THIS is why we hired Marinelli

[Chewie]

I take this article as more than a fluff piece. Say what you want about Marinelli as a head coach but the guy can coach defense. This is why we tried to pry him from Tampa Bay multiple times. We all wanted him to take Anderson under his wing and bring him back to his rookie form and the early returns are good. Anderson has the body and speed to make an impact - it sounds like Rod is working on the technique and mind set that it takes to be consistently good. It's now or never for Anderson given it's his contract year. Sounds like he stops himself from making a dig on his coach prior to Marinelli, too.

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/football/bears/1705208,CST-SPT-bear07.article

Rod Marinelli credited with lighting spark under Bears DE Mark Anderson

Marinelli credited for lighting a spark under Anderson after his MIA season
BY BRAD BIGGS bbiggs@suntimes.com

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- For more than a year, the Bears did all they could to figure out what had gone wrong with Mark Anderson.

They looked into everything, on the field and off, and couldn't pinpoint anything that had changed for the player who had 12 sacks in 2006, the fourth-most by a rookie since 1982.

Rod Marinelli arrived as the new defensive line coach in January. He was more concerned about getting to square one with Anderson and the other linemen than analyzing why Anderson made just two sacks in 26 games and was, for the most part, a non-factor on defense.

''Whatever happened in the past, all of that, we just removed it and started [over],'' Marinelli said. ''It starts with a good stance, a good get-off, where are my eyes at and then what are the calls, and we go from there. That's me. I try to coach all of these guys like young players, go back to fundamentals.''

A week into camp and people are taking notice of Anderson. General manager Jerry Angelo has commented. Teammates have made remarks. He's going to have to do it in a game, but right now there is cautious optimism that Anderson may return as the situational pass rusher the Bears have been missing.

''Have you been out to practice?'' Marinelli said. ''You can feel it. He's explosive right now, he's coming off the ball and it looks like he is getting very comfortable.''

The get-off is the most important thing for a rusher, and when Anderson has been right, he has done it better than anyone on the Bears. As a fifth-round draft pick, he caught opponents off-guard as a rookie. Anderson came out at the start of 2007 and had four sacks in the first four games. It looked like he was on the fast track to stardom.

Then, as a starter promoted over Alex Brown, he disappeared. Returned to his role as a sub, he was in on 44 percent of the defensive snaps last season and produced 21 tackles (six solos) and one sack.

''I felt down a little bit,'' Anderson said. ''I was questioning myself and wondering, 'Why is this going on right now?' But I had to rely on my teammates, family, people with a higher authority who know me and know what I am capable of. I'm on a whole different level now. I've got a different mind-set and I'm taking it one day at a time. We're just going in and getting ready for this '09 season.''

The Bears need Anderson to perform. The secondary lost another piece to the puzzle, even if just for a while, when cornerback Zack Bowman was sidelined Wednesday with a pulled hamstring.

The defense is pinning its hopes on a big season from tackle Tommie Harris, but he can't do it all. Judging by how they have used Harris in camp, maybe the coaching staff will be a little more judicious in his playing time this season.

Harris led all tackles with 623 snaps last season, 148 more than the next closest player, and he missed two games. He needs to be fresh and at his best on third down and in the second half. The secondary ranked 30th against the pass last season, and the personnel is pretty much unchanged.

Marinelli's arrival comes at the right time for Anderson, who is entering the final year of his contract. He will be an unrestricted free agent provided labor peace is discovered before March. Anderson was on the list of players the Bears were considering for an early extension before his mysterious slump. Now, the Bears or anyone else is going to want to see him produce at a high level before considering bucking up.

''I am not going to say I need a bounce-back season, it's just about being consistent,'' Anderson said. ''I had ups and downs throughout my career, and I am trying to get back to the upside, just go out and have some fun again. My first year, I had a bang, and the next two years I really didn't get better because I didn't have, well, I ain't even going to say that. My first year started off with a bang and the last year of my contract we're going to end it with a bang.

''[Marinelli] is big on the whys of things. It's been all fun now. It was much needed, especially for me in particular. It was much needed to have that coach that is the best and knows exactly what he is doing. I couldn't ask for a better situation than I am in right now.

''If he says, 'Go jump off the bridge real quick and do a swim move,' that's what we're going to do. That's how much respect we have for him.''

[Balance-a-Bull]

Certainly not a ringing endorsement for Babich and his crew.

Hopefully, the back to the basics fundamental techniques Marinelli is teaching will allow Anderson to regain his rookie form with racking up sacks, disrupting the QB, and wreaking havoc in the backfield to help our secondary.

WIth Cutty at the helm...the defense should get more rest which should keep the defense fresh.