Photo: Rod Marinelli runs a defensive line drill during minicamp in March. (Tribune file)
By Vaughn McClureLovie Smith wanted to have his coaching staff filled before the Super Bowl. By staying in-house, he was able to reach his goal.
Smith hired close friend Rod Marinelli, the assistant head coach/defensive line coach, as the Bears defensive coordinator Friday after relieving himself of those duties following a sub-par defensive showing during the 2009 season. Eric Washington, the assistant defensive line coach, will take Marinelli's place in charge of the defensive line.
"I'm very excited," Marinelli told ChicagoBears.com. "The defensive staff has all worked together, so it's just a chance to keep going and build on the subtleties of our system. We've all been in it together and I think the familiarity will help."
Smith and Marinelli huddled after the season, and Marinelli appeared to
be set to take over the position. But instead, the Bears first
interviewed Perry Fewell for the position. Fewell decided to take the
same post with the New York Giants.
Marinelli becomes the third defensive coordinator in as many seasons.
Smith took over the defensive play-calling duties last season after Bob
Babich was demoted to linebackers coach following the 2008 campaign.
With Smith calling the defensive shots in 2009, the Bears finished 17th in total defense, 23rd against the run, 13th in pass defense, and tied for 21st in scoring defense. Under Babich in 2008, the Bears finished 21st overall, fifth against the run, 30th against the pass, and tied for 16th in points allowed.
Marinelli, 60, was a natural choice to carry on Smith's Cover-2
philosophy, the same scheme that has helped the Indianapolis Colts to
the Super Bowl.
"Rod is among the best defensive coaches in the NFL and will an
excellent defensive coordinator for us,'' Smith said. "We considered
outside possibilities, but I didn't feel our defense would benefit the
same way it will with Rod in the coordinator role.
"From the first day I became head coach of the Chicago Bears, I envisioned Rod as our defensive coordinator.''
Smith indeed tried to bring Marinelli from Tampa Bay back in 2004 but
the Bucs blocked the move. Now Marinelli gets a chance to take on a
role he hasn't had since he was the defensive coordinator at Rosemead
High School outside Los Angeles in 1975.
Asked during the Senior Bowl about the possibility of being the
defensive coordinator, Marinelli sounded like a guy ready to get to
work.
"Whatever Lovie needs, I'll do," Marinelli told the Tribune. "If the
field needs to be mowed, I'll bring my hand-mower out. ... There's no
job too small."
The interesting part of the coaching equation is that both
coordinators, Marinelli and the new head of the offense, Mike Martz,
worked together in Detroit, and Marinelli fired Martz while serving as
the head coach.
Martz was asked about their relationship during a conference call earlier this week.
"I went to Detroit after I met Rod Marinelli, that's the only reason I
went to Detroit," Martz said. "When I left Detroit, it had nothing to
do with Rod, there were other factors involved there, but nothing
associated with Rod or disharmony.
"I had a real good visit with him when I was back there; I spent the
morning with him, had breakfast and laughed about some things. He and
Lovie have been good friends and there's just no issue there."
The Bears also announced the hiring of Shane Day as the quarterbacks
coach, joining fellow new additions Martz (offensive coordinator), Mike
Tice (offensive line coach), and Mike DeBord (tight ends coach).
Andrew Hayes-Stoker and Mikal Smith, the head coach's son, were promoted to offensive and defensive quality control, respectively.
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I'm looking forward to seeing what the BEARS can do next year. Last year, there were a couple of brutal games that the BEARS failed to show up for, but in all the others, I saw a team that could easily make the playoffs with a "do-over" and might even make some noise with a few extra horses pulling the wagon. The team's mistake-prone antics point to both the players and the coaches, but these things can be corrected. Cowardice and weakness cannot but the BEARS do not suffer from those far more serious football problems. There was a game they lost by a sizable margin in Minnesota. If anyone noticed, that was one of the hardest hitting football games of the season. The BEARS were bringing it to the end and they got their payback in Chicago. As St. Louis and Tampa proved, one season can be the difference between being a joke or an also-ran and becoming a champion. The NFL has proven time and time again, sometimes it only takes a week or two to transform a team one way or the other.
I don't think I'm gonna watch any bears game sober next season,It's gonna be to painful.
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Hell yeah, Thats why I eat meatball Marinelli's at subway!
It makes me puke to see that upper management allows a Head Coach to bring in all his buddies in key positions. Why couldn't they at least interviewed the Colts DB coach? Whats next? I am sure one of Lovie's sons is available to become an assistant of the assistant to the assistant DC....Good work bears. I thought coaches were jumping for an opportunity to work at halas hall.
Bears record next season 0-16.
OMG, this would be laughable if it weren't so sad. Didn't we all know it was going to come to this?? Both of them, Martz and Marenelli. We all knew Lovie wanted his buddies and we also knew that no one else wanted to even consider these positions. Oh they'll be plenty of good coaches wanting to come to Chicago !!! RIGHT !!! Lovie, do you really think we buy all your bullschit !! Well, let's just see how we do after loosing the first 10 games, and WE'LL GO FROM THERE. Personally, I can't wait till Lovie goes from here! And please take Angelo on your way out the door !
It's all been downhill since Grossman left.
Wow, the hits just keep rolling out of Halas Hall. . .
The Bears are so knee deep in their double-speak and spin control they forgot that they promised us "Major Change" and that they were going to hire the DC from outside the organization. . .
How in the hell is this Defense going to get better if they keep doing the same ol' thing. . .this year is shaping up to be a huge disaster. . .we'll be scoring 28 points a game but giving up 42. . .
I predict. . .4 and 12. . .and a clean house for 2011. . .
So the next time we'll actually be in the Super Bowl in what, maybe 2015????
What a mess. . .
bears will be lucky to do as well next year.
"Whatever Lovie needs, I'll do," Marinelli told the Tribune.
I thought Lovie was told to relinquish the DC duties and hire somebody for those duties. With this hire, he has virtual control of the defense and nothing will change. Oh well, if this season is a bust again, then they are all fired anyways.
I really can't believe all of the focus on the Bears coaches. Lovie actually won four years ago when he had some talent - not great talent, but talent. Since then, nothing but terrible draft picks and free agent acquisitions. Now, there are virtually no difference-makers on this team. I don't believe that any coach could take them to the playoffs. Lovie will be gone after this year but make no mistake, it's Angelo's fault that the Bears suck.
Sure enough-everyone wanted to coach for this organization-not. I think Lovie has developed a bunker mentality. It's me and my buds against the world.
I don't understand why everyone is freaking out over the coaching positions? We all knew nothing worthwhile was going to be done this off season with the coaches. It shouldn't be a "shock" at all what's been done. Lovie only hires people he's friends with, end of story. No one with any kind of resume wants to come here until he's gone! We all knew they weren't going to eat Lovies contract, eat Angelo's contract, while paying for a "big name" coach and GM. Not to mention, paying 4 contracts to sit at home if there's no season in 2011! It's flippin February, lol. If we can actually stay healthy, build on what transpired at the end of last season, and fix a few holes on the OLine and Secondary, we can easily be a playoff team next year. The NFL is crazy! Coughlin turned the G Men around when everyone in NY wanted his head! Everyone take a deep breath, count to 10, and stop acting like our season is lost 4 months before training camp! Have Faith, compadres!
you know when a team goes to the super bowl and the media tells the story on tv on how they got there? This will make a great NFL story film when they get to the super bowl next year..
No surprise here. No one was going to take the job of being Lovie's gofor.
really lovie hired his son? wow. well at least he will have one person supporting him at the end of next season.
What a joke! This was no surprise. Lovie & Co. knew who they were hiring for both of these coordinating positions when they fired the others. They used the media to make it seem as if they were conducting a legitmate search. Lovie could care less if the Bears lose another season because he & his friends laugh all the way to the bank.
Jerry 'Moe' Angelo naming Ron 'Shemp' Marinelli as DC makes little difference as he, Lovie(Larry), and Babich (Curly) all wore head sets during games last year (probably in 2010 too). And, any of them could have been calling the plays, this only allows for blame to be assigned to another one of the '3 Stooges'.
WELCOME TO THE CHICAGO LIONS.....
Hiring Friends : few million dollars from the Bears fans' pockets
Hiring Failures: another a few million dollar from the fans
Hiring (in 2009) then promoting (2010) own son : Priceless
Did you know as of 2007 only experience of Mikal Smith was at Trinity International University (a well known powerhouse)for one year?
Did you know daddy allowed him to sit down at Bears coach meetings starting then
Did you know he finally hired his baby-boy to staff as "assistant to the coach" in August 2009?
Did you know since baby-boy was so stellar, he got the promotion in less than a year just because of "merit"?
Bears are in a bad place and will be until Lovieitis is cured, but looks like Smitheitis is spreading in the organization...
Comical
Relax hobos....It's just for one year. After this season they are all gone.
KNOCKING THE DOOR DOWN! WHAT TO GET OUT OF CHICAGO? WHAT A JOKE. AT LEAST I GET TO WATCH TWO REAL FOOTBALL TEAMS PLAY THIS SUNDAY!
Total BS.
Marinelli - coached the worst record in NFL history, then failed with his demotion to D-Line coach (saved by friend Lovely), then promoted.
Lovely's son hired as D QC.
Martz would couldn't stick with sorry 49ers or Lions hired. Tight ends coach from poor performing Seattle. O-Line coach failed to control players in MN. Not a single addition came from a winning program.
What an abuse to the fans.
This will be quite a year, going into the lockout on almost certainly the biggest down note in modern Bears history.
I hope the fans don't reward McCaskey for this by buying merchandise, tickets to games, etc. I know I won't.
Lovie Smith= one Superbowl appearance owed 90% to Ron Rivera and a big "nothing" there on.
Then he brings in the inventor of "0" - Marinelli, the guy who is so happy to be in NFL and would do "anything" Lovie asks. Sad.
Then he brings in his old boss - who will have a rude awakening with the O-Line and the receiver corps he'll find.
Lovie goes for only people he knows because he can't go for others: He has no credibility in the NFL.
Every prominent candidate turned away because they know that this is Lovie's final season. Of course then Lovie turns to NFLs castaways.
Lost between the lines: His son, Mikal Smith is promoted to defensice quality control. Way to suck more out of the Bears for the Smith family.
I am a die hard fan but I PRAY that we have a bad season this year so that WE CAN GET RID OF LOVIE.
Please, please, please, COWHER, wait for the Bears, we deserve a real coach in this town.
Who didn't see this hire coming?
But truthfully, folks, GM Jerry Angelo is the one that needs firing. He's the bonehead who drafts players with low upsides and small downsides. In other words, he drafts players without star potential (DHester being an exception, although they're trying to make him something he's not). And that's what the bears are -- an average team because they have average players.
Wish I had some hairbrained scheme to sell to Virginia McCaskey. Once hired, I'd have a job forever.
Perhaps this is a mercy hiring - from the point of view of young coaching candidates. You are not bringing in some young up and coming coach to get into this sinking ship. Mercy on us all...how much more double speak can we handle?
You know when you belch and almost puke?
KNOCKING THE DOOR DOWN! WHAT TO GET OUT OF CHICAGO? WHAT A JOKE. AT LEAST I GET TO WATCH TWO REAL FOOTBALL TEAMS PLAY THIS SUNDAY!
They had better hire Doug Plank tonight. At least he might get the defensive backs and safeties to hit someone, as there will be a lot of opposing players in the defensive backfield all year long.
Unbelievable......totally unbelievable. A loser in Detroit. A disappointment as Dline coach. Unbelievable.
Marinelli, the only head coach to ever go 0-16 in the regular season. No other takers for the job, eh?
One thing about the Bears and the owners, they are a sure bet on what's going to happen. Same o same o!
I see there is no optimism in this room...geesh! if they pull this off and have a great season will all of you eat crow?... just a question.
he stunk in Detroit and will as head of the total defense in Chicago
I like Marinelli, I think he has a passion for the game and is a great motivator. Hopefully lovie stays out of his way and lets Marinelli runs his D.
Everyone crying here needs to get a life. In the grand scheme, who the Bears hire as a coordinator isn't that important.
A couple of wins next year and all this will be forgotten.
Its not the same scheme....their Defensive coordinator modified it so it would keep up and adapt to the offenses run today, lovie has not and wont. Brace yourselves Bear fans...they are going to rip us apart for another year.
I agreed with some of you. This is good news because we only have 2010 to deal with these clowns. We'll have a top five draft pick for 2011 and a brand new coaching staff. Bill Cowher, are you following this?
The reaction here is almost laughable. Did anyone really think the Bears' "braintrust" (ha, ha) would actually grow one and make a good hire? Please.
Stupid move. Typical Lovie Smith coaching hire. Take a coach out of his area of expertise and pretend it is a great hire... Marinelli was one of the worst Head Coaches in NFL history. The only reason to hire him was his supposed expertise with the Defensive Line. So now make him a Defensive Co-Ordinator which he as never done (except somewhat for the Lions?) Terrible idea. Or is this a complete admission the the Bears Defensive line is lacking in talent and will not be coached into being any better, and no new player talent is on the way. Watch the Bears rank in the bottom quarter again in 2010.
Unbelievable why would the Bears hire Marinelli now they should have at least waited until after the superbowl. The cover2 needs to go along with Lovie.
It's OK. Did you see that Lovie hired his son as the defenseive quality control specialist - so there's some oversight and accountability there.
This just in - the team formerly known as the Chicago Bears has changed their name to the Titanics.
So much for "changing the status quo" and "bringing in someone with new ideas", huh, Ted Phillips?? I hope the fans BBQ Angelo and Phillips at the Fan Expo for lying in thier press conference.
Nooooo way! Are you serious?
This is going to be a long year......
Oh, what a surprise!
How is Marinelli even still in the NFL after that 0-16 fiasco in Detroit?
Morons!
Wow...I just can't believe that Lovie does all these moves and still keep his job.This process of looking for coaches has been an embarrassment to all the Bear fans,and I'm sure the players aren't to happy of this either.."PLEAS LORD DON'T LET IT BE TO PAINFUL NEXT SEASON!".I will now consider myself a Lovie hater,but always loyal to Da Bears.
My frustration is beyond words. To not wait through the weekend and at least interview a member of the Colts staff is shortsighted at best. To promote within the ranks the man responsible for possibly the worst defense in league history is ignorant. To ignore the previous failure of promoting linebacker coach Bob Babich as defensive coordinator is insulting. This feels like a slap in the face.
Lets review what has been going on with the Bears lately: (1) hired OC that has been out of work for over a year (2) hired DC that as a head coach lost 20-25 straight games in NFL (3) Has a kicker returner/wide receiver who can't learn to run correct routes or now wants to go back to special teams after he got his big contract as a wide receiver (4) had to interview, when coaches would even visit them, a dozen different people who wouldn't take a job with the Bears (5) Has a head coach who hasn't taken a team to playoffs in 3 years who thought he was a DC and ruined a whole defense after he fired a DC who took the team to SB because he wanted to hire his buddy as DC (6) head coach who got the job just because he was a minorty (7) A GM who hasn't drafted a pro bowl player in first round in 4 years (8) God I am too frustrated to do anymore. Stay tuned !
The Bears have completed their overhaul. They have successfully turned us into the Tampa Bay Rams, or the St. Louis Buccaneers; whichever you prefer. I like Lovie Smith but hae is not a Bears coach...I believe Marinelli has a Bear mentality and Martz is yet to be seen...Please let us collectively buy our beloved Bears and hire Gary Fencik as the president/GM to get us back on track...
M84
I'm SHOCKED--shocked, I tell you (sarcasm).
Like the Bears didn't intend to do this all along.
As I have said before: The Bears don't surprise anybody and they don't scare anybody either.
This is good news folks and I'll give you two reason.
Number 1: The Ted, Jerry, Lovie show needs to go and what better way to do it than let them name their owner coordinators/assistants.
Number 2: Yeah, it sucks that 2010 will be yet another losing season, but look at the bright side -- it will be funny to watch. The Bears will be losing 35-3 at half against whoever; Lovie will be walking around unaffected like his normal self-righteous self; Marinelli will be wondering where he last left his knee pads (probably under a certain person's desk); Martz will be wondering if his offence will ever get on the field. Ah yes, good times.
Georgia Frontiere is dead you jackass. What, are they going to wheel her corpse out on the field after every game?
I think this is the best move ever. Tommie Harris will have 30 sacks next year. Marinelli is a great motivator of men.
Please no more complaints about the OC & DC coaches. I'm actually very happy. This could be the starting of the end that I've been wishing for - a firing of Angelo and Smith. As long as the clowns are around, the Bears will continue to be who we think they are - a mediocre team. They and Philipps are the clowns at Halas Hall that no quality coaches would want to take a risk with. LOFT is the word fitting to describe these clowns.
wow just wow
Bad move
I thought he was already. No, seriously.
Next week the Bears will announce Georgia Frontiere has been brought in to represent the ownership on the field after each game.
The future 0-16 Chicago Bears in 2010!
Surprise!
Don't look up, or you will see the buzzards circling the Lovie Smith regime...This is going to be a disaster on defense. Marinelli has shown nothing that leads me to believe that he can even be a marginal playcaller, and I cannot imagine listening to his repeated "we need to get low" speeches week after week as the defensive coordinator....God help us all...
You tell'm Mike.
didn't marinelli fire martz while in Detroit? how ever are the two of them going to co-exist? i am stocking up now on lots of liquor for the tailgates for next season - i think i am going to need it!!
Please read the last sentence and try to figure out who the last coach mentioned is related to.
I was San Francisco's OC the year the Lions went winless IDIOT!!
Martz and Marinelli, the brains behind the winless Lions, what a joke.