For established Bears, Saturday`s intrasquad scrimmage will be a pop quiz.
For most other veterans, the controlled contest will represent sort of a midterm test.
But for some rookies and fringe veterans, it could become their final exam.
After only a week of two-a-day practices, the coaches say they are not basing everything on this controlled scrimmage at 2 p.m. at Pioneer Stadium on the campus of Wisconsin-Platteville.
”I think you have to look at everything,” coach Mike Ditka said. ”The first time they go up against another competition in a preseason game, I think that may weigh a little bit more.
”I`m certainly not going to put it all on one game if a guy has shown marked improvement in practice. Some of these guys have come a long way.
”Louis Age (6-7, 352-pound rookie tackle) has come a long way. If he can go as far as he has already come in the time we have had him, it might warrant taking a long look at this guy. Within a year, this kid could become a heck of a football player.
”I`m not saying that he is going to make our football team or that he is not going to make our football team. But he has shown me at least that he wants to get out there and work.”
Age, an 11th-round draft pick from Southwestern Louisiana, sat out Thursday`s and Friday`s practices with a stiff back.
”You get 30 pounds off of him and I think he`ll be a good football player,” said Ditka. ”He`s tough, moves pretty well, he`s big and he`s not a bad pass blocker at all. It`s like coming across the side of a house to get around him.”
First-round draft pick Alonzo Spellman of Ohio State has performed well in practices on the defensive line.
”You don`t want to go out and go crazy against your own team, but you do want to show well,” said Spellman, whose intensity and consistency were questioned at Ohio State. ”You don`t want to hurt anybody.
”My goal is to show them that I`m always going to be ready to go and contribute something to this team.”
Spellman has jumped offsides several times in camp, but does well in one- on-one matchups.
”I`m going to make some mistakes because I`m a rookie, but I`ll do my best,” said Spellman, who knows all about playing practice games in front of big crowds. ”In my first intrasquad scrimmage at Ohio State, it was like a real game. It was all-out.”
Second-round draft pick Troy Auzenne will get his first taste of sustained live action at right tackle. A left tackle at California, Auzenne has demonstrated excellent pass-blocking technique and good footwork in drills.
Cornerback Jeremy Lincoln, a third-rounder from Tennessee, is out with a knee injury. Fourth-round quarterback Will Furrer of Virginia Tech has been cramming to learn the Bears` system and will be evaluated initially more on athleticism than his ability to make defensive reads.
Rookie tight end Todd Harrison and cornerback Mark Berry have shown well at times, but are looking forward to Saturday`s opportunity to leave a more lasting impression on the coaches.
Wide receiver John Brown III, the seventh-round choice from Tennessee, has impressed with his speed and hands but is battling injuries.
Offensive lineman Mirko Jurkovic of Notre Dame and running back Nikki Fisher of Virginia probably need to step up their games soon to stick around past the 60-man roster cut deadline of Aug. 25.
Linebacker Chris Wilson of Oklahoma has made a lot of noise in practice drills the last week.
Free agents with promise so far have included receiver Gene Thomas of Maryland, running back Tyrone Ashley of Mississippi, running back Robert Taylor of Mississippi College, tight end Kelly Blackwell of TCU, offensive lineman and long snapper Alex Rankin of Angelo State, linebacker Jim Swantz of Purdue, running back/kick returner Travis Talton of Wisconsin-Whitewater, linebacker Arnie Williams of Southern Mississippi and cornerback John Wiley of Auburn.
The Bears are still without holdouts William Perry and Jay Hilgenberg. With Hilgenberg gone, Jerry Fontenot will start at center with the first team Saturday.
”I would have no problem at all to open the season with Jerry,” said Ditka. ”If he`s the biggest worry I have, then I don`t have many big worries.”
