Ron Rivera was introduced as Carolina’s fourth head coach in franchise history Tuesday. A few nuggets from his presser:
1. Rivera says the team will keep a 4-3 defense. One of Rivera’s attractive qualities is that he’s coached a 4-3 and a 3-4 defense. He says the talent in Carolina is built for a 4-3 and he will have an “attacking” style like some of his mentors Buddy Ryan and Jim Johnson. (As opposed to, say, Lovie Smith.)
2. For the most part, Rivera lauded the Panthers roster. He liked the offensive line. He said he wanted to meet Steve Smith soon and was impressed by rookie wideouts David Gettis and Brandon LaFell.
Rivera sounded lukewarm on quarterback Jimmy Clausen, though. That should make Panthers fans smile. Quarterback has to still be in play for the No. 1 overall pick.
3. Rivera will get help from G.M. Marty Hurney filling out his staff. Chargers tight end coach Rob Chudzinski and Marc Trestman have been mentioned as possibilities for the offensive coordinator job, but no one from the team will confirm that.
4. Panthers owner Jerry Richardson said Rivera’s background as a player helped him get the job. Richardson is the only owner that was also a player in the NFL.
5. Rivera’s intensity made a uniformly good first impression on the local scribes:
“When Rivera spoke Tuesday in the Panthers’ meeting room, it felt like an electric current hummed,” Scott Fowler of the Charlotte Observer wrote.
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