Will the Chicago Bears fire John Fox at the end of the season? That is going to be one of the hottest questions asked in the coming weeks. Already the subject is heating up after the Bears fell to the Atlanta Falcons in week one. Looking ahead their schedule is not going to let up. Tampa Bay next week, who were 9-7 last year. Pittsburgh and then Green Bay, both conference championship participants.
Chicago could easily be 0-4 before the first quarter of the season is even finished. At that point the “Fire Fox” chants will be deafening. The Bears head coach is now 9-24 running what is his third franchise since 2002. Despite his past success there comes a certain point where enough is enough and changes are needed.
The big question for many isn’t whether he’ll be canned though. It’s who will replace him. Many people are having fantasies of Jim Harbaugh or Sean Payton. Truth be told neither is likely at this point. In fact there’s reason to believe the Bears may already have someone in mind.
Why Vic Fangio and Dowell Loggains are prime options if Bears fire John Fox
One thing about Bears GM Ryan Pace is he’s proven himself as a man who wants to build from within. He’s shown that with how often he’s rewarded players like Kyle Long, Tracey Porter, Eric Kush, Willie Young, Charles Leno and Akiem Hicks with new deals. Is it that big a stretch to think he might do the same on the coaching staff?
After all, the Bears are in a rare position to where they have some quality assistants on the staff. None more so than their two coordinators. Here’s a breakdown of what each brings to the table and why they could be the heirs to Fox’s throne.
Vic Fangio
Pros:
- Wealth of experience
- Players love him
- Knows how to make adjustments
- Strong coaching tree
- Personality fits the city
- Has somebody to take his place
Fangio has been the most popular coach on the Bears staff since he arrived and for good reason. His defensive unit consistent outperforms the other two. Despite limited talent in both 2015 and 2016 they finished ranked in the top 15. Players have gone on record saying they consider him a “genius” with his attention to detail and ability to adjust to what he has. Much of this is intelligence but also his vast array of experience.
Fangio has been an NFL coach since 1986 and a defensive coordinator since 1995. He’s had success everywhere he’s been in that 31-year span. During that time he’s also learn from other successful coaches including Jim Mora Sr., Jim Harbaugh and Jon Harbaugh. Not only this but he also has the sort of personality Chicago loves. He’s honest, blunt and doesn’t BS anybody.
Last but not least, were he to get the job the Bears have the equally experienced Ed Donnatell ready to take over at defensive coordinator.
Cons:
- Old (59)
- Personality may not fit the organization
- Defensive guy with a conservative nature
- Been passed over a lot
Age is always a factor in any coaching hire or player signing. For Fangio it certainly feels like his window is closing. He’ll be 60-years old next year, which puts an immediate cap on his staying power with the Bears. Sure there are exceptions like Dick LeBeau who’s coached to his 80s but by and large most tend to wind down by their mid-60s.
Fangio is also a defensive guy as pointed out earlier. His coaching style, while effective for his side of the ball, can be called conservative. Is he really equipped to develop a young quarterback like Trubisky? Then there’s the issue of not already being a head coach. One could say Fangio should’ve been one by now, having successfully coordinated for 22 years now. Why has nobody hired him? Maybe he just doesn’t come across as a guy who can run a franchise.
Dowell Loggains
Pros:
- Young (36)
- System already installed
- Adept play caller
- Features a scheme that fits Mitch Trubisky
- Gets most out of what he has
Where age was an issue for Fangio, it most definitely isn’t for Dowell Loggains. He would become one of the youngest head coaches in the NFL were he hired. If he’s successful that would mean the Bears have their guy for the next couple decades if they wished. Beyond that it all becomes about stability.
Chicago has a young quarterback now. Mitch Trubisky is their future. He has the talent to become the first true franchise quarterback they’ve had since Jim McMahon. Promoting Loggains would maintain scheme stability as Trubisky continues to develop. Something teams like Tampa Bay and Tennessee have done with Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota.
Loggains has shown himself to be personable, intelligent and able on the play calling front. He managed to produce a top 15 offense in 2016 despite two of his quarterbacks going down with injuries. His scheme, which features a passing attack built around timing and precision, is a perfect fit for what Trubisky does. It’s why they drafted him.
Cons:
- Been coaching for less than a decade
- Comes from a meh coaching tree
- Pass-happy
At the same time that youth mentioned before brings up a couple issues. Loggains has only been coaching since 2008 in the NFL. So he’s only been at the job for nine years, and a coordinator for three of them. People laud Adam Gase for being a young upstart but he’d been coaching since 2000 before getting his shot with Miami in 2016.
Not only that but Loggains also comes from a rather pedestrian coaching true. The head coaches he’s worked for in the NFL include Jeff Fisher, Mike Munchak, Mike Pettine and now John Fox. Not the most inspiring group. History shows successful head coaches tend to have learned from other successful head coaches. Mike Ditka studied under Tom Landry, lest we forget.
This last part is a bit of a nitpick, but Loggains does have a tendency to pass the ball too much. For example his running backs were averaging 6.6 yards per carry and ran it 19 times. Conversely they threw the ball 40 times at just four yards per pass. It makes one wonder if Loggains understands how to craft a game plan around what his team does best.
