”Steve’s personality is as an aggressive guy,” his ex-boss, Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera, said.
Wilks, 48, spent last season as defensive coordinator of the Panthers after five seasons as the team’s secondary coach. He’s been an NFL assistant for 12 years.
Wilks replaces the colorful and outspoken Bruce Arians, who retired after five seasons and compiled a franchise-record 50 victories.
With the hiring of Wilks, all three major football programs in the state have African-American coaches – Wilks, Herm Edwards at Arizona State and Kevin Sumlin at Arizona. Wilks is the Cardinals’ second African-American coach (Dennis Green was the first) and the only minority candidate to get an NFL head coaching job this hiring cycle.
The Cardinals were 8-8 last season despite a myriad of significant injuries and closed out Arians’ career with a win in Seattle.
”This is not really a rebuild, this is a retool,” Wilks told azcardinals.com. ”We have the culture of winning here. We just have to be able to sustain it. It’s all about trying to get to the next level and the consistency you need to get to the next level.”
Patrick Peterson, perennial Pro Bowl cornerback and a leader of the Arizona defense, tweeted simply ”I LOVE IT.”
Azcardinals.com released a brief video of Wilks talking to Arizona fans.
”I’d like to introduce myself to the `Bird Gang,”’ he said. ”This is your head coach Steve Wilks. I’m so excited about building something great here. It’s all about trying to create a commitment to excellence and I can’t wait to see you guys at the Red Sea.”
Wilks was in Arizona for a second interview last week and was interviewed for the Tennessee job, which went to Mike Vrabel. Wilks also coached for 11 years at the collegiate level, including a one-year stint as head coach at Savannah State in 1999.
The Cardinals planned to introduce Wilks as coach at a news conference Tuesday at team headquarters.
Wilks played defensive back at Appalachian State Kyle Brodziak Jersey , attended the Seattle Seahawks training camp and played for the Charlotte Rage of the Arena Football League.
He worked his way up through the college assistant coaching ranks with stops at Johnson C. Smith in Charlotte, Savannah State, Illinois State, Appalachian State, East Tennessee State, Bowling Green, Notre Dame and Washington.
Wilks’ first NFL job was as defensive backs coach of the Chicago Bears. He held a similar job with the San Diego Chargers for three seasons before joining the Panthers staff.
Under Wilks this season, the Panthers ranked seventh in total defense.
Speaking about Wilks last week, his Charlotte players were supportive.
”I think he gets guys to relate to him, get on the same page, get on the same scheme,” defensive end Charles Johnson said. ”He comes to work every day and guys respect that. Just his whole personality. His mentality of getting guys to play how you want to play. He’s a good coach for that.”
In an interview last fall, linebacker Luke Kuechly said, ”Steve Wilks and all those guys are doing an excellent job of game-planning and putting us in position to be successful and utilizing what we do well. Those coaches listen (to the players).
”They’re not hard-headed. They do a great job with us. They motivate us. They do a good job of making sideline corrections and in-game adjustments. It’s fun to play for them.”
The Cardinals were the last team to fill a coaching vacancy, just as they were in 2013 when they hired Arians, who won his second NFL coach of the year award in his second season with the team.
Last week Scottie Upshall Jersey , Rivera talked about Wilks’ coaching potential.
”I know that Steve is a hot commodity, deservedly so,” Rivera said. `He has done a tremendous job wherever he’s been, starting in Chicago and San Diego and down here with us. It’s going to be a tough one. Him and Sean (McDermott) are two very good people who are very special to this organization.”
Wilks replaced McDermott as Carolina defensive coordinator when McDermott was named head coach at Buffalo a year ago.
The Cardinals have a head coach with a background in defense for the first time since Dave McGinnis was hired 17 years ago. Wilks’ first task probably is to hire an offensive coordinator, a move that’s particularly important because the retirement of Carson Palmer left Arizona with no quarterback.
And general manager Steve Keim is turning his attention full-time to finding that elusive quarterback, through a trade, free agency, the draft or any combination of the three.
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AP Pro Football Writer Teresa Walker in Nashville and AP Sports Writer Steve Reed in Charlotte contributed to this report.
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Father’s Day was the crowning touch on rookie catcher Jose Trevino’s wild week.
Trevino blooped a two-run single to left-center field, capping a four-run rally in the bottom of the ninth inning that sent the Texas Rangers over the Colorado Rockies 13-12 on Sunday.
He has been a father for only a week, and a major leaguer for three days.
”It has been one of the craziest weeks of my life,” a teary-eyed Trevino said in a television interview. ”I can’t wait to tell (my son) about it.”
Rockies closer Wade Davis (0-2) retired only one batter while walking four and allowing singles to Rougned Odor and Trevino. He entered his third major league game in the top of the ninth after starting catcher Robinson Chirinos was hit on a foot by a foul ball.
Trevino is 2 for 8 for Texas, including a game-tying single in Saturday’s 5-2 victory.
It was the fourth blown save in 24 opportunities for Davis, who threw 23 balls and 15 strikes while tying his season-high 38 pitches. As a result, Colorado lost for a National League-high 21st time after holding a lead.
”It looks as though his release point was way off,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. ”We’ll address that.”
Trevino took advantage.
”It’s everything a kid dreams about, except for there was one out instead of two Vladimir Sobotka Jersey ,” he said.
Trevino has impressed manager Jeff Banister.
”Pretty incredible week for the young man. I think he’ll look back on these first few days in the big leagues and think about how special they really are.”
Colorado took a 5-1 lead in the fifth inning of the seesaw game. The Rangers scored five runs to take a 6-5 lead in the sixth, including Jurickson Profar’s three-run homer off starter Jon Gray.
The Rockies responded with a five-run seventh to go ahead 10-6. Colorado’s Gerardo Parra drove in four runs, three on a bases-clearing double in the seventh.
Texas pulled within 10-9 with three runs in the seventh. Trevor Story hit a two-run homer in the Colorado ninth against Jesse Chavez (3-1).
Yovani Gallardo, pitching for his hometown Rangers for the first time since 2015, allowed the Rockies’ first five runs in five-plus innings.
Nomar Mazara drove in three Texas runs with two singles and a groundout.
Story, the National League leader with 54 RBIs, drove in two runs with his 15th homer.
Gray retired the Rangers’ first 10 batters, striking out seven, before Delino DeShields singled, stole second base and scored on a single by Mazara.
Gray’s only walk of the game led to the five-run sixth.
”You’d like to have your starting pitcher be a good front-runner and attack,” Black said. ”That inning, Jon got behind guys, 2-0 to the first hitter, 2-0 to the second hitter.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rockies: LHP Mike Dunn (rhomboid strain) and RHP Scott Oberg threw bullpen sessions before the game. ”Both successful,” Black said. ”No timetable on their returns. I suspect that they’ll throw another bullpen during the next couple days.”
Rangers: RF Mazara (sore left wrist) and C Robinson Chirinos (body soreness) returned to the lineup after missing two games. Chirinos now may miss more time with a foot injury. ”Pretty sore, pretty numb in the area where he got hit Vladimir Tarasenko Jersey ,” manager Jeff Banister said. … SS Elvis Andrus (fractured right elbow) moved his rehab assignment to Triple-A Round Rock, where he was 0 for 2 with two walks leading off as the DH. Banister said he expected Andrus to make the trip to Kansas City for a series beginning on Monday.
LEADING OFF
Rockies 2B DJ LeMahieu hit his second leadoff homer this season and of his career. The Rangers’ leadoff batter, DH Shin-Soo Choo, extended his on-base streak to 31 games with a sixth-inning single.
MAY JUNE BE WITH YOU
SS Jurickson Profar leads the Rangers with 33 RBIs since May 1. For the season, he has 41 RBIs after totaling only 53 in his first four injury-riddled seasons.
Profar has five of his career-high eight home runs in his last 11 games. He has four homers in four starts batting fourth in Texas’ lineup this season.
UP NEXT
Rockies: They return home, where they have lost seven in a row, to play the Mets on Monday. LHP Tyler Anderson (4-1, 4.48) will start for Colorado against New York RHP Jacob deGrom (4-2, 1.55).
Rangers: RHP Bartolo Colon (3-4, 4.94) will start the series opener on Monday at Kansas City against RHP Ian Kennedy (1-6, 5.13). … Trevino will be making his first major league road trip. He said, ”It should be some fun.”
