The Fred Lane Award

[MHS831]

Every year, I keep up with camp and the preseason hoping that the Panthers find another Fred Lane--I creatively call the person who emerges from complete (or near it) obscurity a winner of the "Fred Lane Award".  For you young guys, Lane was a RB from Lane College in Tennessee that nobody had ever heard of who somehow was invited to Camp in 1997.  He became the Panthers starting RB.  Most recently, Byron Bell qualifies.  I thought Thomas Keiser was going to, but he came up short.

 

SInce then, I started looking for gems that were longshots to make the team who became key contributors.  Brad Hoover from my alma mater was a recipient in 2000, when he went undrafted out of WCU and became one of the Panthers' all-time favorite players and a heck of a pro.

 

You do not find a Lane winner every year, and it requires a bit of time before you realize you have one.

 

This year, I think there is a chance we have one.

 

Anyhow, I hesitated to share this because it is a bit corny, but it has given camp watching more spice for me--like a penny stock player trying to find the next Microsoft.  I figured a few smartarses would troll something like this, at least until the public library closes and they have to skateboard home.

 

Is Brandon Williams that guy?  Can you think of others--current or in the past--who qualify?

[DaveThePanther2008]

^{Gaydosh is on the bike.  M. White hasn't been heard of too much.  Lester has been quiet the last couple of days.}

^{We have Ginn our speedster to take the top off the defense. Hixon was on my bubble but seems to be doing well.}

^{I think Edwards has been quiet lately.}

^{With Ginn, and Barner I think Adams or Edwards is obsolete.  Pick one but I just don't see us keeping both.}

^{If we keep 6 WRs}

 

^{Bersin has been making a little noise so I am going to go with him.  I think he is going to beat Gettis out.} 

 

 

 

 

 

  

[Gallagher]

I think it'll be Kugbila coming out of D2. He's sidelined with a hammy now, but I fully expect him to see time after the bye in some game where Piggy is getting manhandled, hold his own, and then be our starting RG from there on out.

[Ricky Spanish]

Williams probably has the best shot at winning your fred lane award. He has come out of nowhere and from all accounts looks pretty beastly. 

[Ship]

I was hoping it'd be Lester but I'm getting on board with Williams too. We need this kind of gem on the offense more than the D I think anyway!

[PhillyB]

i had a nice reply formulated and then the box of comic sans inundated me as i scrolled down to reply and now it's gone

 

go panthers

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

Don't sleep on Lester, he has received high praise from Rivera and if he can move to FS then he'll have a great shot at making the final 53 or at the very least the PS.

As far as your award goes, it's Brandon Williams.

- Plays college football at Joilet

- Transfers to Oregon

- Quits because of spinal condition

- Becomes a security guard

- Starts playing college basketball at Portland Bible College

- Signed by Panthers

- Missed Panthers OTA's

- Missed Panthers Rookie Camp

- Missed Panthers Mini-Camp

- Panthers Training Camp

It's been a long road for Mr. Williams.

[jtnc]

I think it'll be Kugbila coming out of D2. He's sidelined with a hammy now, but I fully expect him to see time after the bye in some game where Piggy is getting manhandled, hold his own, and then be our starting RG from there on out.

Not sure is serious, he didn't even complete all of mini-camp, you just can't plug someone in from D2 and expect him to dominate. Even Amini struggled a lot early-on, and his tape was 10x better than Kugbila's.

[Gallagher]

Not sure is serious, he didn't even complete all of mini-camp, you just can't plug someone in from D2 and expect him to dominate. Even Amini struggled a lot early-on, and his tape was 10x better than Kugbila's.

 

Totally serious. I'd argue that Amini played better than Hangman last year, despite his struggles. Yeah, his tape was better, but there's no reason to think that Kugbila couldn't do the same, especially since he won't have to start week 1.

 

I'm not saying he's going to be a pro-bowler, but if by this time next year we're talking about him in the same way we are talking about Amini now, as a bright spot of our O-Line instead of a weakness, then I think he deserves to be considered a diamond in the rough.

[Raskle]

Lineberry... yeah I said it. No real rationalization why, just a hunch.