The Panthers have stayed in-house for their new special teams coordinator. Formerly a “special teams assistant” for Carolina, Jeff Rodgers was promoted Saturday into the full-time gig. He replaces Danny Crossman, who was fired and landed with the Lions.
Rodgers was the special teams coordinator at Kansas State in 2008, when the Wildcats led the country in blocked kicks and scored six touchdowns on returns. Rodgers oversaw the development of KSU receiver/return ace Brandon Banks, who would go on to earn Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year honors as a senior.
Banks, a decorated former high school sprinter, projects as a slot receiver with lots of return value in the pros and is eligible for April’s draft. Fittingly, the Panthers need upgrades at both positions. Rodgers’ hire may increase the chances they use a mid-round pick on the versatile homerun threat.
They could hire a trained monkey… actually, an untrained monkey, and it would be better than Crossman.
Rodgers is a great hire–what he did at Kansas State in one year was incredible. I think he will turn things around for sure.