Every offensive line coach ever has focused on fundamentals. But Juan Castillo’s fanatical belief in them takes it to another level.
The Bears’ first-year line coach’s ground-floor approach to fundamentals is the offensive line version of Vince Lombardi’s famously simplistic opening-day approach to coaching in general: “Gentlemen — this is a football.” He starts with the most basic of the basics.
When Bears practice starts at 9:20 a.m., Castillo’s offensive linemen are out there at 9 a.m, doing hand-placement/punching drills on a special five-position sled and footwork drills on the practice field. And Castillo isn’t even there.