[CBFF] CT - Grossman may ride shotgun

[Jerry Madsen]

Grossman may ride shotgun
As Bears QB studies Hall of Famers, his excitement builds
By John Mullin
Tribune staff reporter

April 3, 2007, 9:11 PM CDT

The Bears would like nothing better than to have Rex Grossman play
quarterback like Hall of Famers Joe Montana and Troy Aikman.

And to help him do so with some regularity, the Bears are committed to
using the shotgun formation he used successfully in college at
Florida.

"I'm excited about doing that," Grossman said. "I like it. It's a
little different pass rush for the defensive ends, who don't know
where I'm going to line up. If someone happens to come free, I'll be
able to maneuver better because I'll have my feet set rather than
dropping back and then having to escape."

The shotgun is not a favorite of offensive coordinator Ron Turner.

"I don't know if they have me talked into it," Turner said, laughing,
"It's something we talked about a year ago that we were going to look
into but just never got to."

Grossman, after taking about six weeks off for vacations and to attend
a couple of weddings with wife Alison, has been spending a lot of time
at Halas Hall with new quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton. The former
49ers assistant had access in San Francisco to tapes of Montana and
Aikman doing particular drills that helped them develop in ways that
could benefit Grossman too.

"To see that and some of their game film and how they took that to the
field has been interesting and I'm excited about doing it," Grossman
said, citing footwork, rhythm and balance along with moving in the
pocket as attributes he can develop further.

Grossman was honored as the recipient of the Bears' Ed Block Courage
Award on Tuesday at a luncheon at Maryville Academy in Des Plaines
that raised money for Maryville's educational programs. The award is
voted on by teammates, who witnessed Grossman's courage in coming back
from a succession of injuries as well as bearing up under intense
in-season scrutiny.

"I've never seen a guy go to a Super Bowl his first full year as a
starter and go through as much flak as he did," linebacker Hunter
Hillenmeyer said. "So I'm happy to see him get the recognition. For
him, unfortunately, this is almost a 'cumulative' award."

Despite the battering Grossman took physically and emotionally last
season, he says he learned a lot.

"The benefit is winning two playoff games at home and there's no
substitute for experience," Grossman said. "When you're in an overtime
playoff game at home, it's crunch time and you need to make a play,
having done that before will give me more confidence down the road.

"When we reach [the Super Bowl] again, next time we're going to win it."
Copyright (c) 2007, The Chicago Tribune