Mark Helfrich’s first media session in four months began Wednesday just minutes after the Bears completed their fifth full spring practice. The new offensive coordinator hadn’t had time to process the fresh set of reminders that the offense is a dirt lot with orange under-construction signs all over it.

So when he was asked to characterize what the Bears are building on his side of the ball, Helfrich’s answer naturally gravitated toward process instead of product.

“Well,” he chuckled, “today was a bad build, but that’s to be expected. We’re adding a chunk each day. I thought today was the first day where we … hit the wall.”

He went on to promise corrections and applaud those that have already occurred in the seven weeks since coach Matt Nagy and the staff began installing the offense for players.

By now, the Bears’ quarterback incubator for Mitch Trubisky is fully operational, with Nagy, Helfrich, position coach Dave Ragone and system-ready backups Chase Daniel and Tyler Bray.

Helfrich contributes 15 seasons of experience as a Division I quarterbacks coach, not to mention his stint as Oregon’s head coach from 2013 to 2016. He has settled into his role as a supportive voice for Nagy, a contributor to the new scheme and a teacher for Trubisky in his second season.

“Coach Helfrich is so smart,” Trubisky said. “He’s a very detailed guy. He brings a lot of creativeness to this offense.

“Obviously, he’s got tempo in his background, so we like to implement a little bit of that. His football intelligence and IQ and how he can help me detail plays and just think about different things from different perspectives has allowed me to grow in different areas already.”

At such an elementary stage, results of those lessons are limited to the practice field, evident only in small increments and mixed with stumbles in Trubisky’s footwork or reads, by the quarterback’s admission. That process, though, has energized Helfrich after he spent 2017 in the TV booth calling college games.

“Quarterbacks, we chase perfection, and that’s impossible,” Helfrich said. “It’s a hard chase, but he’s a willing participant in that. He comes to every meeting prepared, with a good question, and he wants to be coached. That’s a big part of it too.”

Trubisky’s competitiveness and mindset specifically appeal to Helfrich and have helped forge their connection.

Coaches, Helfrich said, are beginning to see the offense through Trubisky’s eyes and process it through his brain, understanding more about how the second-year quarterback thinks through the system and his responsibilities. That has been critical to establishing productive dialogue.

“He knows what he knows, and he’s free to admit, talk about and ask what he doesn’t,” Helfrich said. “And that’s not always the case with some guys, whether that’s a pride thing or whatever.

“Today he made some mistakes, today he corrected some guys, but he’ll throw that away and build from the good stuff and continue to add a little bit more each day.”

Nagy is reassured by Helfrich’s quarterback expertise and cited an elevated “trust factor” as he adjusts to a broader range of responsibilities than he was accustomed to as Chiefs coordinator. And Helfrich’s sarcastic sense of humor has added to the group’s chemistry.

“When he’s in there, being able to teach concepts and the whys, he does a great job with that,” Nagy said. “And then he keeps it light. He’s a teacher with the players, and the coaches respect that.”

Helfrich had Nagy’s respect in the hiring process in January partly because of his experience with option concepts, which Nagy has referred to as “college stuff.” At that time, Nagy publicly created an expectation that Helfrich would contribute to designing and coaching those elements into the system, which the Chiefs incorporated prominently last season.

However, Helfrich downplayed any such contributions Wednesday. Asked how his fingerprints are on the Bears offense, he quipped: “They are on the playbook somewhere, and they’re on the outside.” He added this is “100 percent (Nagy’s) system” and that he contributes more modest edits and adaptations as practices proceed.

“You’re talking about an angle of a release on a route that might change or a width of a split or a little schematic change on the interior of the offensive line, how you communicate things,” Helfrich said. “If it’s something we can tweak a little bit and do differently or do better, I’ll suggest it. And if not, I won’t say anything.”

Nagy and Trubisky appreciate his input. Their proximity to perfection — this year and beyond — will partly depend on it.

rcampbell@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @Rich_Campbell

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