Da new Bears coach has big shoes to fill and even bigger expectations to meet.
Is Chicago ready for Marc Trestman on Soldier Field sidelines? The initial reaction was positive and constructive with clear improvements in mind.
"We definitely need a lot of help on offense this year," Bears fan Dave Hussar told NBC Chicago Tuesday. "Hopefully we're going in the right direction."
"It might have been a little bit too soon to cut Lovie Smith, but it's a good move. It's the right direction," fan Michael Davis said. "We're a good team, and we should have went a little further."
"Lovie was a good coach," Bears fan Julio Mayen said, "but I'm kind of excited for a new change."
Trestman comes to the Windy City from the Canadian Football League's Montreal Alouettes with 17 years of NFL experience. He's worked with quarterbacks Steve Young, Scott Mitchell, Rich Gannon and even Jay Cutler.
Cutler said Friday he enjoyed his time with Trestman and, though he's not familiar with the coach's systems of late, said he's "been very successful everywhere he's been."
Former Bear Garrett Wolfe, who played for Trestman in Montreal, echoed that, saying he considers him "a players coach."
"He's not afraid to let you know how he feels about certain things, to let you know what needs to be corrected, and that's on both ends of the field," Wolfe said.
As for Trestman's personality, Wolfe described him as "a very kind heart" once you get to know him.
"He cares about all his players and is very in tune with what's going on," he said. "On the outside looking in, if you don't know him, he can seem distant, but once you get the opportunity to know him, he's a great guy."
Our Facebook friends chimed in too:
"Good fit I believe....hopefully we will get a O line too.....go Bears!" Robert Campion wrote.
Frederick Dowdell said, "If he doesn't get a better record 10-6 this season...They need to fire him and bring back Lovie!!!"
"TREST me this should be a good fit especially if he retains the right assistants, LETZ GO J, CUTLER," Tony Bside Watson wrote.
Michael Lyons said, "Kudos for thinking out of the box and getting off of the NFL merry-go-round of the usual coaching suspects."
