Is it a make or break year for Pep Hamilton?

[BProland85]

I'm watching the Colts Saints preseason game, and I don't see anything real creative with their playcalling. Especially with their run game, they're so predictable. Could Rob Chudzinski take over next year if Pep doesn't produce with all the talent we have on offense?

[HtownColt]

Chud? No

[dgouvion]

Not a fan of pep at all since he has been here. He does not seem to get it as a NFL O-coach

[Bluefire4]

If he doesn't produce it's possible.. but if the pass game is great and the run game is average to below average I think the job is his unless he's offered a college head coaching job.

[pacolts56]

I'm watching the Colts Saints preseason game, and I don't see anything real creative with their playcalling. Especially with their run game, they're so predictable. Could Rob Chudzinski take over next year if Pep doesn't produce with all the talent we have on offense?

Its kinda hard to tell from this preseason game....offenses don't fully show their hand to begin with and the execution tonight has simply been flat regardless of the play calls.

 

But yes....I certainly hope that 8 weeks from now we're not having this conversation....given the weapons we've added.

 

Opposing defenses should have it way harder than the Saints did tonight.

[1yrdandacloudofdust]

@ some poinr, fans are going to have to look closer @ a player they don't want to look @.That's all i'm saying. And its not Trent Richardson

[oldunclemark]

I'm watching the Colts Saints preseason game, and I don't see anything real creative with their playcalling. Especially with their run game, they're so predictable. Could Rob Chudzinski take over next year if Pep doesn't produce with all the talent we have on offense?

How much talent do we have at RB and in the O-line?

[NewColtsFan]

If Pep doesn't do a good job this year -- and that's as judged by Pagano and Grigson -- then I would expect that would be it.

 

You don't want to waste a year of Luck's career if Pep's not helping things.

 

And I see no reason why Chudzinski would not want the job.    Two to three good years running our offense at a high level would help him get a 2nd chance at a HC position.

 

But it's a little early to be having this conversation........

[TKnight24]

@ some poinr, fans are going to have to look closer @ a player they don't want to look @.That's all i'm saying. And its not Trent Richardson

Andrew Luck?

[1yrdandacloudofdust]

If Pep doesn't do a good job this year -- and that's as judged by Pagano and Grigson -- then I would expect that would be it.

You don't want to waste a year of Luck's career if Pep's not helping things.

And I see no reason why Chudzinski would not want the job. Two to three good years running our offense at a high level would help him get a 2nd chance at a HC position.

But it's a little early to be having this conversation........

Who's judging Pagano and Grigson? LOL

Looks like the oline is going to suck for the 3rd straight yr. And the D looks like it'll be avg @ best.

[Nobody]

Andrew Luck?

he's a troll so probably lol

[Jason_]

I'm watching the Colts Saints preseason game, and I don't see anything real creative with their playcalling. Especially with their run game, they're so predictable. Could Rob Chudzinski take over next year if Pep doesn't produce with all the talent we have on offense?

They were more of a spread, pass first offense. That's what most people wanted. ;)

More to your point though, the manning offense was never all that creative. Execution is as important if not more so than creativity.

[Jason_]

BTW no team shows much creativity in preseason

[GoColts8818]

he's a troll so probably lol

troll or not Luck didn't play well tonight and that was a bigger factor with the starting offense struggling than Pep's play calling tonight. With that said it's the pre-season and bad games happen. I'd much rather Luck have one tonight than in two weeks. So I'd join you and others in not worrying about it.

[1959Colts]

Is it a make or break year for Pep Hamilton?

 

It should be.

if Pep holds our offense down again... He should be let go.

[mintor]

 Pep Hamilton  take 5 years exp coach in nfl.   why better if pep assist coach  first  learn from nfl exp oc .

[Dark Superman]

Pep can't block for Luck or catch passes.. People seem to forget that.

[GoColts8818]

Pep can't block for Luck or catch passes.. People seem to forget that.

or in some cases throw for Luck, I love Andrew and am the first to admit he had a bad game tonight and it's only a pre-season game at that but Luck was part of the problem tonight,

[Dark Superman]

or in some cases throw for Luck, I love Andrew and am the first to admit he had a bad game tonight and it's only a pre-season game at that but Luck was part of the problem tonight,

The positive thing is that the pass blocking seems to be improved..

[lollygagger8]

Pepe figured out most of our issues by the 2nd half of the season last year. Albeit, that took too long IMO, but I don't believe he's showing his deck tonight. 

 

I also don't want Pep fired/gone next year and to go through Luck's 3rd OC in 4 years either. 

[Gavin]

Pepe figured out most of our issues by the 2nd half of the season last year. Albeit, that took too long IMO, but I don't believe he's showing his deck tonight. 

 

I also don't want Pep fired/gone next year and to go through Luck's 3rd OC in 4 years either. 

Luck can handle it fine...I'd be more concerned about if the rest of offense can, Its not uncommon for a QB to have multiple offensive coordinators in there career....many of the best QB's actually have...Joe Montana...Peyton Manning..Tom Brady...Brett Favre.....I can go on. The key is making sure to get one that will exploit Lucks strengths...Such as QB roll outs....Exploiting Lucks mobility, Pep has done an awful job at that to this point.

[TKnight24]

Luck can handle it fine...I'd be more concerned about if the rest of offense can, Its not uncommon for a QB to have multiple offensive coordinators in there career....many of the best QB's actually have...Joe Montana...Peyton Manning..Tom Brady...Brett Favre.....I can go on. The key is making sure to get one that will exploit Lucks strengths...Such as QB roll outs....Exploiting Lucks mobility, Pep has done an awful job at that to this point.

The funny thing is, first offensive play of the night Pep hits a rollout and dials up Reggie's number

But that was negated cause apparently Hilton doesn't know how to line up correctly and drew an offside penalty

[Gavin]

The funny thing is, first offensive play of the night Pep hits a rollout and dials up Reggie's number

But that was negated cause apparently Hilton doesn't know how to line up correctly and drew an offside penalty

They are rare unfortunately, Im also talking about QB Roll Outs that Gary Kubiak used to call when he was the HC of the Texans...It was a staple of there playcalling, I loved that play, He had the O Line going the opposite way and Schaub going the opposte...wideeeeeeeeeee open Schaub was. Colts O Line went the same way Luck did....Why? I don't know, I think its a faulty play design now that I see it again

[Jason_]

Luck can handle it fine...I'd be more concerned about if the rest of offense can, Its not uncommon for a QB to have multiple offensive coordinators in there career....many of the best QB's actually have...Joe Montana...Peyton Manning..Tom Brady...Brett Favre.....I can go on. The key is making sure to get one that will exploit Lucks strengths...Such as QB roll outs....Exploiting Lucks mobility, Pep has done an awful job at that to this point.

 

No, it's not, but there's a huge difference in having a couple of different OC's in the entire career and having 3 different OC's in 4 years.  The development of many a QB has been stunted by having multiple OC's within their first few years in the league...Eli and Alex Smith immediately come to mind.

[TKnight24]

They are rare unfortunately, Im also talking about QB Roll Outs that Gary Kubiak used to call when he was the HC of the Texans...It was a staple of there playcalling, I loved that play, He had the O Line going the opposite way and Schaub going the opposte...wideeeeeeeeeee open Schaub was. Colts O Line went the same way Luck did....Why? I don't know, I think its a faulty play design now that I see it again

Nah that's the right play design

It's call the "Z Spot" I believe in Madden

I use it all the time. But then of course I run Denver's playbook in Madden most of the time. I'll be using Baltimore's in the new Madden tomorrow since Kubiak is there. Trent Richardson in a zone scheme is seriously unstoppable

[Gavin]

No, it's not, but there's a huge difference in having a couple of different OC's in the entire career and having 3 different OC's in 4 years.  The development of many a QB has been stunted by having multiple OC's within their first few years in the league...Eli and Alex Smith immediately come to mind.

Oh Im not expecting Pep gone any time soon but I also believe Luck could handle it if for example it happened at years end

[Gavin]

Nah that's the right play design

It's call the "Z Spot" I believe in Madden

I use it all the time. But then of course I run Denver's playbook in Madden most of the time. I'll be using Baltimore's in the new Madden tomorrow since Kubiak is there. Trent Richardson in a zone scheme is seriously unstoppable

Trent ran behind a Zone scheme in Bama

[Jason_]

Oh Im not expecting Pep gone any time soon but I also believe Luck could handle it if for example it happened at years end

 

oh I know, and I'm not saying Luck couldn't handle it, but I also don't think it would be the best thing for his development and growth as a QB.

[ColtsHappy]

Watchword in the preseason is always plain vanilla. No one, including the Colts want to give anything away this early.

 

ColtsHappy

[Gavin]

oh I know, and I'm not saying Luck couldn't handle it, but I also don't think it would be the best thing for his development and growth as a QB.

Perhaps not, I just think it would have more of an affect on some of the other players on offense not named Luck or Wayne.

[Pelt]

I think some folks here are making some unfair assessments and assumptions on Pep and his play calling.

 

Regarding last year - Do we really know that Pags and Grigs gave Pep free reign on how he wanted the offense to run? I highly doubt it based upon the philosophy that was established based on the wants of the staff going all the way up to Irsay.  And given that philosophy, was Pep really able to play call or scheme the way he really wanted within that scope based on key injuries sustained, as well as the stubbornness of Pags and Grigs regarding the O-line personnel? He may well have been forced to try to attempt to stick with certain aspects of that philosophy without having the adequate personnel to do so.

 

And I believe it was that way up until Reggie was injured and gone for the year, which I also believe was the point at which Pags and Grigs finally allowed Pep some more leeway and creativeness with the schemes and play calling. They were forced to allow Pep additional freedom and we saw the offense begin to flourish toward the end of the regular season.

 

I believe that with key people being back in the fold - Wayne, Allen (More two tight end sets), Bradshaw and with Satele and McGlynn gone (addition by subtraction), we'll get more to what it was that the offense was always intended to be. This may also allow Pep to really get creative within that scope and we'll see a lot more than what we did last year.

 

Never mind mentioning that Pep has that much needed year of experience under his belt, which will hopefully create trust with Pagano to loosen the reigns even more.

 

I'm also wondering, with Luck being given more freedom to play call and audible at the line, if he were to make the wrong call, how much of the blame will be laid at the feet of Pep instead of Andrew?

 

And I don't really see that any criticisms can be based on preseason games right now. Everything is pretty vanilla right now as far as play calling goes. But if at the end of the season we've seen no strides, I think the criticism is warranted. Just not right now yet.

[TKnight24]

Trent ran behind a Zone scheme in Bama

Well it works like a charm in Madden. Our oline is much better in that scheme.

Then the PA bootleg out to Reggie Wayne on a comeback route is a 1st down every time

[Jason_]

I think some folks here are making some unfair assessments and assumptions on Pep and his play calling.

 

Regarding last year - Do we really know that Pags and Grigs gave Pep free reign on how he wanted the offense to run? I highly doubt it based upon the philosophy that was established based on the wants of the staff going all the way up to Irsay.  And given that philosophy, was Pep really able to play call or scheme the way he really wanted within that scope based on key injuries sustained, as well as the stubbornness of Pags and Grigs regarding the O-line personnel? He may well have been forced to try to attempt to stick with certain aspects of that philosophy without having the adequate personnel to do so.

 

 

I love how people just assume it was stubbornness or favoritism on behalf of Pagano or even Grigson that determined the OL starting lineups.  I'd be willing to bet they were going primarily based on the recommendations of the OL coach.  And maybe it wasn't so much stubbornness as it was that no one else was stepping up and outplaying the starters in the practices leading up to game days.  

[Steamboat_Shaun]

I'm watching the Colts Saints preseason game, and I don't see anything real creative with their playcalling. Especially with their run game, they're so predictable. Could Rob Chudzinski take over next year if Pep doesn't produce with all the talent we have on offense?

 

It's pretty typical to see fairly vanilla playcalling in the preseason, not a lot of game planning goes into these contests. Yes, I know week 3 is typically the "dress rehearsal" but even then, coaches and coordinators tend to not show much and keep things close to the chest in terms of playcalling.

[FanFromtheWasteland]

Teams that go 11-5 don't normally replace coaches unless there is a loss of one to another team

[Pelt]

I love how people just assume it was stubbornness or favoritism on behalf of Pagano or even Grigson that determined the OL starting lineups.  I'd be willing to bet they were going primarily based on the recommendations of the OL coach.  And maybe it wasn't so much stubbornness as it was that no one else was stepping up and outplaying the starters in the practices leading up to game days.  

Grigson stated at the end of the season why he felt the need to stick with Satele the whole time. I'd dig up the quote, but I don't have the time to search for it right now. But it was obvious that the final decisions of the O-line starters were not up to Pep. There were other O-line lineup options available. The perfect example was the lineup against the Niners (Which Satele was injured for) that proved to be quite effective against their formidable defensive front. The very next week they go right back to Satele at center.

[Jason_]

Grigson stated at the end of the season why he felt the need to stick with Satele the whole time. I'd dig up the quote, but I don't have the time to search for it right now. But it was obvious that the final decisions of the O-line starters were not up to Pep. There were other O-line lineup options available. The perfect example was the lineup against the Niners (Which Satele was injured for) that proved to be quite effective against their formidable defensive front. The very next week they go right back to Satele at center.

 

Ever consider that perhaps Grigson was just being the mouthpiece for the OL coach and/or Pep, a couple of guys that don't get interviewed nearly as often as the HC or GM?  Or perhaps he was just sticking by his OL coaches recommendation and decided to take the media heat for it?  Head coaches and GMs do that all the time.  I'm sure Grigson has input in the starting lineups but I would have to think the position coaches and coordinators would tend to get their way more often than not.  If the GM or HC didn't trust those coaches to make recommendations then I imagine those coaches would be fired and replaced.