What Traits is Chris Ballard Looking for in Colts’ Next Head Coach?

Chris Ballard made it very clear this week that the seek for the subsequent coach of the Indianapolis Colts can be in depth.

“I don’t care if it takes till mid-February to rent the top coach,” Ballard stated. “It’s about getting it proper.”

The overall supervisor is aware of the gravity of the duty in entrance of him. The Colts limped their strategy to a 4-12-1 document, dropping seven straight video games to finish the season. Interim head coach Jeff Saturday had some momentum after profitable his first sport on the helm however shortly cooled off because the staff appeared worse by the week.

Saturday was employed because the interim head coach in the midst of the season by Colts’ proprietor Jim Irsay, albeit in opposition to the recommendation of Ballard and different Colts’ executives. Regardless of their considerations, Irsay moved ahead with the choice anyway, interfering as soon as once more in a serious organizational choice. The outcomes have been predictable, and the Colts appeared just like the worst staff within the NFL by the season’s finish.

Due to Irsay’s extra frequent meddling, many puzzled if Ballard can be the one to steer the top teaching search. Ballard made it clear who can be charged with discovering the subsequent head coach of the Colts.

“I’ll lead the search,” Ballard stated on Tuesday. “In the end, Mr. Irsay makes the ultimate name. There’s 32 groups, 32 house owners. They personal the staff. We give him, right here’s our ideas, and Mr. Irsay is an efficient listener. In the end, he’ll make the ultimate name however he’ll lean closely on our work and what we do to get the teaching candidates in place.”

Ballard has already begun his search. As of Friday morning, the Colts have eight candidates for the top teaching place. Two of these candidates are inner, together with Saturday, whereas the opposite six are coordinators across the NFL.

Bubba Ventrone (Colts particular groups coordinator), Ejiro Evero (Denver Broncos defensive coordinator), and Eric Bieniemy (Kansas Metropolis Chiefs offensive coordinator) have already carried out their first interviews. Ben Johnson (Detroit Lions offensive coordinator) and Raheem Morris (Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator) will interview on Friday, whereas Shane Steichen (Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator) will interview on Saturday.

As Ballard meets with every candidate, and there can be extra, what’s he on the lookout for from these candidates? What are the traits that Ballard values in his head coach?

The primary is the flexibility to get one of the best out of their gamers. When taking a look at nearly the entire candidates the Colts have interviews lined up with, they’ve carried out an incredible job making certain they put their gamers in one of the best place to play nicely. The outcomes have proven on the sector as nicely.

From an offensive perspective, the candidate’s groups ranked first (Bieniemy), third (Steichen), and fourth (Johnson) in whole offense this season. The defensive candidates had extra selection, rating seventh (Evero), 19^th (Morris), and 32^nd(Aaron Glenn, Lions defensive coordinator). Ventrone has persistently had the Colts ranked inside the highest ten in particular groups manufacturing since he arrived in 2018.

The most effective coaches within the NFL persistently get one of the best out of their gamers. The Colts wish to have that for his or her subsequent headman.

One other essential issue for the subsequent head coach can be how they’ll develop a plan across the Colts’ subsequent beginning quarterback. It’s a foregone conclusion that the Colts will use their first choose within the 2023 NFL Draft on a quarterback. Whether or not the Colts are choosing at No.4 general the place they’re at the moment slated or commerce as much as get their man stays to be seen.

A rookie quarterback wants help round him to succeed. It takes most younger quarterbacks time to develop, together with the superstars we see on an NFL subject each Sunday. Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Trevor Lawrence all took time to regulate to the NFL sport and turn into what they’re at this time.

The trick can be surrounding the younger quarterback with a plan so he could be profitable as he continues to develop. Ballard was very clear this week that the correct head coach wants to have the ability to win with no celebrity quarterback carrying the load each Sunday.

“I feel the flexibility to win,” Ballard stated when requested what he was on the lookout for in a head coach. “Alright, so we all know there’s the elite of the elite (quarterbacks). We all know that while you stroll out on sport day, while you’ve acquired one of many elite of the elite, the sector hastily it simply feels totally different. However you’ve acquired to have the ability to win with common to above-average quarterback play. You’ve acquired to have the ability to discover a strategy to win.

“So it’s going to be crucial whether or not it’s an offensive coach, defensive coach or particular groups coach – the flexibility to construct a plan round how we’re going to win, what our identification goes to be and the way we’re going to win with who’s taking part in quarterback is essential. I feel there’s a strategy to win each sport. I feel you simply look throughout the league proper now and groups which may not be getting celebrity quarterback play, however stable quarterback play are discovering methods to win.”

When excited about having a plan in place for a younger quarterback, you robotically assume an offensive thoughts can be finest for the job. Now whereas that could be the case in some cases, it isn’t a requirement.

An ideal instance of that is Sean McDermott, the top coach for the Buffalo Payments. McDermott surrounded Allen with nice offensive coaches when he was drafted in 2018, that labored with Allen on his mechanics and the psychological processing of the sport. These coaches, mixed with Allen’s work ethic, have helped him develop from an extremely uncooked prospect to probably the greatest quarterbacks within the NFL.

Ballard and the Colts are going into the top teaching search with an open thoughts. The Colts’ normal supervisor realizes how essential this choice is to get the Colts again on observe. He’s utilizing his previous experiences from the top teaching search in 2018 to assist him with this go-around.

“A variety of occasions what occurs is you get a imaginative and prescient of what you need earlier than – you’ve made your thoughts up and then you definately may ignore any person that’s actually freaking good proper in entrance of your face,” Ballard admitted. “We’ve acquired a really detailed course of put collectively on the traits and attributes we’re on the lookout for within the head coach. Don’t care which facet of the ball. After which to be affected person and take your time and ensure now we have a radical interview with everyone.”

The candidate that may present he can get one of the best out of his gamers and has a transparent plan for a way they may construct round and help a younger quarterback will possible be the favourite for the job. Ballard will vet the entire candidates totally earlier than he offers his advice to Irsay. Irsay will make the ultimate name however will lean closely on Ballard’s course of and advice.

Whoever they select higher be the correct choose as they may assist form the path of this franchise for years to come back.

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