‘He was born to coach’: Bears counting on Matt Eberflus’ passion, consistency – Chicago Bears Blog

When Monte Kiffin was interviewing to turn out to be the Dallas Cowboys’ defensive coordinator in 2013, crew proprietor/basic supervisor Jerry Jones and his employees insisted he have a dialog with the Cowboys’ up-and-coming linebackers coach who was pondering his personal future.

Kiffin adopted via, placing Matt Eberflus in entrance of the dry erase board in his workplace and selecting his mind, moving into depth into defensive schemes and approaches, teaching philosophies and apply plans.

After about an hour, Kiffin mentioned, he was blown away.

“We talked a bit bit afterwards, and after I received completed I mentioned to myself, ‘This man can coach. He was born to educate,”’ Kiffin recalled. “Not everyone can say that, however I may inform this man’s received it.”

Kiffin, who ultimately was employed because the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator to exchange the fired Rob Ryan, made the straightforward choice to maintain Eberflus on his employees.

9 years later, Eberflus, who spent the previous 4 years because the Indianapolis Colts’ defensive coordinator, made an analogous impression upon the Chicago Bears and new basic supervisor Ryan Poles, who employed the 51-year-old to be the franchise’s new head coach.

Judging by the quick response by some Bears followers, the Eberflus hiring is a head-scratcher. They see a younger, proficient quarterback in Justin Fields who, they really feel, may as an alternative profit from the event and mentorship of an “offensive-minded” head coach, a la Patrick Mahomes with Andy Reid or Joe Burrow with Zac Taylor.

Solely time will inform if management in Chicago made the proper name with Eberflus. However for a number of key NFL figures who knew it was solely a matter of when, not if, he would get this form of alternative, there’s a way of confidence that Eberflus’ management model and consistency is precisely the sort of successful method the Bears want.

Nick Saban earned his first alternative to be a head coach in 1990, when he inherited a College of Toledo crew led by a tough-nosed junior linebacker out of close by Whitmer Excessive Faculty. That season — Saban’s solely 12 months guiding the Rockets earlier than leaping to the NFL to turn out to be the Cleveland Browns’ defensive coordinator — Eberflus led the crew in tackles en path to All-Mid-American Convention honors.

Toledo turned to Gary Pinkel — Saban’s school teammate at Kent State — as its new head coach in 1991, and Pinkel was instantly struck by Eberflus’ presence.

“He was spectacular,” Pinkel mentioned. “You might inform he was sort of a ‘G.I. Joe’ man. He beloved soccer, he beloved the preparation, and also you simply hold your eye on a man like that.”

Eberflus blossomed as a senior, as the previous walk-on was named All-MAC for a second straight season. The next 12 months he joined Pinkel’s teaching employees — first as a scholar assistant, after which as exterior linebackers and defensive backs coach.

When Pinkel was employed as Missouri’s head coach in 2001, he introduced Eberflus with him as his defensive coordinator. The Tigers for years had been digging themselves out of the depths of the Huge Eight and Huge 12 conferences, however the brand new regime was intent on making its mark. By the 2007 season, Missouri had posted a 12-2 report and was one win away from an look within the BCS championship recreation.

By that time, Pinkel knew a head-coaching job was clearly in Eberflus’ future.

“He knew our system,” Pinkel mentioned. “He knew after we went there precisely what we had been going to do, not simply defensively, however offensively what we had been going to do when it comes to how operationally we had been going to run our program.”

Following the 2008 season, Eberflus advised Pinkel he was having discussions about the opportunity of making the bounce to the NFL. Pinkel suggested his buddy and former participant to consider it. The subsequent day, Eberflus made his choice; quickly he would take a job with the Cleveland Browns as their linebackers coach.

Eberflus spent two seasons with the Browns earlier than following Ryan to the Cowboys.

In 2014, with Kiffin being named assistant head coach, Rod Marinelli — the previous Detroit Lions head coach — was named the Cowboys’ new defensive coordinator. Kiffin and Marinelli introduced with them the identical 4-3 base protection that had labored so effectively for them in Tampa Bay underneath Tony Dungy.

Marinelli shortly decided that Eberflus possessed the identical degree of self-discipline, dedication and expertise as these with related backgrounds from the Dungy teaching tree, together with future head coaches Lovie Smith, Herm Edwards and Mike Tomlin, in addition to present Inexperienced Bay Packers defensive coordinator Joe Barry.

“You might see that early on. And doubtless this is without doubt one of the quickest guys I noticed grasp that,” Marinelli mentioned. “I got here in with Lovie Smith and Herm, and you might see it early. And Mike Tomlin, he got here in, and it was like, ‘Wow.’ And Joe Berry. Properly, these guys had been all on that employees [in Tampa], and you might simply see them take off. And it’s as a result of they actually educate the sport.”

Chris Ballard had his eye on Eberflus for fairly some time by early 2018, when the Colts’ basic supervisor was trying to construct a brand new teaching employees following the firing of head coach Chuck Pagano.

Ballard was a scout and director of professional scouting for the Bears from 2001 via 2012. Whereas there, he developed a detailed relationship with Marinelli, who was on Chicago’s defensive employees from 2009 via 2012. Ultimately, Marinelli linked Ballard with Eberflus, who by then had been promoted to passing recreation coordinator on the Cowboys’ employees.

In 2018, Ballard mentioned he had requested the Colts’ head-coaching candidates to think about hiring Eberflus as their defensive coordinator, although he didn’t make it a mandate to get the job. He was happy to be taught then-New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who initially agreed to phrases to turn out to be the Colts’ new head coach, was going to observe via on that plan to convey Eberflus aboard his new employees.

The Colts employed Eberflus and scheduled an introductory information convention for McDaniels. The evening earlier than that information convention, nonetheless, McDaniels referred to as Ballard to let him know he wasn’t taking the job in spite of everything.

Jolted, Ballard and the Colts moved on with their seek for a brand new head coach. Ultimately they landed on Frank Reich, who was contemporary off a Tremendous Bowl title because the Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive coordinator. Reich, effectively conscious of Eberflus’ prowess from their battles within the NFC East, was greater than agreeable to maintain Eberflus aboard as his defensive coordinator.

Since that point, Eberflus’ star has continued to rise, as he has guided an opportunistic Colts protection that has taken his no-nonsense “alignment, project, key” method to coronary heart. Since 2018, the Colts have ranked within the high 10 within the NFL in takeaways, interceptions, dashing protection, factors allowed and complete yards.

Now, like Smith earlier than him, Eberflus hopes to be a “defensive-oriented” head coach who can information Chicago again to Tremendous Bowl rivalry. As he works on gaining the belief of the Bears’ passionate fan base, nonetheless, Eberflus is aware of he has loads of help from his teaching brethren as the subsequent man up in an extended line of profitable leaders.

“Oh yeah, I’ve seen it with Mike Tomlin and Herm Edwards and Coach Marinelli,” Dungy mentioned. “You see guys who had that management ability, who you’ll be able to see head coach written throughout them. Little question, Matt does, too.”