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2) An offensive line regression The Panthers thought going into the 2023 season that the offensive line would be a strength. Instead, it’s turned into a major weakness. A turnstile at both offensive guard positions and a new blocking scheme that has foundered badly — along with the sudden regression of left tackle Ickey Ekwonu — are to blame. For a short quarterback like Young, who’s 5-foot-10, pressure in your face up the middle is the most difficult thing to deal with. But center Bradley Bozeman and the rotating cast of guards on either side of him have routinely allowed it. Last week, Jacksonville attacked the Panthers over and over again at the guard positions, an enormous factor in Carolina’s 26-0 loss — the first time the Panthers had been shut out since 2002. Carolina has started five different left guards and seven different right guards this year due to injury and ineffectiveness. Panthers guard Austin Corbett (63) has been hurt for most of 2023, and the team has struggled greatly at both guard positions in his absence.
Meanwhile, Ekwonu — the No. 6 overall pick of the 2022 draft — has also taken a step backward in what he calls “a humbling year.” Ekwonu’s footwork hasn’t been great and his confidence has taken a hit. He looks stressed. He’s given up too many sacks and had a difficult time working with the left guards beside him when other teams run pass-rushing games designed to confuse. Ekwonu is still on a cap-friendly contract, so he’s not going anywhere, but he absolutely must be better in 2024.
As for the blocking scheme: With Reich, the Panthers went from a north-to-south, ground-and-pound rushing attack that worked well in their final 12 games of 2022 under interim coach Steve Wilks (they had a 6-6 record under Wilks, and, as I’ve written, the team should have hired him to the permanent job) to a zone-heavy scheme. That blocking style required linemen to move more in space and has really hurt Bozeman’s production.
Carolina also has done Young no favors by not sticking with the running game enough (last week was a good example), not keeping him under center enough and too often putting him in an empty, five-wide set in the shotgun, advertising to pass rushers, “Come and get me!” In other words, although the Panthers didn’t mean to, the coaching staff and front office have set Young up to fail as a rookie. And he certainly did, while the line collapsed around him.
Read more at: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sp...#storylink=cpy
Meanwhile, Ekwonu — the No. 6 overall pick of the 2022 draft — has also taken a step backward in what he calls “a humbling year.” Ekwonu’s footwork hasn’t been great and his confidence has taken a hit. He looks stressed. He’s given up too many sacks and had a difficult time working with the left guards beside him when other teams run pass-rushing games designed to confuse. Ekwonu is still on a cap-friendly contract, so he’s not going anywhere, but he absolutely must be better in 2024.
As for the blocking scheme: With Reich, the Panthers went from a north-to-south, ground-and-pound rushing attack that worked well in their final 12 games of 2022 under interim coach Steve Wilks (they had a 6-6 record under Wilks, and, as I’ve written, the team should have hired him to the permanent job) to a zone-heavy scheme. That blocking style required linemen to move more in space and has really hurt Bozeman’s production.
Carolina also has done Young no favors by not sticking with the running game enough (last week was a good example), not keeping him under center enough and too often putting him in an empty, five-wide set in the shotgun, advertising to pass rushers, “Come and get me!” In other words, although the Panthers didn’t mean to, the coaching staff and front office have set Young up to fail as a rookie. And he certainly did, while the line collapsed around him.
Read more at: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sp...#storylink=cpy
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