Toledo, Ohio isn’t widely known for too many things. It became famous for glass manufacturing at one point in time. These days it’s a hub of the automotive industry and a growing presence in both green energy and the arts. However, one other thing it’s known for is sports. Few more so than football. Nobody understands that better than new Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus.
He was born there in 1970 and grew up in the blue-collar community. Then he attended college there before getting his first coaching job with the same team in 1992. It is incredible to think 30 years later, he’d be running the Bears organization. Except that might not be as unbelievable as people think. If anything, Toledo might be called somewhat of a honey hole for quality football coaches going back several years. Fans might be surprised by some of the names to come out of there.
John Harbaugh
Head coach of the Baltimore Ravens since 2008. He has won 137 games to date. That includes nine playoff appearances and a Super Bowl championship in 2012. One of the most universally respected coaches in the NFL, known for his remarkable adaptability to whatever players he’s given year after year.
Jim Harbaugh
Brother of John, the younger Harbaugh, is no stranger to success. He won an Orange Bowl as the head coach at Stanford, then led the San Francisco 49ers to three straight NFC championships from 2011 to 2013, reaching the Super Bowl in 2012. After leaving in 2015, he has guided Michigan to 61 wins in seven seasons, including a Big Ten championship in 2021.
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Urban Meyer
His brief NFL stint was an absolute disaster, but that can’t erase the fact Meyer is a Hall of Fame college coach. He led Utah to a top 5 finish in 2004. Then he won two national championships at Florida in 2006 and 2008. When he returned home to coach Ohio State, he led the Buckeyes to their own national title in 2014.
Dick Strahm
Possibly one of the greater Division II coaches in college football history. Strahm coached the University of Findlay from 1975 to 1998. His program played in the national championship game five times in that span. They won four of them and tied for another. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.
Joe Tiller
While not a household name, Tiller made a success of himself in two different locations. He got Wyoming to their best record of 10-2 in 1996. A record they haven’t reached since. Then from 1997 to 2008, he was the head coach at Purdue, where he went 87-62. The best run of any head coach in program history since the 1960s. One that included 10 bowl game appearances and four victories.
Matt Eberflus comes from that same stock
Something about Toledo seems to breed men uniquely built for coaching. They can lead men, motivate them, teach them, and handle the high-pressure situations of football. There is no telling whether Matt Eberflus will follow in the footsteps of those men mentioned above. Yet it’s apparent he has the background. He grew up in the right neighborhoods. He was cultivated by some outstanding coaches like Nick Saban, Gary Pinkel, and Frank Reich.
One should not ignore his track record of success either. A very good defensive coordinator at Missouri. He molded multiple quality linebackers for years in Dallas. Then he produced three top 10 defenses in four years in Indianapolis. The 51-year old feels like he’s been prepared for this opportunity for a long time. For once, it feels like the process actually found the right guy. Somebody equipped to handle the pressures of Chicago.
