Thayer Q&A: Expect big things from Knox
Johnny Knox's natural instincts should pay off in Mike Martz's offense.
By Brad Biggs Tribune staff reporter
July 27, 2010
A former eight-year veteran on the offensive line for the Bears, Tom Thayer will be dialed into the training-camp rebuilding project undertaken by new line coach Mike Tice.
That's just one of the storylines Thayer will be following as he prepares to enter his 14th season in the booth as a Bears radio analyst. This is the 10th season he will be paired with play-by-play voice Jeff Joniak.
Thayer recently weighed in on issues facing the entire team. In today's Q&A, he tackles five questions pertaining to the offense; on Wednesday, he will assess defense and special teams:
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The offensive line has pretty much the same parts as in 2009. How can the unit be better with the same personnel?
"A saying I have become familiar with through the legendary Clyde Emrich (former Bears strength coach) is knowledge earned is greater than knowledge learned. The information that (former line coach) Harry (Hiestand) was giving these guys on a regular basis was knowledge that he had learned from being involved in the coaching basis. When the players get it repetitively from Tice it's going to be from past experiences and examples and the way he saw it unfold in front of him during a long career in the NFL. His initial ability to go out and tell them a little bit more in detail how the plays are going to unfold will be in Tice's favor.
"Also, after Olin (Kreutz) and maybe Chris Williams, I think everyone else is coming in there with a clean slate. And I think Chris and Olin are also, however, they may have that first step forward and I think everyone else is coming in to compete. You're not going to get a line in the first drill that is going to be etched in stone and, 'This is the way they're going to bat the first regular-season game.' I think the competitiveness of the positions is going to make for more spirited practices and a better competitive atmosphere."
The Bears are looking for an immediate turnaround on offense. How big of an impact can new coordinator Mike Martz have in one season?
"He can have a big impact because I think there are more moving parts to what he wants to do offensively than what he had the opportunity to try to do in Detroit and maybe even in San Francisco. Inexperience in the quarterback position (in those other stops). Although there is inexperience between him and Jay (Cutler), Jay is not inexperienced in terms of NFL play. The teaching is going to be such an important part of the offensive success and the way that these guys are able to absorb the academic side of football. In order for his offense to run efficiently, everybody has to be on the same page every play under all circumstances that can unfold. So, the teaching part of it, first of all Martz to the assistant coaches and then the assistant coaches to their students, they're all going to have to do a great job of coaching not only fundamentals but assignments. It puts a little bit more on your plate when you are not coming in with a group that is 100 percent familiar with all the terminology that goes along with it. It's a process. It's going to be a lot of times the obligation of the coach when they're watching tape of the opponent to identify an attackable area and then use the offense in the attackable direction. It's not going to be just throwing some dirt out there and seeing how it spreads out. You've got to go out and see where their weakness is and then attack it."
Cutler will be the most watched guy in training camp. When you watch him, what will you be looking for from Jay that maybe you didn't see last summer or last season?
"The confidence in himself to anticipate throwing the ball before he sees the receiver in place. He's going to have to have confidence that he can get the ball from Point A to Point B and he has to make sure that the receiver is there. Maybe when you have the arm strength like Jay as you grow up through the years playing football, you still may be able to identify an open receiver and then throw him the ball. I think in this offense, that is not always going to be the case. It is making sure you have confidence that that receiver is going to be in position and you have to get the ball to that spot. It's not necessarily a number or a jersey color, but to a specific spot on the field and repetitiously doing it, that's going to be the sign to see if Jay is confident putting the ball into an area."
The Bears have paired together Matt Forte and Chester Taylor at running back. Between the two of them, is there going to be enough of a ground game?
"I think they're going to have a good running game. Sometimes the assistance that Matt may need might not always come in Chester's ability, but his past experiences. Matt has NFL ability, I don't think that there is any doubt about it. Chester has proven that he has NFL ability. I think they are a good complement to each other. Sometimes you have an opportunity for an experienced running back to see the way the offensive line is blocking and then when he gets it done repetitiously, maybe the way (Taylor) and Matt talk about it can assist each other in how they see or know the play will unfold. I think a good working relationship is the most important thing that those two guys need. In a Mike Martz offense, Matt may be as much of a distraction as he is a possibility in a play. There is a lot of things he can be and that is where all of these parts have to work together. Matt can be an outside influence as much as he can be an important part of the running game."
If you have to pick between Devin Hester, Johnny Knox and Devin Aromashodu, which wide receiver will put up the biggest numbers this season?
"I think Johnny Knox will. I think Johnny Knox throughout his career has been a receiver. He has the mannerisms that you look at being developed in a player who has played the position all the time, his whole career. Devin is going to be a thinker, he is always going to have to think after he breaks the huddle. I don't think things are going to be natural for him, so I think Johnny Knox is more fluid, more familiar with the receiver game and I do believe when you start getting into pads and start seeing the way a guy carries himself inside this offense, you can devise a scheme to use Johnny's talents. It's not necessarily 50 yards down the field. It could be four to 12 yards down the field.
"The jury is still out on Aromashodu. Why did he not emerge until last year? Was it Jay amd him working hand-in-hand and developing a little bit of confidence to give him the opportunity? That may be one thing. Now, Devin Aromashodu is just like the rest of these guys where there is significant study time that these guys are going to have to invest in terminology, pre-snap movement and then reading as they're coming out of the huddle and such. Devin Aromashodu, the jury is still out. Devin Hester, I think he is still a learning, thinking receiver and I see Johnny Knox as a guy who has the most innate mannerisms of a receiver of those three."
