Spread the love

By Sonny Jones

Earlier this month Carolina Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer said the search for a new head coach “won’t be a large group.”

Well, since the process has begun, the Panthers have reportedly interviewed interim head coach Steve Wilks, former head coaches Jim Caldwell and Frank Reich and Philadelphia offensive coordinator Shane Steichen. Carolina may also interview former New Orleans coach Sean Payton, Buffalo offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, Dallas offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, Denver defensive defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and San Francisco defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans.

If I have to use both hands to count the list, 10 seems like a large group. It doesn’t include Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson nor New England linebackers coach Jerod Mayo, who both withdrew from consideration.

One thing noticeably missing from the list is a college head coach. I can’t imagine Panthers owner David Tepper ever going down that road again after nearly three seasons with Matt Rhule.

Kudos to the Panthers for wanting to talk to Payton, the former Saints coach who won a Super Bowl with Drew Brees as quarterback. However, Carolina would have to “trade” for Payton since he still is under contract with New Orleans. It likely would be early draft-picks and maybe a player or two on the current roster. It’s not worth the price, in my opinion.

I still believe Wilks deserves the opportunity to build the team how he sees fit after he changed the culture during his 12-game stint and had the Panthers in the playoff chase in the weakest division in the NFL. Any of the offensive coordinators are intriguing, but until the Panthers get a top-notch quarterback who can win a game, not manage a game, then it’s not going to make much difference. Maybe one of the OCs would leave for the same position with Carolina if offered enough money.

We’ll see how it plays out over the next couple weeks. I would expect an announcement during the two-week period between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl.

It’s just a guess, but I’m betting one of the offensive coordinators will be head coach. Tepper wants to make a splash with the next great “offensive genius.” Hopefully, Wilks would stick around as defensive coordinator for the right price.

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

• 1974 — UCLA’s 88-game winning streak is snapped when Notre Dame overcomes an 11-point deficit in the final 3:32 to win 71-70. With 29 seconds remaining, Dwight Clay’s jump shot from the right corner gives the Irish the lead.

POTATO PICKS TO WATCH TODAY

• WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES: Speed skating, 10 a.m., ESPNU

• LPGA: Tournament of Champions, noon, GOLF

• TENNIS: Australian Open (taped), 2 p.m., ESPN2

• WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES: Curling, 2 p.m., ESPNU

• PGA: American Express, 3 p.m., GOLF

• NBA: Chicago vs. Detroit, 3 p.m., NBATV

• WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Miami at N.C. State, 6 p.m., ACCN

• NHL: Minnesota at Carolina, 7 p.m., BALLY SOUTH

• BASKETBALL: UNC Wilmington at Hofstra, 7 p.m., CBSSN

• PGA CHAMPIONS: Mitsubishi Electric Championship, 7 p.m., GOLF

• NBA: Golden State at Boston, 7:30 p.m., TNT