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Smith and Marinelli Reunite As Bears Coaching Staff Takes on New Look
Published: May 27, 2009
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To be a good coach, you need the right mentor. For Lovie Smith, that was Tony Dungy.
Smith grew up a defense man, winning three state championships in a row as a defensive end and linebacker for his high school in Big Sandy, Texas from 1973-75. After becoming a two-time All-American as a linebacker and safety for the University of Tulsa, he returned home in 1980 to take on his first coaching position as defensive coordinator for his high school.
Smith never forgot those who educated him, returning to Tulsa three years later to coach the linebackers before moving on to various other teams including Big Ten schools such as Wisconsin and Ohio State.
But it was under the leadership of Tony Dungy where Smith learned the ropes of the NFL. As a linebacker coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Smith watched Dungy take control as head coach, implementing what is now known as Tampa 2 defense and transforming the Bucs back into a winning team from 1996-2001. Even when the team fell behind, Dungy pushed everyone to keep fighting, and, in his six years with the team, they made the playoffs four times.
Taking what he learned from Dungy, Smith moved north to St. Louis in 2001 to become defensive coordinator for the Rams. Smith reached his first Super Bowl that year after significantly improving the Rams defense.
From there, he continued to move north up the ladder, replacing Dick Jauron as head coach of the Bears in 2004.
Many fans took a liking to Smith when he coached the team to their first Super Bowl appearance in 20 years in 2006. The Bears blew the game against the Colts, as Smith surrendered the title of “first African American head coach to win a Super Bowl” to his old friend Dungy.
But now the Bears are struggling again and many Chicagoans are not loving Lovie.
Personally, I would have fired him and his staff after the Atlanta game last season. The Bears had a miraculous comeback, taking the lead 20-19 with 11 seconds left in the game, and what do the coaches decide to do? A short kick. Who does a short kick with 11 seconds left in the game? It cost the Bears the game and inevitably a playoff spot. Even if Smith didn’t make the call, he’s the one in control. He had the power to reverse it.
After finishing the season 9-7 and failing to make the playoffs, Smith fired linebackers coach Lloyd Lee, defensive backs coach Steve Wilks, and defensive line coach Brick Haley in the span of two weeks. It’s been five years since Smith has had to replace three position coaches in the offseason, but this time, he had friends in mind.
Going back to his Tampa days, Smith decided to hire his buddy Rod Marinelli to replace Haley. Marinelli helped the Lions become the first team in NFL history to go 0-16, but then again, the Bears are used to picking up coaches who set losing records when they take on the daunting task of head coach.
Let’s not forget where offensive coordinator Ron Turner was before his second stint with the Bears. After working with head coach Dave Wannstedt from 1993 to 1996 as offensive coordinator, Turner tested his talents as head coach with the University of Illinois.
In eight years with the team, he went winless in the Big 10 twice and became the only coach in Illinois’ 100 year history to lose 11 games in a season in 1997. He did lead the team to the Sugar Bowl in 2001 with a Big Ten Conference Championship, but went on to have losing seasons three years in a row and was fired.
The Bears again hired Turner as their offensive coordinator in 2005. Now working with Smith, Turner has proved he belongs on the field, just not as head coach (so there’s hope for Marinelli). Under Turner’s guidance, the Bears finished the 2007 season with 3,302 passing yards, the third most in franchise history. And this year, Turner actually has talent on the field with Jay Cutler so he should be able to beat that record.
But Smith may have made a mistake in his pick to fill the hole as linebackers coach, his old pal Bob Babich.
Babich worked with Smith in St. Louis as the linebackers coach in 2003. He then went with Smith to Chicago in 2004, and served as linebackers coach for the Bears for the next three seasons (along with assistant head coach in 2006). But after the Bears failed to win the Super Bowl in 2006, defensive coordinator Ron Rivera’s contract wasn’t renewed. Babich was promoted to the position, and ever since the D has been falling apart.
Instead of addressing the fact that Babich coached the defense to fall to 21st in the league last season, Smith has kept him as DC and once again made him a linebackers coach.
With all of his defensive background, Smith has decided that he will call the bulk of the defensive plays. But unless Smith, Babich and the rest of the Bears coaching staff start to focus on stopping the pass and not just the run, they are going to struggle yet again.
Bottom line: stay on Smith’s good side because he’s the one making the call. Buddy up with him and you’re bound to be promoted, but don’t attempt to come up with your own play or you’ll be fired.
