Rhule analysis from a Baylor beat reporter

[Mr. Scot]

Via Jourdan Rodrigue in The Athletic

Some pertinent excerpts:

His staffs have consistently been terrific as talent evaluators, and they had to be in order to be successful. They find guys who fit and have the upside to develop into big-time talents.

And because of what Rhule inherited at Baylor, he didn’t have room to take risks on low-character kids who’d get in trouble.

Rhule is not coming into this organization with a system on offense or defense that he’s stuck to all these years. He adjusts to what he has and what it takes to win. In 2019, Baylor totally changed up its defense, shifting to an odd front in an effort to get its best athletes on the field.

It was a dramatic transformation, both in system and in results, and it’s a credit to Rhule to not have any reluctance to evolve and try new things. There’s no doubt he’ll approach the Panthers job with the same mindset.

Rhule’s strong partnership with his athletic director at Baylor is a huge reason why their turnaround was even possible. Rhule and Rhoades got their entire organization aligned in the right direction and put a ton of trust into each other. Everybody understood and embraced the process. And they got results.

Based on the things I’d read about Tepper and his philosophies as an owner, it was obvious that if he and Rhule got in a room together, they were going to seriously hit it off. And that’s exactly what happened in Rhule’s kitchen down in Waco.

They share so many of the same beliefs about how this stuff should work. Finding that like-minded leadership was the key for Rhule. That doesn’t mean this will happen fast and it doesn’t mean Rhule won’t make a few mistakes along the way, but I do believe he’s walking into the right environment to bring out his best.

At Baylor, Rhule had a preference for guys with multi-sport backgrounds and track athleticism and for linemen who had the frames to develop into good, athletic players over a few years. He wanted to play fast and physical and that really showed up these last two seasons.

He had big, long receivers in Denzel Mims and Jalen Hurd and leaned on a committee of backs. And his quarterback, Charlie Brewer, was maybe more of a game manager but one who’s a great leader.

This is not a guy trying to bring a gimmicky college offense or defense to the next level. He’s going to adapt around the pieces they have there.

Rhoades has launched a search for their next head coach and will undoubtedly have some strong options, but one possibility is Baylor associate head coach Joey McGuire gets promoted. If Rhoades goes in that direction, I could see a number of Baylor staffers getting retained and staying put in Waco.

One key staffer who has a big decision to make is defensive coordinator Phil Snow, who does have NFL experience in coaching for the Lions from 2005-2008. He and Rhule go way back, and his turnaround of the Bears’ defense is arguably the biggest reason why their team won 11 games and put Rhule in position to land this job.

Several of Rhule’s former assistants at Baylor — Jeff Nixon, Glenn Thomas, Frisman Jackson, Bob Bicknell — have coached in the NFL in recent years and could be good fits in Carolina.

[!stUp]

So....the  "anti"...Chip Kelly?

[Mitchl13]

Can’t wait for the basement dwellling mouth-breathers to argue with these actual facts.

[Ship]

Rhule definitely has the tools to be more of a Pete Carroll than a Chip Kelly. It’s about the players and the process not sacrificing everything for the system.

[Manna]

9 minutes ago, Mr. Scot said:

He adjusts to what he has and what it takes to win

This is all I really care about.

[trueblade]

9 minutes ago, Mr. Scot said:

He had big, long receivers in Denzel Mims and Jalen Hurd and leaned on a committee of backs. And his quarterback, Charlie Brewer, was maybe more of a game manager but one who’s a great leader.

We don't have big, long receivers. CMC loves to be on the field (no committee), and we have a dynamic play maker at QB who no one would call a 'game manager' (talking about Newton in case anyone is confused).

It'll be interesting to see how Rhule adjusts. 

[(ATL'ien)CamNewton]

With Cam I think Rhule can be a good coach ..

If Rhule has to find a QB it's going to be ugly

[Mr. Scot]

The system flexibility could be nice.  Having guys that are actually good at talent evaluation would certainly be a nice change too.

Sounds like the crowd that always wants us to go after "bad boys" is gonna be disappointed. though.

I'm less certain about the whole "get athletes and develop them into football players" working at the NFL level. He might have to adapt there. The Redskins used to have a similar philosophy back during Vinny Cerrato's days. It didn't go so well.

Also sounds like he'll probably go more to a pro style offense and not a college type. Makes sense given that his OC has a mostly pro background.

[Mr. Scot]

2 minutes ago, trueblade said:

We don't have big, long receivers. CMC loves to be on the field (no committee), and we have a dynamic play maker at QB who no one would call a 'game manager' (talking about Newton in case anyone is confused).

It'll be interesting to see how Rhule adjusts. 

The "committee" thing sure as hell isn't happening with McCaffrey but it does sound like he'll actually use some other runningbacks rather than just having a one man backfield.

[panther4life]

1 minute ago, Mr. Scot said:

The system flexibility could be nice.  Having guys that are actually good at talent evaluation would certainly be a nice change too.

Sounds like the crowd that always wants us to go after "bad boys" is gonna be disappointed. though.

I'm less certain about the whole "get athletes and develop them into football players" working at the NFL level. He might have to adapt there. The Redskins used to have a similar philosophy back during Vinny Cerrato's days. It didn't go so well.

Also sounds like he'll probably go more to a pro style offense and not a college type. Makes sense given that his OC has a mostly pro background.

I think part of that was the top recruits were never going to consider Baylor over the likes of bigger more established football programs. 

So he then chose the best raw athletes he could find and then coached them up. Can’t remember where I read the article but it pretty much stated that exact thought process.

[Smithers]

7 minutes ago, Manna said:

This is all I really care about.

Yep...that’s what has made NE so good for so long.  

[Mother Grabber]

6 minutes ago, (ATL'ien)CamNewton said:

If Rhule has to find a QB it's going to be ugly

why? just cuz?

[LinvilleGorge]

It won't surprise me if some of the "committee" approach involves CMC still on the field split out into the slot. As great as CMC is and as great of a season as he had, I still think there's a LOT more we can down with him in terms of creating match up and personnel grouping issues for opposing defenses.

[Mr. Scot]

2 minutes ago, panther4life said:

I think part of that was the top recruits were never going to consider Baylor over the likes of bigger more established football programs. 

So he then chose the best raw athletes he could find and then coached them up. Can’t remember where I read the article but it pretty much stated that exact thought process.

The way college football has been over the past few years, there are way more "raw" athletes than they're used to be.

Being able to coach that type of guy up might be useful.