Marc Trestman is a good man and he knows offense, but he hasnt adapted to the NFL. Before he became the Bears head coach in January 2013, he was away from the NFL for nine years. In that time, the game has changed. Players are different, strategies are different.
In 2013, Trestmans offense did a very good job, but in 2014, defenses adapted and adjusted. The result has been an underachieving offense. Trestman didnt have an answer to the adjustments.
Not only has Trestman struggled to adapt to changes in game strategy, but he hasnt adapted to what goes on in the locker room. In talking to Bears players and former players, I keep hearing the same thing.
They dont respect Trestman as coach and a leader.
They feel he worries too much about the little things that have nothing to do with football and not the most important thing, which is their performance on the field.
When Trestman was hired, he took over a veteran team on which most of the players had spent a good portion of their careers under Lovie Smith. They were used to doing things the way Smith did them. While Smith wasnt a vocal disciplinarian, he was still strict and the players respected that. At the same time, Smith let the players be themselves.
The players also had a leadership structure within the locker room. The leaders were mostly on the defensive side of the ball, but those players had the respect of everyone on the team. They were Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs and Charles Tillman. They were the elder statesman, and the younger players listened and looked to them.
When Trestman came in, Urlacher was phased out and, according to the players, Briggs and Tillman were more or less pushed aside as the team leaders. This didnt sit well with Briggs, Tillman or others.
Little joys that the players had come to like were taken away for a time. For instance, there was always music blaring in the locker room. That was cut out. It wasnt until both Tillman and Briggs pleaded with Trestman that music was brought back.
