There wasnāt a single game Harry Hiestand coached while at Notre Dame ā 77 in total ā in which he didnāt have a future top-20 pick starting at left tackle.
Zack Martin (16th overall, 2014) was followed by Ronnie Stanley (6th overall, 2016), who gave way to Mike McGlinchey (9th overall, 2018). Hiestand also developed Quenton Nelson, who went on to be the highest interior offensive lineman drafted (6th overall, 2018) since 1986. Nelson and McGlinchey became the first pair of college offensive line teammates to be drafted in the first 10 picks since 1991, when Tennessee had tackles Charles McRae and Antone Davis go seventh and eighth.
āIt wasnāt surprising because the kind of guys they are, they absolutely did everything the right way, the way they took care of themselves, the way they trained, the teammates that they are and were,ā Hiestand said. āThey just did it all the way you wanted them to do it. So it was. It was a good moment.ā
Hiestand said he had a sense of pride after seeing his two former players be drafted so high, even if he wasn't able to re-unite with either of them. The Bears, of course, didnāt have a chance to draft Nelson, and had conviction on using the eighth overall pick on linebacker Roquan Smith (as well as having tackles Charles Leno and Bobby Massie in place for the 2018 season).
Anecdotally, one former Notre Dame player said (maybe half-jokingly) that Nelson and McGlinchey were fighting each other to see who could get drafted by the Bears to play with Hiestand again.
āThereās nobody that Iāve been around in this game thatās more passionate about what he does,ā McGlinchey, now with the San Francisco 49ers, said of Hiestand at Notre Dameās pro day in March. āThereās really only two things that are important to him, and thatās his family and then his offensive linemen. Thereās a lot to be said for that.
āIn this game, everybodyās always trying to work an angle to up their own career ā he doesnāt want to do anything but coach O-line, and thatās what really sticks out to us as players. He cares for us like weāre his own. Obviously he coaches extremely hard and is very demanding of his players, which I loved ā he pushed me to be the player that I am.
āIām standing in front of all you guys because of Harry Hiestand. But the amount of passion and care that he has not only for his job but his teaching abilities and his players is what sets him apart.ā
Hiestand couldāve stayed as long as he wanted at Notre Dame, presumably, given how much success he had recruiting and developing players there. But six years at one spot is a long time for a position coach, especially at the college level, where the grind of recruiting is so vital to the success of a program. Itās also not like every one of the blue-chip prospects Hiestand recruited to South Bend panned out, either.
So Hiestand knew he wanted to get back to the NFL after coaching with the Bears under Lovie Smith from 2005-2009. Itās a new challenge for him now, not only to develop second-round pick James Daniels but to continue the growth of Cody Whitehair and Leno while getting the most out of Kyle Long, Massie and the rest of the group (back during his first stint with the Bears, Hiestand had the luxury of coaching experienced, more ready-made offensive lines).
As one of the more highly-regarded offensive line coaches in the country, though, Hiestand couldāve jumped back into the NFL whenever, and nearly wherever, he wanted. And for him, coming back to the Bears was the perfect fit.
āThatās an awesome, awesome place, a great franchise,ā Hiestand said. āIt was something, I always wanted to go back, I didnāt know where I would get the opportunity. So Iām just very fortunate it just happened to be back at the same place that I was before. There are a lot of things that are different but thereās also a lot thatās the same.
āBut itās one of the ā it is the greatest organization. Historically, this is where it all began, and being part of it ā and the other thing, and I told those guys when I got here, when we get it done here, you guys are going to see this city like youāve never seen it. And I remember that. Thatās what weāre after.ā
