Semi interesting fluff article from Utah site about Panthers' pick of Star

[JawnyBlaze]

http://www.ksl.com/?sid=24996996&nid=840&fm=most_popular

 

Not a lot of substance to it, but at least it's a glimpse of the pick from the other side of the coin.

 

Second half of the article:

 

 

Perhaps falling to the 14th spot may be a blessing in disguise. Here are three reasons why:

Surrounding cast
Star went up against double and triple teams consistently against Pac-12 talent, freeing up the other lineman and linebackers to have one on one opportunities to make plays. In Carolina he'll be teamed up with Dwan Edwards and double-digit sack artists Charles Johnson and Greg Hardy in the trenches. Oh, and having last season's AP Defensive Rookie of the Year at linebacker (Luke Kuechly) doesn't hurt either.

Ute connections
Having former Utes on the Panthers' roster will help aid Star along in the transition from playing Saturdays to Sundays. It also helps that those two Utes happen to be Pro Bowlers (Jordan Gross, Steve Smith). Playing for the University of Utah is similar to a brotherhood or fraternity - the program is very family oriented. In fact Star declined an invite to attend the draft, choosing to watch it with his family.

Solid franchise
The best thing about falling to a later pick? He got selected by a better team. Granted the Panthers aren't perennial Super Bowl contenders quite yet, but the program is set up to be able to win right away. With a solid offense run by former No. 1 draft pick Cam Newton and a scary good defensive line (and linebackers), the Panthers have a shot at returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2008.

 

 

[Kurb]

I have no reservation in saying if Star/Short/and KugZilla can make impacts we have a solid shot at going to the playoffs.

[JawnyBlaze]

I prefer Kugzilla.  It's got that nice consonant sound before the Z like in Godzilla.

[Kurb]

I prefer Kugzilla.  It's got that nice consonant sound before the Z like in Godzilla.

edited for improvement

[KARASMATIC444]

Kugzilla has a ring..

[poorboysrev]

I have no reservation in saying if Star/Short/and KuZilla can make impacts we have a solid shot at going to the playoffs.

 

 

Not at all. Atlanta got one game away from the Super Bowl  and we should have swept them last year

.  We just have to stop shitting the bed early in the season so that when we go on our late season run we are still in it.  Not running  65% read option this year makes me feel better already. Cam showed he is ALOT better under center so if we actually use our running game and playaction(I expect Shula to), along with his running ability, we will be hard to stop. We definitely still need a vet RG or Kug just to be ready from day 1, but Cam is going to light it up in year 3.

[KARASMATIC444]

Not at all. Atlanta got one game away from the Super Bowl  and we should have swept them last year

.  We just have to stop shitting the bed early in the season so that when we go on our late season run we are still in it.  Not running  65% read option this year makes me feel better already. Cam showed he is ALOT better under center so if we actually use our running game and playaction(I expect Shula to), along with his running ability, we will be hard to stop. We definitely still need a vet RG or Kug just to be ready from day 1, but Cam is going to light it up in year 3.

 

 

They panthers run game has always been slow to start. When fox was here as well. I think Deangelo cant get out of his own way till week 5 or so. Im hoping we try to use Tolbert and the Barner some in the first few weeks, just to see if we can break the habit. then let the rest start killing people later. Its like its a curse or something.

[rayzor]

I have no reservation in saying if Star/Short/and KugZilla can make impacts we have a solid shot at going to the playoffs.

ditto that.

[Kurb]

In my happiness bubble, Shula is going to lean hard on running the ball, play action and THEN Cam's athletic ability (run/option).

His previous OC/HC jobs were poo no doubt, but  (in my happiness bubble) I'm hopinghe has learned something.

[MadHatter]

I have no reservation in saying if Star/Short/and KugZilla can make impacts we have a solid shot at going to the playoffs.

 

Absolutely....we were incredibly close last year.

 

Atlanta game....Cam's fumble

Chicago game...Smitty fell down

Seattle game....game short armed a wide open Brokel in the endzone

TB game....complete collapse in the last two minutes

Dallas game....outplayed them all game to only collapse in the last 2 min

 

 

You win any 3 of those and we are 10-6

 

This team has a ton of talent and the defense just got much better.

 

We WILL be in the playoff mix this season.

 

[SOJA]

Absolutely....we were incredibly close last year.

 

Atlanta game....Cam's fumble

Chicago game...Smitty fell down

Seattle game....game short armed a wide open Brokel in the endzone

TB game....complete collapse in the last two minutes

Dallas game....outplayed them all game to only collapse in the last 2 min

 

 

You win any 3 of those and we are 10-6

 

This team has a ton of talent and the defense just got much better.

 

We WILL be in the playoff mix this season.

and we had a legitimate shot to win all 5...my head hurts

[koolkatluke]

Absolutely....we were incredibly close last year.

 

Atlanta game....Cam's fumble

Chicago game...Smitty fell down

Seattle game....game short armed a wide open Brokel in the endzone

TB game....complete collapse in the last two minutes

Dallas game....outplayed them all game to only collapse in the last 2 min

 

 

You win any 3 of those and we are 10-6

 

This team has a ton of talent and the defense just got much better.

 

We WILL be in the playoff mix this season.

 

Don't forget the KC game if we can stop Jamal Charles we win that going away. That's 6 games we should have won.

 

Not to mention the fist Tampa Game and Chud's unprepared game plan.

 

[rayzor]

people keep on saying that cam's fumble cost us that game, but did he lose the fumble? was it fourth down? was it highly unlikely that we would, with our stable of RBs and cam frikkin newton be able to get the one yard we needed to get that first down? did he decide to punt and give one of the best and most efficient offenses with two of the best WRs in the game and one of the best pass catching TEs in the history of the game a chance to get the ball down the field against a weak secondary  making it nakamura's responsibility to cover roddy white while gamble rushed the QB?

 

and so what if the punt was placed perfectly. where was the guarantee that it would  fall just right? 

 

cam didn't help by losing the ball, but  that game was lost more because of game management at the end of the game than cam fumbling. the same thing can be said for every game we lost in the last couple minutes. but that's what happens when you are dumb enough to give the other team the ball and an opportunity to score when the rules favor the deep passing game and your secondary is weak. you end up playing to the other teams strengths rather than yours. 

[carolina-chuck]

I think it's a fight between us (Panthers) and Atlanta for the South this season.

Other than TB's secondary, they have an average Dline with bad linebackers.

NO sucks and is very old. Switching to a 34 D with no outside pass rusher and true Dline with cost them plenty of games. Vaccaro may be pretty good but that secondary is Roman Harper old. Breed will have to out up 45 points every week to keep up. Too bad he won't BR able to bc he'll be laying on his ass against us.