Tyson Bagent prides himself on his preparation.
It is, he says, an enormous a part of what has propelled him from being a zero-star highschool recruit in West Virginia to the verge of his first NFL begin Sunday at Soldier Field.
So when the query got here to Bagent on Wednesday throughout his first information convention because the Chicago Bears Week 7 beginning quarterback, he responded as if he had ready for this too.
What was his backup plan if this dream to play within the NFL didn’t materialize out of his uncommon path by means of Division II soccer?
“I was going to basically just CrossFit my life away, get as ripped and jacked as I possibly could,” Bagent mentioned with out lacking a beat. “And be a teacher at Martinsburg High School.”
Martinsburg High, situated in jap West Virginia about 80 miles from Washington, D.C., must wait to rent its ripped alumnus.
Bagent, 23, has extra odds to defy.
Five years in the past, Bagent was starting his collegiate profession at Division II Shepherd, in Shepherdstown, W.Va., his native college and the alma mater of his dad and mom. He had acquired simply two Division I FCS provides — and no FBS provides — regardless of main his highschool staff to 2 state championships. Less than six months in the past, he went unselected within the NFL draft regardless of a record-breaking collegiate profession and strong efficiency on the Senior Bowl. Seven weeks in the past, after a powerful coaching camp and preseason, he beat out veteran PJ Walker to make the Bears roster regardless of getting into camp because the fourth quarterback.
Now, on Sunday when he takes the sector in opposition to the Las Vegas Raiders, Bagent will grow to be simply the fourth undrafted rookie quarterback since 1990 to start out inside the first seven video games of the season, the final Devlin Hodges in 2019, in keeping with NFL Communications.
The length of this chance is unclear. The Bears have mentioned starter Justin Fields’ return from a thumb damage will rely upon his grip power, and coach Matt Eberflus supplied an encouraging replace Friday, saying Fields will not be headed towards injured reserve or surgical procedure as of now.
But no matter how lengthy Bagent has, he hopes to steer the Bears with a confidence that has impressed teammates and coaches — and that he says comes from being ready for a second he and his father, a world champion arm wrestler, all the time believed was going to reach.
“Me and my dad really were the only ones who thought that this was going to happen,” Bagent mentioned. “After that, it was just figuring out how I could outwork everybody that maybe had more things than I did, had better facilities and all that stuff. It was really just trying to get it out of the mud, putting a lot of work in the shadows, just so I’d be ready for this week.”
‘Working his tail off’
On the quick break NFL rookies get between minicamp in June and the start of coaching camp in July, Bagent knew he wanted to apply relaying play calls, so he enlisted the assistance of Michael McCook, a former Shepherd tight finish, present assistant and the son of head coach Ernie McCook.
Bagent stood in the course of the soccer subject carrying an earpiece and took telephone calls from his pal.
Michael McCook delivered the play name to Bagent, who then went by means of the presnap course of, approaching the invisible huddle to offer the decision, placing his imaginary teammates in movement and making changes on the line of scrimmage.
“They did it in person, and then if one was on vacation or at the beach, they would do it by telephone,” Ernie McCook mentioned. “And that’s who he is. I told every NFL scout that came in here, ‘You are never going to embarrass yourself by bringing him up, jumping on the table for him. I don’t know if he can make your team. But nobody is ever going to say, why did we bring this guy into camp?’ And I think that’s showing up.”
Ernie McCook watched Bagent develop up. He went to the identical church because the Bagent household and taught Bagent’s father, Travis, at Shepherd. He noticed the household’s oldest baby from afar, noting the way in which he carried himself with poise as a highschool scholar who was well-known within the space due to his prep success.
And as quickly as Bagent signed with Shepherd, McCook noticed the work the quarterback was prepared to place in. Bagent, nonetheless a highschool senior, arrived at spring practices to face behind the huddle and observe.
McCook likes to inform a narrative from July of Bagent’s sophomore 12 months. The Friday earlier than offensive coordinator Tye Hiatt left for a household trip, Bagent referred to as to see if he may go over to his home to assessment some issues on offense. That evening, Hiatt’s spouse made dinner and packed the van so the pair may speak soccer. It was the center of summer time, however Bagent couldn’t wait per week to confer along with his coordinator.
Bagent sees work like that as a gas for his confidence, particularly going up in opposition to competitors that’s far superior to what he has confronted for many of his profession.
“Going through college football, you start to see guys who are really good that don’t make it because they don’t know where they’re going,” Bagent mentioned. “So when you’re not the quickest man right here and also you’re not the very best athlete on the sector, so long as you understand the place you’re going … or know what everyone’s doing, you’re often going to function a little bit bit higher than guys that is likely to be a little bit bit higher than you bodily.
“Especially at this level, everybody’s really smart and really fast, so really understanding what’s going on around me has been the only real focal point since I’ve been here.”
When Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy first obtained to know Bagent whereas teaching on the Senior Bowl in January, Getsy thought the quarterback was a little bit nervous. But as he obtained to know Bagent higher all through the week, he realized Bagent was merely ultrafocused on his preparation.
“It was because he was working his tail off so much by the time we got to Wednesday, Thursday (of that week) I saw a guy ready to rock and roll,” Getsy mentioned.
That work has carried over to getting ready in his position with the Bears.
Wide receiver Tyler Scott sat subsequent to Bagent on a few airplane rides residence from video games, and Bagent already was diving into movie. When Bagent watched Fields take starters reps throughout practices earlier this season, Eberflus requested the backup two or thrice per interval to inform him a couple of play — and Bagent all the time was on it. And tight finish Cole Kmet mentioned Bagent didn’t mess up a play name within the huddle over the past week of apply.
“And these are long play calls,” Kmet mentioned. “You’d have a tough time repeating these things.”
Bagent mentioned when the Bears wanted him to play when Fields was injured within the third quarter Sunday in opposition to the Minnesota Vikings, he reassured them he was prepared.
“Whatever they want to put on that call sheet will be understood through and through by myself,” he mentioned. “I put that on me going into the game last week. I just told them, ‘I know you guys have a lot of faith in me, but I want to let you know I know the whole call sheet so don’t be afraid to do your thing, call your plays. Don’t hinder the offense just because I’m going in there because I’ve prepared for this all week.’ So I take pride in doing that.”
Along along with his preparation, Bagent has one thing else that offers him confidence — an entire lot of soccer underneath his belt, even when it was in opposition to lesser competitors.
A record-breaking profession
The throw Brian Walker calls “arguably the greatest pass in Division II history” got here in opposition to Notre Dame within the ultimate seconds of the second spherical of the 2021 playoffs. To be clear, that’s Notre Dame College of South Euclid, Ohio.
Notre Dame took a 34-31 lead with 28 seconds to play. But after a kickoff return and a 32-yard Bagent go, Shepherd had the ball on the Falcons 23-yard line with 10 seconds to play. As the pocket collapsed, Bagent broke proper and delivered a strike within the ultimate second to Josh Gontarek, who made the leaping catch in the long run zone, tumbled down and ran to the fence, the place exuberant followers watching from a hill scrambled right down to have fun.
“The stadium goes crazy,” Walker mentioned.
Just a few weeks later, Bagent gained the Harlon Hill Trophy, given to the very best participant in D-II soccer.
That landing go was considered one of an NCAA all-divisions document 159 Bagent threw throughout his profession at Shepherd. Walker, a decent finish, caught No. 149, which set the D-II document in opposition to East Stroudsburg, whose coach, Jimmy Terwilliger, held the earlier document. And Walker additionally caught No. 158 in opposition to Indiana (Pa.), which broke the NCAA all-divisions document held by Monmouth’s Alex Tanney, now the Philadelphia Eagles quarterbacks coach.
“We knew a long time ago that Tyson was the real deal,” mentioned Walker, who spent the offseason program with the Baltimore Ravens. “What he’s doing right now is nothing but excellent, but not surprising for guys that have seen him for so long.”
Out of highschool, Bagent solely acquired provides from FCS Albany and Robert Morris, an apparent “mistake” by different applications, McCook declared.
“Their decisions made me very lucky and our program very lucky,” he mentioned.
Bagent seized Shepherd’s beginning position as a freshman, throwing for 518 yards in his first recreation, and by the top of that season, McCook realized Bagent was his greatest participant and chief on the sector. His stats obtained higher every season, getting to five,000 yards and 53 touchdowns in his junior 12 months.
“We never felt we were out of a game,” McCook mentioned. “He has a way to will teams to win. He has great poise and composure. He has a tremendous competitiveness. And he’s one of these players I truly believe make people around them better.”
After that 2021 season, Bagent entered the switch portal to weigh going to a Division I faculty and made official visits to West Virginia and Maryland. He strongly thought of Maryland however finally determined to remain at Shepherd as a result of the trail to commencement would have required considerably extra credit score hours if he transferred and he needed keep close to his sick grandfather.
“I didn’t think it would affect my ability to get (to the NFL). I thought it might affect the stock a little bit,” Bagent mentioned of not transferring. “But I felt like I was already playing for the best coaching staff. I felt like I was already in a winning situation. In hindsight, I definitely made the right decision in staying and coming back.”
McCook had listened to Bagent all through the entire course of as a highschool coach may advise his recruit, making an attempt to take away his viewpoint from the scenario, however when Bagent referred to as to inform him he was staying at Shepherd it was a reduction for each. Bagent was set to go to the compliance workplace to be faraway from the portal the next Monday, however snow blanketed the Shepherd campus, shutting down the amenities and delaying the transfer.
The subsequent day when Bagent went into the athletic workplaces, an anxious McCook supplied to stroll him right down to the compliance workplace.
“It was one of those things I wanted to make sure it happened,” McCook mentioned with amusing. “It was something I’m glad he did because he got a chance to explore it. … I just wanted to make sure he had an opportunity to get into an NFL camp.”
McCook mentioned they tried to “roll out the red carpet” for the scouts from each NFL staff that traveled to Shepherdstown over the subsequent 12 months as Bagent threw for 4,580 yards, 41 touchdowns and eight interceptions as a senior. That Bagent wasn’t considered one of 14 quarterbacks drafted this 12 months was a shock to these at Shepherd who noticed him throw for 17,034 profession passing yards — the Athletic had given him a seventh-round grade — however it paved the way in which for the Bears to step in and signal him as an undrafted free agent.
Poise wanted
During Bagent’s school profession, Shepherd had a soccer fundraiser referred to as “Pulling for the Rams,” at which gamers competed in tug of battle in entrance of followers. At the top, Travis Bagent lined up all the gamers and arm wrestled every one after the other.
“He put us all down,” Walker mentioned. “We’ve all had our taste of the arm wrestling, and none of us have been pursuing it since.”
In the few conferences with Chicago reporters thus far, Tyson Bagent is fast to attach his household’s help to his success and motivation. Travis Bagent, whom Walker referred to as “everything you’d want in a dad, everything you’d want in a sports agent, marketer,” is a loud, outgoing man who earned a reputation by means of his arm-wrestling prowess nicely earlier than his son turned recognized.
Bears broad receiver Darnell Mooney had seen a video of Travis arm wrestling NFL Network host Tom Pelissero on the scouting mix this 12 months. When Mooney put it collectively that Travis was Tyson’s father, it made sense.
“I’m like, ‘Oh, I see where you get your confidence from,’ ” Mooney mentioned.
As McCook sees it, Travis has been a driving power in his son’s aggressive nature, whereas Tyson’s mom, Casey, is the extra laid-back, calming presence. Tyson, he mentioned, is a mixture of each.
And Bagent definitely will want each this weekend.
Bagent didn’t brush off the questions this week in regards to the variations between taking part in West Chester (Pa.) one 12 months in the past and the Raiders and Pro Bowl defensive finish Maxx Crosby this week.
He was made conscious of what he was dealing with three snaps into changing Fields in opposition to the Vikings, when security Josh Metellus knocked the ball from his arms and linebacker Jordan Hicks returned it for a landing.
Bagent bounced again to steer a landing drive however then threw an interception to Byron Murphy Jr. on an underthrown deep shot to DJ Moore because the Bears have been making an attempt to take the lead. It was considered one of many studying experiences he’s positive to face for so long as he’s beginning for the Bears.
“He’s right in the middle of the pocket and he took three hitches,” Getsy mentioned. “He really ran himself into the left guard. So, it’s one hitch, let it fly. … If you get the hesitation, then you’ve got to go get your checkdown, and he didn’t do that.”
Poise has been a standard descriptor amongst those that know Bagent nicely and people nonetheless attending to know him. It’s positive to be examined Sunday, however Walker mentioned he all the time handed the problem at his earlier cease.
“Cool as a cucumber,” Walker mentioned. “That’s not coachable. That’s something you’re born with and you develop on your own. … He can throw an interception and he’s not going to come to the sideline and start screaming and yelling, throwing stuff around, nothing like that. He evaluates what happens, takes it, gets back out there and makes the correction.”
Bagent’s alternative within the beginning position is likely to be short-lived. Eberflus mentioned the swelling in Fields’ hand has gone down and Fields is getting some power again in it. The Bears will give him the reins again when he’s wholesome. So Bagent must make the most of what he’s given to make an impression.
Bagent mentioned his members of the family checked in with him all week to ensure he wasn’t “freaking out behind the scenes” as he ready.
He instructed them he was good.
“Coming from where I come from, I’ve pretty much beat every odd that there was for me,” Bagent mentioned. “So I’ve got nothing to lose. I’m going to go out there and fight with these guys to the death and try to stack up as many wins as I can until we get Justin back.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com