LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) -- Ben Johnson is set to take the sidelines Monday night at Soldier Field for the first time as a head coach. It’s the culmination of a dream to lead a football team.
But that’s not at all on Johnson’s mind this week as he prepares for a difficult season opener with the Vikings.
“I'm really just focused on the preparation level of it right now,” Johnson said Wednesday before practice at Halas Hall. “And I know what I want that to look like. I think, really, the challenging part here this week is the players are still trying to figure out what that game week is truly going to look like. We'll get in a rhythm here the further along we go.
“It's our first time with me and I give them a lot of credit. I mean, they're working their tails off, and they really just want to do it within the vision of the head coach, which I really appreciate. I’ve got a great group, great staff around me, and so it's I'm charged with just making sure to give them clear guidelines on what we want this thing to look like. And we're taking it day by day right now. By the time we get to Monday night, we'll be ready to go."
The Bears hired Johnson as their new head coach in January, tasking him with leading a turnaround after three difficult rebuilding years.
The 39-year-old Johnson has been considered for head coaching positions in recent years but never found the right fit in place. Johnson valued organizational structure and stability, which he believes is in place with the Bears.
The Bears’ season opener presents a unique challenge as they square off with a daunting Vikings defense. Minnesota was 14-3 last season, led in part due to a fifth-ranked scoring defense.
“I got the utmost confidence in Ben (Johnson), his coaching ability, his playcalling and all of that,” Bears second-year quarterback Caleb Williams said. “I think it comes down to us being able to execute exactly what he puts out there for us as a team, as an offense.”
Johnson was coveted by the Bears in large part because of how he could connect with the 23-year-old Williams. The team began training camp in late July by installing Johnson’s offense, a scheme that’s centered around Williams’ development.
The Bears’ debut with Johnson on the sidelines comes in primetime from Soldier Field. It will put the start of a new era in the national spotlight.
“There’s no reason why we can’t win this year,” Johnson said.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.