Differences in Staff Building

[Mr. Scot]

With the latest hire, the Panthers are looking at having assistant coaches for at least three positions this year:

Assistant WR - Ricky Proehl (maybe)

Assistant OL - Ray Brown

Assistant DL - Sam Mills

And there could potentially be more to come. We don't know.

None of the positions that you see listed above existed on the prior staff. The only coaching assistants I remember previously were for Special Teams (Jeff Rodgers, later Sam Garnes) and the Assistant Head Coach (Jim Skipper) which was more of a title than a function..

Rivera may believe that quantity helps quality. Of course, it could be the team's choice too. It's also possible that, especially in the cases of Brown and Proehl, you might be looking at "heir apparent" type situations.

Any way you go, they're definitely making departures from the old way of doing things. Kind of hope they'll also bring in some additions to the scouting departments.

[vorbis]

I think Rivera's press conference is kind of a fascinating document of honesty. I took from it that he wants his assistants to be ambitious and overachieve. Because of that I think you'll see a lot more movement of Panthers assistant coaches and position coaches and coordinators to other, higher-level jobs. Having assistant position coaches allows for continuity in that scenario where assistants go on to become coordinators or retire.

[Snake]

I never like the way Fox hired or used his assistance. I think it a telling sign when some good assistance say no thank you to Fox this year. I also think its a telling sign when good coaches come to Carolina because of Riviera. I like how he talks about working WITH his DC and talking about there ideas.

[Mr. Scot]

There's also something to be said for being prepared.

"Pre-emptive drafting" means you draft a guy at a position that you don't need right now, but you might need a little while down the road. That way when a guy leaves in free agency, declines due to age or whatever, you've got his successor already coached up and ready to go.

That approach can be used with coaching staffs too.

[j2sgam]

So Fox never listened to his assistants or their ideas?

[Jackofalltrades]

There's also something to be said for being prepared.

"Pre-emptive drafting" means you draft a guy at a position that you don't need right now, but you might need a little while down the road. That way when a guy leaves in free agency, declines due to age or whatever, you've got his successor already coached up and ready to go.

That approach can be used with coaching staffs too.

Worked great with Kalil, he was pure BPA pick at the time. Two Pro Bowls later...

[vorbis]

Rivera is, by all accounts, a very organized and prepared (maybe even to obsessive levels) guy. Having a solid coaching staff complete with assistants not quite out of the oven fits into that description quite nicely.

[Mr. Scot]

So Fox never listened to his assistants or their ideas?

You'd have to figure he listened to Jim Skipper.

Others? Unknown. You'd think...

[rayzor]

So Fox never listened to his assistants or their ideas?

fox was a micro-manager. wanted things done exactly his way. i'm sure he listened and then followed it up with, "well, thats an interesting idea, but how about we do it like this instead..."

[CatMan72]

Rivera put an emphasis on teaching in his introductory presser, so the more teachers the better.

When you have a young team like we do, the lower the student-to-teacher ratio the better.

[Highlandfire]

With the latest hire, the Panthers are looking at having assistant coaches for at least three positions this year:

Assistant WR - Ricky Proehl (maybe)

Assistant OL - Ray Brown

Assistant DL - Sam Mills

And there could potentially be more to come. We don't know.

None of the positions that you see listed above existed on the prior staff. The only coaching assistants I remember previously were for Special Teams (Jeff Rodgers, later Sam Garnes) and the Assistant Head Coach (Jim Skipper) which was more of a title than a function..

Rivera may believe that quantity helps quality. Of course, it could be the team's choice too. It's also possible that, especially in the cases of Brown and Proehl, you might be looking at "heir apparent" type situations.

Any way you go, they're definitely making departures from the old way of doing things. Kind of hope they'll also bring in some additions to the scouting departments.

One thing I want to bring up is for the 'JR is cheap' folks is this....Coaches salaries come from operating income aka JR's bottom line. Player salaries are pretty much covered with TV contract money.

So JR is paying 'out of his pocket' so to speak with these assistant hires that we haven't had before.

[Carolina Crazy V2]

Anybody know what's going on with Sam Garnes? He's a family friend, but we haven't been in touch with him for a couple years.

[Mr. Scot]

Anybody know what's going on with Sam Garnes? He's a family friend, but we haven't been in touch with him for a couple years.

No word. Wouldn't expect him back here right now, but it's possible. Also somewhat possible he gets an assistant ST job in Denver (Fox guy, if I recall correctly).

fox was a micro-manager. wanted things done exactly his way. i'm sure he listened and then followed it up with, "well, thats an interesting idea, but how about we do it like this instead..."

Someone else had mentioned that he kept a pretty tight lid on the QBs this year. That's one reason i don't think it's fair to solely evaluate them under his watch.

Rivera put an emphasis on teaching in his introductory presser, so the more teachers the better.

When you have a young team like we do, the lower the student-to-teacher ratio the better.

Agreed. Throw in that guys who played as long as Proehl and Brown have picked up a lot of tips and tricks along the way, the kind of stuff a guy who's always been a coach may not know. That helps out a lot.

[ItsNotGonnaBeAlright]

There's also something to be said for being prepared.

"Pre-emptive drafting" means you draft a guy at a position that you don't need right now, but you might need a little while down the road. That way when a guy leaves in free agency, declines due to age or whatever, you've got his successor already coached up and ready to go.

That approach can be used with coaching staffs too.

Two assistants on offense, one on defense. Certainly keeps the bases covered if you do well enough for your coordinators to be offered a promotion somewhere else. There's something about planning for success that I like.