Post by Deleted on May 10, 2018 16:20:35 GMT -6
Harry Hiestand will be Bears most important assistant in 2018
ByMatt Eurich May 9, 4:54 PM
The Chicago Bears felt good about their hiring of Matt Nagy after the firing of John Fox following the conclusion of yet another disappointing season in 2017. Nagy brings to Chicago a brand new offense that has had a lot of sustained success in the NFL over many of years. Part of the Andy Reid coaching tree, Nagy served as the offensive coordinator of the Kansas City Chiefs the last two seasons before he was hired by Chicago. He understood quickly how important it would be to build an impressive coaching staff and made it a point to bring back defensive coordinator Vic Fangio and his staff. With that side secure, Nagy went on a mission to bolster the offensive staff around him. After hiring former Oregon head coach Mark Helfrich to serve as offensive coordinator, Nagy hit a home run by hiring former Notre Dame assistant Harry Hiestand to coach the offensive line in Chicago.
Hiestand is no stranger to Bears fans. The veteran offensive line coach followed Ron Turner from Illinois to the Bears in 2005 and held the offensive line coach position until the 2009 season. During that stretch he helped the offensive line become one of the team's strengths, backed by the play of Olin Kreutz and Ruben Brown on the interior of the line. Kreutz went to five straight Pro Bowls and Brown went to one Pro Bowl while playing for Hiestand in Chicago. After his five-year stint in Chicago he coached at the University of Tennessee before joining Notre Dame's coaching staff in 2012. During his time as an offensive line coach he has seen a long list of his collegiate players make major impacts in the NFL.
Notre Dame's Ronnie Stanley and Zack Martin and Tennessee's Ja'Waun James were all first-round picks after working with Hiestand. Notre Dame's Mike McGlinchey and Quenton Nelson were among the biggest names in terms of offensive lineman in this year's draft and both did Hiestand proud. Nelson went sixth overall to the Indianapolis Colts, while McGlinchey went ninth overall to the San Francisco 49ers. David Diehl, who played under Hiestand at Illinois, was also a Pro Bowler in the NFL.
Hiestand has had a knack for getting the most out of his players and his work at the collegiate level is proof he knows a thing or two about developing a player. In Chicago he has plenty of intriguing options to work his magic on. The first player who should receive Hiestand's touch will be second-round pick James Daniels. A center by trade, Daniels is expected to begin his Bears career as a left guard with Cody Whitehair remaining at center. The only major addition to Chicago's offensive line this offseason, Daniels will be tasked with becoming a reliable interior presence in front of quarterback Mitch Trubisky for years to come. With Hiestand as a mentor his transition from center to guard should move seamlessly this offseason.
Additionally, the play of Kyle Long at right guard should only stand to improve he can prove to be healthy this season. He has battled injuries the last two years after going to three straight Pro Bowls to begin his career. Hiestand should be able to get a lot out of the most talented lineman on the roster in Long. Whitehair had some struggles early last year at the center position and will have a chance now to learn from someone who helped teach one of the best centers in team history—Kreutz—for five seasons. Hiestand's greatest obstacle will come at the tackle positions.
Charles Leno has developed in a starter despite going in the seventh round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He has shown off tremendous durability since taking over as a starter in 2015, making 45 straight starts for the team. He was rewarded with a contract extension last season and has slowly but surely showed signs of improvement the last four seasons. If anyone is set to make a major jump under Hiestand, Leno would be the safest bet. The biggest question comes at right tackle with Bobby Massie. Signed to at least give the Bears an impact right tackle in the running game, he has struggled as both a run-blocker and pass-protector. If Hiestand can help him show minor signs of improvement in 2018 it will be considered a win at the position.
Hiestand has received a lot of publicity and good press since joining the Bears and when diving into his past it is easy to understand why so many believe his addition alone can be enough to push the offensive line to the next level this upcoming season.
