The filling of the last remaining NFL head-coaching vacancy Thursday — the Buccaneers' hiring of Greg Schiano — was welcomed news for the Panthers. They had been closely monitoring the Bucs' exhaustive search, which included an interview with Panthers offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski.

Head coach Ron Rivera told PFW earlier this month that Carolina would "still have the same players and pretty much the same scheme" next season no matter what happened with Chudzinski, but Rivera admitted during his time in Mobile, Ala., for the Senior Bowl that the Panthers had been putting off some of their offseason work until they had clarity on Chudzinski's future.

It appears he will be staying put after also interviewing for the Rams' and Jaguars' jobs, although there will be plenty of speculation about his future again next season if the Panthers' offense continues to soar.

Chudzinski has become one of the league's high-profile assistants because of his work with Cam Newton and the dramatic improvement in Carolina's offense last season, but he has been a coordinator at the pro level for only three seasons and never has been a head coach at any level. The Bucs, Rams and Jaguars all hired someone with head-coaching experience.


(profootballweekly.com)

According to the Charlotte Observer the 'buzz' around the Senior Bowl is that Panthers offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski will get a second interview with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. So far the Bucs have only brought back former Packers head coach Mike Sherman for a second interview, which will occur today according to Adam Schefter. The Bucs are expected to choose a head coach after this second round of interviews, but they could always pull a surprise move as they tried to do with Chip Kelly a few days ago.

Of those who have interviewed with the Bucs, Chudzinski is by far my favorite coach. He's a young, innovative offensive mind who has had massive success everywhere he's coached. What he did with Cam Newton last season was very impressive, but it wasn't his only successful year as he managed to get Derek Anderson to the Pro Bowl in Cleveland. The question is whether he can parlay that into a successful career as a head coach, and whether he's ready to take on that role at this point.

Keep in mind that this isn't definitive. The report is based on 'buzz' around the Senior Bowl. According to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune the interview has not been arranged, but it could be shortly. It would shock me if Mike Sherman was the only coach to be asked back for a second interview, however.


(bucsnation.com)

MOBILE, Ala. -- The Bucs are in the process of narrowing their list of head-coach candidates to an unknown number of finalists, but Mike Sherman continues to be the only prospective hire known to be invited for a second interview.

Panthers coach Ron Rivera, who is awaiting an outcome in Tampa Bay’s search because the team is considering his offensive coordinator, Rob Chudzinski, still wasn’t clear earlier today whether his trusted assistant is among the finalists.

“I haven’t heard that,” Rivera said when asked whether Chudzinski was asked back for a second interview with Tampa Bay.

But Rivera is hoping for a resolution – a quick one.

“Believe me, I’d love to know just so we can go forward,” said Rivera, here in Mobile, Ala. for the Senior Bowl. “We’ve got a lot of things we have to do and we’ve kind of put (them) off during this whole period.”

Rivera noted that his team’s offense would likely change without Chudzinski, a main reason he’d like some closure on the matter.

Asked about the interest in Chudzinski, Rivera said, “I think a lot of it is just curiosity. . . I think a lot of people don’t know about him. I think what’s happening right now is people are trying to find out about him.

“I think when you look at the body of work, we just had some success.”


(tampabay.com)

Comments

If I need a head coach in the NFL right now, I call McCoy or Chud before anyone else. Who are they? The wave of the future.

Mike McCoy. Isn't that Colt McCoy's youngest brother who's a high school phenom? No. And it's not the husband from "The Hand That Rocks The Cradle" either (that's Matt McCoy, for movie nerds like me). Mike McCoy is the Denver Broncos offensive coordinator and reportedly the front-runner in the Miami Dolphins' head-coaching search.

If you didn't know his name, you need to. Because McCoy, along with the Carolina Panthers' Rob Chudzinski, have laid the groundwork for the new era of offensive coordinators in the league. McCoy helped spark Tim Tebow's magical season in Denver while Chudzinski turned Cam Newton into a killer robot who is ready to take over the planet. (This after he previously made Derek Anderson into a Pro Bowl QB in Cleveland, which is only slightly less difficult than building a killer robot.)

Why are McCoy and Chudzinski the future? It used to be that a great offensive mind was someone who perfected a specific system and then either found the right players to execute it, or if that wasn't possible, took whatever players they could and tried to mold them into ones who fit. Why was Mike Martz so successful in St. Louis? Because Kurt Warner's time in the Arena Football League, where he had to make tremendously fast reads, was perfect for it. While Marc Bulger wasn't the fit that Warner was, he was forced into The Greatest Show On Turf and still had a modicum of success. That was what being an offensive coordinator in the NFL used to be. The system was more valuable over the players. Now, it's changed.

Teams realize that trying to put a square peg (a franchise quarterback completely unfamiliar with the system you want to run) into a round hole (your system) isn't going to yield great results. The new editions of great coordinators are ones who accept they have to tailor their philosophy to what their quarterback does well. Tebow was a curiosity who flashed until the Broncos decided to custom-build their offense around him. And what happened? A six-game winning streak and a spot in the NFL's final eight.

McCoy played to Tebow's strengths. Chudzinski did it from the jump in Carolina with Newton, and that's why these two will be head coaches sooner rather than later. They look smarter than everyone else. They look like innovators. Their ego is comfortable enough where they're not unbending to other thoughts. Every CEO in the world wants people like that working for them. What sealed Martz's ultimate "philosophical differences" fate in Chicago? He was forever resistant to changing what he does to keep more pass protection in for Jay Cutler. When he finally threw his arms up in the air and said, "Fine, I'll do it," what happened? The Bears won five straight and were rolling until Cutler fractured his thumb and missed the rest of the season. The lesson here is always be open to new ideas, and make sure those ideas are what your QB can execute best.

Now let's just say you're a team with a player at that position whose skills are a little different than your standard passer? (Like Robert Griffin III, when he gets selected in April.) Who are you going to want to be your head coach? Someone who you're confident can develop them so you're not throwing money away for three seasons as your team tries to find a happy medium between their talent and your system. How many times do you have to watch the ups and downs of Mark Sanchez, Chad Henne, Sam Bradford, Tarvaris Jackson, Colt McCoy, or Kevin Kolb to realize how valuable that is?


(nfl.com)

NFL Network's Jason La Canfora reports the Bucs will interview Panthers OC Rob Chudzinski for their head-coaching vacancy on Tuesday.

They're interviewing Bengals DC Mike Zimmer today and Chud tomorrow. The Bucs have been deliberate in their coaching search, as promised by owner Joel Glazer. Tampa Bay is expected to end up meeting with at least six candidates.


(rotoworld.com)

Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski has a bag full of tricks and he’s not afraid to use them—even if it means borrowing a play from a kids’ movie.

With Cam Newton under center, Chudzinski is finding fun new ways to use the talented rookie’s athleticism to his advantage.

The latest twist was borrowing a hidden-ball trick very loosely adapted from a play called “the annexation of Puerto Rico” from the 1994 movie the Little Giants to help the Panthers beat the Texans 28-13. The play resulted in a 7-yard touchdown run by fullback Richie Brockel and landed the Panthers on highlight reels across the country.

And it had the Texans chasing an empty-handed Newton, who sold the play perfectly.

“Cam’s ability to run and throw, it just adds another dimension,” coach Ron Rivera said. “It has been kind of neat to see the different things we’ve been able to do with him over the course of the season and show he’s an integral part of what we are and what we’re going to become.

It’s not the first time Chudzinski has ventured into a gadget play to ignite the offense—and probably won’t be the last.

Two weeks against Tampa bay he called for a throwback pass from receiver Legedu Naanee — who originally went to Boise State to play quarterback — to Newton that resulted in a big gain and nearly another touchdown before he was dragged down at the 2-yard line.

Chudzinski has also experimented with using running back DeAngelo Williams in the Wildcat and also had another college quarterback, Armanti Edwards, throw a pass to Steve Smith on Sunday.

Chudzinski declined interviews through the team’s public relations department, saying he was too busy preparing for Tampa Bay on a short week.

But Rivera said the play is another example of Chudzinski’s creative nature, which is just a small part of the reason he brought him to Carolina after landing the Panthers head coaching gig.

“You can sit there and wonder what else can you guys do,” Rivera said. “I think it’s about knowing what your strengths and weaknesses are for each of your players… But we’re not here to get fans excited about (trick plays); we want to get them excited about the fact we can win football games.”

The Panthers didn’t run many trick plays early in the season.

That’s because Chudzinski didn’t have a great grasp on his new roster due to the NFL lockout-shortened offseason.

Chudzinksi’s play call Sunday is sure to become an instant classic on highlight films.

The Panthers ran the play in the second quarter of Sunday’s game against Texans while leading 14-0 and faced with a second-and-6 at the Texans 7.

The Texans were keying on Newton, who entered the game with 13 rushing touchdowns, and bit hard when he took the snap and did a spin move as he rolled out to the right side. What they didn’t see was Newton stick the ball between Brockel’s legs after he’d lined up just a few feet behind the right guard.

“When we put that play in, I never thought in a million years that that play was going to work, let alone get a touchdown,” receiver Brandon LaFell said.

LaFell said the team walked through the play in practice, but had never run it against a live defense.

“It’s one of those plays where if the timing is right and you call it at the right time it’s about as good as it gets,” Rivera said.

While thrilled with how the play worked out, Rivera was more pleased that the Panthers (5-9) were finally able to close out a game against a playoff team.

The fourth quarter has been brutal this season for the Panthers as they’ve lost six games in which they’ve either led or been tied. The Panthers have now won three of their last four games, but this was their first win against a team with a winning record.

“It’s very nice, more so for our players to understand that we have that kind of ability in the locker room and we have guys who can step up and make plays when they have to,” Rivera said.

Wide receiver Steve Smith said every win is important for the Panthers as they look to next season.

“Some people may say that we aren’t playing for anything, what’s the point, but we are playing for the next three Sunday’s and then the first Sunday in September,” Smith said. “Hopefully, if you keep working hard enough, you’ll be on that final roster in September. That’s what you are playing for, future employment.”


(thecharlottlepost.com)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Panthers offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski has a bag full of tricks and he’s not afraid to use them — even if it means borrowing a play from a kids’ movie.

With Cam Newton under center, Chudzinski is finding fun news ways to use the talented rookie’s athleticism to his advantage.

The latest twist was borrowing a hidden-ball trick very loosely adapted from a play called “the annexation of Puerto Rico” from the 1994 movie the Little Giants to help the Panthers beat the Texans 28-13. The play resulted in a 7-yard touchdown run by fullback Richie Brockel and landed the Panthers on highlight reels across the country.

And it had the Texans chasing an empty-handed Newton, who sold the play perfectly.

“Cam’s ability to run and throw, it just adds another dimension,” coach Ron Rivera said. “It has been kind of neat to see the different things we’ve been able to do with him over the course of the season and show he’s an integral part of what we are and what we’re going to become.

It’s not the first time Chudzinski has ventured into a gadget play to ignite the offense — and probably won’t be the last.

Two weeks against Tampa bay he called for a throwback pass from receiver Legedu Naanee — who originally went to Boise State to play quarterback — to Newton that resulted in a big gain and nearly another touchdown before he was dragged down at the 2-yard line.

Chudzinski has also experimented with using running back DeAngelo Williams in the Wildcat and also had another college quarterback, Armanti Edwards, throw a pass to Steve Smith on Sunday.

Chudzinski declined interviews through the team’s public relations department, saying he was too busy preparing for Tampa Bay on a short week.
But Rivera said the play is another example of Chudzinski’s creative nature, which is just a small part of the reason he brought him to Carolina after landing the Panthers head coaching gig.

“You can sit there and wonder what else can you guys do?” Rivera said. “I think it’s about knowing what your strengths and weaknesses are for each of your players... But we’re not here to get fans excited about (trick plays); we want to get them excited about the fact we can win football games.”

The Panthers didn’t run many trick plays early in the season.

That’s because Chudzinski didn’t have a great grasp on his new roster due to the NFL lockout-shortened offseason.

Chudzinksi’s play call Sunday is sure to become an instant classic on highlight films.

The Panthers ran the play in the second quarter of Sunday’s game against Texans while leading 14-0 and faced with a second-and-6 at the Texans 7-yard line.

The Texans were keying on Newton, who entered the game with 13 rushing touchdowns, and bit hard when he took the snap and did a spin move as he rolled out to the right side. What they didn’t see was Newton stick the ball between Brockel’s legs after he’d lined up just a few feet behind the right guard.

“When we put that play in, I never thought in a million years that that play was going to work, let alone get a touchdown,” receiver Brandon LaFell said.

LaFell said the team walked through the play in practice, but had never run it against a live defense.

“It’s one of those plays where if the timing is right and you call it at the right time it’s about as good as it gets,” Rivera said.

While thrilled with how the play worked out, Rivera was more pleased that the Panthers (5-9) were finally able to close out a game against a playoff team.

The fourth quarter has been brutal this season for the Panthers as they’ve lost six games in which they’ve either led or been tied. The Panthers have now won three of their last four games, but this was their first win against a team with a winning record.

“It’s very nice, more so for our players to understand that we have that kind of ability in the locker room and we have guys who can step up and make plays when they have to,” Rivera said.

Wide receiver Steve Smith said every win is important for the Panthers as they look to next season.

“Some people may say that we aren’t playing for anything, what’s the point, but we are playing for the next three Sunday’s and then the first Sunday in September,” Smith said. “Hopefully, if you keep working hard enough, you’ll be on that final roster in September. That’s what you are playing for, future employment.”

Notes: Rivera said he’s concerned about cornerback Captain Munnerlyn’s right hamstring which forced him to leave in the third quarter. Rivera said it’s not torn but there’s a chance it could keep him out against Tampa Bay. ... Also, defensive end Charles Johnson has a sore back and safety Charles Godfrey injured his left shoulder that has been bothering him.


(ap.com)

Every time Rob Chudzinski successfully calls one of his trademark “big chunk” plays, it’s a bit of a catch-22 for the Carolina Panthers:

The 25-yard-plus gains put the offense that much closer to the end zone, but they also raise the profile of an offensive coordinator whom some observers think will draw interest as a head-coaching candidate after the season.

With his vertical passing game and a three-headed running attack, Chudzinski has had the Panthers ranked among the league’s top-five offenses throughout his first season in Charlotte. Chudzinski has taken advantage of rookie quarterback Cam Newton’s unique skill set, incorporating a read-option scheme similar to what Newton ran last season at Auburn.

The Panthers do not want to lose Chudzinski after one season.

While Chudzinski said he’d like to be a head coach at some point, his focus is on his current job.

“If that opportunity comes someday, great,” Chudzinski said Monday. “If not, I’m right here, right now in what I’m doing.”

After Jacksonville fired Jack Del Rio last week, ESPN’s John Clayton mentioned Chudzinski among the offensive assistants the Jaguars might consider.

Chudzinski said he has not been contacted by the Jaguars.

“I don’t even listen to it, pay attention to it,” Chudzinski said of the speculation. “I’m the type of person, I’m about the here and now and trying to focus and do the best job I can do. And that’s right here. I love this team. I love the things we’re doing. I love the direction we’re going. We have the Atlanta Falcons this week. … So that’s what I’m focused on completely.”

Panthers coach Ron Rivera knows what it’s like dealing with the distractions that come with having your name linked to vacancies. Rivera, the former Chicago and San Diego defensive coordinator, interviewed for eight head-coaching jobs during recent years before the Panthers hired him in January.

Rivera said Chudzinski “absolutely” has the makeup to be a head coach, but this is not the time to discuss it.

“It’s something I won’t address because we have four games left. Chud will hear it and do what he has to do. The one thing he’s done and told me is his focus right now is on what we are doing,” Rivera said. “Because of that, I respect it and I’m not going to bring it up.”

“It’s the same thing as coach (Norv) Turner did with me,” added Rivera, referring to the Chargers coach. “You have to think about the task at hand. If he’s anything like all of us who have gone through it, he’s already got something prepared. You have the whole offseason to prepare for these situations. Now you’re playing, the focus is on playing.”

Chudzinski, 43, was dialed-in Sunday during a 38-19 win at Tampa Bay, where the Panthers scored touchdowns on their first two possessions to take a lead they never relinquished. Chudzinski called about 80 percent of the plays on those drives off a script, as he typically does on the first two series before making adjustments.

The Panthers had four plays of 19 yards or more on the first two possessions – a pair of Jonathan Stewart runs, a reception by tight end Greg Olsen and a 27-yard catch by Newton on a trick play.

“When you can go out and your first two drives are touchdowns, you’d love to start out every game that way,” Chudzinski said. “And certainly I felt good about the plan going into the game, and the guys did a great job executing all day long.”

After finishing with the league’s worst offense in John Fox’s final season, the Panthers are No. 5 this year with 397.6 yards a game. They have the fifth-ranked rushing offense, and are among the top eight in passing yards, first downs and scoring offense at 24.2 points a game.

Chudzinski, who spent two seasons as Cleveland’s offensive coordinator, said the entire offensive staff contributes to the game plan. He said offensive quality control coach Scott Turner, Norv Turner’s son, had the idea for the throwback pass to Newton.

“That’s the good thing that’s been really nice about our staff. Everybody chips in and has input and has ideas,” Chudzinski said. “If you go back through these weeks, there’s a little bit of everybody in it. That’s real positive and I’m fortunate to be in a situation where we have a bunch of guys like that.”

The Panthers hope the man known as Chud stays in that situation a while longer.



(charlotteobserver.com)

One of the things you get from re-watching games is an idea of who has the good offensive schemes.

Most of them are -- as expected -- the top offenses in the league, with most of those offenses run by the head coach of the team. So for teams that might be looking for a head coach next January from the coordinators who actually run an offense, the pool will be limited.

Take a look at the top-10 offensive teams based on the rankings this week. They are in order: New Orleans, New England, Philadelphia, Green Bay, Dallas, Carolina, San Diego, Houston, Oakland and Pittsburgh. Of those teams, the only two where the head coach isn't involved in the offense is Carolina and Pittsburgh.

That's it. Some will say that isn't the case in New England, but we know better with Bill Belichick. He's as involved with that offense as any coach. Bill O'Brien is the coordinator, but Belichick and Brady have a lot of say in what happens on offense.

In Philadelphia, former Lions coach Marty Mornhinweg is the coordinator, and he does call the plays, but Andy Reid is an offensive coach who is heavily involved.

In Carolina, Rob Chudzinski runs the offense. In Pittsburgh, it's Bruce Arians. Those two have control of the play calling and the implementation of the offense. They are the only two in the top 10.

So both could be considered head-coaching candidates next spring, although there was once a movement in Pittsburgh to get Arians fired.

That leaves Chudzinski. He is in his first year running the Carolina offense and has it ranked fifth with a rookie quarterback in Cam Newton. Chudzinski's play calling is innovative and creative. He isn't afraid to take chances. This is his second stint as a coordinator after serving in that capacity in Cleveland from 2007-2008.

At 43, his time might be coming. What's even better for him is that it's coming at a time when the head coaches are running the good offenses in the league right now.

With so many head coaches handling their offenses, guys like Mike McCarthy (Green Bay), Sean Payton (New Orleans) and Jason Garrett (Dallas), Chudzinski might be one of the few choices for teams looking to liven up the offensive side of the ball.

Click here to order Rob Chudzinski’s proCane Rookie Card.


(cbssports.com)

Ability to work with young QB sets Chudzinski apart

While Panthers quarterback Cam Newton surely deserves a bulk of the credit for his early success, the coach behind this offense might soon find himself also benefiting from the improvements of Carolina’s offense. Rob Chudzinski, the Panthers' offensive coordinator, had already been an assistant discussed as a head-coaching prospect before this year, but he’s now proving more than ever that he deserves a shot.

Chudzinski has never stayed idle in one place for longer than two NFL seasons, so he might not have generated the momentum necessary to gain the interest of owners around the league. But those owners should nonetheless take notice: With a rookie quarterback in place, Chudzinski’s offense ranks fifth in the league in total yards (fifth in passing yards; seventh in rushing). In addition to Chudzinski’s previous body of work as an assistant, his progress with Newton should be very appealing for any team in need of a coach who is also likely to have a young quarterback to mentor in 2012.


(nfl.com)

Before drafting quarterback Cam Newton, the Panthers made another pick up they hoped would improve the NFL's worst offense in 2010.

Ron Rivera worked with Rob Chudzinski in San Diego, where the man known as "Chud" was the tight ends coach and assistant head coach for Norv Turner. Rivera wanted to bring Turner's downfield passing attack to Charlotte, and had only one candidate in mind as his offensive coordinator.

Rivera knew the 43-year-old Chudzinski was young, smart and available. His contract had expired in San Diego, and he had also interviewed in Miami for the Dolphins' coordinator post.

Nearly halfway through the season, Chudzinski has used a mix of deep throws, an option package similar to what Newton ran at Auburn and a willingness to try different ideas to build the Panthers into one of the NFL's top offenses.

Entering Sunday's game with Minnesota, the Panthers are fifth in the league in total offense (416.6 yards per game), passing offense (288.4 yards) and first downs (22.3) - despite virtually the same lineup as a year ago when they were last in nearly every major offensive category.

"The biggest thing is the philosophy. Philosophically speaking, this offense is a vertical attack," Rivera said this week. "It's one of the things I really fell in love with when I was in San Diego for four seasons with Norv Turner. That's why bringing Chud in was so important - that vertical attack."

After Chudzinski was hired, he talked about getting yards in chunks. Through seven games, no team has more big plays than the Panthers.
Carolina has 41 offensive plays of 20 yards or more. Oakland is second with 37, while New England, Philadelphia and Houston each have 35.
The Panthers had 44 such plays all of last season, tied with Atlanta for last.

What might be most impressive is the Panthers' offense is clicking despite missing out on the OTAs and minicamps that are critical to a first-year staff with a rookie quarterback.

"There were a lot of moving parts early on," Chudzinski said. "Assessing all those things to make decisions on and putting the package together was the biggest challenge."

Newton and the re-emergence of veteran Steve Smith have been the biggest reasons for the Panthers' success. After an erratic preseason in which he completed only 42.1 percent of his passes, Newton shined once the games counted.

The Panthers drafted Newton with the No. 1 pick as their franchise quarterback, and he certainly looks to be on his way. He bounced back from a three-interception game at Atlanta in Week 6 with his most efficient performance last week in a 33-20 win over Washington.

Newton was 18-of-23 passing for 256 yards and one touchdown and ran for another. Newton is fourth in the league in passing yards - behind Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers - while Smith trails only Wes Welker in receiving yards.

Smith, 32, praised the new staff's use of him in the preseason, saying Chudzinski was putting him in a position to make more plays. Chudzinski also has taken advantage of Newton's skill set, adopting some of the read-option plays he ran at Auburn.

The Panthers also have incorporated a few quarterback runs that Tennessee used with Vince Young when Panthers receivers coach Fred Graves was on the Titans' staff. Quarterbacks coach Mike Shula and offensive line coach John Matsko also have background with the option.
"I think we're utilizing Cam and doing some things that he can do uniquely well, and we'll continue to look for those types of things to do," Chudzinski said. "I had to go a little bit out of my comfort zone and the things that I knew. It's a new challenge and a different challenge for me, which is good. I'm working to improve myself, as well."

Chudzinski spent two seasons as Cleveland's offensive coordinator in between his stints in San Diego. In 2007, his first year in Cleveland, the Browns had the league's No. 8 offense, and quarterback Derek Anderson, now Newton's backup, went to the Pro Bowl.

The following year an injury-riddled Browns team failed to score a touchdown over its final six games and finished next-to-last in total offense. New Browns coach Eric Mangini did not retain Chudzinski, who returned to San Diego.

Rivera said he never considered anyone else to oversee the Panthers' offense.

"He's a smart guy. He understands this game. He's learning coach Turner's offense. He's still growing in that offense," Rivera said. "He's going to be great at it. It's just a matter of time with him.”


(charlotteobserver.com)

In terms of Jeremy Shockey and Greg Olsen, do you ask them to do the same things or different things?
Chudzinski: “I think a lot of the things they do, both of them can do.  There may be a few things we will ask one of them to do a little bit more of. I have been real pleased with both of them. Obviously Greg makes the big catches at the end of the game (Sunday) but Jeremy has been doing all of the little things to help win. You watch the film yesterday and you see some of the blocks down the field or a catch in a critical situation that Jeremy has. I have been real pleased with how those guys are playing.”

Click here to order Greg Olsen’s or Jeremy Shockey’s proCane Rookie Card.


(www.gastongazette.com)

CHARLOTTE - As a player, Rob Chudzinski had to think like a coach in order to be successful.

Yet Chudzinski never really thought about becoming a coach.

But now, 17 years after Dennis Erickson invited him to serve as a graduate assistant at the University of Miami, Chudzinski can't think of possibly doing anything else.

"I really had never thought about it before until I ran into Coach Erickson and we began talking about it," said Chudzinski, the Panthers' offensive coordinator. "I was the type of player that was always squeezing everything out of my abilities. I had to know the game and kind of think like a coach to be able to play.

"When Coach Erickson invited me to come and be a graduate assistant coach, and I thought about it and decided, ‘Yeah, I'll try it.'"

Chudzinski recently made another leap of faith that he hopes is as successful as his decision to coach in the first place. He was in a good spot as assistant head coach and tight ends coach for the San Diego Chargers, but he decided to follow Ron Rivera - then the Chargers' defensive coordinator – to Carolina.

"We had never really talked about it until everything started to happen with Ron. That's when he approached me about it, and I was flattered and excited about the opportunity," Chudzinski said. "Knowing what kind of person he is and knowing what kind of head coach I feel like he's going to be, that was certainly a big attraction. Plus, it's about the kind of organization it is and the feel I got when I interviewed here."

And Chudzinski – along with Rivera - seems to have a good feel for what the Panthers need as they try to bounce back from the least productive offensive season in franchise history. He inherits an offense that struggled to score in 2010 but one that will return the majority of the pieces from a run-first unit that had been productive in previous seasons.

Chudzinski wants to return the Panthers to a physical style of offensive football, but not necessarily a conservative style.

"I've always been involved with an attacking style of offense," said Chudzinski, who helped the Chargers lead the NFL in total offense last season. "Balance is extremely important in the things you're doing – run and pass balance – and I think having guys prepared from a technique standpoint and from a fundamental standpoint is extremely important.

"Ultimately what you're looking for is execution and efficiency from the guys running the offense, but football is an aggressive, attacking, physical game. I believe strongly that guys want to play that way."

Chudzinski developed his aggressive approach as a player in high school, when he competed at linebacker and defensive end in addition to his primary role at tight end – the position that earned him a scholarship to Miami.

He was undersized by his own admission but played big, starting for three seasons while being a part of national title teams in 1987 and 1989.
"I've always taken the approach that I need to outwork people - the same approach that I had as a player," Chudzinski said. "The only thing you can control is how hard you work."

After college, Chudzinski stayed in the Miami area and applied those principles to the business world, serving as a consultant for a few years before he ran into Erickson and a coaching career was born.

After two years as a graduate assistant, he took over the tight ends for five seasons, tutoring standouts like Jeremy Shockey – a first-year Panther – Kellen Winslow and Bubba Franks. Then he ascended to offensive coordinator, helping the Hurricanes to another national title his first season in 2001 and to school records for points and total yards in 2002.

In 2004, the NFL came calling when Cleveland Browns coach Butch Davis – formerly Miami's head coach – hired him.

“I was at the University of Miami for a long time, but I had always wanted at some point to have a chance to coach in the NFL," Chudzinski said. "We had been real successful at Miami, so I felt like it was time for the next challenge."

Over the next seven seasons, Chudzinski had a pair of stints with both the Browns and Chargers.

In 2007, as Cleveland's offensive coordinator, he led a lightly regarded offense headed by quarterback Derek Anderson to a 10-6 record, with Anderson and three of his offensive teammates making the Pro Bowl.

"It was a fun year in a lot of ways," Chudzinski said. "We kind of turned the whole thing around after a lot of people had counted us out."
Now, "Chud" hopes to do more of the same with the Panthers.

"I'm really anxious to get started," he said. "I'm excited about the whole thing, just champing at the bit waiting to get out there."


(panthers.com)

A couple of weeks ago, former Cleveland Browns quarterback Ken Dorsey retired from football. One of the thing he has been doing since then? Training with rookie quarterback Cameron Newton, the first overall pick of the draft for the Carolina Panthers.

When Dorsey was with the Browns, fans often said that it seemed like he was a good mentor and that coaching could be in his future. In Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback, he discusses the Rob Chudzinski connection between Dorsey and Newton.

There's a good reason Dorsey and Newton have become workout and classroom partners. In 2001 and 2002, Dorsey, at Miami, was coached by Hurricane offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski. In 2007 and 2008, Dorsey, with the Cleveland Browns, was coached by Browns offensive coordinator Chudzinski.

Newton was able to get a Carolina playbook, with Panthers offensive coordinator Chudzinski’s encyclopedic offense, to take with him during the lockout, and Dorsey spent last week instructing Newton in the finer points of the offense, in addition to telling him the expectations and coaching methods of Chudzinski. “The best way to describe it,” said the quarterback coach who readied Newton for his pre-draft workouts, George Whitfield, “is it’s like an old pilot grooming a new pilot to take over his plane. The old pilot’s teaching him about every one of the controls in the cockpit.”



(yardbarker.com)

As it is looking more and more likely that Cam Newton will be a Carolina Panther, we should consider that there likely would be better landing spots for Cam. New Panthers offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski’s playbook is believed to be somewhere in the vicinity of 900 pages, which makes it one of the most voluminous in the league. Virtually every play has a shift and/or motion. It’s a difficult offense for an experienced quarterback. Newton is inexperienced even among incoming rookies, and he the offense he was exposed to at Auburn is nothing like this one. If Cam goes to the Panthers, Chud might have to do some serious dumbing down of the offense in 2010.



(nationalfootballpost.com)

Ron Rivera got his man, and the Carolina Panthers appear headed for some changes on offense.

The Panthers agreed to a deal with San Diego assistant Rob Chudzinski to be their offensive coordinator, with only a contract signing standing in the way of the official announcement.

He was the first choice of Rivera, who had to sell him to Panthers officials who had built their own list of candidates before hiring Rivera. Chudzinski, 42, interviewed Friday.

Chudzinski, who played on two NCAA championship teams as a tight end at Miami, has a reputation for developing talent at that position, which would be new around here. He also has had success leading offenses, and with the Panthers coming off a league-worst year in points and yards, that's something they could use.

Former Panthers linebacker Dan Morgan was playing at Miami when Chudzinski was beginning his rise in the coaching ranks, and said he thinks the Panthers made an excellent decision.

"He's a great guy, and he just has such a bright mind, he really knows the game of football," Morgan said. "I know from seeing it first-hand, he's a great teacher, and he's had a lot of success with different guys over the years. He just has a gift for putting guys in the right places to make plays.
"He's not a yeller and a screamer, but he's a teacher, and he's definitely got the smarts for this job."

The biggest change he could bring is at his old position.

Since five-time Pro Bowler Wesley Walls was released after the 2002 season, the Panthers have had a hard time getting much from their tight ends. In fact, Kris Mangum's 34 catches during 2004 are the most by a Panthers tight end since Walls.

This year, Carolina's tight ends combined for 51 catches for 385 yards, led by Dante Rosario. Starter Jeff King is the best blocker of the lot, and he had 19 catches and two touchdowns.

Third-year man Gary Barnidge didn't have a catch this season, but he probably has the most potential to be the all-around answer they're apparently looking for.

Rivera said the search was on in his introductory news conference, when discussing the team's offensive personnel.

"The tight end is by committee," he said. "There are three guys there I like and they each have a quality of their own. But if there is a guy out there whether through the draft or free agency or on our roster that can become that guy that does it all of the time, we have to find him. I think that will help us as an offense."

By hiring Chudzinski, he has a guy who could bring about that kind of change.

Chudzinski coached three All-Americans at Miami (Bubba Franks, Jeremy Shockey, Kellen Winslow), and under his tutelage, San Diego's Antonio Gates had his only 1,000-yard seasons during 2005 and 2009.

He also has succeeded at the macro level.

When he was Cleveland's offensive coordinator during 2007, the Browns were eighth in the league in scoring and yardage, helping quarterback Derek Anderson to his most productive season. Anderson threw for 3,787 yards and 29 touchdowns that year, leading to Pro Bowl invitation.

As the Hurricanes offensive coordinator in 2001-03, he led offenses that played in three Bowl Championship Series games and won two
national championships. In 2002, the Hurricanes set school records for points and yards, losing only to Ohio State in the title game.

His hiring also illustrates the shuffle-the-deck reality of coaching. He replaced Jeff Davidson here and in Cleveland, and was replaced in Cleveland by Brian Daboll. Daboll was just hired by the Miami Dolphins to replace Dan Henning, whom Davidson replaced here in 2007.



(charlotteobserver.com)

The Panthers are scheduled to interview Chargers TEs coach Rob Chudzinski for their offensive coordinator opening on Thursday.

It's Panthers versus Dolphins in the race for Chud. Chudzinski is the first candidate to interview for Carolina's OC job, which was fully expected after he worked with new Panthers head coach Ron Rivera on the Chargers' staff.



(rotoworld.com)

Chargers assistant head coach/TEs Rob Chudzinski is reportedly the leading candidate to take over as Panthers' offensive coordinator under new coach Ron Rivera.

Chud is also scheduled to interview for the same position with the Dolphins, though his friendship with Rivera may give the Panthers the edge. Chudzinki appeared to be a rising head-coaching candidate when he coordinated the Browns offense back in 2007, but the bloom came off the rose when Derek Anderson came back down to earth in 2008. Chudzinski has had two stints with the Browns, one as tight ends coach and one as offensive coordinator.

Chudzinski’s contract as the Chargers’ tight ends coach is expiring, and the San Diego Union-Tribune reports that Chudzinski could follow Ron Rivera and become the new offensive coordinator in Carolina.

Going to Miami would be a homecoming for Chudzinski, as he spent four years as a player at the University of Miami and eight years as an assistant coach there.

(rotoworld.com)

The Dolphins have reportedly received permission to interview Chargers TEs coach Rob Chudzinski for their offensive coordinator vacancy.

Chudzinski, whose contract is up in San Diego, has also been linked to Carolina with Chargers defensive coordinator Ron Rivera headed there. "Chud" flamed out as an offensive coordinator in Cleveland a few years back, but is still considered a quality, young coach with a bright future. He called the plays during Derek Anderson's 29-touchdown season in 2007.



(nbcsports.com)