CHARLOTTE - The formula for how Carolina Panthers coach John Fox and general manager Marty Hurney make personnel decisions evolved from an interview with Tony Dungy.

Back in 2002, when the Panthers were looking for a successor for George Seifert, Hurney and team president Mark Richardson were heading the search.

Dungy, who had just been fired by Tampa Bay, soon would be hired by Indianapolis. But not before he stopped in Charlotte and talked about the way he and former Tampa Bay GM Rich McKay worked together.

"I asked Tony if he or Rich had final say in Tampa," Hurney said. "He paused and he said that it never really came down to that. He said they always talked things out and came to a decision that they both were comfortable with."

To Hurney, who had worked as the salary-cap manager as Seifert made all the personnel decisions, that sounded like the right concept. Fox was hired to coach the Panthers a few days later and Hurney was elevated to general manager a few weeks after that, and they've been following the Dungy/McKay model since.

"Our scouts and our coaches have a lot of input," Hurney said. "But John and I, ultimately, make the decisions. We talk everything out at length, and we usually have similar opinions. If we disagree about a player, then we take a player that we do agree on."

That system seemingly links the fates of Fox and Hurney, who have had hits and misses in their six seasons. Early on, they had big success in free agency, adding players like quarterback Jake Delhomme, running back Stephen Davis and linebacker Mark Fields. They also got impact players (defensive end Julius Peppers and offensive tackle Jordan Gross) in their first two drafts.

Those moves helped fuel a run to the Super Bowl after the 2003 season and a trip to the NFC title game after the 2005 season.

But their personnel decisions have since drawn criticism as the Panthers, picked by many to go to last season's Super Bowl, went 8-8 and, with Delhomme hurt early this season, have limped to a 4-7 record.

Peppers is the only player drafted by Fox and Hurney to make it to a Pro Bowl, several recent draft picks from the second and third rounds have flopped, and the free-agent classes of the past two offseasons (most notably quarterback David Carr) haven't produced big results.

Is Hurney feeling more pressure with the Panthers struggling?

"You always put enormous pressure on yourself to do well in this business," he said. "Sure, the pressure is high when you're not winning, but that pressure is always there."

New faces

There have been some changes in the people who make decisions about personnel. Jake Bushofsky retired as personnel director early in the tenure of Fox and Hurney, and college scouting director Tony Softli left in 2006 for a position with St. Louis.

Don Gregory, a longtime scout for Kansas City and San Diego, now runs the college scouting department and has a team of eight regional scouts. Mark Koncz, who has worked for the Panthers since before they played their first game and worked his way up through the scouting department, is in charge of pro scouting and has two full-time scouts working for him.

Gregory and his scouts cross-check college players throughout the season and meet with Hurney several times in the fall. Hurney, Gregory and the regional scouts meet with Fox before and after the scouting combine in late February to share information.

Koncz and the pro scouts are responsible for keeping up-to-date grades on every player in the league as well as available free agents. As the end of the season approaches, Koncz meets with Hurney to discuss potential free agents around the league. Lists of free agents are given to Fox and his assistants after the season ends. As the start of free agency in March approaches, Hurney and Fox make decisions on which free agents to pursue and at what price.

"We definitely make decisions together," Hurney said. "But because I spend more time overseeing the information, I feel like I should be the one held responsible when there are mistakes."

But Hurney, who worked as a sports writer before going to work as a salary-cap specialist with San Diego, doesn't act alone on any personnel decision. Around the league, the Panthers are known as a team that values input from assistant coaches, pro personnel people and college scouts.

Panthers owner Jerry Richardson has said that he leaves football decisions up to Fox and Hurney, who rely heavily on the people who work for them.

"Everybody has some say," Hurney said. "When you get the scouts and the coaches involved and listen to what everybody has to say, it's going to put you in position to make the best choices."

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