How Big Of A Disadvantage Is It To Play A 'New' Head Coach In The Season Opener?

[Proudiddy]

Was going through some of the videos on the Panthers site and just checked out the video of RR from yesterday and when asked about TB and Schiano, one of the reporters mentioned that RR was familiar with him from their time in Chicago. RR responded with something about they had a general idea about how Schiano's teams play. He then said they've been going back and watching 'the Rutgers film.'

Then I checked out Kalil's interview from today and when asked about the game he said the biggest thing was "preparation... This isn't the same Bucs team we've played in the past."

It's clear they expect some significant changes in regards to style and scheme. But, after hearing that, I have to say, it's a bit discouraging that the only real thing we have to go off of in getting ready to play the Bucs is college tape. It feels like we have to be fairly perfect going in because whether Schiano is a good pro coach or not is inconsequential to the fact that we'll be the first running into whatever kind of schemes he is running. And regardless of whether he will be running something very similar to what he ran at Rutgers, there's only so much of what one does in college that can translate to the pros.

Does this worry anyone else?

[Khaki Lackey]

Didn't work to our advantage much last year.

[Jackofalltrades]

It gives them the advantage of surprise, but I'm not all that worried about it. In a couple years, after Schiano flames out and goes back to the college ranks you can post this same question again.

[Proudiddy]

It gives them the advantage of surprise, but I'm not all that worried about it. In a couple years, after Schiano flames out and goes back to the college ranks you can post this same question again.

Yeah, I don't fear Schiano himself. I don't think his style translates well to the NFL, and I don't think he'll be successful or around very long. That being said, I also don't like being the guinea pigs for whatever he's trying to do as an NFL coach.

[KendrickPanther]

I think it's a disadvantage to be a first year head coach.

[Keep Pounding]

Harbaugh came into the league and smashed opponents, a lot of teams only could go off what he did at Stanford. But the Bucs dont have the talent on the DEF side of the ball that SF had when Harbaugh took over.

Yeah drafted Barron, and got Barber and Talib. But their Dline is good, but injury prone. And I cant see them having anything close to a good LB core.

Only thing that scares me is their offense, with VJ and their running game, it could give us fits......

I wouldnt sleep on the Bucs......

[Jackofalltrades]

Didn't work to our advantage much last year.

I strongly disagree. We didn't parlay it into as many wins as we could of, but the league was not prepared for Cam and Chud.

[Proudiddy]

Harbaugh came into the league and smashed opponents, a lot of teams only could go off what he did at Stanford. But the Bucs dont have the talent on the DEF side of the ball that SF had when Harbaugh took over.

Yeah drafted Barron, and got Barber and Talib. But their Dline is good, but injury prone. And I cant see them having anything close to a good LB core.

Only thing that scares me is their offense, with VJ and their running game, it could give us fits......

I wouldnt sleep on the Bucs......

Yeah, I'm not worried in the least about their defense. It's the offense. Like I said, I don't think Schiano is any kind of mastermind strategist or anything, lol. But, they have tools on offense and the fact that we don't know exactly what he's running or his tendencies, paired with the unknown quantity that is our defense - that's what scares me. I just hope our defense really is that much better than last year with the Edwards brothers and our LB corps returning.

[Proudiddy]

Didn't work to our advantage much last year.

Problem is, people had seen Chud's offense AND RR's defense before. No one has seen what Schiano wants to do on the pro-level because he hasn't even been a coordinator.

[Jackofalltrades]

Only thing that scares me is their offense, with VJ and their running game, it could give us fits......

I wouldnt sleep on the Bucs......

I shared this mentality two days ago, 2012 BEW (Before Edwards Wall). Gamble can handle his own against VJax, I have faith in a revamped and very motivated front 7 to really limit what they want to do.

Barron is a great prospect, but Sunday he gets his official Welcome to the NFL.

[Second_Solution]

It gives them as much as of an advantage as it does a disadvantage. A new head coach means a lot of change, hopefully there will be a issues they will have to work out in the opening rounds

[Ivan The Awesome]

Schiano has something other College coaches didn't have last year. An Offseason. Even with that, he's approaching all the games like College games. I'm sorry man but this isn't college and he's going to find out really soon.

[Nine_Lives]

I think their weapons on offense can take advantage of Carolinas weaknesses on the defensive side of the ball provided Freeman is the player some think he is. I don't have much faith in Freeman at all but we'll see. Its a far more dangerous game than most Panther fans are giving credit to. The element of surprise could lead to a few Tampa victories early in the season. Tampa is in a much better situation this year with a new head coach than Carolina was last season.

[Marguide]

They're going to see a different Panthers team too, both O and D.

We'll probably use more 3 WR sets, and no one really knows what we'll do with Tolbert. We may look considerably different.

And on D, half of our starters weren't on the field last year.

So we should have a few surprises for them as well.