Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois • 162

Playoff Preview '26 Section 8 Chicago Tribune, Friday, -January 3, 1986 NFLPLfttfOFFS BEAR SCRAPBOOK itfiii rani i Ti- Like photographs, and statistics don't lie. The statistics and rankings indicate that the Bears' defense has come of srty of Wyoming letterman spent six years tutonng linemen at Duke and North Carolina State before joining the Bears. Haupt began his college coaching career at Tennessee, where he was head freshman coach from 1960-63. He joined the staff at Iowa State 1964-65 for two seasons before spending six years at the University of Richmond. He and his wife Frances have two children and reside in if championship 14-10 over the New York Giants, a game in which Ditka made a key third-quarter catch that set up the winning touchdown.

In 1970, the Cowboys were the NFC champs, and in 1971, they were NFL champions. Ditka's versatility brought Nm All-America honors in 1960 at Pittsburgh, where he was a solid two-way performer, defensively at end and middle linebacker, offensively as a receiver. He was also one of the nation's leading collegiate punters with a three-year average of 40 yards a kick. The Bears' first-round draft choice in 1961 fifth overall, Ditka was NFL Rookie of the Year, aH-NFL from 1961-64 and played in five Pro Bowls 1962-66. In 1964, he set an NFL record for tight ends by catching 75 passes.

The mark was broken in 1960 by San Diego's Ketlen Winslow. Ditka joined the Cowboys' coaching staff in 1973. Mike is actively invofved in the Little City Foundation, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Sports Teams Organized for the Prevention of Drug Abuse. He and his wife, Diana, have four children Mike, Mark, Megan and Matthew and reside in Graysiake. Ditka's pro stars age.

And line coach Dale Haupt is a principal architect of the defense. Born April 12, 1929, at Manitowoc, the three-time Univer- 7 think its important that this game go to the man who deserves It the most, and that's Mr. Halas. Somewhere, he's smiling pretty good right now." Mike Ditfca after a 34-3 victory over the Vikings on Nov. 25, 1984, gave the Bears the NFC Central title.

Mike Ditka, who had trod the frozen turf of Wrigtey Field as a tight end on the Bears' last championship team in 1963, put it into historical perspective when he awarded the game ball to the late Papa Bear following the Bears' 1934 NFC Central Division clincher. It was Halas who founded the team and the league, Halas who coached the NFL champions of 1963 and Halas who hired The man In charge of assembling the Bears' kamikaze units is Steve Kazor. Special teams' coach Kazor joined the Bears in 1982 dinator at Colorado State 1975, Wyoming 1976 and Texas-H Paso 1979-80. He was head coach at Emporia Kan. College in 1973.

Kazor also held assistant-coaching jobs at Texas-Arlington 1974, Texas-Austin (1976-79 and Westminster College 1970, where he played nose tackle for four years. Bom Feb. 24, 198, in New Kensington, Kazor resides in Vernon Hills with his wife Coileen and their two children. Vaar Tarn Bac. Yds.

Avg. TP Qamos 1972 Cowboys 17 198 11 6 1 1971 Cowboys 30 360 12.0 1 14 1970 Cowboys 9 93 123 0 14 1909 Cowboys 17 266 15.8 3 12 1988 Eapjaa 13 111 65 2 11 1967 Eagles 26 274 105 2 9 1936 Bean 32 38 11 6 2 14 1966 Bam 36 464 126 2 14 1964 Beam 75 897 12.0 5 14 1963 Bean SB 794 13 5 8 14 1982 Baars S3 904 158 5 14 1961 Basra S3 1078 192 12 14 Caraar 427 5812 13 43 5B after spending three years in the Dallas Cowboys' scouting department. Kazor also has "been an "assistant coach and recruiting coor- Ditka to be head coach in 1981 and lead the Bears out of mediocrity. In 1984 and "85, Mike Ditka paid back the man who hired him. This year the team finished 15-1, won the NFC Central Division title for the second year in a row and is regarded by many as the best team in the NFL.

Last season, the Bears won their first division title and first championship of any kind in 21 years. More important, 964 was a year in which Mike Ditka silenced critics who questioned his style of coaching, inexperience and leadership ability. The 45-year-old Ditka, the Bears' 10th head coach, owns a 37-22 record since taking over on Jan. 20, 1962. More indicative of the direction the Bears have taken in the last two years is 31 victories in the last 40 games.

Ditka is a 25-year veteran of the NFL as both a player and coach. He has been in league playoffs in 15 of these seasons' and been a member of teams that have been NFC champions five times and NFL champions three times. While he served nine years as an offensive coach under Tom Landry at Dallas, the Cowboys were in the playoffs in all but one season and won NFC championships in 1975, 1977 and 1978. They won the Super Bowl in 1977. Bom Oct.

18, 1939, in Carnegie, Ditka enjoyed a 12-year playing career with the Bears 1961-66, the Philadelphia Eagles 1967-68 and the Cowboys 1969-72 as a tight end. During those seasons, the Bears were in the playoffs once and the Cowboys four times. The Bears won the 1963 NFL Secondary coach Jim La Rue is In his 35th season of coaching and eighth with the Bears. LaRue, who has coached virtually even Soorad one addBonal touchdown on hntts mcovary. AddWonal pro BtaMics Carted twloa tor two yards, recovered one hjmble and retumod Ihrae Mcfeoffs tor 30 yards in 1971.

Ditka's Bear records Most consecutive games with a pass reception 49, from 12-2-61 to 10-10-65. Most touchdowns, game 4 on 10-13-63 to tie Harlon Hill 10-13-54. The Ditka record Pro coaching Chicago Bears, head coach; 1982 35 record, 1983 16-8, 1964 1f6, 1985 15-1; Dallas Cowboys, offensive coach 19731. Playoffs: 1984 1-1. College coaching None.

Playing experience -Dallas Cowboys, tight end, 1969-72; Philadelphia Eagles, tight end, 1967-68; Chicago Bears, tight end, 1961-66. College playing experience University of Pittsburgh, defensive endliriebacerreceiverpunter. six major colleges and a head coach at the University of Arizona. He compiled a 41-37-2 record with the Wildcats. A two-way halfback in college at Carson-Newman, Duke and Maryland during the World War II years, LaRue has a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Duke and a master's In education from Maryland.

LaRue was bom Aug. 11, 1925, in Clinton, Okla. He resides with his wife Betty and their three children In Libertyville. position in football, joined the Bears in 1978 after serving two seasons as an offensive aide with the Buffalo Bills. Before entering the NFL in 1975, he was an assistant coach at WT- iTnTyryyTr1 rfTH a In his eighth season as the Bears' defensive coordinator, Buddy Ryan is gaining national recognition as having one of the most innovative minds in football history.

Ryan's 1965 unit developed into one of the best in NFL annals. It led the league in fewest yards allowed 215 a game and fewest rushing yards allowed 82 a game). Last season, his defense had 72 sacks, an Ted Plumb, in his sixth season as coach of the Bears' receivers, is highly respected by his peers in the NFL. He began his pro coaching coach. Plumb played wide receiver at Baylor and for one season with the Buffalo Bills 1962.

After that, he coached five years in the high school and junior college ranks before joining the Texas Christian staff in 1968. He also coached at Tulsa 1971 and Kansas 1972-73. Ftumb was bom Aug. 20, 1939, in Reno and raised in northern California. He and his wife Marianna have three children and reside in Buffalo Grove.

coordinator. He is a strategist who employs multiple variations of alignments and coverages. His "46 defense is a 5-1-5 set that is named after the uniform number of its original middleman, former safety Doug Plank. The scheme forces offensive linemen into one-on-one blocking and opens up avenues for blitzing. Ryan, a 17-year veteran of NFL coaching, joined the Bears in 1978.

He coached the Minnesota Vikings' defensive line for two years, and from 1968 through 1975 he was on the defensive staff of the New York Jets. The stocky Oklahoman was a four-year letterman at Oklahoma State from 1952-55 as an offensive guard. He began coaching as defensive coordinator at the University of Buffalo from 1961-1965. He served in a similar role the next two years with Vanderbilt 1966 and the University of Pacific 1967 before he joined the Jets. Ryan was bom Feb.

17, 1934, in Frederick, Okla. He is an outdoor enthusiast and owner of a horse farm in Kentucky. He and his wife Joan have three children and reside in Lincolnshire. career in 1974 as offensive backfield coach of the New York Giants. After three years, Plumb joined the Atlanta Falcons as quarterbackreceiver NFL record.

Despite the Bears' reputation as vicious hitters, their defenders were the least penalized in the NFL In 1984. The Bears' pass defense ranked second in the league in only 33 yards shy of the top spot, while the rushing defense and total defense marks were the league's best. The '84 Bears held the distinction of leading the National Football Conference in an three major defensive categories. Ryan handles the linebackers In addition to his duties as Offensive-backfieW coach Johnny Roland is in his seventh year of NFL coaching and his third directing the Bears' ground attack. A fourth- Christi, Roland starred as a running back and comerback at Missouri from 1963-65.

He was an All-America as a senior. In 1974, Roland assisted his former college coach, Dan Devine, on the Green Bay Packers' staff and followed Devine to Notre Dame in 1975. Roland was on the staff of the Philadelphia Eagles from 1976-78 before entering private business until his assignment with the Bears. Roland has three children and resides in Vernon Hills. Seeing the Beare win the National Football Conference's Central Division title and advance In the playoffs last season was special for Jim Doofey.

the team's chief of research and quality control. Because he was part of the Bears' last championship season in 1963, It brought back some fond memories and compar-tsone tor the veteran NFL coach and administrator. Dootey, 55, was an offensive If offensive coordinator Ed Hughes has only one wish, It undoubtedly will be to work with one healthy quarterback for an entire season. This season, when Jim McMahon was injured, he guided the capable back-up OB, Steve Fuller. Last season was more difficult for Hughes.

Because of injuries to McMahon and Fuller, the Bears used six different quarterbacks at one time or another. In round draft choice of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1965, Roland played in the Pro Bowl in 1967 and 1968. Bom on May 21, 1943, In Corpus 'A Often de- scribed by Mike Ditka as "the best offensive-line coach In football," Dick Stanfel is in his fifth year with the Bears coach on the Bears last championship team. Dootey, who Is in his 25th season with the Bears, has worn many hats since joining the organization as a player In 1952.

His career with the Bears includes time spent as a player 1952, 1957, 195962, offensive coach 196365, defensive coach 19et67, head coach 1908-71 and In his current position since 1981. He Is In charge of studying and evaluating all players and teams in the league. His reports are used in the development of the Bears' weekly game plans. After staning as a halfback for Miami (Ha Dootey was a first-round draft pr of the Bears In 1962. He was used on defense as a rookie and ted the team in Interceptions After shifting to flanker in 1963, he led the team in pass receptions, an achievement he also attained In 1967 and 19W.

Dootey played nine seesone tor the Bears end Is the dub sixth 8ttme leading receiver. Hbj playing days were interrupted twice when he served In the Air Force In 1956-56 and in '58 when he was sidelined with broken ankle. cluding the NFL's aH-time leading rusher, Walter Payton. Despite those misfortunes, the Bears led the NFL in total rushing for a second straight year in 1984. Hixjhes, 57, came to the Bears on Feb.

1, 1982, from the Philadelphia Eagles, reuniting him with head coach Mike Ditka. They were coaching mates In Dallas from 1973 to 76. In those years, the Cowboys made the playoffs three times and the Super Bowl once. Before Mnina the Bears, Hughes was an offensive assistant with the Philadelphia Eagles after serving as offensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints 1978-80, where he was an assistant with Bears aide Dick Stanfel. He began his coaching career with the Dallas Texans 1960-62).

He also coached with the Denver Broncos 1963 the Washington FtedsWns 1964-67, the St Louis Cardinals (1972 and the Detroit Lions (offensive coordinator, 1977, He was head coach of the Houston Oilers 1971. career at Notre Dame 1959-62 and his pro coaching career on the Philadelphia Eagles' staff in 1964. In 71, he joined the 49ers as fine conch and In 76 went to the Saints. Stanfel played football at the University of San Francisco and spent nine years in the National Football League. The tour-time All-Pro guard played four years with the Detroit Lions He also played lor the Washington Redskins 1966-50, Stanfel.

bom on July 20, 1927, in Snn Francisco, has three children and resides Libertyville. Stflnhx joined the Boars 1981 after serving as the New Orleans Saints Interim Hmnd coach for the Anal lour games of 1H80. He began hw coaching.