3 best Indianapolis Colts coaching candidates to replace Frank Reich

The Indianapolis Colts entered the 2022 NFL season because the heavy favourite to win the AFC South with Frank Reich considered as probably the greatest head coaches within the NFL. Amid one other disappointing season for the franchise, it’s time to think about Colts teaching candidates who would possibly must be thought-about if Reich is fired.

Reich’s path to turning into the top coach in Indianapolis was unconventional. Considered as a rising teaching candidate in 2018, he missed out on the hiring cycle till Josh McDaniels again out on the Colts. Shortly after, the franchise responded by hiring Reich in a reunion after he started his profession with Indianapolis as a training intern (2006-’07) after which labored his method up as a positional coach.

Indianapolis Colts schedule

It regarded like Reich would assist the Colts turn into probably the greatest groups within the NFL after 2018. Indianapolis completed with a 10-6 file, reaching the AFC Divisional Spherical. Andrew Luck began each recreation, ending with 4,593 passing yards and a career-high 98.7 quarterback ranking. The franchise appeared poised to make the leap into Tremendous Bowl competition the next yr, however that each one modified when Luck all of the sudden retired.

• Frank Reich profession file: 40-31-1 within the common season, 1-2 in NFL playoffs

Reich has tried to make issues work offensively ever since. In 2019 with beginning quarterback Jacoby Brissett, Indianapolis went 7=9 and missed the playoffs. Issues obtained higher with the change to Philip Rivers, the Colts completed 11-5 and made the playoffs. However Reich might solely get a lot out of a quarterback who was able to retire. Reich then hand-picked Carson Wentz in 2021 and overpaid to amass him, solely to have the whole group bitter on Wentz lengthy earlier than his late-season collapse.

Takeaways from the most recent Indianapolis Colts’ loss

Quick ahead to 2022 and the Colts are not any higher with Matt Ryan. Reich, praised for his offensive thoughts, is overseeing an offense that ranks twenty seventh in yards per play (5.0), scoring fee (30.3%) and is twenty second in its variety of touchdowns when contained in the pink zone (50%). With the losses piling up, it’s turning into evident that change is important.

Conserving that in thoughts, listed here are three Indianapolis Colts teaching candidates who might substitute Frank Reich.

Brian Johnson, Philadelphia Eagles quarterbacks coach

It’s evident the Indianapolis Colts can be out there for a quarterback as soon as once more this offseason. Luckily, the annual search can be made somewhat simpler with loads of high quality picks within the 2023 NFL Draft. Whether or not Indianapolis strikes up for its subsequent face of the franchise or one turns into obtainable by way of commerce, they want the precise coach within the constructing to make all the things work.

Brian Johnson needs to be among the many hottest teaching candidates in 2023. Shortly after the previous quarterback’s enjoying profession led to 2009, he returned to the Utah Utes as their quarterbacks coach (2010-’11). After two years in that place, the 24-year-old grew to become the youngest offensive coordinator in FBS historical past. He then made stops at Mississippi State (2014-’16), Houston (2017) and the College of Florida (2018-’20) earlier than the Philadelphia Eagles employed him as their quarterbacks’ coach in 2021.

• Florida Gators offense (2020): 378.6 cross ypg (1st in FBS), 26.3 first downs per recreation (eighth), 7.3 yards per play (ninth), 39.8 ppg (thirteenth)
• Philadelphia Eagles passing offense (2022): 66.8% completion fee (eighth in NFL), 8.2 yards per try (T-1st), 98.4 QB ranking (fifth)

Now 35, Johnson has been integral to the event of quarterback Jalen Hurts and he works one-on-one with him after every drive, within the movie room and all through follow every week. If proprietor Jim Irsay needs to usher in probably the greatest, younger quarterback whispers in soccer and soar out forward of the NFL curve, Johnson have to be interviewed by Indianapolis.

Mike Kafka, offensive coordinator, New York Giants

Brian Daboll deserves to be the NFL Coach of the Yr for turning across the New York Giants. He carried out a much better tradition throughout the locker room and it’s resulted in a workforce that wins in quite a lot of methods. He’s additionally one of many NFL’s finest offensive play designers, however he’s not the one calling performs in New York this season.

NFL offense rankings

Kafka is quickly climbing the teaching ladder. A profession backup quarterback within the NFL from 2010-’15, the Northwestern alum instantly grew to become a graduate assistant for the Wildcats in 2016. He joined Andy Reid’s employees as an offensive high quality management coach a yr later and was then promoted to quarterbacks coach (2018-’21), the primary season Patrick Mahomes took over because the beginning quarterback. He performed an necessary function in Mahomes’ growth, earned extra obligations as Kansas Metropolis’s pass-game coordinator and realized from a Tremendous Bowl-winning coach about find out how to design sustainable NFL offenses.

“After I began teaching with Coach (Andy) Reid he was huge on that: exhibiting sure appears to be like, exhibiting formations, sure performs, then complementing these appears to be like off of the motion of a personnel grouping. That was necessary to study that, and I believe that’s in all probability the place it began for me is how do you construct that? How do you construct off of these performs or issues that you simply’ve proven in weeks earlier than to then convey up in a recreation that the protection is type of anticipating.”

New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka on what he realized from Andy Reid (H/T NY Every day Information)

Daboll picked Kafka as his offensive coordinator and play-caller as a result of he is aware of find out how to talk effectively with gamers and he believed strongly in his mind when it got here to in-game changes and figuring out what to do in sure conditions. Many had low expectations for the Giants’ offense in 2022, nevertheless it boasts a 40% third-down conversion fee and ranks fifth in second-half scoring (13.9 PPG).

He’s conducting this with Saquon Barkley and a quarterback who many nonetheless view as common on his finest days. If Kafka grew to become the following Indianapolis Colts head coach, he would have Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman Jr, Alec Pierce and will assist choose the following quarterback.

Jerod Mayo, New England Patriots inside linebackers coach

Jerod Mayo final performed within the NFL in 2015, stepping away from the sphere after years of accidents. By 2019, he was again on the sideline working alongside Belichick because the New England Patriots’ inside linebackers coach. Belichick has provided glowing reward for Mayo’s work ethic and highlighted his skills as a frontrunner in 2014. As well as,  NFL Community’s Tom Pelissero beforehand reported that the Philadelphia Eagles have been blown away by their interviews with Mayo and he appeared to turn into a finalist for the place in 2021.

There could be some danger with hiring from the Invoice Belichick teaching tree, contemplating its restricted success. Nonetheless, it’s a much better choice than hiring a school head coach with out NFL expertise. As for considerations concerning Mayo by no means being a defensive coordinator, it’s been made clear that he performs an integral function in Belichick’s defensive recreation plans and is likely one of the most trusted figures contained in the Patriots’ group.

Mayo’s defensive thoughts separates him from the opposite teaching candidates we profiled. Nonetheless, his management is a standard trait that organizations closely contemplate when selecting their subsequent coach. The particular person employed must know find out how to command the respect of the locker room, dealing with issues that come up with fast and sound decision-making. Mayo will convey a unique vitality to Indianapolis and if Irsay actually needs to shake issues up, going from an important offensive thoughts to a coach with experience on protection is smart.

Indianapolis Colts teaching candidates

• Ken Dorsey, Buffalo Payments offensive coordinator
• Ejiro Evero, Denver Broncos defensive coordinator
• Chris Horton, Baltimore Ravens particular groups coordinator
• Bubba Ventrone, Indianapolis Colts particular groups coordinator

Sportsnaut will present extra evaluation of potential Indianapolis Colts teaching candidates all through the season