Bears Stand To Benefit With ‘Complete Technician’ Harry Hiestand As Offensive Line Coach

Harry Hiestand, then with Notre Dame.(Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

By Chris Emma
January 30, 2018

A few years ago, former Bears center Olin Kreutz encountered a young but raw offensive lineman named Ronnie Stanley readying for his career at Notre Dame.

Kreutz knew well that Stanley could ultimately become a dominant tackle because the man who would coach him was Harry Hiestand, his offensive line coach with the Bears for five seasons and a man considered one of the best at that job. Sure enough, Stanley became a consensus All-American in 2015 and was a first-round pick that following April.

So, you can count Kreutz among those thrilled to see Hiestand back as the Bears’ offensive line coach.

“Harry’s one of the best technique coaches — if not the best — anywhere in football,” Kreutz said. “He believes in what he teaches. He’s going to teach them the right way. … Harry Hiestand just wants to coach offensive line play. He loves it, he loves the room. He brings a great family atmosphere. And really, that’s what offensive line football is.

“He’s just a coach you love playing for, and he’s going to get the best out of every guy. A really big hire for the Chicago Bears.”

The 59-year-old Hiestand spent the last six seasons coaching on Brian Kelly’s staff at Notre Dame, where he developed linemen like Stanley, Zack Martin, Nick Martin and Chris Watt into NFL players. The Fighting Irish will soon produce a pair of first-round picks in guard Quenton Nelson and tackle Mike McGlinchey.

Matt Nagy made Hiestand his first staff hire just days after being named the Bears’ new head coach. It was a hire that stands to benefit the likes of Kyle Long, Cody Whitehair, Charles Leno and whatever addition is to be made this offseason.

Hiestand has a tremendous reputation of developing individuals and offensive lines as a whole.

“Here’s a guy that’s a complete technician,” Nagy said. “You talk anybody in this league, in college and or the NFL, the amount of respect that he has as a coach and as a person is out of this world, and so, I want that.”

There are questions on the Bears’ offensive line, starting with the health of Long after surgery to repair a herniated disk in his neck. There could be additional procedures for him later this offseason. Veteran Josh Sitton faces an uncertain future after dealing with an ankle injury in 2017.

With Hiestand in charge, the Bears can hope for the development of a dominant offensive line to protect 23-year-old quarterback Mitchell Trubisky.

“Harry just does a hell of a job knowing what the player needs, knowing what they do well, asking them to do that and developing guys,” Kreutz said.

“The Bears made the best possible hire there.”

First hall of fame class includes 45

By Jacob Scott
January 30, 2018

After a junior varsity game between North County and Potosi and before the night’s homecoming coronation, North County administrators, faculty, players, parents and friends paid respect to distinguished alumni and past faculty in the first-ever induction ceremony into the North County Hall of Fame.

Athletic Director Chad Mills presented each inductee with a certificate while the individual’s accomplishments were read aloud. Among the inductees were longtime coaches, professional football players, fallen heroes, community leaders, businessmen and many more. Not every inductee could attend.

Forty-five total individuals were inducted into the hall of fame, being selected by a committee from the communities of both Bonne Terre and Desloge. Photos of the inductees now hang in the North County High School Auditorium.

After the initial class, school officials plan on inducting four new individuals each year, two from the athletic department and two from the district at large. Nominations are accepted year-round for the hall of fame, with the cutoff for the year being Aug. 1.

Nominations forms can be found on the district website under the athletic department and can be submitted to Chad Mills at cmills@ncsd.k12.mo.us or by mail at 7151 Raider Road, Bonne Terre, MO 63628.

This year’s North County Hall of Fame Inductees include the 1997 State Champion Baseball Team, the 1997 State Champion Track Team, the 2003 State Champion Baseball Team, Dave Blunt, Bonnie Bradley, C.E. Brightwell, Dr. Craig Brown, Cody Compton, Will Compton, Michael Deason, Taylor Decker, Lisa (McKay) Eaton, Jim Edgar, Shawn Edgar, Rose (Edwards) Fulton, Dave Gibson, Derek Gibson, Matt Haug, Bill Hill, Adam Howard, Randy Hubbard, Harold Huff, Barbara (Allen) Jones, P.J. Jones, Bill Martin, Jeromy McDowell, Brandon McIntyre, Aaron Moser, Dr. Ken Owen, Steve Pasternak, Ed Ragsdale, Greg Ragsdale, Bob Rickus, Dr. Jennifer (Williams) Riney, Dan Schunks, Dan Smith, Jack Stegall, Josh Sutton, Bobby “Pete” Tiefanaur, Josten Wampler, Ron Whittier, Jeff Wilfong, Stacy (Tiefanaur) Wilfong, Jason Winckel and Howard Wood.

Why Matt Nagy feels so good about Bears new offensive line coach Harry Hiestand

By Rich Campbell
January 26, 2018
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As coach Matt Nagy and offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich take on unfamiliar roles atop the Bears coaching staff, they value the experience offensive line coach Harry Hiestand provides.

Nagy is a head coach for the first time, while Helfrich has never coached in the NFL. Meanwhile, Hiestand has been a line coach for 32 of his 36 seasons in coaching. This will be his sixth NFL season and second stint with the Bears, having coached on Lovie Smith’s staff from 2005-09.

“Here’s a guy that’s a complete technician,” Nagy said Jan. 19 when his three coordinators were introduced to media. “You talk to anybody in this league, in college and/or the NFL, the amount of respect that he has as a coach and as a person is out of this world.”

Teams place heavy importance on their offensive line coach relative to other positions because a quality line makes everything go. It’s necessary to protect the quarterback and trigger the run game. Plus, the offensive line is a tone-setting group for the entire team.

Nagy believes the Bears have the right guy in Hiestand, who returns to the Bears from Notre Dame, where he served from 2012-17. He replaces Jeremiah Washburn, who coached on John Fox’s staff only for 2017. Washburn replaced Dave Magazu, Fox’s friend who was fired after two seasons.

Hiestand was on the Bears staff in the mid-2000s when linemen Olin Kreutz and Ruben Brown became Pro Bowlers.

“It goes without speaking that he knows what he’s doing, a ton of experience,” Nagy said. “And that’s such an integral hire to the offensive side of the ball. You have to have that guy, and being able to get him really made me feel good.”

Helfrich, for his part, indicated he feels good about the linemen Hiestand has at his disposal. He singled out tackles Charles Leno (26 years old) and Bobby Massie (28) in explaining why he believes the Bears are close to being successful. Specifically, he referred to quarterback Mitch Trubisky’s supporting cast.

“Watching Mitchell, his decision-making, there’s a lot of good stuff there,” Helfrich said. “I think the young tackles have a chance to be fantastic. Stay healthy and get healthy in the injury part of it. On the perimeter (at receiver) he has, unfortunately, a lot of guys in and out of the lineup.”

Projecting Hiestand’s group for 2018 involves several givens and a few variables.

The Bears extended Leno’s contract last August. The four-year, $38 million deal, which includes $21.5 million guaranteed, prevents him from entering the free-agent market, where he likely would have found a richer contract.

Right guard Kyle Long is trying to get healthy this offseason. He has had neck surgery and plans to have the torn labrum in his left shoulder surgically repaired. Interior lineman Cody Whitehair has played guard and center, and general manager Ryan Pace believes in his potential as a smart, heavy-handed blocker with leadership traits.

At left guard, the Bears must decide before March 9 whether to pick up Josh Sitton’s $8 million in salary and bonuses for 2018.

Massie, meanwhile, is under contract for next season at a modest price. He is scheduled to earn a non-guaranteed base salary of $4.25 million, and he has a $1 million roster bonus due March 16.

So Pace and Nagy have some choices to make, but it’s clear they’re confident in the position coach leading that unit.