Breakdown of Each New Member of the Panthers Coaching Staff

The Panthers coaching staff will look completely different in 2022.

Author:
Schuyler Callihan
Feb 15, 2022 2:26 PM EST

After a disappointing 5-12 season in which the Panthers lost 12 of its last 14 games, head coach Matt Rhule needed to make some changes to the coaching staff. The staff lacked not only experience coaching in the NFL but lacked experience in general. That changed dramatically with the new hires he has made in the past month. Three of the new assistants (Ben McAdoo, Paul Pasqualoni, and Steve Wilks) bring head coaching experience to the table which will be very beneficial to the third year coach.

Below, is a recap of what changes the Panthers have made to the staff.

Offensive coordinator: Ben McAdoo

Replaces Joe Brady (fired)

McAdoo served as the Green Bay Packers quarterbacks coach from 2012-13 where he spent time with Aaron Rodgers before being hired as the offensive coordinator of the New York Giants in 2014. His success the offensive play-caller led to his promotion as the Giants head after Tom Coughlin announced his retirement. He spent this past season as a consultant with the Dallas Cowboys.

McAdoo's resume:

1996-97: Homer-Center HS (PA), assistant coach

1998-99: Indiana Area HS (PA), assistant coach

2001: Michigan State, grad assistant

2002: Fairfield, offensive line and tight ends coach

2003: Pittsburgh, grad assistant

2004: New Orleans Saints, offensive quality control coordinator

2005: San Francisco 49ers, offensive line coach, offensive quality control coordinator

2006-11: Green Bay Packers, tight ends coach

2012-12: Green Bay Packers, quarterbacks coach

2014-15: New York Giants, offensive coordinator

2016-17: New York Giants, head coach

2020: Jacksonville Jaguars, quarterbacks coach

2021: Dallas Cowboys, consultant

Wide receivers: Joe Dailey

Dailey spent the last two years as the receivers coach at Boston College and has been at the collegiate level for all 14 years of his experience in coaching. He helped lead Boston College to having the third-best unit in the ACC in 2020 in terms of receiving yards. Zay Flowers led the team in 2021 with 44 receptions for 746 yards, and five touchdowns.

Replaces Frisman Jackson (took same job with Steelers)

Dailey's resume

2008-09: Buffalo (Graduate Assistant/Tight Ends)

2010: Kansas (Recruiting Coordinator)

2011: Bethune-Cookman (Quarterbacks)

2012-13: Liberty (Quarterbacks)

2014-18: Liberty (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)

2019: New Mexico (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)

2020-21: Boston College (Wide Receivers)

Tight ends: Kevin M. Gilbride

Replaces Brian Angelichio (let go)

Kilbride was already a part of Matt Rhule's coaching staff but he will now be in a coaching role instead of an analyst. Last year, he served as a defensive analyst which was the first time he's worked on that side of the ball in his entire coaching career. Now, he moves back to his natural tight ends position where he has six years of experience in the NFL.

Gilbride's resume

2003-05: Offensive GA, Syracuse

2006: Slot receivers/tight ends, Georgetown

2007-09: Wide receivers, Temple

2010-11: Offensive quality control, New York Giants

2012-12: Wide receivers, New York Giants

2014-17: Tight ends, New York Giants

2018-19: Tight ends, Chicago Bears

2021: Defensive analyst, Carolina Panthers

Offensive line: James Campen

Replaces Pat Meyer (fired)

Campen was a long time assistant with the Green Bay Packers, serving 15 years with the organization in several different roles, mainly as the offensive line coach. However, he has spent each of the last three seasons with different teams - the Browns, Chargers, and Texans. More importantly, he spent eight seasons on the same staff as Ben McAdoo in Green Bay, who is now the Panthers offensive coordinator. He coaches seven Pro Bowlers during his time with the Packers, none of which were first round picks. He is a true developer of linemen which makes it a home run hire for the Panthers.

Campen's resume:

2004-05: Assistant offensive line coach/quality control, Green Bay Packers

2006: Assistant offensive line coach, Green Bay Packers

2007-17: Offensive line coach, Green Bay Packers

2018: Offensive line coach/run game coordinator, Green Bay Packers

2019: Associate head coach/offensive line coach, Cleveland Browns

2020: Offensive line coach, Los Angeles Chargers

2021: Offensive line coach, Houston Texans

Offensive line assistant: Robert Kugler

Replaces Tony Sparano Jr. (took same job with Giants)

Kugler comes over from the Houston Texans largely in part to James Campen being the new offensive line coach. Tony Sparano Jr. left this position to take the same job under Brian Daboll with the New York Giants. Kugler is one the youngest assistant on staff but will get to work alongside a veteran coach once again.

Kugler's resume

2017: Grad assistant, UTEP

2018-19: Grad assistant, Washington

2020: Offensive quality control, Appalachian State

2021: Assistant offensive line, Houston Texans

Defensive line: Paul Pasqualoni

Replaces Frank Okam (fired)

Pasqualoni, 72, got his start in coaching way back in 1972 as an assistant at Cheshire High School in Connecticut. Pasqualoni worked his way up the coaching ranks and became the head coach at Syracuse in 1991. Over the 14 years under Pasqualoni's leadership, the Orange boasted a 107-59-1 record, winning two Big East championships.

After being let go following the 2004 season, Pasqualoni made the jump up to the NFL to coach tight ends for the Dallas Cowboys. That was the only season he spent on the offensive side of the ball in the NFL as he served as either the defensive line coach or defensive coordinator at his other stops.

Pasqualoni's resume:

1972–75: Assistant, Cheshire HS

1976–79: Assistant, S. Connecticut State

1980-81: Defensive coordinator, S. Connecticut State

1982-86: Head coach, W. Connecticut State

1987-90: Assistant, Syracuse

1991-04: Head coach, Syracuse

2005: Tight ends, Dallas Cowboys

2006-07: Linebackers, Dallas Cowboys

2008-09: Defensive coordinator, Miami Dolphins

2010: Defensive line, Dallas Cowboys

2011-13: Head coach, Connecticut

2014: Defensive line, Chicago Bears

2015: Defensive line, Houston Texans

2016-17: Defensive line, Boston College

2018-19: Defensive coordinator, Detroit Lions

2020-21: Special assistant to the head coach, Florida

Defensive backs: Steve Wilks

Replaces Jason Simmons (left for job with Raiders)

Wilks, a Charlotte native, was with the Panthers from 2012-17 under head coach Ron Rivera. During that time, he served as defensive backs coach, associate head coach, and defensive coordinator.

After one year as the Panthers defensive play-caller, Wilks was hired to become the new head coach of the Arizona Cardinals in 2018. Arizona was extremely impatient with Wilks, only giving him one year before letting him go after a 3-13 season. Since, Wilks spent one year as the defensive coordinator with the Cleveland Browns and one year as the defensive coordinator at the University of Missouri.

Wilks' resume

1995-96: Defensive coordinator, Johnson C. Smith HS

1997-98: Defensive coordinator, Savannah State

1999: Head coach, Savannah State

2000: Defensive backs, Illinois State

2001: Defensive backs, Appalachian State

2002: Defensive coordinator, East Tennessee State

2003: Defensive backs, Bowling Green

2004: Defensive backs, Notre Dame

2005: Secondary, Washington

2006-08: Defensive backs, Chicago Bears

2009-11: Defensive backs, San Diego Chargers

2012-15: Defensive backs, Carolina Panthers

2015-16: Assistant head coach/defensive backs, Carolina Panthers

2017: Assistant head coach/defensive coordinator, Carolina Panthers

2018: Head coach, Arizona Cardinals

2019: Defensive coordinator, Cleveland Browns

2021: Defensive coordinator, Missouri

Special teams: Chris Tabor

Replaces Chase Blackburn (fired)

Tabor comes to Carolina with a ton of NFL coaching experience having been in the league since 2008 where he was an assistant special teams coach with the Chicago Bears for two years. From 2011-17, Tabor was the special teams coordinator with the Cleveland Browns and then returned to Chicago for the same position which is where he has spent the past four seasons.

Special teams is one area where the Panthers need to improve in. Whether it be from a punt/field goal protection standpoint, coverage, or the return game, the Panthers struggled with consistency in each area. Tabor has consistently coordinated top 10 special teams units since entering the league.

Tabor's resume:

1993: Assistant, Benton HS

1994: Running backs, Hutchinson CC

1995-96: Offensive coordinator, Central Methodist

1997-99: Offensive GA, Missouri

2000: Running backs and special teams, Missouri

2001: Head coach, Culver-Stockton

2002-04: Assistant head coach/wide receivers, Utah State

2005: Running backs/special teams, Utah State

2006-07: Running backs/special teams, Western Michigan

2008-10: Assistant Special teams, Chicago Bears

2011-17: Special teams, Cleveland Browns