Marty Hurney likes ugly players

[Mr. Scot]

Hurney moves toward stable O-Line

This article from Gantt says the emphasis on building a dominant O-line stems from GM Marty Hurney.

Excerpts:

Blockers were always afterthoughts in the early years of the Panthers organization.

Sure they took tackle Blake Brockermeyer with one of their three first-round picks in 1995, but he was the rarity. In the franchise's first seven years, they only used three choices from the first three rounds of the draft on offensive linemen. The other two were Chris Terry and the forgettable Leander Jordan.

Even when the Panthers had acceptable lines, they were built in a way that didn't allow much chance at longevity.

Hurney was acquiring more and more juice in the organization during the 2001 free agent spree -- which brought tackle Todd Steussie, center Jeff Mitchell and guard Kevin Donnalley, and paved the way to their Super Bowl run two years later. As good as that line was, the aging parts began to drift away quickly.

In the Panthers' past six drafts -- not at all coincidentally the ones Hurney has overseen -- they've chosen seven blockers in the first three rounds.

Now with Gross locked up, they have a Pro Bowl-caliber core (along with ascending guard Travelle Wharton and eye-opening rookie Jeff Otah) under contract through at least 2012. Center Ryan Kalil is the short-timer, since he has just two more years of contract left.

The Panthers set franchise records last year for fewest sacks allowed (20) and most rushing yards (2,437). That's why when Gross talks about the security he felt upon signing his new contract, he wasn't talking about the money, but what he thought the stability could provide moving forward. After spending his first six years in the league hopscotching from side to side, Gross knows not only where he's going to be, but who he's going to be next to, and not just for the next week.

"As long as I've been here, I've never been on a line where I could look down and know everyone's staying for a few years," Gross said.

But now, the Panthers linemen aren't just here for a while, they all look alike. When they're down in their stances, none are going to be confused with tight ends, and that helped the Panthers establish themselves as a power-running team last season. Even when they brought in three free agents to fight for an open guard job last year, those candidates weighed a half-ton combined.

So there's potential, the potential for something good and something familiar.

And now that Gross is signed long-term, the potential has a chance to become something more.

"Now that this is over with, we can concentrate on football," Gross said at the end of a year-long contract negotiation. "It's going to be so much fun this year, same side, same guys we had a lot of success with last year.

"That's really the only word for it. It's going to be fun, to be a part of something great."

This is he kind of thing I like to hear.

Looking at the potential for the O-Line, how good Williams has become, how good Stewart could become, and how good Steve Smith is...

[Dingo_ate_Babies]

I think you do too

[Snake]

Our offense is solid. I also think Jarrett will also be a late bloomer and become a good target. You have to respect a guy that takes a hit in the ribs by a SS and gets up.

[Mr. Scot]

I've long been a believer in building teams from the lines out. Previous Panther leaders didn't take that approach to heart as much as Hurney and Fox seem to be doing now.

I think it's the right way to go.

[Cardiac Cats86]

Hope Hoover will stick around for a while as well, Im sure he will probably a Panther for life. He run blocks well and picks up a lot of blitz'.

[SCpanther]

The O-line is what gives me hope for next season. It's no coincidence that Williams' numbers suffered a little bit in the first half of last season, when O-line starters missed some games.

Williams will be a god if he can play a whole season as well as he played the second half of last season. Then, you've got Stewart, who hopefully will continue to progress into a great runner. He was already quite good as a rookie and probably would have had well over 1,000 yds if Williams wasn't such a beast.

[panthersphan]

Nice article there.....great to finally have a legit OL...and not just for one year....

What's the word on Vincent? How long do we have him for? I liked what I saw in him, until he got hurt. Man our running game could be better than last year...if only Jake would get his head out of his ass with all the time the OL is giving him....hopefully with a year under his belt from his injury and a full off-season of work, he can put up some better numbers in 09 (and most importantly, early 2010)...

Love this Oline...Gross...Otah...Kalil...Wharton...Vincent...great group...not to mention DOUBLE TROUBLE

[Mr. Scot]

Vincent is only signed through this season unless he gets extended.

It's not out of the question that the team uses a draft pick or FA on a guard just in case Vincent doesn't return to form post-injury.

[Fireball77]

What Gantt says about the linemen not looking like TEs now makes me really wonder about Henning's/Maser's input into the FAs they picked up for the OL. Wahle certainly was no mauler type, etc.

[Mr. Scot]

They tended toward the smaller, athletic types rather than the big maulers in the past. I'm partial to the big maulers myself (except at LT).