Jump to content
  • Welcome!

    Register and log in easily with Twitter or Google accounts!

    Or simply create a new Huddle account. 

    Members receive fewer ads , access our dark theme, and the ability to join the discussion!

     

The problem was Chudzinski


pantherfan81

Recommended Posts

 

Welp. Steve Smith said on conference call that Rob Chudzinski was auditioning for a HC gig last year. Got away from optimal style.

 

 

 

https://twitter.com/SI_DougFarrar/status/375325626179149826

 

Smitty spitting daggers!

 

 

SEATTLE — By any measure, the 2012 Carolina Panthers’ offense was a disappointment in 2012. What was expected to be a potent run/pass combination became a relative debacle in which far too much was placed on Cam Newton’s shoulders following his record-breaking rookie season of 2011. The offensive balance was lost, and it took half a season for the Panthers to set things right. Carolina moved from dead last in the NFL in Football Outsiders’ opponent-adjusted offensive efficiency metrics in 2010, to fourth in ’11, and down to 10th in ’12. Carolina’s response to a 7-9 season was to fire general mamager Marty Hurney, nearly fire head coach Ron Rivera and replace offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski (now the Cleveland Browns’ head coach) with former quarterbacks coach Mike Shula.

Panthers receiver Steve Smith conducted a conference call on Wednesday morning with the Seattle media in preparation for the Panthers’ Sunday opener with the Seattle Seahawks. When I asked Smith how things might be different under Shula, he went in a different direction than I expected — throwing Chudzinski under the bus.

“I think it was really a power move by the former offensive coordinator [Chudzinski] – he was really positioning himself and trying to show, ‘Hey I’m capable,’” Smith said. “I think he was applying for a head coaching job, and our offense kind of suffered because of that. At times, we got kind of cute and did things that weren’t necessarily us. Underutilizing Mike Tolbert — all kinds of different things. We’re out of that, the past is in the past, and we’re moving forward. Coach Shula’s going to change things up, and that’s what’s happened so far.”

The relative underuse of Tolbert was one of the more curious things about the Panthers’ offense. Carolina signed the former San Diego Chargers’ red-zone star — the perfect kind of bruising, bullish back for the Panthers’ smash-mouth running style — to a four-year, $8.4 million contract in March 2012, and inexplicably let his workload diminish. Tolbert still scored seven rushing touchdowns, but he carried the ball just 23 times in the red zone in 2012, as opposed to 59 carries in ’11, and 69 carries in ’10, when he set a career high with 11 rushing scores. It was the best of many examples of how Chudzinski had gone out of sync with his own personnel — for whatever reason.

So, are things different with Shula?

“I can’t really say how much, but it’s different. Just the little important things — over-verbiage and some other things [from last year] that seem small, but we’re focusing more on the details. That part is very, very important, and I think it’s the difference.”

 

 

 

http://nfl.si.com/2013/09/04/steve-smith-rob-chudzinski-carolina-panthers/

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

SteveReedAP 3:25pm via TweetDeck

Steve Smith on Rob Chudzinski: “I think it was really a power move of the prior offensive coordinator to position himself to really show...

...that ‘hey, I’m capable’ and I really believe it was applying for that head coaching job and I think our offense kind of suffered a...

...a little bit because of that. At times we got cute and did things that necessarily wasn’t us. And the un-utilizing of Mike Tolbert...

...Just a lot of different things. So we’re out of that, the past is in the past, we’re moving forward."

 

SteveReedAP 3:27pm via TweetDeck

That was Steve Smith on a conference call with Seattle reporters.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We should have had a coach over Chud that could either have approved or denied his gameplan and kept him in check!

We could have called him a Chief Coach. Or maybe a Lead Coach. I don't know, I'll think of a better name.,

offense may still need someone like that.

 

i thought towards the end of last year that we should have a coach in charge of managing the game instead of rivera. let rivera do the monday - saturday and someone that knows what he's doing run the game. still don't think it would be a bad idea.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

offense may still need someone like that.

 

i thought towards the end of last year that we should have a coach in charge of managing the game instead of rivera. let rivera do the monday - saturday and someone that knows what he's doing run the game. still don't think it would be a bad idea.

 

 

That would be an assistant head coach who manages the week.

 

If your head coach isn't up to the task on gamedays.... well...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

this part was interesting...

And the un-utilizing of Mike Tolbert...

 

as the season started i remember players talking up tolbert and how excited they were about how he was going to be used and then....nada.

 

i wonder if the role that had been planned for tolbert last year that wasn't utilized will be actually brought in this year. it would be nice to take advantage of everything that he brings. same with barner once he gets his toenail grown back.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well most of us knew this about 4 weeks in last season, but it is nice to hear a player like Smitty speak out candidly about it.

What is sad is how long it took Rivera to implement a change.

This. As much as we want to trash Chud, it was Rivera who was ultimately in charge.

Let's just hope he has learned from last year. It's all we've got.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


  • PMH4OWPW7JD2TDGWZKTOYL2T3E.jpg

  • Topics

  • Posts

    • We are in a unique situation here. Just my opinion. Three things: Moton’s playing health has been gradually declining as he is aging, while his contract is a drag on the payroll.  Something will give with him sooner than later but I think 2026 could be it.  So.. need a right tackle by 2027. At the latest.    Icky’s individual situation is unique as well. They would have had an extension done by now if not for the injury. We only have him for this year. With no assurance he will ever be the same player.  It would be reckless just to assume. Now we have Walker for one year. And that is a major relief. Maybe he is the answer, but the team that knows him best let him go and it was cheap for us to sign him. So how much did they value him?    We look to be needing two tackles by 2027.  And have poo for depth this year as well. So anyway we could draft a guy for 2027 RT and groom him this year, and see how Icky does, and act as needed in 2027. Spread out filling the two holes over 2 years.    Then I remember, hey if Bryce doesn’t get a Lot more consistent do they extend him? Hoping not, if he isn’t really good.    So then we are looking at the 2027 draft which people say is gonna be loaded with QBs. If we need a LT and a QB what is the pick gonna get spent on?   Taking into account the recovery success rates cited here on the Icky surgery, you might want to plan for him to not be the same player. rather than assume he will be and get caught with your pants down.  It is a tough situation.    And factor in that it is critically important to protect this QB, always, but especially this year where it is said to be make or break. And how you might feel about that.    All of it points to a real possibility that these things converge in the negative, like Bruce sucks and Icky is not the same. In that case if you want to be assured of getting LT secured, the only place you can do that through the draft could be very well be 2026 1st round.     For me, I would like to err on the side of caution.  Cover for these outcomes. It wouldn’t be fun. Added benefit is if we do have a tackle go down this year we will have a guy there. Because I don’t know what we have now.  
    • I agree. In a perfect world I wouldn’t want to draft another WR, but in this draft it’s fine based on the value of who will be there at #19.  All of the top tier guys worth pick #19 at other positions of need will be long gone. Only exception is Dillon Thieneman, but he’s almost a shoe in for the Vikings as the Harrison Smith replacement. Some posters on here want to draft an OT just to check a box without realizing the concerns and risk that comes along with said player. Sounds like XL to me… desperately drafting need… KC is a pretty safe player.  Produced all 3 years in college and last year in the SEC vs a lot of top corners in this years draft. He single handily dropped the South Carolina CB Brandon Cisse’s draft stock with how bad he abused him.   Sometimes it’s best to try and hit a double instead of going for the home run. This draft screams “go for the double”. Esp in the first. 
    • Look at what the Bears have done with Caleb Williams, drafting playmaking WR's and TE's and making it easier for him to operate the offense. Conception is perfect for what the offense needs (speed and someone who can make defenders miss) and as today, April 11th, I think he's the pick @19 
×
×
  • Create New...