to be reminded to act like one.
Even though Freeman understands the Bucs are not as battle tested as the NFC South-rival Saints and Falcons, he is very comfortable among the weeds the Bucs are laying in.
"We're still growing," he said. "If we continue to grow at the rate we've grown at, we'll be something tough to deal with. We're not close to hitting our ceiling."
Freeman's primary receiving targets are expected to be second-year players Mike Williams and Arrelious Benn, and his primary runner is expected to be 247-pound second-year man LeGarrette Blount.
Dominik, 39, likes the idea of a young quarterback pumping the football to young teammates. He believes when young players start clicking early in their careers, they can grow together and become great together.
But learning on the fly can lead to losses, especially given a tough schedule that includes six tough division games and an Oct. 23 "home game" against the Bears in London. The Bucs say they didn't mind giving up a game in Raymond James Stadium, and they embrace whatever challenges their circumstances present.
"We weren't afraid to play young players last year," Morris said. "We thrive on it. Playing big-time players I look at as a big-time challenge. We prided ourselves on having that Rosetta Stone of coaching. We can just put a guy out there and give him some tools and let him get better."
The Bucs have a few advantages in the player development department.
Morris, 34, is the NFL's youngest head coach, and relates to players on a level few can. His staff is young too. Four of his assistants had no previous NFL coaching experience when they came to the Bucs, but they did have experience working with college kids — perfect for this team.
Morris also depends on select veterans to help set the tone.
"Ronde is my net," he said of cornerback Ronde Barber, who is two years older than Morris and has been around so long the Bucs drafted him when Bears GM Jerry Angelo was their personnel director.
"He's the catch-all. He's your best friend. He's the uncle for all these guys. He puts these guys in line. I have other leaders too. Freeman, although young, is a leader on offense."
These Bucs are eager to follow. They are unafraid to fail.
And they are youngry.
dpompei@tribune.com
Twitter @danpompei