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Sanzenbacher a Combination of Talent and Toughness.............
Bears getting taste of Dane Sanzenbacher’s talents and toughness
BY NEIL HAYES nhayes@suntimes.com August 26, 2011 11:20PM
Dane Sanzenbacher had interest from 25 teams. He picked the Bears because of their offense. | Charles Rex Arbogast~AP
Updated: August 27, 2011 2:04AM
Comparisons to Wes Welker are understandable. Both Dane Sanzenbacher and the New England Patriots three-time Pro Bowler play receiver, were undrafted free agents and rely on quickness more than size or speed. Comparing the Bears rookie receiver to LeBron James is more difficult to fathom, but Eric Lichter does it just the same.
The strength and conditioning coach for Ohio State has worked with both and claims Sanzenbacher’s endurance and mental toughness are as amazing as the Miami Heat star’s freakish athleticism.
“Dane has a monster work ethic,” Lichter said. “You can’t distract him from what he wants to accomplish. His work ethic is over the top. He also has some of the best endurance I’ve ever seen. He’s legendary at Ohio State for finishing miles ahead of everybody else in workouts. He may not be a Ferrari who can hit fifth gear, but his four-and-a-half gears can go forever. In the fourth quarter, it’s like he’s fresh. He has an amazing ability to recover.”
Bears fans got their first glimpse of the player who has been praised by Bears coach Lovie Smith and offensive coordinator Mike Martz when Sanzenbacher caught four passes for 34 yards in a 41-13 exhibition loss to the New York Giants on Monday night.
It wasn’t the kind of debut he had in college when he caught a touchdown pass the first time he touched the ball as a freshman, but it was a start for a player trying to find a niche for himself in the NFL despite his 5-11, 180-pound frame and lack of blazing speed.
The game Saturday night against the Tennessee Titans is Sanzenbacher’s next opportunity to prove he belongs.
“I think I can play in this league,” he said. “There’s a lot of new things that I haven’t done before. You have to try to take the coaching, do it how they’re telling you to even if you’re used to doing it a different way and try to mold yourself into that.”
Sanzenbacher made the most of additional reps early in training camp, has picked up Martz’s complicated offense quickly and already seems to be in the right place at the right time.
“He’s impressive” Bears quarterback Jay Cutler said. “He ran with us early in camp; once we started putting a little bit more stuff in, you could tell he was swimming a little bit, thinking a little bit. But once we get this week kind of hammered down and we get all the details to him, he’s going to be fine. I think we’re going to use him a lot, hopefully.”
Sanzenbacher’s best chance to succeed might be in a role similar to the one Welker plays for the Patriots. That means lining up in the slot and using his quickness to get open in the middle of the field. It’s a formula that helped Welker catch an NFL-best 432 passes since 2007. (This is exactly how they should use him)
“When you get to the pros, it’s more than being a good athlete,” said former Bears safety Doug Plank, who was an Ohio State assistant last season. “You have to be a smart player. There’s very little tolerance for mental errors in the NFL. What I like about Dane is anytime he was out there he had ‘read’ routes, so he had the ability to read defenses and run corresponding routes just like you do in the NFL. I never saw him make a mental mistake on the field.
“I can see him in the slot in third-down situations where you’re using you’re quickness and instincts and reading what the defense is doing and sitting down or finding a soft spot in the zone. He’s really adept at doing that.”
He’s just as adept at running other elite athletes into the ground. While Sanzenbacher was voted team MVP and the Buckeyes’ most inspirational player after leading the Big Ten with 11 touchdown catches last season, he’s known best at Ohio State for his legendary endurance.
In the hardest workout of the year, Buckeyes players must run each stair in massive Ohio Stadium every summer. Sanzenbacher routinely would finish three or four minutes before the second-place finisher with times that Lichter couldn’t believe.
“He’s so mentally tough,” Lichter said. “You could say something good about every athlete you train, and I trained LeBron James in high school, I’ve worked with multiple Pro Bowl players and first-round NBA draft picks. James physical ability is phenomenal.
Dane’s mental ability is among the best I’ve ever worked with. He’s a conditioning freak.”
Twenty-five of 32 teams tried to sign Sanzenbacher as a free agent, according to his agent, Joe Flanagan. He chose the Bears because he thought he was an ideal fit for Martz’s offense.
Nothing he has seen during training camp and the first two exhibition games has changed his opinion. “There’s a great opportunity here,” he said. “Camp has been great. I’ve learned a ton about football in general, and the offense and how you have to play like a pro every day, you have to bring it in practice. I don’t regret my decision at all.”
Contributing: Sean Jensen
I'm getting to that age where a lifetime warranty just doesn't mean as much to me anymore as an afternoon nap. 
Honey Badger Don't Care. Honey Badger Don't Give a Shit.
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I love this guy and not just because he's the antithesis of Roy Williams but because he's a football player. Screw your athletes and just bring me football players who know how to prepare and play like this kid does. He's 100% a keeper.
Martz is always talking about how guys have to go full speed full time in his offense and here he has the perfect guy. A player with both mental and physical toughness who knows your route tree backwards and forwards for all three positions and has hands made of glue.
The only thing that Sanz lacks and your boy Roy has Mike is 4 inches and 35 lbs on him. Their receiving skills aren't even comparable. Sanz would win hands down with his eyes closed. He could spot RWill one hand and still beat him out because Roy can't even catch with two. You want a kid who'll be where he's supposed to be when the ball arrives? Well it ain't Roy. Sanz is your man for that. The only other difference between them is that three years from now Sanz will be a star and RWill will be out of the NFL.
OK JA and Lovie, huddle up with me on this one. If 25 other teams were ready to sign this kid even before they saw what he could do against NFL competition how long do you think he'd still be on the PS if you put him there? One hour? Maybe two if you're lucky. This is one guy who you do not risk exposing to other teams. IMO Sanz is a real diamond in the rough and just needs the opportunity to prove it. He chose the Bears so make damn sure the Bears choose him too.
Last edited by soulman; 08-27-2011 at 11:59 AM.
I'm getting to that age where a lifetime warranty just doesn't mean as much to me anymore as an afternoon nap. Honey Badger Don't Care. Honey Badger Don't Give a Shit.
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Since 25 of 32 teams wanted him we will probably cut him. Rwill didn't think he would be a good fit into the system.
Arguing on the internet is like winning the special olympics, even if you win your still messed up.
Restore the roar!
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Junior Member
Originally Posted by
soulman 
I love this guy and not just because he's the antithesis of Roy Williams but because he's a football player. Screw your athletes and just bring me football players who know how to prepare and play like this kid does. He's 100% a keeper.
Martz is always talking about how guys have to go full speed full time in his offense and here he has the perfect guy. A player with both mental and physical toughness who knows your route tree backwards and forwards for all three positions and has hands made of glue.
The only thing that Sanz lacks and your boy Roy has Mike is 4 inches and 35 lbs on him. Their receiving skills aren't even comparable. Sanz would win hands down with his eyes closed. He could spot RWill one hand and still beat him out because Roy can't even catch with two. You want a kid who'll be where he's supposed to be when the ball arrives? Well it ain't Roy. Sanz is your man for that. The only other difference between them is that three years from now Sanz will be a star and RWill will be out of the NFL.
OK JA and Lovie, huddle up with me on this one. If 25 other teams were ready to sign this kid even before they saw what he could do against NFL competition how long do you think he'd still be on the PS if you put him there? One hour? Maybe two if you're lucky. This is one guy who you do not risk exposing to other teams. IMO Sanz is a real diamond in the rough and just needs the opportunity to prove it. He chose the Bears so make damn sure the Bears choose him too.
Amen to everything in this post.
This kid's football IQ is off the charts and he works his ass off to compensate for not being blessed with prototypical size or athletic ability with his toughness, instincts, and making sure that he's better prepared than anyone. I love his work ethic.
I hope Martz understands how fortunate he is that the Great Dane chose his offense over everyone else's...if we cut him, we'll regret it IMO. Hell, cut Roy Williams and give Dane that mil and a half...it'd be much better spent on him.
On a sidenote, I love the media hype Sanzanbacher is getting. He's a guy you won't have to worry about it going to his head and it puts pressure on the FO to not cut him in the event that they're dumb enough to be considering it.
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Originally Posted by
KML Amen to everything in this post.
This kid's football IQ is off the charts and he works his ass off to compensate for not being blessed with prototypical size or athletic ability with his toughness, instincts, and making sure that he's better prepared than anyone. I love his work ethic.
I hope Martz understands how fortunate he is that the Great Dane chose his offense over everyone else's...if we cut him, we'll regret it IMO. Hell, cut Roy Williams and give Dane that mil and a half...it'd be much better spent on him.
On a sidenote, I love the media hype Sanzanbacher is getting. He's a guy you won't have to worry about it going to his head and it puts pressure on the FO to not cut him in the event that they're dumb enough to be considering it.
LOL, he isn't even making half that. He had a bad drop on a key pass tonight and that won't help him but I think he's done enough to prove that he belongs. I think as the year progresses we'll find that Sanz and Bennett are the two most dependable receivers on the team.
I'm getting to that age where a lifetime warranty just doesn't mean as much to me anymore as an afternoon nap. Honey Badger Don't Care. Honey Badger Don't Give a Shit.
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Junior Member
Originally Posted by
soulman LOL, he isn't even making half that. He had a bad drop on a key pass tonight and that won't help him but I think he's done enough to prove that he belongs. I think as the year progresses we'll find that Sanz and Bennett are the two most dependable receivers on the team.
Pretty sure he signed a one year deal worth $2.46 mil with a $960K signing bonus and $1.5 mil base salary for 2011. Is he worth it? Hell no, but he's making it nonetheless. But regardless, I just don't have a tolerance for lazy pussies...and that's exactly what Williams is...but whatever.
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Sanzenbacher > Roy Williams
I hope Dane get's a proper shot at making this team. They should start Dane and bench Roy for his case of butterfingers.
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Originally Posted by
KML Amen to everything in this post.
This kid's football IQ is off the charts and he works his ass off to compensate for not being blessed with prototypical size or athletic ability with his toughness, instincts, and making sure that he's better prepared than anyone. I love his work ethic.
I hope Martz understands how fortunate he is that the Great Dane chose his offense over everyone else's...if we cut him, we'll regret it IMO. Hell, cut Roy Williams and give Dane that mil and a half...it'd be much better spent on him.
On a sidenote, I love the media hype Sanzanbacher is getting. He's a guy you won't have to worry about it going to his head and it puts pressure on the FO to not cut him in the event that they're dumb enough to be considering it.
Well said. If Chicago is where receivers come to die then putting together a team of Sanzanbachers with their work ethic would surely resurrect the wr corps.
Arguing on the internet is like winning the special olympics, even if you win your still messed up.
Restore the roar!
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Originally Posted by
KML Pretty sure he signed a one year deal worth $2.46 mil with a $960K signing bonus and $1.5 mil base salary for 2011. Is he worth it? Hell no, but he's making it nonetheless. But regardless, I just don't have a tolerance for lazy pussies...and that's exactly what Williams is...but whatever.
Those numbers are correct sir and no he's not worth it at all and before the season is out I know he'll prove it too. It would not surprise me at all if he was the 5th WR by seasons end and Knox, Hester, Bennett and Sanz were all playing ahead of him. The only thing that will save him from that is for his to become what he once was for that one year in Detroit (doubtful) or Martz plays him even when he doesn't deserve it. Lovie has to speak his piece and prevent that.
The only reason that I can see him even making the team is that $960k signing bonus that we throw away if we keep him. However eating that and keeping a guy like Kris Adams to develop at rookie minimum saves a mil and change so we break even and get rid or a problem for a prospect. Have JA call me! LOL
I'm getting to that age where a lifetime warranty just doesn't mean as much to me anymore as an afternoon nap. Honey Badger Don't Care. Honey Badger Don't Give a Shit.
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I really hope this kid catches on and stays on for a long time. his attitude more than anything.
I'd take this kid over williams 100 times out of 100.
in fact, if we cut captain loudmouth tomorrow I would probably do the snoopy dance.
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