Bears' Dowell Loggains Sees Matt Barkley's Potential As NFL Starter

By Chris Emma--

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (CBS) -- Long before he had risen up the coaching ranks, Dowell Loggains was a 25-year-old scouting assistant working in Dallas when a quarterback emerged from the practice squad and became the Cowboys' starter.

Loggains watched as Tony Romo would become one of the NFL's premier quarterbacks. He saw something there from the beginning.

Bears quarterback Matt Barkley isn't the Cinderella story of Romo, who was little known coming from Eastern Illinois. Barkley was a top recruit who became a Heisman candidate at USC. He was expected to be a star in the NFL.

Now here is Barkley, finally getting a chance as the team's starter after injuries to Jay Cutler and Brian Hoyer. It's a rare opportunity that reminded Loggains, the team's offensive coordinator, of Romo's rise. He sees some of the same traits.

"Every guy is different," Loggains said of Barkley. "As they build experience and you get to watch them more and more, you make your decisions based on that. Very seldom do you see a guy right away and say, 'Hey, this guy can play,' because you don't know what it's going to be like under pressure.

"I don't think Matt's flinched at all. I think Matt knows who he is. He's a quiet guy, he's a leader, he's an encourager. He talks to guys a lot, does a really good job. I was coming off the field and he had the running backs out there running routes and catching footballs. What I've seen the biggest difference is how other guys respond to him, how open he is with those guys and how well he communicates with them."

Barkley has thrown for three touchdowns and two interceptions in his first two NFL starts, with a completion percentage of 54.1 percent. He nearly led a fourth-quarter comeback against the Titans two weeks ago, then paced the Bears to a 26-6 victory over the 49ers this past Sunday.

The Bears will likely be looking for their next franchise quarterback this offseason. Meanwhile, Barkley has the rare opportunity to prove himself as a starter in this league.

Early on, Loggains has been impressed by the abilities Barkley has shown.

"He does have the mental makeup," Loggains said. "The intangibles, the qualities that you look for in a quarterback."

Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago's sports scene and more for CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670 and like his Facebook page.