SetfreexX

I do it for those that pay attention, it's not like I think he's the next great head coach, but I believe he's better for the ''Panthers'' than an up and comer with one year of OC experience, and no history at all. If he had not had the interim time it would be easier to dismiss him if you just look at the ARI situation without context. But that isn't the case. I'm fully aware most of the guys against it fall into one of a couple categories: Didn't want Cam PTSD from Rivera's conservatism even though it led to a lot of success / even now in WAS where they have more playoff appearances than us since he was fired with no QB to this day Ford F-150 ________________________________________________________________________ Some of that I say in jest, I want a better offense like everyone here, I think you can still keep Wilks' leadership by also hiring a strong OC -- I'm 100% ok with poaching a SF / LAR offensive assistant to add as an OC over McAdoo. I think what most of the folks that post that they are against this, don't seem to talk about ''WHO'' the hire should be....? I also said if we go the offensive route - Reich / Caldwell are my choices over ''insert young OC''. Leadership, and experience are what we presently need at the HC spot in my opinion Wilks, Reich, Caldwell could all provide that. This was never set up as a Wilks or bust post, just ''why'' I think he makes the most sense based off this past season along with projecting a better roster, with a QB worth a damn moving forward.

After two years of .300 win %, and a 1-4 start... To being in playoff contention up until Week 17.... Please define resurrection, because I know damn well watching on Sundays became worth it after he took over...

Do you know why... Can't be any planer, we DO NOT, and in those games this year DID NOT have a quarterback. Having QBs on the roster is not the same as ''having a quarterback''. ________________________ Pounding the rock was all this roster was capable of doing / sustaining _________________________ Some of ya'll acting like this season happened while we had a legit offense. Moore / the OL / Foreman....that was all we were really working with TMJ had flashes, Shi, had some flashes, we got practically NOTHING from the TE's outside a few Tremble TDs, but no consistent game to game TE threat... Like what exactly were people thinking was going to me a recipe to attempt to win games...

Spoken like a true huddler... Fact is, he resurrected this team damn near instantly with nothing to work with in the QB dept.

So on this roster with McAdoo as the inherited OC, and Baker, Sam, and PJ...you want to just air it out all over the yard just because that's what teams do now... Teams that can do that generally have the personnel to do that, and that starts with a QB... So who we ushering in this new age with that was on the 2022 Panthers roster...

McD's last year here 2016 26th in PPG allowed 21th in YPG allowed Steve Wilks 2017 11th in PPG allowed 7th in YPG allowed _______________________________________________________ Tell me more about riding coattails with the same personnel as you mentioned. As far as those double digit losses you throw out with no context -- only 3 were as the interim Panthers coach. (LAR (1st game as interim), CIN, BAL (10 points) The other three losses were by - 3, 8, and 6 points, that's a point differential of 5.67 So again, as stated, he didn't select his staff / QB in ARI and we're putting the results on his head 100%...got it. You're going to have to do better than throwing out stats from the ARI time as 1) it was 5 years ago, and 2) his lack of impact is limited due to and I say this again, not his staff / not his QB.

Pretty sure PJ had early turnovers that sparked the snowball, and if you watch the pressers, two of those three TD's was man coverage with deep safety help for each half of the field. So a better question would be were was the help, Keith like when Donte' fell just got beat by a better received. Wilks re-capped it in the presser after the game. If you only watched the game I could see how you might feel that way. Back to CIN let's not act like they are not a good team, and team many aspire to be. We got whooped, but the offense as we know being limited didn't show up, and the turnovers early killed us which meant running was no longer an option.

A close loss isn't a loss...FIFY And you can't take away or diminish the appearances just because you are not a fan of the coaching style, that is simply ignorant.

This is on the list of things why, which are in the OP. Again, I isolated this game as we limited their offense, and had a plan on offense to take advantage of their defense. IE: out-planning / out-coaching Same way we handled SEA, we know Darnold and PJ are liabilities at QB, yet we found ways to win with a GLARING weakness at QB. It's cool most folks here want an offensive minded coach, folks are also straight up dismissing the job he did this year, with this mess. Is your Ben Johnson's of the world going .500 with this??? That's a legit question to consider. Damian Williams was an established HB in GB, and set a record this year IRL, our gameplan limited that Aman-Ra was one of the best receivers as far as targets / production we limited that, and if not for the early bomb to Chark, we likely hold them under 20 points for the game. You can't highlight the failures and dismiss the success at the same time acting like what he did was not impressive, and likely deserving of more.

You're missing the point -- at no point did I say we should pound the ball... What he did as a coach was find an ''identity'' and a ''way to win'' with this roster. That's what a ''good'' coach does. Buffalo ''became'' a team that can pass the ball, but they also went out and traded for Diggs to give Allen a legit #1. Rivera failed to do that, I don't see Wilks making a similar mistake. This isn't about the old way vs new way, this is about who I think is a good coach, regardless of his Off / Def background.

Wilks coached a top 10 defense in yards allowed (7th), and 11th in PPG allowed... You consider this fact average? I already posted this and the link for reference. In contrast the 2016 defense, McDermott's last year here as he was hired January 11th, 2017 in Buffalo... PPG Allowed - 26th YPG Allowed - 21st ______________________________________________ People really forget why Wilks got the HC opps in the first place, and just focus on the 3-13 like he wasn't set up to fail day one. Didn't have a chance to choose his staff, or top 10 QB.

I've said a few times the biggest issue that we face isn't HC post Rhule, it's finding a quarterback. Running the ball only gets you so far, but the point of that game was to show that we handled the offense of a guy many thought could be our next HC until he decided to stay with DET.

Fired black coaches after one year also says a lot... David Culley / Lovie Smith most recently in back to back years in HOU say hello... Go look at that 2018 ARI roster...they were picking top 10 for a reason

If McD and company can do it in BUF why not here, what's the reason for this concern with Wilks? He didn't get to select a QB in ARI, and squeezed out 6-6 with Mayfield / Sam / PJ. And this isn't sarcasm, this is a legit open conversation.

Had us .500 over his span vs .300 under Rhule... Any data on these first year guys you have that says they're guaranteed to do better...? Every NFL has an identity, you don't go to PIT and get rid of the terrible towel, or drop the who dat in NO. Rhule had no idea wtf he was doing, and all I'm saying is I'm not sold on a 1st year OC turned HC being the answer. Some of you want ''change for the sake of change''. And Off or Def HC, none of that matters until we find a QB, and I was on the ''I want an offensive minded coach to pair with our rookie'' train, I beat the drum for it after seeing how Rivera mismanaged Cam, but I also see how McD and company up in Buffalo haven't failed Josh Allen. I see the ''Panthers Way'' working in Buffalo better than it ever did here.

Rooney satisfaction. Though they have a black QB so maybe since Kyler is rumored to have ''next coach'' input I can see it.

Not as a HC, I want to say he garnered some attention as a DC, we are talking about HC options atm. So if you are Wilks and your goal is to be a HC why would you interview for less. Flores was added to Pittsburgh roster due to Mike Tomlin creating a job as he was not a coordinator. That was ''minority'' coaches sticking together. You expect a one year OC, turned first year HC to ''out plan / out coach'' seasoned NFL veteran coaches? Look what we did to Ben Johnson's offense... Held their run game to 2.6 ypc Kept Amon-Ra under 100 receiving, and outside CJ getting mossed (51 yards) Chark was 3 for 57 _________________________________________________________ Are we talking about that kind of ''out planning / out coaching''? I mention Ben as he was the ''hot'' name. Ya'll forget Rhule was one of if not the ''HOTTEST'' name that cycle with a ''reputation'' for rebuilding programs. I'm just saying thinking that a 1st year OC turned HC is the way to the promised land is ''wishful'' thinking at best. And I get it offense has been so inept here, and we see NFL trends etc. but you also can't buy into the ''hype'' too much. Which is why I suggested Wilks on a 3yr / avg sal contract. Short enough to move on if needed, or room for an extension if earned inside two years. What we need more than anything that ALL of these OCs that people love so much have, is a QUARTERBACK. A Pep Hamilton pairing, I'd be open to Scott Turner returning, bringing in a coach from the SF, or LAR staff to be the OC makes sense to me as well. I'm just not sold on the ''inexperienced HC route''. Not after Rhule, and not with all the failure we've seen when teams try to ''find the next''. We can talk about the MIA coach, but look at the team he inherited...and what they did with all that cap space (Hill / Armstead / Chubb / etc.) Taylor and CIN, hit on a number one QB overall, and as time has shown you have about a 50% chance to hit. Kingsbury flamed out in ARI, and ended up at odds with ''his guy'' at QB. Nathaniel Hackett GB QB guru - 4-11 and fired with Russell Wilson, as bad as a season as they had, we all have seen Russ up close versus us over the years, he's not like what we saw this year. There are other examples over the years, if we went the offensive coach route, give me Reich or Caldwell, I want experience first and foremost and they have legit resumes.

Each of those coaches got us to a Superbowl... Not a strong argument, hell even with no QB in WAS Rivera made the playoffs, but you want to turn it over to an even less experienced person that Matt Rhule that just happens to have a year under their belt as an OC? I understand the trend, I also understand that trend has failed in several places that tried to follow suit. There's only so many McVays / Shanahans. Ben Johnson 1st year OC, Ken Dorsey 1st year OC, etc. I want more offensive focus, but I also want a legit HC, Wilks showed you what he could do with basically nothing. The time in ARI in my opinion is a wash all things considered which I outlined above.

I think many forget he's suing the NFL... I'd wager that has more to due with outside lack of interest, Brian Flores ring a bell for any of you... Not saying we need to agree, but it's more than his resume' And the year (2017) he was the DC was the year we had the worst secondary personnel I may have ever witnessed outside of Bradberry, who remembers Daryl Worley, Kevon Seymour, old Munnerlyn Ladarius Gunter...like let's keep it a buck, that 2017 defense outside of Luke, and an aging TD58 was trash. Kawaan Short was two years removed from his record setting year, Charles Johnson was in his LAST year with the team, and Addison...that defense was trash every day of the weak, and 2x on Sundays. And even with all of that to consider...we were 11th in points allowed, and 7th in yards allowed -- https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/car/2017.htm The frustration you are likely recalling was tied to the BEGININNING of that season as he was running a lot of man with pressure and guys like Worley was getting chewed up, when we went back to the ''keep it in front'' style based on personnel we ended up with one of the best defenses in the league which is WHY he got the HC opportunity in the first place.

14th in rush yards allowed per run 22nd in pass yards per game allowed 22nd in total yards per game allowed 25th in sacks 23rd in 3rd down percentage 19th in points allowed ____________________________________________________ I wouldn't call the defense awful -- let's put it in context, no one after Brian Burans (12.5 sacks) that can rush the passer, no one after Jaycee Horn, and in some of your cases begrudgingly so after Donte' Jackson. A list of JAGs on the IDL, and Off-ball LB'er, Shaq is good but over-paid, Luvu had a career year but has limitations, Wilson fell out the rotation, and Littleton was a decent contributor. With the emergence of Derrick Brown, and IO the IDL depth was weak. Even with those things, finishing 19th in PPG allowed is relatively impressive, for an offense as limited as ours was it was clear in several games the team just got tired on defense. Being top 15 in the league versus rushing yards per play is impressive as well. Some Playoff teams worse than 19th in PPG allowed: 18th - GB (included as they were one rank above us, but have a HOF QB) 21st - LAC 24th MIA 25th - SEA 29th - MIN 30th - DET (included since they were a fringe playoff team if they could beat us) _______________________________________________________ The one thing all those teams have in common...they all had legit offenses with either a combination of competent coaching, quarterback play, or both. No one here is gonna say Darnold is competent, at best you could maybe say streaky...he's inconsistent. The saying is, and always will fall back to, ''the best defense is a good offense'' and we haven't had a ''good offense'' since 2018 before Cam got injured.

There's a lot of buzz out there and rightfully so, but I think we should hire Steve Wilks. Think about where we were in as recent as 2018 -- 6-2, on the verge of a playoff caliber season, and then the hit happens. Fast forward to 2019 -- Lisfranc ends Cam's season in by Week 3 I believe it was (The TNF game where CMC came up short to win) 2020 - 2022 - The biggest poo show I have EVER witnessed at the professional level (outside Meyer), Rhule comes in preaching a college style rebuild, strips any and all ties to what makes the Panthers the Panthers in the first place, and inserts his generic ''insert team name here'' OOU crap (if you don't know about the OOU stuff look it up) In this time we cut Cam, and replace him with Teddy B for ''MORE MONEY'' only to trade him a season later for a 6th or 7th while eating dead cap, we pass on QBs in the 2021 draft because we traded for Sam and gave up a haul to get for a QB who was a bust at that point, and before the 2021 draft ends, we've guaranteed his 5th year at short of 19M. Sam and the OL are a complete poo show in 2021, in 2022 we trade for another QB his current team wanted to replace / upgrade from Baker Mayfield, who somehow even with the new OL, CMC, and DJ was worse than Sam, and ends up benched in favor of PJ Walker. In this time Rhule won 11 games - 5-11 / 5-12 / 1-4 - two and a half years into his ''7'' year plan. _______________________________________________________ I say all of that to set up the following, anyone with a set of eyes knows that Wilks was set up to fail once management decided not to let him select his QB - ''see Josh Rosen since his time in ARI''. People may forget how old that team had become after the Bruce Arians run there with Carson Palmer. Wilks finishes 3-13 and is replaced by an inexperienced coach, who was just FIRED in college, and is given the chance to draft ''his guy'' Kyler number one overall only to be fired after the 3rd year. Wilks helped the Panthers become a serious team again going 6-6 over 12 games winning more games in a shortened stint than Rhule ever did in any full season, and did so with even less than Rhule had at his disposal at any point in time. CMC was injured under Rhule...ok he was traded for a 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th. Robbie who was a thousand yard receiver became a JAG with Sam, and Baker, he was eventually traded away for a 5th from ARI if memory serves. Chuba who many of us likely loathed after the bad hands / fumbles in his rookie year, all of a sudden became a legit contributor, and D'Onta established himself as one of the better backs in the league run production wise, and was less than 100 yards away from a 1,000 yard season had it not been for a weak ejection in Week 18. Then the biggest Rhule snubs TMJ, and Bozeman, TMJ showed you why he was a 2nd round pick flashing the 50/50 ball ability, along side his speed / size / athleticism. Bozeman came in and immediately anchored the OL a unit that was as sound as any for the majority of the year even with a rookie, and two new additions in free agency and Brady C in year two. ''But he's too conservative'' let's be honest, looking at what we had on offense / who was calling the plays, alongside the fact that our defense while solid / good is limited no 2nd pass rusher, question marks in the secondary, speed at the second level, etc. we were not constructed to be overly aggressive, for the most part we were aggressive when needed for the most part, and maybe we left some plays out there we'd like to have back in hindsight -- news flash, all coaches / every team feels this way. Considering Wilks took a 1-4 team, and got them to 7-10 with all we had surrounding us is about as impressive as it gets, and what's more...the players respect him / his approach. He helped set franchise....let me repeat that FRANCHISE records offensively even though he has a defensive background. To me if you are Tepper, let's see where this goes under his leadership, let him hire ''his'' staff. Many of you may not have known this but see this quote from Rivera: “The hard part for him there, he was the last guy hired,” Rivera said for Sports Illustrated. “So all the guys that were on his coaching list, they were already locked in. He had to hire guys that he really didn’t want to have to hire. He had to keep guys he didn’t want to keep.” https://cardswire.usatoday.com/2022/02/04/ron-rivera-steve-wilks-coaching-staff-with-cardinals-was-part-of-problem-in-2018/#:~:text=Offensive coordinator Mike McCoy was,Foote%2C Steve Heiden and others. That is huge, I don't agree with giving coaches ''full'' roster control (what is rumored for Payton), but they need to be able to hire their staff, these are the guys they work with week in and week out, you need that group of men to be on the same page if you want to see results. I think we have the right guy, we just need to give him the opportunity, 3 year deal, league average salary, and let's keep Panther's football moving forward -- #KEEPPOUNDING

He wasn't a final point for two years...he sat behind Jimmy as a rookie, then got hurt in like his 2nd or 3rd game this year. Considering the investment they made, I doubt they move him for low IF they even consider it. If he scratches his potential THAT team they'll be even better until they have to pay him. Now if they believe in Brock who has more time left on a rookie deal and is cheaper then they could bolster the roster with additional picks. But I wouldn't give up more than a 3rd.

Can't say this until you AT LEAST have a coach, and OC on the staff.

The ones that do, generally have a Good QB on a rookie contract.

After this FA period / draft this response could be considered flawed.