Bear Digest

Addressing big fear over Ben Johnson's transition to Bears head coach

Ben Johnson highlighted his ability to rise to each challenge while he was a position coach and coordinator but one possible danger could be unchecked now as the man in charge.

Gene Chamberlain

Ben Johnson won his opening press conference but there are small areas of concern, including one in particular.
Ben Johnson won his opening press conference but there are small areas of concern, including one in particular. / David Banks-Imagn Images
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The depths of Ben Johnson's play-calling and play design most likely haven't been explored anywhere close to their full extent.

This definitely appears exciting for the Bears, who have long been known for poor play-calling and decisions. But it's also a bit scary

Johnson's play calls have been impressive, with the exception of letting Jameson Williams throw a pass while down 10 in the fourth quarter of a playoff game.

However, the real unknown element about Johnson is one he addressed at length during his press conference after hiring. Some worry about his transition from assistant to head coach even if he has been a super genius as play caller. Their concerns could be calmed by what has been written about him in a massive deep dive into Johnson's coaching past by the Tribune's Brad Biggs released over the weekend.

Read deeper into the story and an even bigger concern surfaces.

"The role or responsibilities are completely different, and I'm well aware of that, and I know that a lot of coordinators have failed in this role," Johnson told Chicago media when he was hired. "Here's what I'd tell you is every step of my journey, whether it's quality control, whether it was position coach, whether it was coordinator, I have found a way to change myself to be the best in that particular job.

"And so now that the job requirements are changing and I'm no longer just coaching an offensive player or an offensive unit. This is the entire team, and the good news is this, I am a football coach, so I will be able to change and adjust accordingly."

So Johnson bases his belief in himself and his coaching skills, which is fine and probably should be the case. Biggs' story paints a clear picture of Johnson's capabilities through the eyes of the coaches he worked for or with at various points in his career and seems to support what the Bears coach says about being able to make that transition.

There is one small comment made by former Dolphins coach and Packers coordinator Joe Philbin, who is now offensive line coach for the Raiders.

Philbin praises Johnson's ability to teach. However, Philbin told Biggs this about the Bears coach: "I didn't take all of his advice. I think he wanted me to go for it every single time."

When Johnson was with the Lions, they became known for gambling on fourth downs. Johnson was calling plays but not making the final decision to gamble or not.

It's easy to wonder if Dan Campbell was being influenced greatly by Johnson wanting to gamble in the wake of what Philbin said.

In such situations, there is usually a gambler and a level head who acts as a "governor," so to speak. If Johnson was the gambler, then Campbell had to be the more level head.

Now the restrictor plate has been removed, so to speak.

We're going to see pure Johnson as the head coach.

Will the Bears become gambling fools on too many fourth downs? Fun is fun but too much of it can be a disaster.

It's going to be a place to watch for Johnson's progress as an inexperienced head coach making a transition that has already been identified as a potential downfall.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.