A look at 2010, the year we could have got Luck and Harbaugh

[Hotsauce]

The 2010 season just wrapped up and the Panthers managed to win just 2 games that year. John Fox’s tenure with the Panthers had come to an end. From the start of the season he was a lame duck, he and everyone knew he was done after the season. A lockout also was looming between owners and the players that offseason.

QB’s Matt Moore and rookie Jimmy Clausen (puke) took turns starting that year. The Offense was ranked dead last 32nd and the defense was ranked 15th. 

Andrew Luck, Stanford, was arguably the hottest college QB in the nation. Every “list” (we all love lists) named him the top draft pick for the 2011 draft, should he declare. There was also little debate as to who Marty/Jerry were drafting. It was well known Luck was there guy. 

Jim Harbaugh from Stanford was the hottest coaching prospect in the offseason.  Many speculated he and Luck could be a package deal to the Panthers who held the #1 pick. He was a fan favorite amount Panther fans especially since he played for the Panthers in 2001.   

https://www.forbes.com/sites/sportsmoney/2011/01/06/the-pursuit-of-jim-harbaugh/

 

Timeline:

Jan. 6 2011 - Luck announces he will return to Stanford

Jan. 7 2011 - Harbourgh agrees to become the HC of the 49ers (2010 record 6-10)

Jan. 11 2011 - Ron Rivera agrees to become the HC of the Panthers (2010 record 2-14)

*I thought this timeline was really interesting.  Without going into a bunch of detail, I speculate that Richardson never wanted Harbaugh.  He was somewhat known as a loose cannon, and certainly no where near the mold of “yes-men” that Jerry famously surrounded himself with.  I bet he and Luck seriously considered going as a package deal to Carolina, but Jerry (was was leading the charge with the lockout) was the reason they both passed.  

 

Coaching Stats:

Ron Rivera, 8 seasons, 71-56-1 (.559), 3x NFCS championships, 1x NFC championship, 2015 coach of the year

Jim Harbaugh, 4 seasons, 64-44 (.695), 3x NFCW championships, 1x NFC championship, 2011 coach of the year

*just from a stats perspective, JH did more in less the time.  Both coaches have the  exact same accomplishments, which is interesting. 

 

Player stats:

*I am going to preface this with, I know a lot of people here get extremely thinned skin when comparing any other QB to Cam. We all agree, Cam was the best thing that ever happened to the Panthers. 

Cam Newton, 8 seasons, 68-53-1, 3x pro bowls, 1x All-Pro, 1 MVP, 3x NFCS Championships, 1x NFC Championship

Andrew Luck, 6 seasons, 53-33, 4x pro bowls, NFL Comeback Player of the Year 2018

 

Its always interesting to me to consider hypothetical situations like this.  And certainly the thought of Harbaugh/Luck lead Panthers is a fascinating concept. 

How do you guys think it would have played out if we got those guys and not Cam/RR?  Where would we be today?  The same success?  Worse?  Superb owl?

 

[cam1uvrxoxo]

We got really lucky to get cam instead of Luck. Might be one of the most insane things in sports history. Especially for us 

[Captroop]

Luck wouldn't have made it this long behind our O-Line. That press conference would have happened in 2015 or 2016.

[bababoey]

It's really impossible to say.  In 2011 Luck would have had a much better O line than he ever had with the Colts.  The defense would have been better from 2013 up until last year.  There would have been more running the ball and play action here which should cut down on the sacks and hits.  Bruce Arians was his first OC and while he is very good at designing the passing game, but it seems like all his plays are deep drops and long developing plays which take time.  Chud and then Shula are somewhat the same but much simpler route designs which should lead to quicker reads but easier to cover guys. 

Injuries are funny.  4 guys can get hit the exact same way and 3 of them would be fine and 1 has a broken arm, or torn up knee, or whatever.  If he would have come here there would be so many things different that it would be impossible to say.

[ncfan]

If im not mistaken.

 

The Luck's were not fans of Richardson, thus part of the reason he returned.

[Dunn]

You can't judge on just those 2 alone how they would have fared in our scheme because the scheme we have now doesn't mean thats what we would have drafted back then.  We might have never gotten Kuechley with Harbaugh in charge...maybe he would have been the offensive minded push that would have changed the paths of the panthers so this is one of the hardest hypothetical scenario's to discuss.

[lumbeecheraw75]

Thank you Jerry Richardson! (for opening your big mouth)

[Go DJ that's my DJ]

I think 2013 would have ended in a Lombardi If luck was our QB. Our O-line was actually not poo that year. the front 7 was amazing.

[Cary Kollins]

18 minutes ago, ncfan said:

If im not mistaken.

 

The Luck's were not fans of Richardson, thus part of the reason he returned.

 

in hindsight I can't say I blame the Luck's after everything we know now

That said, Irsay isn't much better than Richardson but it's not like they chose the Colts either.

[Panthercougar68]

23 minutes ago, ncfan said:

If im not mistaken.

 

The Luck's were not fans of Richardson, thus part of the reason he returned.

Which was dumb in general...you're gonna be a #1 pick therefore the team you're going to has/had issues. There is really no "perfect" situation for a #1 pick.

Anyway I'm happy where we are at now.

[The NFL Shield At Midfield]

lol supposedly the Panthers had staff waiting in the tunnel to talk to Harbaugh at the Orange Bowl in 2011 and he just jogged right past them.

[Hotsauce]

11 minutes ago, The NFL Shield At Midfield said:

lol supposedly the Panthers had staff waiting in the tunnel to talk to Harbaugh at the Orange Bowl in 2011 and he just jogged right past them.

That is the most Harbaugh thing ever and pretty funny if true

[Hotsauce]

I think we could debate, when healthy, who would have been the better QB. 

I don’t think however there would be much debate on who would have been a better coach. 

JH > RR

[BrianS]

6 hours ago, Hotsauce said:

Player stats:

*I am going to preface this with, I know a lot of people here get extremely thinned skin when comparing any other QB to Cam. We all agree, Cam was the best thing that ever happened to the Panthers. 

Cam Newton, 8 seasons, 68-53-1, 3x pro bowls, 1x All-Pro, 1 MVP, 3x NFCS Championships, 1x NFC Championship

Andrew Luck, 6 seasons, 53-33, 4x pro bowls, NFL Comeback Player of the Year 2018

 

Keeping in mind of course that Cam plays in the NFC South, where we send a team to the Championship game in 4 of the last 7 years.  We don't get 4+ automatic wins per season.