First Impression of Coaching Staff

[Double34Trouble28]

So, throughout training camp and the first three preseason games what is your first impression of our new coaching staff? What do you like? Who do you like? What do you wish was different? Whether it be attitude, playing style, play calling, deciding who starts, anything, how are the coaches helping and hurting in your opinion? Just interested to see how everyone feels since so much of the chatter lately has been about Cam and our poo play in the trenches.

[CLG]

Just off the top of my head i like,

Rivera, Shula, and McDermott..

All seem to be good teachers of the game, and constantly communicating with the players. i dont wish that anything was different, it takes time. Something that the entire team hasnt had yet, i like the direction the coaching staff is trying to take the team though.Just have to wait and see how it pans out.

[ItsPantone278]

Shula and McDermott will get my praise because I have noticed them coaching hard. Shula especially. He is always coaching. I have yet to see a shot o the Panthers sidelines where Shula isn't passionately leading this young stable of QBs. He looks like a man trying to make up for lost time. McDermott coming out of the box for the Bengals game,you will notice him in the huddle at a time out late in the game in cincy. He is full of fire and passion, and this will eventually begin to show on the field. I think that Rivera has set a tone and his coaches are of his coaching style. I think it is a matter of time.

[PantherFan52]

I'll reserve my judgement until the real season actually starts.

[jtnc]

Shula I've noticed is a great coach, going over the playbook, and what Newton needs/not to do. He seems more like a mentor than Anderson. I'll reserve judgment on Rivera and the coordinators.

[DawgzLife]

I am really not as concerned with the 'passion' a coach has as much as I with the competence/outcomes. Billachick is 1 of the least 'passionate coaches, but 1 of the winningest coaches ever.

After I wrote it, you can tell how worried & frustrated I am, b/c it sound negative. I just don't see much reason yet, to be excited by this coming year...so far my biggest fear will be that we are again the laughing stock of the league or division (honestly).

That being said &....ASSUMING...that we are actually seeing the type of coaching that we will be seeing during the regular season:

- I like the mentoring (but only if ultimately effective, on the field).

- I am concerned that the offense has not showed the ability to get into any rythym in passing, running or sustaining drives consistently.

- I am concerned that the (near elite) OL, has look sub-par.

- I am concerned that they have favored putting the ball in the air more than running. Our running game 'should be' our strength & if we established a running game 'first', then Cam would not have DLs bull rushing & pushing our OL into him while throwing, & the WRs would be able to get at least a little seperation.

- I am glad that Rivera has not whole-heartedly defended the DL play & that they picked up Balmer (it is also a negative that they did plan better to begin with though).

- The poor DL play has made the LBs & DBs look worse than they are (unless coaching has made them even worse than last year & we have Davis back). This are has to do with roster decisions & coaching. We need more DLs, CBs, a least 1 effective WR other than Smitty & 1 or 2 effective OL backups too. These decisions are made by a coach in conjuction with a GM (so I wonder about his player assessment 'before' the season starts....I understand this off-season was abbreviated, but all teams had that).

- Special teams (returns have not been all that special).

- We are in the "bottom of the league" (pre-season, of course) for: OFFENSE: passing, rushing, receptions & total yards. DEFENSE: total yards, yards rushed on us, TDs against us, towards bottom in INTs.

- Neither of the 2 young QBs are looking sharp & Andreson is really getting no reps if he has to be the immediate backup, so won't have the timing with WRs....Clausen should not be our backup, unless he can be successful & we can garner some trade value for him.

- I was a proponent of Rivera & still have high hopes, but the product on the field has caused more concern than confidence at this point. After re-watching the Cincinnati game (who other teams have embarrassed...we made them look world-class * Dalton look unstoppable) I am interested to hear the positive objective postives of Rivera & the coaching staff. Good question/thread!

I sure hope my concerns are not justified during the regular season; we cannot have another season of excuses. Go Panthers!

[Zod]

Fantastic post

[Achilles]

I hope McDermott continues to coach from the sideline. YOu could tell that the defense was more cohesive and focused with him down there. He was on the field with the players several times after a couple of decent 3rd down stops. You could see his passion. Even though the defense had looked bad in the first half, he looked like he really pulled it together and called a better game after that. He called a pretty good game against NYG.

UNfortunately our weaknesses are all too obvious. We are vulnerable up the middle against the run. We are vulnerable on deep pass plays. Its not too difficult to see how to beat this team. What I'd like to see on defense is consistency in terms of personnel before I judge McDermott for real...

but my overall impression is that he is a good DC. He doesn't have quite as much to work with this particular season as he had in Philly, in terms of experience and depth at DT and CB. On the other hand, if we don't see improvement within 4 games or so, and we are winless, McDermott will have a lot of explaining to do.

With CHud and the offense, I like his system. When executed correctly, I think Cam could be deadly in it. However, if the OL continues to suck balls (esp. Garry Williams, my God!) and the running game continues to be anemic eventually it will have to become Chud's fault. He needs to get these guys executing plays with precision.

So basically, I do think we have good coaches (Rivera's success depends a great deal on whether Chud and McD can get some quality out of this team). I am willing to go through the growing pains, but if we only win 2-3 games I am NOT going to be apologizing for them.

RIght now, if we win 5 games, I'll call it a good season.

[Double34Trouble28]

Yes, I enjoyed that post, dawgzlife.

[Double34Trouble28]

I know this isn't technically on topic, but I'm the OP so I won't be offended lol.

I noticed in your post achilles, talking about the struggles of the offensive line when discussing Chud's offense. This is spot on. I honestly believe IF we can get Schwartz and Otah back fast the offense will look really really different. Why? Because instead of getting 1 yard on a run, we will be getting chunks. Otah is one HELL of a run blocker and I really believe having those two guys back are ONE of the keys in keeping us out of third and long. Third and forever is not what we need. Granted I don't want to see Cam running all the time, but think about it, if we are 3rd and 3 instead of 3rd and 9 if Cam can't find an open receiver the man can basically skip and fall forward for 3.

I'm excited about our coaches, it feels so different than in years past.

Rivera is blunt. He is candid. And we all love that.

McDermott is a teacher. Very animated. I'm all about that

The theory of Chud's offense is great IMO, but we won't see it being used right for some time. (For some reason I just thought of Gettis, so depressing. He WAS the #2 we needed, and a great vertical threat that Chud loves.)

I like having Meeks back. In some effed up kind of way of thinking about it I always feel like if you have a coach who has previously held a higher ranked position on a staff you are going to get something out of him. That means more knowledge. That means another coach in game planning that has been in charge of it, that can throw his opinions in with Rivera and McDermott.

Throughout the preseason I think ST have been much improved. So good for Murphy. Not that this has anything to do with coaching, but I honestly feel like Armanti's botched punt was a hiccup, not a sign of things to come. He's a different player now. I think he'll be fine.

Thanks for the discussion fellas. I've been thinking about the coaches this week and how they seem so different from the past staff but there was so much going on around here with Cam debates I got caught up before remembering to start a thread.

[HSCBandit07]

yea seriously Anderson could be our best chance to win at this point and he isn't getting any reps

[DawgzLife]

...I'm excited about our coaches, it feels so different than in years past.

Rivera is blunt. He is candid. And we all love that.

McDermott is a teacher. Very animated. I'm all about that

The theory of Chud's offense is great IMO, but we won't see it being used right for some time.

I like having Meeks back.

I've been thinking about the coaches this week and how they seem so different from the past staff but there was so much going on around here with Cam debates I got caught up before remembering to start a thread.

Very good points & I agree. The feel of the coaching staff & player buy-in is very good & positive; I'm excited about that. I just want to see results vs. feeling.

I think we've all been 'feeling' that our year is coming, but keep getting let down. Our division is 1 of the best in football, so we have no room for being 'good', we must excel more than most to even stay competitive in our division.

[DawgzLife]

yea seriously Anderson could be our best chance to win at this point and he isn't getting any reps

I hope & think Cam will be able to lead us, if Chudinski gets the OL & offensive system to gel. But...if not, I 'know' Clausen is not the answer. We need to 'win', not develop players for next year; I think after an 'effective' Cam, that Andreson is our best bet to win. Hopefully, this coaching staff can find a way to win & develop players at the same time though!

[Cavscout]

Coaches are doing great, IMO

Players are the problem