CHICAGO, IL - - Dave Toub has been a successful special teams coach with the Chicago Bears, but still appreciates his days with high school football.
Toub became special teams coordinator for the Bears in 2004. Under Toub's direction,
He coached dazzling kickoff returning specialist Devin Hester, who returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown in the 2007 Super Bowl. Hester had seven touchdown returns during his rookie season.
Toub finds special teams to be a perfect fit.
"There's so many variations in special teams. The game plan is exciting. There's so many different things. There's so much variety to it,” Toub said.
Through 2006, the two-year punt return average of 7.2 yards allowed by the Bears during Toub's time ranked fifth in the NFL while their kickoff return average of 20.6 yards allowed ranked sixth in the league at that time.
Under Toub's guidance, the Bears boasted Brendon Ayanbadejo, a two-time Pro Bowl alternate selection, with 25 special team tackles. He helped the Bears rank second in the NFL in kickoff coverage and 15th in punt coverage in 2005.
The Bears also that season had a 108-yard missed field goal return by Nathan Vasher to set a record for the longest touchdown in NFL history.
Toub came to the Bears after three years with the Philadelphia Eagles as the assistant special teams and defensive line coach.
With
Toub was a ninth-round draft choice of the Eagles in 1985 and returned to
Before coming to the NFL, Toub was on the college level for 15 seasons, including 12 at
Toub played a role in having three all-Big 12 defensive linemen from 1998-2000, including Justin Smith, a first-round draft pick. In 1998, he was named the Big 12 Conference's strength and conditioning coach of the year.
He started his coaching career in 1986 at his alma mater, Texas-El Paso, as a graduate assistant. Later, he began a two-year stint as the school's head strength and conditioning coach (1987-88).
Toub played for the Eagles in 1985 and the Los Angeles Rams in 1986. At Texas-El Paso, he was a two-time all-WAC choice. A two-time team captain was also named the program's most outstanding offensive lineman during his junior and senior seasons.
He was born in
His coach at Mahopac, Gerry Keevins, "taught us work ethic," Toub said. "I played offense and defense. I understand what it's like to play both sides. That helps me in coaching special teams. I was under some great coaches. These guys got me prepared. My coaching style is what they taught me."
Toub played center and defensive end in high school.
'We didn't win any championships. We were a .500 team. We had budget issues we had to deal with," Toub said. "We had a graduating class of 700. We had a lot of kids."
Coaching became Toub's passion during his playing career.
"Coming out of high school, I didn't get recruited by a lot of colleges," he said. "When I went to college, I wanted to be a high school coach. That was my goal."
Toub's goal took a different turn to the college and pro ranks, but he has key advise for high school players and coaches who aspire to reach the pros.
"You have to get a break. You have to kind of know someone," he said. "I've talked to a lot of high school coaches. If there's something you want to do, then don't give up on it."
Toub expects to be in coaching for a long time.
"I love what I do," Toub said. "I love coming to work. I don't see myself retiring young. I love it too much."
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Story courtesy of Red Line Editorial, Inc.
