Mike Ditka finally revealed his true feelings: He told a news conference Tuesday that he wants to keep coaching the Bears ”for a long time.”
Ditka is in the final year of his contract, and owner Michael McCaskey has said he would like him to be around for the long term.
”The main thing is to get the Bears back on the right track,” Ditka said. ”If it works out where I would coach the Bears for a long time, I would love that. I`m a realist. If it doesn`t work out, maybe someone else should have a shot at coaching the team.”
This has been an ongoing issue that could continue until McCaskey and Ditka settle on a new contract. Ditka, whose coaching style and way of dealing with people has left a lasting imprint on the franchise, had put off talking about his coaching future, using different excuses. Now, despite all of his other interests, everyone knows he really doesn`t want to do anything else.
– Ditka also revealed for the first time that No. 1 draft pick Mark Carrier may very well start the season opener at free safety.
”To tell you he`ll start now would be unfair to other people,” Ditka said, referring to incumbent Shaun Gayle. ”He (Carrier) has a chance to start. If he continues to work hard and earn the job, he`ll be on the field.” – In the Bears` first full-contact, all-out scrimmage Tuesday, the defense stood out in closing down the offense in goal-line situations. Only Neal Anderson scored in the morning showdown.
”I saw a lot of good things,” Ditka said. ”The encouraging thing is that the offense got to the 5-yard line and only scored one time.”
Defensive coordinator Vince Tobin came away from the scrimmage smiling. He stressed that the key to regaining past defensive glories rests in with second-and third-year players. That places the burden on Trace Armstrong, Donnell Woolford, John Roper, Troy Johnson, Dante Jones, Mickey Pruitt, David Tate, Markus Paul and Lemuel Stinson.
”With a lot of the other guys we used to rely on not around, a lot of the second- and third-year guys need to come forward and establish
themselves,” Tobin said. ”We need these guys to make a big jump this year to have a good defense.”
– Ditka described the Bears` passing offense this season as a ”possession-type attack.” The absence of a true burner in the receiving corps has the club concentrating on shorter, secure routes.
– The camp`s running back sensation, rookie Johnny Bailey, will be out two weeks with a pulled hamstring. Ditka said that will give rookie James Rouse and second-year halfback Mark Green more playing time in Saturday`s Hall of Game game against Cleveland. Ditka said Anderson will play one quarter and the other two will finish out the game.
– There is no significance in who starts at quarterback Saturday, said Ditka, explaining that if Jim Harbaugh opens the game, Mike Tomczak would start the next week against Miami.
