One of the biggest mysteries heading into the 2013 season is what the Chicago Bears will look like under new head coach Marc Trestman. Spending his last five seasons as the head coach of the CFL's Montreal Alouettes, Trestman brings some intriguing questions with him to Chicago. And we know that the game we see north of the border does not always translate to the NFL.
Trestman and the Bears are not giving away a lot of secrets regarding their offensive schemes, so to best understand what we will likely see this fall we need to take a look at his coaching influences over the years and also see if there are any constant principles that affect his offensive philosophy. This is out best indication of what we'll see from the Bears this fall.
Re-introducing Marc Trestman
Even though he has not been in the NFL for several years Trestman has an impressive coaching résumé with a lot of varied stops and influences. He has 17 years of NFL experience -- eight as an offensive coordinator -- and he has also had success on the college and CFL level. The list of successful NFL QBs that have played under him and sing his praises is very impressive, led by Hall of Fame QB Steve Young. Trestman is a very cerebral guy and this will be a thinking man's offense with amazing attention to detail and meticulous preparation -- something he'll demand from his players and assistants as well. They will be challenged to outwork their opponents each week and their mental approach to the game will be a key to their success. He will call offensive plays -- one of his big strengths -- he will work very closely with offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer and QB coach Matt Cavanaugh, and he will sit in all of the QB meetings. But that's not simply to preside over the proceedings.
Trestman is also a head coach who wants input from his players and coaches. They will have the freedom to share plays they like and also plays they dislike and game plans will be a team effort ... but it will be one led by Trestman's creative mind. Players are going to have to work hard to stay on top of the scheme's he's likely to incorporate. Here's a glimpse at some of the offensive aspects he figures to implement early.