New coach (from Louisville - curious)

Posted on Fri, Feb. 24, 2006



Levine on coaching escalator


Tony Levine, the former Gophers wide receiver from St. Paul's Highland Park, continues his rapid rise as a football coach.
Levine, 33, on Thursday was hired as special-teams coach for the Carolina Panthers.

"To me, going from college to the NFL doesn't happen too often, so it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity professionally for my family and me," Levine said. "I couldn't pass it up."

Levine graduated from Highland Park in 1991, played for the Gophers through 1995, then returned to coach at Highland Park for one season. From there he went to Southwest Texas State as an assistant for three years, then to Auburn as an assistant for two years, then to Louisiana Tech as an assistant for one year, then to Louisville. The Cardinals averaged 10 victories during his three seasons as an assistant there.

Levine replaced Paul Ferraro, who left the Panthers as special-teams coach to join Brad Childress as special-teams coach for the Vikings.

Levine will join fellow St. Paulite Chris Weinke, also 33, who is a free-agent backup quarterback for the Panthers.

The Panthers will play the Vikings next season at the Metrodome.

Carolina coach John Fox chose Levine from about 50 prospects.

 

Winkers ain't gonna be here next year (season).