Don't Think Tice It's Alright..........My Apologies to Bob Dylan...........

Bears had better think Tice about next O-coordinator

By SEAN JENSEN sjensen@suntimes.com January 4, 2012 8:56PM



http://www.suntimes.com/csp/cms/site...YPE=image/jpeg Chicago Bears offensive line coach Mike Tice talks to his team during NFL football training camp Monday, Aug. 1, 2011, at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Ill. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)


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As he searches for a new offensive coordinator, Bears coach Lovie Smith shouldn’t have to file a single expense report or travel too far. He can walk into the office of offensive line coach Mike Tice.


Last offseason, after the Tennessee Titans requested an interview with Tice for their offensive coordinator vacancy, the Bears declined and handed Tice a contract extension. This season, after overseeing a unit that lost two opening-game starters, Tice still contributed toward the Bears somehow gaining 2,015 rushing yards.


Now, after two seasons with Mike Martz, the Bears should promote Tice to coordinator. During an interview Tuesday, Martz spoke fondly of Tice. Asked how Tice would do as his replacement, he said, “I think Mike would so a terrific job. But that’s not my business.’’


The biggest knock against Tice is that despite his extensive NFL career as a player, assistant and even head coach, he never has called plays. But that’s a fallacy.


My tenure covering the Minnesota Vikings included Tice’s four seasons as the head coach. Twice, he empowered a college coach by making him the offensive coordinator, and he helped in the transition by assisting in play calls. The first appointee, Scott Linehan, starred in that role, later accepting a lucrative contract to serve in the same capacity with the Miami Dolphins. He’s now in the same position with the Detroit Lions.


The second, Steve Loney, struggled in 2005 after then-owner Red McCombs financially handcuffed Tice in his search for a replacement for Linehan. Without receiver Randy Moss, who had been traded to the Oakland Raiders, or any notable offensive threat, the Vikings struggled, but Tice did handle the play-calling duties before ceding the responsibility to Loney.


After a 2-5 start, the Vikings won six consecutive games and finished the year 9-7. Their leading receiver was tight end Jermaine Wiggins. In the season finale, a 34-10 win against the Bears, the offense racked up nearly 400 yards.


Since he has been with the Bears the last two seasons, Tice understands the personnel as well as the playbook. Although he was a quarterback at Maryland, he has played and coached in multiple systems, and he likely wouldn’t overhaul the scheme, which would benefit quarterback Jay Cutler.
In Minnesota, Tice always emphasized a running game balanced with a deep passing attack. That suits Cutler.


In 2002 and 2003, respectively, the Vikings’ run offense was ranked first and fourth in yards. Overall, as an offense, the Vikings were in the top four in total yardage in three of Tice’s five seasons. And they were eighth or higher in points scored in three of those five seasons.


As for innovation, Tice spearheaded the infamous “Randy Ratio’’ — a formula designed to frequently get the ball to Moss — as well as the ‘‘Duh Offense,’’ predicated on how the defense lined up to defend his team.


The Bears don’t necessarily need anything like that. But what they do need is continuity, especially for the sake of their franchise quarterback.


Todd Haley, who coached Kurt Warner in Arizona, would appear to be a strong candidate, along with Clyde Christensen, who served on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ coaching staff with Smith. Jeremy Bates, who coached Cutler in Denver, may also be an option.


Ultimately, though, Smith shouldn’t have to venture too far to get his man.

Actually my feelings run just the opposite of this thread's title. I do think Mike Tice should be given ever consideration for the Bears OC post.

The one thing that has continually come up regarding the possibility of firing Martz was that it would impose yet another OC and another offensive system for him to learn. Well we now know that even before Lovie met with Martz he got a visit from Jay Cutler who when asked whether or not Martz should be fired said, "Hell yes, fire that fucker....twice, once from you and the other from me", or words to that effect.

IMO the best way to retain some continuity is to promote Tice to the OC/Oline coach and then try like hell to get Jeremy Bates to take a position as Asst OC/QB coach and take over the play calling duties for Jay just like he did in Denver when Cutler made the Pro-Bowl team.

I doubt there is anyone else on the list of potential candidates who is more acutely aware of the Bears offensive personnel deficiencies than Mike Tice. Outside of Jay Cutler he's the one still on the team closest to observing how the Bears offense works and why it doesn't given the personnel on hand. He's an advocate of a strong running game yet he still throws deep when he has a go up and get it guy and he's also not afraid to use his TE's in the passing game since he was one himself.

Jeremy Bates turned the Bears down two years ago reportedly because he didn't feel comfortable working for Angelo and chose to work for Pete Carroll in Seattle. He was fired after one year and now that Angelo is gone he should be extended another invitation to interview. Since Bates has an established relationship with Cutler already this should also help ease the transition away from Martz.

Granted this creates a more complicated structure than just having one OC who runs the show and calls plays but if we don't consider Tice in all likelihood we'll lose him to an OC post with another team after his current deal is up. I'm just thinking a little out of the box style here. Tice knows what his line is capable of relative to a run based attack and how well they can hold up pass blocking. He'll most certainly put a stop to the frequent 7 step drops and complex pass patterns Martz featured and use his TE's more effectively in the passing game.

Jeremy Bates knows how to maximize Jay Cutler's talents and abilities in the passing game and I doubt Jay would have the problems working with him that he suffered with under Martz. Jay Cutler was seen as the next John Elway here in Denver before Shanahan was fired. Shanny and Bates saw a QB with an arm like Elway's and that same ability to use his feet to buy time and complete passes even when throwing from awkward positions. I think the Tice/Bates combo will embrace that and let Jay be Jay in a way Martz was unwilling to do until Cutler practically forced it one him.

If Jay Cutler would like to see Jeremy Bates come to Chicago then I'd suggest Lovie let him approach Bates about the position himself. Having turned the opportunity to interview once before Lovie may be lax to contact him again unless Cutler makes a push for him. I don't know if this is the right way to go or not but it sure seems to me to be one of the easier ways to make a transition from what we were doing to what we need to do.

I think Tice would be the perfect man for the coordinator's position. He is so valuable to this team. He basically made the Bears offensive line palpable at times when the talent just simply wasn't there, and that speaks volumes about his coaching. I like your idea, soul, of promoting him and then perhaps bringing in Jeremy Bates to be co-coordinator - with Tice working the offensive line and Bates doing the quarterbacks. I think that would be a stroke of genius on the part of Lovie Smith.

Tom Waddle asked John Clayton who he thought the Bears might look to and he thinks it will be Tice as well. If the Bears are interested in cohesion then Tice represents a guy who can take over with as little disruption as possible. He certainly knows the offensive players and their capabilities and Clayton seemed to feel that he's been around long enough to have gotten a good feel for game planning and play calling as well.

Despite that I'd still like to see if they could entice Jeremy Bates to come on board as Asst. OC and to work with Cutler and the passing game. Even with Tice as OC we'll still need a QB coach and Cutler and Bates have a positive history together. It would be nice if Lovie made his mind up on this quickly so they can figure out who they want to target to fill those major holes we have on that side of the ball.