Carolina Panthers have found themselves a replacement for Rin Rivera, and according to the latest intel, that would be Matt Rhule. Rhule and the franchise from Charlotte are finalizing a deal as we write this text, and according to Yahoo Sports, the details will be accessible soon.
Miracle With Baylor
Rhule got the media attention while coaching Temple University, where he spent four seasons, leading them to back-to-back seasons with 10+ wins. It was the first time this program managed to achieve such a record.
He would beat Penn State in 2015, bringing the first win to the Owls against a big rival since 1941.
He would also win the AAC before leaving Temple to join Baylor. On December 6, 2016, he was named the new head coach of the Bears, who went 1-11 in their first joint season. But after that, he made a miraculous rise, making Baylor one of the better sides in the NCAA.
In 2018 they won the Texas Bowl against Vanderbilt, and the next year, Bears ended the campaign with 11 wins and one defeat. They would reach the conference championship game against Oklahoma Sooners and lose it after OT, 3023.
Will he Save Carolina?
The Panthers are in deep trouble over the last four years. Since they suffered a defeat in the Super Bowl XLIX, the franchise had just one playoff game two years later, which they lost against the Saints, 31-26.
Franchise leader Cam Newton went from the MVP to a struggling quarterback who is often dealing with injuries, while on the other side, Rivera couldn’t make the adjustments to compensate all the handicaps the team was dealing with.
Apart from the 2017 campaign, all the other three were below .500. The latest one saw Newton finishing the season earlier, and Kyle Allen replacing him.
That will be the biggest dilemma for Rhule, as he now has to decide which one them two is going to be the starter. Allen showed great potential, while Newton has experience and reputation, but his injuries are a problem. Lately, the Chicago Bears appear in various rumors considering Newton’s trade, but with the new head coach, all that will no doubt be on hold for some time.