One would think the Chicago Bears coordinators wouldn’t be prime options for NFL head coaching jobs in 2018. Not after the team went 3-13 last year. However, that’s not the case. There is so much that goes into identifying and hiring a head coach. Team record is a part of it, but there’s also other factors. Chief among them is age, experience, accomplishment and how he interviews.
Don’t forget Anthony Lynn, Doug Marrone and Sean McDermott all got head jobs this year and their teams didn’t do well last season. So it was interesting to see the list of possible 2018 head coaching candidates will be by ESPN insiders. One because it feature a Bears name on the list. First on the list as it turns out.
Also it represents a list the team may be looking into next year if John Fox fails to get significant progress out of this roster over the next few months.
Bears coordinators crack the list but it’s not who we thought
Ask the question of who on the Bears coaching staff is a head coaching candidate, almost everybody would say the same thing. It has to be Vic Fangio. The defensive coordinator has a long track record of success dating back to the late 1980s. He’s done well despite serious talent deficiencies and injury problems in Chicago too. One could say his chance at a top job is long overdue.
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Seems the experts don’t agree. Instead they view his opposite, offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains, as the name to watch.
“He served as the offensive coordinator under Mike Munchak and then was the quarterbacks coach under Adam Gase in Chicago before Gase took his playcalling talents to South Beach. If the Bears’ offensive coordinator can make Mike Glennon (or Mitch Trubisky) look good this season, he’s one to watch.”
It seems rather hard to accept at first, but there are certain things to keep in mind. He’s 36-years old. NFL teams tend to prefer younger coaches these days. His background is in quarterbacks, another big trend over the past few years. Last but not least, he had more success last season than people realize.
The Bears finished ranked 15th in total yards in 2016. This despite having three different quarterbacks start games for them and being forced to start a rookie at running back. Throw in a multitude of injuries to key offensive linemen and by rights they shouldn’t have played that well. It’s a testament to his ability to adjust and prepare that they did.
Fans may not have noticed, but keen-eyed NFL people sure did.
