Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman at Panthers OTAs
Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman was on hand for the Carolina Panthers OTAs…
The Carolina Panthers have undergone an enormous amount of change throughout the organization this offseason. From control being transferred to a new owner, only the second in franchise history, to every coordinator being replaced in addition to personnel changes on the field, the Panthers will have a new look next season.
On offense, Norv Turner was coaxed out of semi-retirement for an opportunity to lead the Panthers after five seasons with Mike Shula. Last year, coach Ron Rivera initially indicated that there would be no changes to his staff but just a few days later parted ways with Shula and quarterback coach Ken Dorsey.
Enter Turner and his son, Scott, who are now responsible for franchise quarterback Cam Newton and the offense. Although Newton is often the subject of criticism, there is no denying his contributions to this football team. He has led them to a Super Bowl, earned a league MVP, won the division three times and been to the playoffs four out of seven years.
Troy Aikman here for #Panthers OTA's. Played for new OC Norv Turner. pic.twitter.com/9Rn48EpZMU
— Nick Carboni (@NickCarboniWCNC) May 22, 2018
An impressive track record, but there are still some aspects of his game on which he can improve. Turner is known to be a quarterback’s coordinator, getting the most from an offense while utilizing the individual skill sets of those he has coached.
As an offensive coordinator, Turner coached successful quarterbacks Steve Beurlein, Doug Flutie, Drew Brees, Alex Smith, Trent Dilfer, Terry Bridgewater and Matt Cassel plus countless others throughout his career. However, Hall of Fame member Troy Aikman, who Turner coached for three seasons in Dallas, may the most impressive on his list.
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In three seasons, Aikman completed 66-percent of his passes for 49 touchdowns and only 30 interceptions. His overall regular season record of 31-11 helped lead the Cowboys to three straight playoff appearances and two Super Bowl victories.
Aikman was on hand with Rivera for the start of Panthers OTA practice and could be aiding in the development of Newton. Serving as a television analyst since retiring, Aikman has long been a supporter of Newton and one of the few media members who accurately reflects his accomplishments.
How Turner elects to utilize Newton in the offense has been an area of speculation for fans and media members alike since his appointment to the Panthers. Now imagine being one of the sixteen regular season opponents of this developing duo.