During a recent Carolina Panthers practice, running back Chuba Hubbard halted drills to address concerns over focus and discipline among the offensive players. Without prior notice to head coach Dave Canales, Hubbard called for the defense to move aside and led his teammates in a sideline-to-sideline sprint after a series of pre-snap penalties.
Center Austin Corbett described the situation as stemming from “non-focused, do your jobs,” explaining that Hubbard wanted to “tighten things up.” Both Hubbard and quarterback Bryce Young led the group during the run, reinforcing accountability within the team.
Head coach Dave Canales commented on the incident: “That was all player-led. They have been talking to each other, holding each other accountable to the pre-snap stuff that I’ve been harping on. You know, I’m not a big fan of the gassers. I believe that we practice hard enough, we don’t need to do that kind of stuff and try to add more volume to the high intensities that I’m expecting in all phases.
“But for the guys, it means something to them, and that was their way of trying to address it today. So I think the message was taken across the board and there was a good response that way.”
Canales admitted he was momentarily confused by what was happening: “We were going into 7-on-7 and all of a sudden they’re saying ‘Sideline, sideline.’ I was like, no, it’s not move-the-ball yet, and then I was like looking like what’s happening here, and then somebody came up and was like Bryce and Chuba are having the whole group do gassers right here off of that pre-snap foul that we had.”
Wide receiver Jalen Coker said he simply followed instructions when told what to do. Outside linebacker D.J. Wonnum appreciated seeing his offensive counterparts push themselves: “I was like, keep going, keep running. When I see that, I love it, you know what I’m saying. That means we’re doing something right defensively, so just seeing those guys run gets them a little more tired to help me out a little more in practice.”
Corbett added with humor: “It’s a great point… Unless you’re fat.”
The action reflects an approach encouraged by Canales who wants players to take responsibility for maintaining standards: “It’s ownership,” Canales said. “And I think that’s when it becomes powerful when the messaging and the standards of what we’re doing is a cultural thing. Again, coaches, we set the foundation, we give the information, we give our experiences of things that we’ve learned over the course of years.
“But it becomes powerful when the players own it, when the players say this is how we’re going to play defense here, this is how we’re going to play offense here. And when they capture that part of it… it’s skin in the game. It’s like, guys, this is our team but more specifically this is your team. Who do we want to say we’re going to be?”
Hubbard’s leadership moment provided an example of player-driven accountability during training camp as preparations continue ahead of the season.
