Matt Rhule gets lowly spot in FanSided power ranking

New Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule ranked No. 31 in a recent FanSided power ranking.

It is clear that new head coach Matt Rhule has a huge task on his hands during his first season with the Carolina Panthers. The former Baylor man has made some immensely difficult decisions during his initial time at the helm with a view to leading the team back to prominence in the coming years.

This has left the Carolina Panthers with a young roster that is lacking in cohesion given the vast changes during the offseason. Their plight has not been assisted with the lack of time together prior to the campaign. And this has the ability to hard them more than most.

That is without the element of Rhule himself making a transition to the pro ranks. He has built a sensational reputation for building up struggling college programs. But he will be learning on the job in a sense, which represents its own set of difficulties.

FanSided’s NFL writer Russell S. Baxter released his NFL power rankings relating to head coaches, and he placed Rhule at No. 31 on the list. Only Joe Judge of the New York Giants was placed lower, which represents a slight on the coach and his chances for an immediate change in fortunes for the franchise.

"“The new man at the controls of the Carolina Panthers is former University of Baylor head coach Matt Rhule. He’s actually the first offensive-minded head coach in the history of a franchise that dates back to 1995. This was a team that dropped its final eight games in 2019 but stressed offense in free agency and defense during the draft.”"

This might have been extremely low given Rhule’s high reputation. But it should not detract from the potential surrounding this current group of players. Much will depend on how they gel in such a short space of time. But there is definitely a potential to surprise if things click into place.

Why Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule is too low on this list

There is every chance that Matt Rhule might make this power ranking appear lowly by the time the 2020 season concludes. The Carolina Panthers do have an immensely tough schedule to overcome. And they find themselves in an NFC South that boasts two Super Bowl favorites in the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

This will be a period of transition for the Panthers, of that there is no doubt. Youth might be the key for the organization going forward. And the lack of expectations might actually do the team some good in 2020.

Things might change in 2021 depending on how they get on next season. If Carolina can show things are heading in the right direction. Then this is going to have huge ramifications on the potential to bring in big-name free agents with more financial resources available next spring.

It would be a significant surprise if Rhule found himself at No. 31 in Russell’s 2021 power rankings. He is a bright young mind in coaching terms and has assembled a staff that has the scope to enhance things on the offensive and defensive side of the ball.

There will be plenty of bumps along the way. It is going to be a proverbial rollercoaster and all Carolina’s fanbase can do is strap themselves in for the ride.