Heading into an offseason of change

– Wilks addressed the media for the last time as Panthers interim head coach, wrapping up his 13-week stint.

The Panthers went 6-6 under Wilks’ leadership after a 1-4 start under previous head coach Matt Rhule. They won two in a row – against Denver and at Seattle – earned their first win at Bank of America Stadium in over a calendar year with a win over Tom Brady and the Buccaneers (the Panthers were 4-1 at home under Wilks), and nearly won the NFC South.

Carolina played games with playoff implications into the new year, with postseason hopes ending with a loss at Tampa Bay on Jan. 1.

So when Wilks was asked to reflect on moments that made him proud as interim, he listed off several of them.

“There are so many,” Wilks said. “I think the first one (was) us winning at home; at that time … it had been a long time since we had won at home. To be able to do that in front of our fans and try to bring excitement back at Bank of America Stadium, that was very glorifying. And to do it against a guy that many consider to be the best at that position.

“When you look at our DNA, as I talk about all the time, (the) element of finishing. For us to be able to finish that game the way we did yesterday, I thought, was very impressive. … Winning two in a row. We talked about that. Leaving here with Denver and going to Seattle, going against the hostile crowd, 12th man. There are several examples, man, where those guys in that locker room really stood up and got the job done.”

Wilks adamantly kept from answering questions about himself throughout his tenure as interim coach, diverting attention back to the players. He did the same in the season’s final press conference, crediting the roster’s resilience and dedication to the mantra “Keep Pounding.”

“We kept pounding to the end,” Wilks said. “We won our last game on the road, and we won our last game at home. So that’s a lot to build on, when you look at really what we’ve done in the past. I told those guys, particularly the core guys, ‘You guys got a lot to build on going into the offseason.'”