The Carolina Panthers made a bold move on Tuesday by hiring Baylor coach Matt Rhule to be their new head coach. Rhule has agreed to a seven-year, $60+ million deal – an unheard of commitment for somebody with no previous head coaching experience in the NFL.
Rhule was the wild card of the candidates to replace Ron Rivera and we still have a lot to learn about what kind of play-caller and man he is. For now, here are three things we know about Carolina’s new head coach.
He’s a team builder
Looking at Rhule’s resume, the thing that stands out the most is how he’s been able to dramatically improve multiple college programs. When he became the coach at Temple (2013), he took over a struggling team that went 2-10 in his first year. The next season, the Owls improve to 6-6, followed by two 10-win seasons. From there, he moved on to Baylor where he engineered a similar turnaround. The Bears went 1-11 his first season, 7-6 the next and then 11-3 this year. Carolina has finished the last two seasons with a disappointing record and has a ton of roster holes to fill. There’s no guarantee any college coach will succeed in the NFL, but Rhule at least has the right kind of experience molding bad teams into contenders.
He’s embraced sports science
Rhule has the chops to lead them. If the Panthers are going to turn this ship around and get back into the playoff race though, it will be players who get them there. That means Rhule has to know how to evaluate talent and who to pick to fill the many roster holes he’s inherited. Good news: Rhule seems to understand modern development methods as much as anyone. Team owner David Tepper says Rhule’s ideas about player development and sports science were a factor in his recruitment. Athletic testing in particular is an area this organization must improve in and it’s where Rhule could shine. With the right approach, the Panthers can avoid busts like Rashaan Gaulden, who was picked in the third round despite being a 2% athlete in his class.
He’s a player’s coach
Being a successful coach is about much more than just picking the right athletes and putting them in a position to succeed. It requires intangible qualities and a strong culture. For all his faults, former coach Ron Rivera is an excellent leader of men and it sounds like Carolina is getting more of the same from Rhule. When he spoke with reporters yesterday about his decision to leave Baylor, what came through was how much he cares about his players. Assuming he keeps the same instincts with this next job, he should be able to win over the locker room and get the Panthers competing from a place of joy and unity. Say what you want about college schemes and their effectiveness at this level. That kind of dynamic is always going to carry over well.
