Did Matt Rhule even really want to be coach of the Panthers?

[L-TownCat]

If I saw Rhule and Hurney walking down the street together, I’d be legitimately torn on which one to slap like a bitch first.

[1st down]

20 minutes ago, Khyber53 said:

Folks, he interviewed really well for a job he wasn't qualified for, but didn't know he wasn't. He was given big bucks for his potential, his plan that was laid out, the overall spirit in the room at the time and, most importantly, because it was a competitive environment where there was a very, very good chance they could lose what appeared to be a shining candidate to a competitor.

It happens. It happens every day in the real world, too.

Moving too fast and making too many decisions under the pressure to get first dibs on the best coach available created this problem. There's every chance that right now, Tepper is taking his time with this, to see who Rhule will be bringing on board and if there are changes that will be made. I'd expect within the next two weeks, Rhule will present who those coaches are who have agreed to the jobs and Tepper will then decide if this is moving in the right direction. He could be sold, once again, on Rhule's rhetoric and coaching staff choices. Or he could decide this is a lackluster group (because pickings are going to be slim in this environment) and he could let Rhule go.

If he let's Rhule go, then we are late getting into the coaching search. That may not be a bad thing. Bad teams with bad management often rush to hire the hot candidates. They then repeat the process again and again, because they keep making bad choices. Do you think Houston will hire the best guy? Or that Miami will suddenly smarten up? That Elway will make the right choice again in Denver? History says they won't because they always grab the wrong candidates. So, let them make those first choices. Then look at who is left, who really wants to get in here, who really has not just the resume but the respect. Andy Reid was looking for a job when the Chiefs went after him. Heck, Belichick was too when the Patriots needed a new coach and he wasn't a high choice on anyone's list after the Browns debacle.

I'm gonna be patient, because that's all we can do. But I think we should know in two weeks where things are headed. I still haven't seen Tepper come out and publicly say Rhule is our guy yet in light of all the uproar in the fanbase. 

First line of this post says it all. Rhule's ego told him that he could do for the Panthers what he did for Temple and Baylor. He came in and said all the magical words that Tepper wanted to hear and since he was already considered a hot candidate, Tepper opened up the checkbook. Whether he regrets it now, we have no idea. All we do know is that Rhule is so far in over his head that he will probably never sniff another NFL job once we do finally take out the trash here in Charlotte. Hoping it still happens before next season.

[frankw]

He followed the money just like he did with Temple and Baylor. He already summed all this up when he told the players he could take off to another high paid college gig if he wanted.

[L-TownCat]

3 minutes ago, 1st down said:

I'd expect within the next two weeks, Rhule will present who those coaches are who have agreed to the jobs and Tepper will then decide if this is moving in the right direction.

Then he’s failed already.  If that’s his plan, one no other franchise would follow, it shows his ineptitude.

None of this is the way it should be done.  Every day Rhule isn’t fired brings us closer to Hell.

[FuFuLamePoo]

I think he always wanted to try the NFL, but I think even at this point he realizes he's in over his head. We already know he looked into a few college jobs again already.

[jayboogieman]

10 hours ago, RumHam said:

we are stuck with rhule until year 5. he's not going to lose out on that much money

Four years. Everybody thinking Rhule is a lame duck unless he gets the team into the playoffs is setting themselves up for disappointment next year too.

[BlitzMonster]

2 hours ago, mrcompletely11 said:

In his interview he leaned into analytics, nutrition, getting the most out his players, athletic evaluations etc.  None of that has carried over

I think the fact that the Panthers were on a youth movement significantly helped Rhule.   Everyone knew  Carolina's old guard would be moved out and the team would now be filled with rookies and young guys.   That situation favors a college coach since most of these players needed for the rebuild would be just a year or two older than a NCAA team.  

[rippadonn]

Being a college team in the NFL is far from a "winning" culture.

This is PROFESSIONAL football. Get that sht outta here!

[Luciu5]

12 hours ago, hepcat said:

Tepper guaranteed Rhule so much money that he would be eating tens of millions to rip up his contact

How much is guaranteed exactly? Link to source if you don't mind, cause I've been trying to find that info and haven't been able to.

[hepcat]

7 minutes ago, Luciu5 said:

How much is guaranteed exactly? Link to source if you don't mind, cause I've been trying to find that info and haven't been able to.

I don't know how much is guaranteed exactly. But it was a 7 year $62m contract that included $6m to buyout his Baylor contract. And I guarantee given what Tepper had to do to pluck him from Baylor, there would have to be a buyout to terminate the contract.

[Snake]

3 hours ago, LinvilleGorge said:

Sure it has. Analytics and athletic evaluations caused him to pass on an All-Pro rookie LT because his arms were an inch too short and try like hell not to play our own rookie OL at LT for the same reason despite him clearly being the best option available.

When you're a screw up no amount of analytics will help you. Teppers biggest mistake is keeping hurney and letting him pick this train wreck. 

[Sgt Schultz]

2 hours ago, Khyber53 said:

Folks, he interviewed really well for a job he wasn't qualified for, but didn't know he wasn't. He was given big bucks for his potential, his plan that was laid out, the overall spirit in the room at the time and, most importantly, because it was a competitive environment where there was a very, very good chance they could lose what appeared to be a shining candidate to a competitor.

It happens. It happens every day in the real world, too.

Moving too fast and making too many decisions under the pressure to get first dibs on the best coach available created this problem. There's every chance that right now, Tepper is taking his time with this, to see who Rhule will be bringing on board and if there are changes that will be made. I'd expect within the next two weeks, Rhule will present who those coaches are who have agreed to the jobs and Tepper will then decide if this is moving in the right direction. He could be sold, once again, on Rhule's rhetoric and coaching staff choices. Or he could decide this is a lackluster group (because pickings are going to be slim in this environment) and he could let Rhule go.

If he let's Rhule go, then we are late getting into the coaching search. That may not be a bad thing. Bad teams with bad management often rush to hire the hot candidates. They then repeat the process again and again, because they keep making bad choices. Do you think Houston will hire the best guy? Or that Miami will suddenly smarten up? That Elway will make the right choice again in Denver? History says they won't because they always grab the wrong candidates. So, let them make those first choices. Then look at who is left, who really wants to get in here, who really has not just the resume but the respect. Andy Reid was looking for a job when the Chiefs went after him. Heck, Belichick was too when the Patriots needed a new coach and he wasn't a high choice on anyone's list after the Browns debacle.

I'm gonna be patient, because that's all we can do. But I think we should know in two weeks where things are headed. I still haven't seen Tepper come out and publicly say Rhule is our guy yet in light of all the uproar in the fanbase. 

True, all of it.

Did Rhule want to be the HC of the Panthers?  Yes.  It was a shot at proving himself at the NFL level.  We are not talking about a guy coaching Bama, Ohio State, Michigan, or some other pinnacle in college football that a coach would really have to weigh whether they want to give up "all this" to risk going to the next level.  This was "his shot."

We have seen other college coaches with bigger names and resumes than Rhule get to the NFL and flame out.  At some point, it is almost like they give up and go through the motions.  It happened to Spurrier, Saban, Petrino, Holtz, etc and it happened pretty quickly.  It happened to Chip Kelly, it just took longer due to some initial success.  It happened to Meyer almost on day one, it seems.

There is no set of proven characteristics for whether or not a college coach will make it in the NFL.  It is almost completely random. 

The only place I differ with Khyber is I don't think we will know in a couple of weeks.  I think Rhule is here for 2022, at least the first 10-12 games, barring some complete meltdown.  I honestly hope Kyber is right.

Unlike most of this board, I don't think Tepper is an idiot.  I also don't think he is some oracle who knows what the right answer to these situations is.  I do think he is more patient and deliberate than most of this board seems to understand. 

[LinvilleGorge]

2 minutes ago, Snake said:

When you're a screw up no amount of analytics will help you. Teppers biggest mistake is keeping hurney and letting him pick this train wreck. 

I don't let Tepper off the hook and put all the blame on Hurney. Tepper bought in fully too. I honestly think he still believes... or at least can't believe that he got this so terribly wrong. Either way, the end result is another year of Rhule.

[Snake]

He wanted a spring board to a better college team. His every move speaks to it.