The Colts Coaching Staff [Mega-merge]

[Superman]

On defense, Dungy did the best he could with what he was given.

I don't think so. He was extraordinarily stubborn in his refusal to blitz (except for extremes), and his desire for smaller and faster players all over the field on defense.

I think he was a good head coach. I just think he needed a coordinator who would challenge him to step outside of his comfort zone.

[indyhawk]

a mediocre college coach? tressel has alot more wins then caldwell in college I think, or am I wrong?

Caldwell at Wake Forest 24-54

Tressel at OSU 106-22.

That's a ridiculously unfair comparison.

[Restored]

I don't think so. He was extraordinarily stubborn in his refusal to blitz (except for extremes), and his desire for smaller and faster players all over the field on defense.

I think he was a good head coach. I just think he needed a coordinator who would challenge him to step outside of his comfort zone.

That was the whole point of his scheme or did you not ever see a single Dungy era interview?

[Superman]

People need to get past the team-speak. Nothing that has been said means anything for what will happen after the season. Does it seem reasonable that if they are considering letting him go if they are 0-16 but 1-15 saves his job? Of course not.

I got two things from Polian's comment:

1) 0-16 means Caldwell is gone.

2) Anything better than that means there's something to think about.

That's, of course, a rigid interpretation of his off-the-cuff remarks, but that's what I got from it. And I kind of have a problem with that. To me, 0-16 isn't any worse than 0-13. Unless we win the next three games in convincing fashion, there's not really much to think about, if you ask me. And even if we do, why did it take three and half months for this team to have some success? Where was the coaching staff the previous 13 games?

Might be all politically correct "team-speak," as you call it. I certainly hope so.

[dn4192]

So Dolphin coach with4 wins, goes, Chiefs coach with 5 wins also goes, but only in Bizarro World Cold Land, one win, would get Caldwell to keep his job?

both of those guys were coaching teams that have not seen much post season success in a while with owners who crave it.

[Jaric]

If you read it literally that's what it means. It also came off (IMO at least) as a bit of an ultimatum for Caldwell.

But then again, as you stated, that makes no sense. I would assume we've pretty much reached the territory where a win or two isn't going to save anything. I find it hard to believe that a meaningless win would somehow absolve Caldwell from blame for the other 15 losses.

But on the other hand (I have 3 apparently) Bill Polian's been acting a bit bizarre lately and it's getting harder and harder to seperate real from fantasy.

[dn4192]

I think it might be foolish to put any stock into anything Polian says to the press. Colts could win a game and Caldwell still gets fired, or they could go 0-16 and he keeps his job. There are many factors I believe that will go into who is coaching this team next year and those factors may all not be known for a while.

[gspdx]

It's possible they will look at this last experiment with promoting from within to head coach and a bad idea. I hope so. There are lots of poeple out there that I'm sure have the skills and talent. Other assistant coaches, college coaches. The bottom line is no Colts coach that I can see has distinguished himself.

[jskinnz]

I got two things from Polian's comment:

1) 0-16 means Caldwell is gone.

2) Anything better than that means there's something to think about.

That's, of course, a rigid interpretation of his off-the-cuff remarks, but that's what I got from it. And I kind of have a problem with that. To me, 0-16 isn't any worse than 0-13. Unless we win the next three games in convincing fashion, there's not really much to think about, if you ask me. And even if we do, why did it take three and half months for this team to have some success? Where was the coaching staff the previous 13 games?

Might be all politically correct "team-speak," as you call it. I certainly hope so.

I put his comments on McAfee and TJ Yates in the same category as what he said about Caldwell. To me it all means next to nothing.

In Caldwell's case, it just seems completely unreasonable to me that potential week 17 win against a terrible Jags team will save his job. If they are seriously considering a change, and I would say that is not a certainty, then 1-15 will not matter. Nor will 2-14.

[Superman]

That was the whole point of his scheme or did you not ever see a single Dungy era interview?

???

I know that was his platform. I'm saying I disliked his stubborn refusal to yield from that platform.

And that's in response to the other poster saying that Dungy "did the best what what he was given." He was given exactly what he wanted.

[21isSuperman]

Please keep all discussion relating to the coaching staff (current and candidates) here

[Larry Horseman]

I didn't say they were equal to it, but they were added to losing Peyton Manning. None of those other players those other teams have lost equals losing a Peyton Manning either.

Bullitt has not been terriable he has had more game winning INTs than any other player on the team. Is he the best Safety in the league far from it. Is he better than anyone else we've thrown out there at safety since he's gone down? Yes.

What does everyone complian about Angerer? He's getting exposed in pass defense. That is what Brackett did well is exactly what I said we were going to miss from Gary when he went down. What do you know we are missing his pass defense skills. Not to say Angerer's run skills aren't better than Gary's but the reason Brackett worked so well in our defense is what we ask our MLB to do in our cover-2 system. If we change to another system next year Gary might very not be back next year because I am not sure Gary is good enough to play MLB in a system that isn't a cover-2 but in a cover-2 he is more than good enough so yes not having him is having an impact.

I just think people think we fired Coyer okay we are going to have changes on defense. I just don't think that is going to be the case because frankly Murphy has been coaching in that system and that is still what we have player to do. I didn't think we would have many if any changes at all which is why I am against firing a coach in the middle of the seaosn I don't think there is much of a point to it and I don't think it helps much other than you have a new voice giving the message which is why I think Coyer got fired. The day before we fired him Polian made a big deal out of the fact that we practiced to cover the option all week vs. the Panthers and the first three times they ran it we didn't cover it and that it was clear the message wasn't getting threw. They then fired Coyer which tells me that they had more of an issue with how Coyer was delievering the message more than what the message was trying to be delievered.

We can agree to disagree on Bullitt (http://18to88.com/2011-archives/september/tape-study-getting-off-the-field-means-biting-the-bullitt.html). Don't let those memories of a few key picks cloud the issue that he is not a starting NFL safety. He is a good special teams player who should be backing up our starters. Lefeged/Caldwell are not a step down experience withstanding.

Yes, Bracket is better in coverage than Angerer, but I still will stand by my point that that has little impact on the win column.

As I said, I didn't think we should/would change our core D when we fired Coyer almost 3/4 of the way through the season. There are many ways to run a Cover 2, and obviously his version was not working, nor is the new "prevent" version. So all I'm saying is that we could do some things differently. When you are 0-13, the "do what we do" mantra is tired and ineffective. I don't see why you feel the need to attack this idea?

[dn4192]

And no one should argue that we shouldn't do a halfback pass from Joseph Addai. Most of the time these plays work, or at least they seem to work. Addai can make the throw I think, we just have to have the courage to call the play. Our players would love it and it would give us a ton of momentum.

How often do you see that play happen in the NFL?

[FireJimCaldwell]

How often do you see that play happen in the NFL?

It's called creativity. It catches a team off guard. Like a fake punt/field goal. Does it work every time? Of course not. Can you use it every game? No, not at all, but it also gives future teams something to prepare for or in the very least something that is in the back of their mind.

[FireJimCaldwell]

http://www.icoachusa.com/jobs/indiana-coaching-jobs.html

Maybe a mod can forward this to Caldwell, so he can find a new job at the high school level. Something that fits his abilities.

[That Guy]

My opinion, NOT my preference:

If the Polians end up deciding to let Jim Caldwell go, they will more than likely look to hire another defensive-minded player's coach they can work with easily (like a Wade Phillips type).

[JColts72]

An idea to consider, since Polian is drinking Caldwell Brillant coaching Kool-aid, should the Colts become 0 and 15, maybe Caldwell will be let go then in order to not have that distingushed NFL record of coaching a 0 and 16 team.

[billpolianx]

listening to the 8mins 20 secs interview with jim irsay he seems to think most fans are fairly ignorant , so i have changed my opinion that caldwell will get fired to i think polian will talk him into keeping caldwell

[Superman]

listening to the 8mins 20 secs interview with jim irsay he seems to think most fans are fairly ignorant , so i have changed my opinion that caldwell will get fired to i think polian will talk him into keeping caldwell

I don't think "most fans" refers to the people who post on message boards, interchange ideas, read interviews and newspaper articles, etc. I think "most fans" refers to the people who just watch the team play on Sundays. I think maybe with the Internet and fantasy football and a 24/7 news cycle, that "most people" category is shrinking.

Even still, I don't see how the idea that Irsay thinks fans don't know what they're talking about means that he'll keep Jim Caldwell.