Kyle Monangai didn’t register much to Chicago Bears fans when the team drafted him. That comes with the territory of going in the 7th round. All they could tell from researching him was he had two highly-productive seasons at Rutgers. Beyond that, experts claimed he was average in most categories from size to speed and athleticism. Most of his best traits came from vision, contact balance, and intelligence. This wasn’t the running back move people had hoped for. It felt like a consolation prize.
Through the first five games, there wasn’t much to report. Monangai appeared sporadically in games, making the most of limited opportunities. It was pretty much the D’Andre Swift show. That changed on Sunday against New Orleans. He received 13 carries, his highest of the season, and gouged the Saints for 81 yards. All of his strengths stood out. It felt like a true breakout moment for him. When asked how it came about, Monangai credited some advice from running backs coach Eric Bieniemy.
“You’ll hear E.B. say all the time, ‘Find four and a half‘ (yards per carry). He’s not too concerned with everything number-wise or big picture. He just says whatever play we’re on is the most important, and if the ball’s in your hand, you’ve got to find four and a half.”
Kyle Monangai is proving to be a good listener.
So far this season, he is averaging 4.6 yards per carry and 10.2 yards per reception. Bieniemy’s instructions have helped shape how Kyle Monangai approaches the game. The best way for an offense to have success is consistently hitting on plays of four or five yards. That guarantees every third play results in a first down. If you do that, you’ll inevitably score. From watching how Monangai runs, it’s evident he takes that instruction seriously. The guy is difficult to bring down.
It is clear the Bears are learning to trust him. That was always the key to seeing more work. Those previous five weeks were a feeling-out period. Ben Johnson wanted to see if Monangai could handle his assignments without mistakes. He passed that test. Sunday was his SAT exam, and he crushed it.
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