Bears Interview Ken Zampese for OC: Do You See a Pattern Here?

Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune is reporting that Bengals QB coach Ken Zampese has become the first candidate to officially interview for the vacant offensive coordinator job in Chicago. Zampese may not have been Lovie Smith's first choice for the job, but his hiring would seem to be in line with what the head coach has planned for the offense.

Consider the first two candidates on whom Lovie swung and missed.

Before joining the USC Trojans, former Broncos QB coach Jeremy Bates mentored Jay Cutler in Denver while helping the young gunslinger reach his first Pro Bowl in 2008.

Tom Clements, current Green Bay QB coach, has turned Aaron Rodgers into one of the league's most prolific passers, a Pro Bowler, and nearly a Playoff hero after his epic duel with Kurt Warner.

With Bates following Pete Carroll to Seattle, and Chicago's formal request to interview Clements rebuffed by Green Bay, Lovie's attention has now shifted to Ken Zampese.

Another eager, ambitious QB coach who experienced great fortune with a young passer. Forget the current shell of a football player that is Carson Palmer. It's the success of the 2005-2006 Palmer that Lovie hopes to recreate with Zampese.

Lovie wants a coach who knows specifically how to motivate and maximize the talents of a young quarterback, and he seems ready to compromise the long-held notion of "balance" in favor of a more featured role for Jay Cutler.

While Zampese may not be a household name, at least Lovie Smith and the Chicago brass have a plan, and they're sticking to it.