FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
BEARS REACH AGREEMENT WITH MIKE DEBORD
LAKE FOREST, IL - The Chicago Bears reached an agreement with Mike DeBord today, making him their tight ends coach.
DeBord spent the last two seasons with the Seattle Seahawks as an assistant offensive line coach (2008) and tight ends coach (2009) after spending 26 years in the collegiate coaching ranks. DeBord came to Seattle from the University of Michigan where he spent 12 seasons over the course of two stints with the Wolverines working as an offensive line coach (1992-96) adding the duties of assistant head coach from 1995-96, offensive coordinator/tight ends (1997-99 and 2006-07) and special teams/recruiting coordinator (2004-05). In between his stints with the Wolverines, DeBord was head coach of Central Michigan (2000-03).
DeBord entering the collegiate coaching ranks in 1982 as an offensive line coach for Franklin College, a position he held for two seasons. He also was an assistant coach at Fort Hays (1984-86), Eastern Illinois (1987-88), Ball State (1989), Colorado State (1990-91) and Northwestern (1992).
The DeBord hire is a good one. I played for him at EIU and he's a great teacher and coach.
My guess is DeBord work more with the Bears lineman/TEs in the run game more, lineman in the passing game in pass protection, and O-Line coach Mike Tice will work with TEs in the passing game on releases off the line and route running.
THIS IS IS A GOOD HIRE!!
Well, I played for Ron Turner (did I get Jay's scholarship???-No, was
a year older).....I thought he was a good teacher and coach (he inherited a really bad program). However, look how that Bear's hire turned out.
stuckinwisconsin: The big difference is Turner was in charge and couldn't adjust a game plan to save his life. How Turner kept the OC job as long as he did is one of the great mysteries by the lake.
DeBord will mesh with Tice, Martz and 'soon-to-be-hired' QB coach Shane Day. Day worked with Martz at SF and DeBord at Michigan. Tice brings the presence of a coach with NFL playing and coaching espereince 9which is extremely important over a college coach coming in). And, DeBord is good adjuster, fundamentals and technique guy, and listens and talsk with his players.
The only problems I see are the leftover offensive coaches, WR coach Darryl Drake and RB coach Tim Spencer. Drake doesn't seem to know how to get receivers to run 'full' routes, adjust to the QB and ball, get separation, and go over the middle.
Spencer's backs were poor at blitz pickup, chipping DEs for the OTs, and at times just fell down after hitting the line
Turner was not a good play caller period, of course with better Oline anyone could look good except - knowing he had a bad Oline he still ran it up the middle consistently, go figure that.
Our TE's need to be taught how to pick up the Blitz, In this regard I feel DeBord and Martz both will help alot. I would like to see Martz utilize Olsen more like he did Faulk but I will be happy if the TE's learn how to block the blitz and give Cutler more time.
So far so good,still need help on OL and a WR!