Jim O'Donnell: The only thing that Tyson Bagent has to fear is Getsy's offense itself
BY NOW, ANYONE WHO CARES knows that Bears rookie Tyson Bagent threw for 17,034 yards and 159 touchdowns in five seasons at D-II Shepherd University in West Virginia.
Those are lofty numbers, even if the opposition was nothing more than the Harper 2 Panda Bears in dorm league competition.
Not all are aware of the twists of fate that have brought young Bagent from almost heaven to the threshold of starting against the visiting Raiders Sunday (Fox, noon; fifth-string Kevin Kugler and Mark Sanchez).
BAGENT'S PLAY WAS NUDGING NFL RADARS prior to his final collegiate season. In the summer of 2022, he was invited to participate at the prestigious Manning Passing Academy in Florida.
Among the regulars there was Jim Nagy, executive director of the annual Reese's Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. (And no relation to the notorious Matt Nagy.)
Nagy - who is forever sniffing around NFL GM jobs - was impressed enough that last winter, he tabbed Bagent to play as a fifth QB in the February showcase.
Bagent was assigned to the "National" team along with Max Duggan - the Heisman Trophy runner-up from TCU - and Clayton Tune (University of Houston).
The head coach of the Nationals?
None other than the inimitable Luke Getsy, the much-maligned fellow attempting to learn to be offensive coordinator of the Bears.
GETSY PLAYED THE THREE in chunk sequence - starter Tune, Duggan and Bagent, who quarterbacked the game's final 18 minutes.
The Americans - of course - trounced Getsy's Nationals, 27-10 (and undoubtedly covered).
But Getsy lobbied hard for the Bears to bring Bagent in as an undrafted free agent.
NOW, ABRACADABRA - the mightily confident 23-year-old is only 60 playing minutes away from being the welcome young quarterback of a 2-5 NFL team wheezing toward the 2024 draft.
Probably exactly what he dreamed about as a lad back in Martinsburg, W. Va.
Best news: At least for one given Sunday, the recurring nightmares of Justin Fields will likely get a break and give way to the blue-ridge fairy tale of Tyson Bagent.
Since the 2023 Bears season has already been reduced to burnt-orange scraps, why not?
STREET-BEATIN':
Luke Richardson has done a stout job coaxing the baby-mix Blackhawks to a 2-2 start. Now if Connor Bedard and mates could start winning more faceoffs and scoring power-play goals. Their arduous opening five-game road trip finally ends after tonight at streaking Colorado (ESPN, 9:30 p.m.). Saturday, NBCSCH's Darren Pang and Chris Vosters will be around the red carpet as the Hawks finally see the innards of the United Center vs. defending jackpot Vegas (6 p.m., with puck drop about one hour later). ...
The announcement of Roger Goodell's three-year contract extension Wednesday reminds that the NFL commissioner's wife is Jane Skinner, the former Fox News Channel anchor. Her father - attorney Sam Skinner (Wheaton High '56) - had white-hot briefs during Republican presidential administrations from Nixon to Bush II. The no-stick Goodell will be 68 when his pricey new pact expires in March 2027. ...
The Big Ten East has a rare October attraction when Drew Allar and Penn State (+4) travel to Ohio State Saturday (Fox, 11 a.m.). Both are unbeaten (6-0) and have a game vs. Michigan remaining. If all three finish 8-1 in conference, there is a sequence of increasingly finite tiebreakers to determine who plays in the loop's championship game. No. 8 - from the Florida hanging-chad file - is a blind draw. ...
An exceptional prep game when Loyola (8-0) hosts Mount Carmel (8-0) Saturday (CW26, 1 p.m.). The four horsemen of "The U" TV team will include: Jim Blaney, Jack McInerney, Kenny McReynolds and Kacy Standohar. Loyola RB Finley Miller gained 129 yards on 4 carries (average - 32.2 per attempt) during a 41-7 win over Benet last weekend; the purple-pedigreed Ryan Fitzgerald quarterbacks the Ramblers. ...
A pair of terrific honors for two Chicago Tribune alumni: Don Pierson - one of the best Bears insiders ever - has been designated as a Local Legend by the History Center of Lake Forest-Lake Bluff. And Fred Mitchell won the 2023 Excellence in Media Award from the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame. (Thankfully, humble Fred did not go "Chatty K" on his acknowledgment speech.) ...
And Steve Kenner, on the specter of a Philadelphia-Texas World Series: "If that was the payoff in "Rocky I," Sylvester Stallone would never have run up those museum steps."
• Jim O'Donnell's Sports and Media column appears each week on Sunday and Thursday. Reach him at jimodonnelldh@yahoo.com. All communications may be considered for publication.