Colts’ 2023 Head Coach Candidate: Jeff Saturday

The Indianapolis Colts enter the 2023 NFL offseason in want of a brand new head coach. Former Head Coach Frank Reich did an admirable job in his 4.5 years with the group, main the Colts to a 40-33-1 report regardless of having to work with a brand new beginning quarterback each season.

Finally, it got here time to maneuver on from Reich because the group stagnated and hit a wall beneath the him in latest seasons. Whereas the Colts will not be the best vacation spot throughout the league, they need to be capable of generate a good quantity of curiosity for one of many 32 most coveted positions within the sport.

On this collection, I’ll dive right into a handful of the teaching candidates that the Colts might/ought to interview throughout their search and break down their background/{qualifications} for the job. First up, let’s begin with the Colts’ interim head coach Jeff Saturday…

Background within the NFL

Jeff Saturday started his NFL profession again in 1998 when he signed by the Baltimore Ravens after going undrafted. His first stint within the league did not final lengthy, because the Ravens opted to waive him almost two months after giving him his first contract.

He did make a return to the NFL the next 12 months, because the Indianapolis Colts signed him to deal after a exercise in 1999. After that, the remaining is historical past. Saturday would go on to be one of many extra profitable facilities of the 2000’s within the NFL, and he was one of many star gamers on a Colts’ group that gained the Tremendous Bowl in 2007.

Saturday appeared in 211 video games in his NFL profession, beginning in 202 of these video games. He completed his profession as a two-time First-team All Professional and a two-time Second-team All Professional. He was additionally a six-time Professional Bowler within the league and was inducted into the Colts’ Ring of Honor again in 2015.

After his retirement in 2012, Saturday would go on to hitch ESPN in 2013, a job that he stayed with all the way in which up till he took the Colts’ interim head coach job this season.

Teaching {Qualifications}

In relation to a majority of head teaching candidates that we’ll cowl on this collection, Saturday is probably going essentially the most under-qualified for the place. He did play within the league at a excessive degree, however there may be way more that goes into being a head coach than merely enjoying within the league.

Outdoors of this interim teaching stint with the Colts, the one different expertise that Saturday has within the teaching world got here at the highschool degree. He was the pinnacle coach of Hebron Christian Academy in Dacula, Georgia from 2017-2020. Throughout his time there, he led the group to a modest 20-17 report.

The Jeff Saturday-led Colts have been in a free fall since he took over. The group simply has the worst level differential within the NFL over his eight week run (-80), sitting at a report of 1-7 in that point span. The Colts have misplaced three video games by three scores or extra, and so they additionally blew the largest lead within the historical past of the NFL to the Minnesota Vikings.

Whereas Jeff Saturday was given a near-impossible activity coming in, this resume is way from thrilling.

Potential Workers Connections

Attributable to Jeff Saturday’s lack of expertise within the teaching world, this record might be a lot smaller than different candidates on this collection. Listed below are some accessible coaches that he overlapped with that might match the invoice for each coordinator roles.

Reminder these are simply candidates that he has labored with previously, not essentially those who he would for positive rent.

Offensive Coordinator

Graham Harrell, Purdue Offensive Coordinator: Teammate with the Inexperienced Bay Packers again in 2012.

Ben McAdoo, Carolina Panthers Offensive Coordinator: QB Coach with the Inexperienced Bay Packers again in 2012.

Tom Clements, Inexperienced Bay Packers QB Coach: OC with the Inexperienced Bay Packers again in 2012.

Jim Bob Cooter, Jacksonville Jaguars Passing Recreation Coordinator: Offensive Assistant with the Indianapolis Colts from 2009-2011.

Dan Orlovsky, Former QB/ESPN Character: Former coworker at ESPN.

Defensive Coordinator

Alan Williams, Defensive Coordinator Chicago Bears: DB Coach with the Indianapolis Colts from 2002-2011.

Joe Whitt Jr, Secondary Coach Dallas Cowboys: Secondary Coach with the Inexperienced Bay Packers in 2012.

Rex Ryan, Former Head Coach/ESPN Character: Former coworker at ESPN.

Th Backside Line

Jeff Saturday will not be essentially the most fascinating or essentially the most certified coach for the Colts throughout this cycle, however he’s any person that can get a sensible shot on the job. Proprietor Jim Irsay is an ardent supporter of Saturday and he has said a number of instances that Saturday will get an interview for the job.

Will Jeff Saturday be the Colts’ subsequent full-time head coach? Would you be a fan of this rent? Inform me your ideas about it over on Twitter by mentioning @ZachHicks2.   

Want your fill on day by day Colts’ content material? Head over to the Locked On Colts’ YouTube channel the place Jake Arthur and myself hit on all the most important matters surrounding this group. Hit that subscribe button if you are there!

Observe Zach on Twitter @ZachHicks2.

Observe Horseshoe Huddle on Twitter and Fb.