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http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/ct-spt-bears-mitch-trubisky-growing-offense-20180606-story.html
For nine weeks now, Mitch Trubisky has continued through the fog.
The Bears’ second-year quarterback has been neither helpless nor directionless in learning new coach Matt Nagy’s offense — in fact, quite the opposite is true — but the process has forced him forward in pursuit of clarity instead of propelling him. He has had to embrace his role at the center of the offense despite lacking command of it and be comfortable being uncomfortable.
And as the Bears’ offseason program concludes Thursday, six weeks before training camp, the fog is lifting slowly to reveal a more seasoned, capable quarterback.
“He has a very bright future, but he has to build that library in this system,” Nagy said recently. “It's intriguing to me right now watching this process happen with him because he's a perfectionist. And it's impossible to be perfect on every single play.
“So when things are gray, how does he react to when it's not black and white? That's what we're working through right now, and he just has to know that he can't get frustrated when it is gray and he doesn't do the right thing. He'll grow through that.”
Nagy and others have praised Trubisky this spring for how steadily and eagerly he has dedicated himself to learning the new quarterback-centric system, understanding the options receivers have on one play depend on the coverage and determining whether a defensive alignment demands a change to a blocking protection or his downfield progression.
It hasn’t been just trial and error. It’s trial, error and improvement — a method that seems to drive Trubisky.
Nagy has smoothed the road as Trubisky’s guide. Not only does the first-year coach effectively explain the intricacies of the scheme, he also reassures Trubisky when the growth doesn’t come easily or isn’t readily apparent.
How has that helped Trubisky internalize the learning process?
“Just knowing there are going to be bumps in the road and having that mentality that we're getting better every single day,” he said. “Learning from our mistakes, talking to Coach, just being on the same page (and) knowing it's part of the plan.
“We all believe in Coach Nagy's plan. And you've seen the progression from the first day to now, so I guess that gives us confidence.”
That’s how Nagy measures the success of his first offseason. In April, he challenged players to emerge from spring practices with confidence that they are improving.
Trubisky undoubtedly has it, but that’s not because practices have been consistently smooth. That’s where his partnership with Nagy, offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich and quarterbacks coach Dave Ragone has been so important.
“Any competitor is going to get angry with (himself) and frustrated, and all the emotion comes on and he does that,” Nagy said. “So that's our job as coaches to corral that and make sure he understands that.
“It's not false enthusiasm, (where) the kid just made three mistakes in a row and you're pumping him up. No, there's a balance to it. It's (saying), 'Listen, here's why you did what you did. Don't do it next time and you'll be OK.'
“He might make a bad throw, and I don't care about that because his eyes went to the right spot. He'll make the throw in a game. Right now, I'm not too concerned about results.”
At this stage, and for much of training camp, Trubisky’s understanding of the offense is more of a priority than his execution of it. The former should facilitate the latter.
After studying and practicing it for nine weeks, though, Trubisky appreciates what he described as a “wide-open attack” with “so many options I can’t even begin to say where it starts.”
“The system fits the players we have,” he said. “In particular, it really fits my skill set with the RPOs, the quick game, stretching the ball down the field, and then with the running backs we have just pounding it inside and continuously trying to establish the run game.”
Tailoring that fit was Nagy’s objective this spring as he introduced Trubisky to more of the scheme than the quarterback could realistically handle. It was one big test to see what information Trubisky could retain and what he did well on the field.
In a way then Nagy wanted to thicken the fog so that his quarterback will be self-assured when he finally emerges. And judging from Trubisky’s outlook Wednesday, that plan for him is on course.
“We just have a great understanding of this offense,” Trubisky said. “The way they’ve taught it, we’re able to play fast, execute plays, and each man knows how to do his job. (We) just have to keep on learning the details of the offense, keep making it more dynamic, which it is.
“It’s a lot of fun, so we’re headed in the right direction.
For nine weeks now, Mitch Trubisky has continued through the fog.
The Bears’ second-year quarterback has been neither helpless nor directionless in learning new coach Matt Nagy’s offense — in fact, quite the opposite is true — but the process has forced him forward in pursuit of clarity instead of propelling him. He has had to embrace his role at the center of the offense despite lacking command of it and be comfortable being uncomfortable.
And as the Bears’ offseason program concludes Thursday, six weeks before training camp, the fog is lifting slowly to reveal a more seasoned, capable quarterback.
“He has a very bright future, but he has to build that library in this system,” Nagy said recently. “It's intriguing to me right now watching this process happen with him because he's a perfectionist. And it's impossible to be perfect on every single play.
“So when things are gray, how does he react to when it's not black and white? That's what we're working through right now, and he just has to know that he can't get frustrated when it is gray and he doesn't do the right thing. He'll grow through that.”
Nagy and others have praised Trubisky this spring for how steadily and eagerly he has dedicated himself to learning the new quarterback-centric system, understanding the options receivers have on one play depend on the coverage and determining whether a defensive alignment demands a change to a blocking protection or his downfield progression.
It hasn’t been just trial and error. It’s trial, error and improvement — a method that seems to drive Trubisky.
Nagy has smoothed the road as Trubisky’s guide. Not only does the first-year coach effectively explain the intricacies of the scheme, he also reassures Trubisky when the growth doesn’t come easily or isn’t readily apparent.
How has that helped Trubisky internalize the learning process?
“Just knowing there are going to be bumps in the road and having that mentality that we're getting better every single day,” he said. “Learning from our mistakes, talking to Coach, just being on the same page (and) knowing it's part of the plan.
“We all believe in Coach Nagy's plan. And you've seen the progression from the first day to now, so I guess that gives us confidence.”
That’s how Nagy measures the success of his first offseason. In April, he challenged players to emerge from spring practices with confidence that they are improving.
Trubisky undoubtedly has it, but that’s not because practices have been consistently smooth. That’s where his partnership with Nagy, offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich and quarterbacks coach Dave Ragone has been so important.
“Any competitor is going to get angry with (himself) and frustrated, and all the emotion comes on and he does that,” Nagy said. “So that's our job as coaches to corral that and make sure he understands that.
“It's not false enthusiasm, (where) the kid just made three mistakes in a row and you're pumping him up. No, there's a balance to it. It's (saying), 'Listen, here's why you did what you did. Don't do it next time and you'll be OK.'
“He might make a bad throw, and I don't care about that because his eyes went to the right spot. He'll make the throw in a game. Right now, I'm not too concerned about results.”
At this stage, and for much of training camp, Trubisky’s understanding of the offense is more of a priority than his execution of it. The former should facilitate the latter.
After studying and practicing it for nine weeks, though, Trubisky appreciates what he described as a “wide-open attack” with “so many options I can’t even begin to say where it starts.”
“The system fits the players we have,” he said. “In particular, it really fits my skill set with the RPOs, the quick game, stretching the ball down the field, and then with the running backs we have just pounding it inside and continuously trying to establish the run game.”
Tailoring that fit was Nagy’s objective this spring as he introduced Trubisky to more of the scheme than the quarterback could realistically handle. It was one big test to see what information Trubisky could retain and what he did well on the field.
In a way then Nagy wanted to thicken the fog so that his quarterback will be self-assured when he finally emerges. And judging from Trubisky’s outlook Wednesday, that plan for him is on course.
“We just have a great understanding of this offense,” Trubisky said. “The way they’ve taught it, we’re able to play fast, execute plays, and each man knows how to do his job. (We) just have to keep on learning the details of the offense, keep making it more dynamic, which it is.
“It’s a lot of fun, so we’re headed in the right direction.
