Arians on taking a HC job

[#12]

I'm not really that excited about Norv Turner. He's been good in the past as a coordinator, but I want to believe we can find someone else who will be better able to adapt to his surroundings. Turner said in an interview the other day that the reason the Chargers have fallen off is because they've lost a lot of good players to free agency. That's true, but you're the head coach, and you can't adapt to losing players in free agency? He strikes me as a prisoner of circumstance.

 

The upside to Norv, however, is that he's probably DONE as a head coach, so he won't be making a jump anywhere. It would give Luck the opportunity to be comfortable in his offense for a good stretch of time. And his offense isn't that much different from Arians: lots of verticals and some of the same route combinations. He's a Coryell guy. But Norv's system has evolved into a hybrid offense: he uses his backs in the passing game a lot more (ala Mike Martz), has a lot of tight end features, and will purposely focus on high percentage passes when the quarterback is struggling. So if you're looking for some semblance of consistency for Luck, Norv would be a good fit.

 

I think we could do better, though.

 

That was a great post and, although it may not have been your intention, it actually sold me a bit on Norv.  It helped me crystallize my thoughts on his offense.  Rivers is a chucker, yes, but they have also killed us, and others, on screens, dumpoffs and high percentage stuff.   

 

So, if you want continuity, Norv might work, but only one year in, how important is continuity?  You can do what they did in Denver - you retain parts of it while evolving into something else. 

[colts_mp]

Is there any chance Arians will be the head coach right here in Indy?  We still don't know if Pagano will be able (or want to) coach next year right?  Does anyone know how much involvement/influence Pagano has had on running the team since he started his treatments?

 

Unfortunately we don't really know what Chuck can do here in Indy with this team but we do know that Arians can coach us to 10+ wins and a playoff berth.

[Superman]

That was a great post and, although it may not have been your intention, it actually sold me a bit on Norv.  It helped me crystallize my thoughts on his offense.  Rivers is a chucker, yes, but they have also killed us, and others, on screens, dumpoffs and high percentage stuff.   

 

So, if you want continuity, Norv might work, but only one year in, how important is continuity?  You can do what they did in Denver - you retain parts of it while evolving into something else. 

 

The difference with Denver is that you brought in a new quarterback, someone proven that can run an offense. I think Luck can run an offense, but Manning >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Luck, especially when it comes to the nuances of professional quarterbacking. Luck hasn't spent his first four years in the league learning Arians' offense, so continuity isn't really that big of a deal to me. 

 

As for Norv's offense, it's like you said: he is going to do more than just throw down the field. He's adjusted, and the biggest reason they ran screens and dumpoffs against us (how many times did Sproles kill us on a designed catch out of the backfield) is because they wanted to stay away from Freeney and Mathis. It wasn't 100% vertical passing. The Coryell offense typically relies on a power running game with man blocking, and Norv's offense has gradually moved away from the power running game and started to use more short passing. 

 

Also, as I've said before, I don't have a problem with Arians' system (more Coryell than Norv's, I'd say), but it's the play calling and the lack of adjustments when the passing game isn't functioning at capacity. Like Sunday's game, when the line was actually doing a decent job, but we didn't have receiving options and Luck was struggling to complete passes, and we called 14 pass plays out of 16 offensive snaps, and so on. Arians hurt our offense as much as anyone else did from the third quarter to possession that we finally scored. I don't dislike Arians, but he has his negatives to go along with his positives. If we had a different play caller running a similar system, I think it would be a positive change.

[#12]

The difference with Denver is that you brought in a new quarterback, someone proven that can run an offense. I think Luck can run an offense, but Manning >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Luck, especially when it comes to the nuances of professional quarterbacking. Luck hasn't spent his first four years in the league learning Arians' offense, so continuity isn't really that big of a deal to me. 

 

That was my point.  Over the past two years, Luck has played one in a West Coast system, one in Arians' system.  So, if you do go West Coast or West Coast-esque, you can keep some of what they're currently doing and evolve into it.  Shouldn't be a big deal. 

[#12]

About some blending - Reggie fits the Hines Ward role pretty well. 

[GoColts8818]

Let's just wait and see what happens.  Clearly he people are going to be interested in him but his age does work against him and that's something that some might not be able to get over.  Also if we on a message board can pick up on some of the strange things he does as a coach I am sure other Owners and GMs can do the samething.  That might work against him.  Not only did he get to show off what he did well other teams got to see his weaknesses as well.  Then perhaps the biggest thing a lot of time getting a head coaching job in the NFL comes from a tie to the GM or Owner in place.  Watch and see if anyone out of the Steelers or Colts front office gets a GM job this season and then see if Arians gets interviewed that might be the most likely landing spot.  Right now let's just wait and see rather than worrying about it because he might be back if not you can't fault a man for taking a chance to do something he always dreamed about doing. 

 

If he does leave it wouldn't completely shock me to see us either promote Christensen a former OC and Luck's QB coach or maybe bring in a guy like Cam Cameron who Pagano worked with the Ravens or an experienced OC like Turner assuming the Ravens let him go but I am getting a head of myself there. 

[YOUR GM]

Is there any chance Arians will be the head coach right here in Indy?  We still don't know if Pagano will be able (or want to) coach next year right?  Does anyone know how much involvement/influence Pagano has had on running the team since he started his treatments?

 

Unfortunately we don't really know what Chuck can do here in Indy with this team but we do know that Arians can coach us to 10+ wins and a playoff berth.

 

If Chuck is coaching now, I don't know why the plan would be to go with anyone other than him next season. Bruce might be kept for insurance, but I certainly hope that's not the case

[PrincetonTiger]

I don't see BA leaving even if he gets an offer.

[TMPHBITEU]

I don't see BA leaving even if he gets an offer.

You're kidding yourself then.

There's no positive outcome of openly declearing interest in a head coaching job elsewhere, if his only intentions are to stay in Indianapolis regardless of offers. If he truly wasn't interested in a head coaching job, Bruce Arians would have said so. If the right offer comes, he is gone.

[theanarchist]

I was one of the few that wanted Bruce Arians as our head coach when we went looking for a coach last off season. Nothing against Chuck but I thought Arians was a good fit. I was really happy when he came in as OC. It would be a huge loss in my opinion if he leaves for a head coaching job. One thing I know is that Irsay will try to keep him if he can, throw some more $ at him for sure. I think Arians was a great choice for Luck in his first season and I worry about who we would get to replace him.

 

There will definitely be some decent head coaching openings and I'm sure Arians will be at the top of many lists. One of the things I love about Arians is he's old school in that he's got some fire in his belly and he talks like a coach who would still go out there and knock heads if he could. He would surely be a big loss to this team so early in Luck's career.

[Larry Horseman]

I really didn't like Christensen as our OC. I'd really rather see Norv Turner in the event Arians goes.

I'll take option C...Clyde is a bad idea and I'm not buying into the Norv is an awesome OC anymore. San Diego has looked terrible offensively the last couple years and it's been 20+ years since he was with the cowboys...

I hope BA sticks around.

[unitaswestand]

If Arians does get a HC job, I wouldn't be surprised if Marty Mornhinwig would be brought in as OC.  Andy Reid and his staff are likely to be dumped. Mornhinwig was a disaster as HC but seems well respected as a OC.

[PrincetonTiger]

If Arians does get a HC job, I wouldn't be surprised if Marty Mornhinwig would be brought in as OC.  Andy Reid and his staff are likely to be dumped. Mornhinwig was a disaster as HC but seems well respected as a OC.

agreed