Its official, we have hired Mike Tice to become our Oline Coach, this is being reported by multiple sources including Zach Zaidman, Adam Shefter and Brad Biggs.

 

http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=6490

 

Let's hope he can be the same difference maker on the O-line that Marinelli was on the D-line.

Really, really good hire. I like the fact that he preaches a power run game and he does a real nice job with the oline. This is a serious upgrade to Harry Heistad.

 

I like this move alot. I guess this throws out the idea that the Bears were going to go with both Tice/Zampese as co-coordinators. Zampese I assume is still in the running as the OC.

 

Damn, this is a real nice hire (Tice as Oline coach).

And that is a real impressive resume he has.

As an offensive line coach, Tice tutored five different players—Matt Birk, Jeff Christy, Randall McDaniel, Todd Steussie and Korey Stringer—to 10 Pro Bowl appearances. In 1998, when the Vikings scored an NFL-record 556 points, three Minnesota offensive linemen started in the Pro Bowl.

 

In Tice’s first two seasons in Jacksonville, the Jaguars rushing attack had the two most productive seasons in team history, gaining 2,541 yards in 2006 and 2,391 yards in 2007. Jacksonville set franchise records in 2007 for points (411), average yards per play (5.6) and touchdowns (50).

I seem to remember a Jay Hilgenberg interview from this year where he was commenting on the line scheme. He was not a big fan of the technique employed, I believe it is the bucket step, but Jay essentially said the lineman take a step backward initially and then move forward to block. I know I am simplifying it and perhaps even missing something in translation but the key to what I found interesting was that Jay felt this technique found the blocker in a bad position (backward movement) where the d-lineman could drive into him and push him back. Hopefully Tice will have these guys firing off the ball and road grading.

I seem to remember a Jay Hilgenberg interview from this year where he was commenting on the line scheme. He was not a big fan of the technique employed, I believe it is the bucket step, but Jay essentially said the lineman take a step backward initially and then move forward to block. I know I am simplifying it and perhaps even missing something in translation but the key to what I found interesting was that Jay felt this technique found the blocker in a bad position (backward movement) where the d-lineman could drive into him and push him back. Hopefully Tice will have these guys firing off the ball and road grading.

One thing I always remember about Minny was that when they were really good, they had top notch olines and Tice was a big part of that.

Really, really good hire. I like the fact that he preaches a power run game and he does a real nice job with the oline. This is a serious upgrade to Harry Heistad.

 

I like this move alot. I guess this throws out the idea that the Bears were going to go with both Tice/Zampese as co-coordinators. Zampese I assume is still in the running as the OC.

 

Damn, this is a real nice hire (Tice as Oline coach).

I also think this is a great addition to the team. Tice brings ample experience and hopefully he can build on the minimal success the Oline had at the end of the season. Now on to the coordinators!

This is a very good hire.

 

Peace

This is a very good hire.

 

Peace

The great thing that I love about Tice is that he preaches a straight forward push at the line of scrimmage. Hopefully this will allow Forte to have some room to run. If he has room to run that will get the defenders off Jay's back and give him even more time to throw.

Yeah, I love this hire. I would've puked had we signed him to be our OC, but as our OL coach, this is huge.

I have zero issue with that.

 

Seems as good as any at the moment. I do like his fire, and he at least, on paper, had the pedigree for it.

 

Its official, we have hired Mike Tice to become our Oline Coach, this is being reported by multiple sources including Zach Zaidman, Adam Shefter and Brad Biggs.

 

http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=6490

 

The great thing that I love about Tice is that he preaches a straight forward push at the line of scrimmage. Hopefully this will allow Forte to have some room to run. If he has room to run that will get the defenders off Jay's back and give him even more time to throw.

Plus if we make a run at Chester Taylor we'll have another back that can really help things.

Great move imo.

 

Lovie doing his best to look stupid:

Tice compiled a 33-34 record as head coach, including 1-1 in the playoffs.

 

“I’ve had a chance to compete against Mike for a lot of years and I always thought he did a great job with the offensive line,” said coach Lovie Smith. “Mike has a presence about him, and his record speaks for itself.”

Wow, thanks for that vote of confidence Lovie. His 33-34 record speaks for itself?

 

Let's hope he can be the same difference maker on the O-line that Marinelli was on the D-line.

 

Let's hope he can be the same difference maker on the O-line that Marinelli was on the D-line.

 

Awesome.

Great move imo.

 

Lovie doing his best to look stupid:

 

Wow, thanks for that vote of confidence Lovie. His 33-34 record speaks for itself?

 

I'm pretty sure he meant his record of turning out probowl olinemen as an Oline coach and not his W-L record as a HC.

 

So who looks stupid now?

I'm pretty sure he meant his record of turning out probowl olinemen as an Oline coach and not his W-L record as a HC.

 

So who looks stupid now?

 

 

lol Exactly.

I find this move interesting in that we're bringing in an Oline coach before we hire our OC. You would think that whoever the OC is he'd want control, or at least input, into who he has to work with. This certainly doesn't seem like a Lovie Smith way of doing things, more like Angelo, especially with the change in technique from what we were doing. Heck I doubt Lovie even knew the details of what our Oline were trying to do.

 

Why would an Oline take a step back on a running play when the idea is to go forward? Aside from the loss of momentum it also takes away the advantage you have of knowing the snap count. I'll puzzle over that one all summer long. It does bring up an interesting question: Is this why Omiyale had so much trouble coming off the LOS? If Omiyale has always been firing off the line at the snap and then suddenly along comes some brilliant line coach who says, hey buddy, step backwards before you go forward. I'm sure that brought up more than a few WTFs.

What are Tice's ticket prices gonna be?

http://theredzone.org/BlogDescription.aspx?EntryId=2529

So do the Bears still entertain the dual offensive coordinator role, i.e. run and pass coordinator?

Heck I doubt Lovie even knew the details of what our Oline were trying to do.

 

I kinda doubt even Harry Heistad knew the details of what we were trying to do. Sure didn't look organized to me..

 

I like this hire and agree with BrianBear and others that if we'd have hired him as OC that would have been a bad move but I'm happy to have him as O-Line coach where he's been effective in the past. We need a guy who will bring some aggression to our line they have been soft and it's gotten old watching them get pushed around not giving Jay time or Forte running room. Definite upgrade.

 

It is interesting that the OL coach is hired before the OC. Not sure if that means the have zero'd in on who they want for OC and this is a signing with him in mind or it is that they see the need for a significant upgrade at OL Coach and went after a guy that they feel is a significant upgrade. Usually the OC has in mind who he'd like to bring in.

 

1. Is this method going to limit or hinder our search for an OC if they don't get to pick their own position coaches? Will it help as Tice does have a good reputation and solid resume. That may show candidates that we are serious about improvement.

 

2. Not fully knowing how big a deal it is for the line coach to be brought in first since it's likely they have in mind the style of offense they would like to employ. Which I would think would still be run oriented but also be balanced in utilizing Cutler's mobility and arm. For that type of offense our line will need to be aggressive and that is more Tice's style.

 

3. Is this a recognition that the game starts and stops in the trenches, lose the line of scrimmage and you will have a tough time winning the game. Perhaps a sign that it was high on the priority list was to bring in someone who they feel can turn the line play around. To that end I think Tice is a good choice. I've said it before and I'll say it again, fix the line and you fix a lot of the issues. We saw what quality line play did for us in the Minny game and the Detroit game. When Jay has time to throw he's a dangerous QB, When Forte and Bell have had holes and room to run they have done well. Throughout much of the previous 14 games the lack of protection and lack of run blocking gave way to a stagnated offense that couldn't seem to get out of its own way.

 

4. Is this going to be the way the new look staff will be assembled each individual piece separately? If so can a patchwork staff like this work? Jerry knows he's on the hot seat and I have to think Lovie does too. It's in their best interest to piece together a staff that can turn the team around. While no one at Halas Hall will cop to it it's win or else. They've been given one more shot to make it work.

 

Ok now, going out on a limb here but let's say for arguments sake that the Bears do put together a decent staff offensively and defensively and the Bears do turn things around in 2010... then what? Does that success have any long term potential ie the staff? Is there a possibility that given the right mix of position coaches that it would be acceptable to retain Jerry and Lovie beyond 2010? Could be the remnants of kool-aid dried to the bottom of my glass or the remaining evidence of a silver lining, but at this point this move is a good sign that they are looking to get quality coaching here. Even though Tice's head coaching stint wasn't that great it does give him a broader perspective. I like this hire.