“Thank you for teaching me the game”: Oak Ridge High alum Shane Steichen, now Colts HC, praises former coach

EL DORADO HILLS — The brand new head coach of the Indianapolis Colts has made historical past for the Sacramento space.

Shane Steichen made certain to thank one particular person particularly at his introductory press convention.

“I would wish to thank my highschool coach, Chris Jones,” he mentioned. “Thanks for educating me the sport and making me foster a love for the sport.”

For Steichen, all roads led again to Oak Ridge Excessive Faculty in El Dorado Hills.

“In lots of methods, there’s been lots of good issues, do not get me fallacious, however to see that and to see him obtain at this degree and do the issues that he is finished was actually particular and was in all probability the spotlight for me as a coach individually,” Jones mentioned.

Jones coached Steichen within the early 2000s.

“It makes you are feeling a bit of older now greater than something,” Jones mentioned. “It’s a little bizarre to consider however enjoyable greater than something.”

The 2 stayed in contact all through Steichen’s profession.

“The thoughts itself was at all times there,” Jones mentioned. “He was a man that was very educated.”

Steichen realized from every cease and is now the primary Sacramento-area head coach in NFL historical past.

“My philosophy is: ‘We will throw to attain factors and run to win,’ ” Steichen mentioned.

Now, Jones learns from his outdated protege.

“Form of watching him take a bit of one thing from every of them and be capable to develop who he’s now could be type of enjoyable to look at,” Jones mentioned.

And Jones cannot wait to proceed to look at him within the NFL.