List of possible 2016 HC Candidates.

[Dustin]

Why do you believe Meyer and Saban to be LOL. Grigson?

Yup. Both will want total roster control.

[esmort]

Um, I thought the rumors got started because of reported friction between pagano and grigson. When is there "friction" in a relationship where one of them is just a "yes man"? It kind of sounds like pagano is the opposite of that and (assuming there's anything to the rumors ) it's the fact that he's NOT a "yes man" that is causing the problems.

 

I am not quite sure what your point is in reference to my post ... I agree if there is friction as rumored it is probably because Pagano is tired of being a "yes man" or at least tired of being a "yes man" and than taking the heat for Grigsons bad decisions so he has started speaking up and being resistant. 

 

But what I meant by my post is I am not in favor of giving Grigson a "yes man" head coach and if that is what he wants than I would be in favor of getting rid of Grigson, Pagano, everyone.  Grigson + "yes man" head coach is not a recipe for success IMO.

 

Pagano not being a "yes man" (if thats the case) still doesn't make him a good coach IMO; because even if he has not gotten the exact players and OC he wanted his shortcomings as a head coach are apparent in his poor game planning and in the decisions he does have control over. So I am fine with letting him go as well. 

 

So I guess my position is that they need to get their combined act together ... if not, Pagano needs to be fired and Grigson needs to be reigned in (sounds like this may need to happen regardless), or fire them both and get a coach and GM that doesn't overstep his position and can work well with a strong coach, or find a HC that can also function as GM.  I am fine with them both being replaced to be honest. 

[SDakColts]

mike didn't really want a QB like RG3 it's not his style QB and ownership was to stuck on him for them to bench him. he would love to have a true pocket passer and pro style QB in Luck also his ZBS would be great for us and our run game.

The good thing is that Shanahan has expressed interest in coming back to coaching. He also was gushing over Andrew Luck the other day basically calling him the soon to be greatest to ever play the game. After hearing all of that I am sure Mike Shanahan would even cut Mr. Irsay a discount to come in and coach Luck .

[Colts_Fan12]

The good thing is that Shanahan has expressed interest in coming back to coaching. He also was gushing over Andrew Luck the other day basically calling him the soon to be greatest to ever play the game. After hearing all of that I am sure Mike Shanahan would even cut Mr. Irsay a discount to come in and coach Luck .

sure would be great to get him

[crazycolt1]

After reading Irsay's comments after the Bills game I think this so called riff between Grigson and Pagano is just a media spin. When ask if Pagano was coaching for his job Irsay's comments were every coach is coaching for their jobs. He has a point as an owner. He also said there was no riff between Grigson and Pagano and they work well as a team together. We can all agree or disagree and have different opinions but it really makes none of them valid. I think all this talk of firing Grigson or Pagano makes no sense at this point in the season. The record of both speak for themselves and Irsay has no plans to make any moves in the near future. We are at year 3 of a total rebuild and are way ahead of where most would has guessed we would be. It's easy to sit behind your PC and make judgment calls and use 20-20 hindsight. Being a GM and or a head coach in the NFL is a dog eat dog job and not too many knows as much as they think they do if you have never worn those shoes. Just remember that 'fan' is slang for fanatic. It shows in most.

[Coltsman1788]

What did he inherit in oak?

He did a good job in Oakland. But he was still mostly an offensive oriented guy. The Oakland defense was about average. It's is his time in Tampa that leaves a bad taste in my mouth. His defensive deficiencies were exposed there and for all of his offensive genius he never could fix that Tampa offense.

[Valpo2004]

I would rather get a new GM.  Our problems on Sunday where directly attributable to Grigs not fixing the O-line.  

[Jason_]

I am not quite sure what your point is in reference to my post ... I agree if there is friction as rumored it is probably because Pagano is tired of being a "yes man" or at least tired of being a "yes man" and than taking the heat for Grigsons bad decisions so he has started speaking up and being resistant. 

 

But what I meant by my post is I am not in favor of giving Grigson a "yes man" head coach and if that is what he wants than I would be in favor of getting rid of Grigson, Pagano, everyone.  Grigson + "yes man" head coach is not a recipe for success IMO.

 

Pagano not being a "yes man" (if thats the case) still doesn't make him a good coach IMO; because even if he has not gotten the exact players and OC he wanted his shortcomings as a head coach are apparent in his poor game planning and in the decisions he does have control over. So I am fine with letting him go as well. 

 

So I guess my position is that they need to get their combined act together ... if not, Pagano needs to be fired and Grigson needs to be reigned in (sounds like this may need to happen regardless), or fire them both and get a coach and GM that doesn't overstep his position and can work well with a strong coach, or find a HC that can also function as GM.  I am fine with them both being replaced to be honest. 

 

My point was that I don't think there's any evidence to suggest that Pagano is, or ever has been, a "yes man".

[coltsfanatic24]

We need a new GM first. No great coach will come here with Grigson as the GM.

[ztboiler]

I am sure a lot of you may not like it but Mike Shanahan would be great for Luck's development and using ZBS for our running game.

I wonder if that is related to why Shanahan put himself on record last week with his expectations for Luck to be the greatest.....

[Defjamz26]

Gruden is so far an over rated coach it isn't funny. He took a Dungy team to the super bowl and then what? The Bucs went down fast. The general opinion of Gruder by those players who played for him is not very good. IMO, I don't want a coach who is more interested in lighting up like a x-mas tree every time a camera is looking at him.

He's one of the premier QB experts in the country. He turned Rich Gannon into a good QB and won a Super Bowl with Brad Johnson.

The team went down afterwards wasn't really on him. I grew up in TB so I know a lot about the team back then. All they really had was a good defense. Johnson was a game manager, and the only receiving threat was the sporadic Keyshawn Johnson.

It was only a matter of time before there was a collapse. Gruden got the most out of them before the inevitable. He would do amazing things with this roster.

[SDakColts]

I would rather get a new GM.  Our problems on Sunday where directly attributable to Grigs not fixing the O-line.  

Believe it or not the O-Line actually didn't have a bad game especially with all the blitzing that happened. I want to see how they do the next couple weeks against teams that don't blitz quite as much. I think this may be the best O-Line Luck has had since he was drafted. I know that doesn't take much, but it is small steps in the right direction. My only worry is if this O-Line ends up being average this year, and Grigson thinks he has done enough to fix it, and he doesn't invest in any more offensive linemen.

[crazycolt1]

He's one of the premier QB experts in the country. He turned Rich Gannon into a good QB and won a Super Bowl with Brad Johnson.

The team went down afterwards wasn't really on him. I grew up in TB so I know a lot about the team back then. All they really had was a good defense. Johnson was a game manager, and the only receiving threat was the sporadic Keyshawn Johnson.

It was only a matter of time before there was a collapse. Gruden got the most out of them before the inevitable. He would do amazing things with this roster.

 I think he is more interested in having a camera pointed at him than coaching a NFL team. He lights up like a laser beam whenever a camera is within 20 ft. of him.

[JPFolks]

I am sure a lot of you may not like it but Mike Shanahan would be great for Luck's development and using ZBS for our running game.

Yikes, that was my LAST choice on that list.  I have no use for the Shanahan family.  Yuck.  

 

We'd attract all the top coaches with Luck here.  We'd have our pick.  But perhaps we need one with the built in Cache to call his own personnel shots.  I sure wish we'd kept Arians... he'd be my #1 choice if I could pick any coach anywhere... but I know it wouldn't and couldn't happen.  

 

PS: No Gruden.  He simply took Dungy's team and won the SB (albeit against his own former team).  Then he ran it into the ground.  

[LockeDown]

He may be a control freak jerk, but Mike Shanahan knows how to coach a great QB and he ALWAYS gets a great running game going.  He and Kyle look like genius' taking RG3 to the playoffs, especially when you see how much of a headcase RG3 is now.  I would be all for him and I wouldn't be surprised if that's what Irsay is doing by holding off paying Pags and implying we are SB or bust.    

[Narcosys]

All but a foregone conclusion that this is Pagano's last year in Indy.

 

Here are some HC Candidates I've put into tiers ranking from most-likely to least-likely. Bolded names make my wish-list. 

 

Most Likely Candidates: 

 

Pat Shurmur, OC, Philadelphia

Pep Hamilton, OC, Indianapolis

Adam Gase, OC, Chicago

Greg Roman, OC, Buffalo

Teryl Austin, DC, Detroit

 

Moderate Chance: 

 

Mike Smith, FA

Kyle Shanahan, OC, Atlanta

Doug Marrone, OL, Jacksonville

Hue Jackson, OC, Cincinnati

 

Not Very Likely: 

 

David Shaw, HC, Stanford

Josh McDaniels, OC, New England

Bill Lazor, OC, Miami

Jon Gruden, FA

 

LOL No (aka no chance):

 

Nick Saban, HC, Alabama

Urban Meyer, HC, Ohio State

 

Pep is not head coach material, he's not even OC material.  He wasn't even the real play caller in Stanford.

 

Really dont care for Gase as a HC.

 

You're forgetting about 'The Chudz', that we have stashed and very well could be a likely candidate.

[#12.]

Of anyone mentioned, Shanahan would be my top choice. Luck would do well playing '94 Steve Young style.

If Luck can turn Chuck into an 11 game wlnner, I can't imagine we would do worse with Shanahan.

[chad72]

I wonder if that is related to why Shanahan put himself on record last week with his expectations for Luck to be the greatest.....

 

It did make me wonder once Dustin started this thread and we had that other parallel thread going on where Mike gushed about Luck.

 

If Mike Shanahan comes here, Kyle Shanahan will be brought in to be OC, no doubt about it. Big QB with legs and Stanford pedigree, Mike knows a thing or two about coaching such QBs and getting production out of no name RBs too.

 

Yes, he will want total roster control. When Polian and Dungy were here, Polian always made the first round pick less based on what Dungy wanted but he did not worry about what outsiders said. However, they had a very good relationship, which is key w.r.t the players drafted (nice read here and here about drafting Mathis). We did have a good scouting group with Polian.

[buccolts]

We need a new GM first. No great coach will come here with Grigson as the GM.

 

Exactly. Especially with all the bad stuff we're making up about him.

 

Who am I kidding. I don't want a great coach to come here anyway.

I want any new coach to be great after he gets here. Assuming, of course, we need one.

[Defjamz26]

Pep is not head coach material, he's not even OC material. He wasn't even the real play caller in Stanford.

Really dont care for Gase as a HC.

You're forgetting about 'The Chudz', that we have stashed and very well could be a likely candidate.

Chudzinski did very little to help the development of Cam Newton and offensively, the Panthers got a lot better after he left. He also refused to cut Brandon Weeden, which further puts his QB assessment skills in question. He wasn't really known for loving to run the ball either.

[Narcosys]

Chudzinski did very little to help the development of Cam Newton and offensively, the Panthers got a lot better after he left. He also refused to cut Brandon Weeden, which further puts his QB assessment skills in question. He wasn't really known for loving to run the ball either.

 

Thats fine, but were not wanting him to develop a QB or assess our QB.  I just want him to call offensive plays.

[Jason_]

Thats fine, but were not wanting him to develop a QB or assess our QB.  I just want him to call offensive plays.

 

Um...what?  Luck is far from a finished product.  Whoever is OC needs to be able to help Luck further develop into the QB he is ultimately going to be. 

[crazycolt1]

Thats fine, but were not wanting him to develop a QB or assess our QB.  I just want him to call offensive plays.

It makes no different what plays are called without the right players on the team to call those plays. The Colts have rebuilt their team in three years and are not done yet. They have already done things that have never been done in those three years. Way too many want perfection and it is unreal to expect that with the time this team has been together. The Colts have yet to find a starting unit that have played more than a handful of games together. We can want all we care to but the reality of the NFL is it takes time to built a team to compete with teams that are championship caliber. The 'fan' in a lot of forum members have them blind to reality. Fan is short for fanatic and this forum is full of them.

[Narcosys]

Um...what? Luck is far from a finished product. Whoever is OC needs to be able to help Luck further develop into the QB he is ultimately going to be.

The OC or HC doesn't have to or typically develop QB's. That's what a qb coach is for.

[esmort]

My point was that I don't think there's any evidence to suggest that Pagano is, or ever has been, a "yes man".

 

I see what your saying ... but, if the the rumors are true I would tend to believe that Pagano even if not technically a "yes man" did not rock the boat in the beginning and did not try to assert his power ... but, when he didn't get a new contract and started taking more heat for things that he probably believed were Grigson's fault he started to be more vocal and assertive; which resulted in the friction that is now being reported. 

[Narcosys]

It makes no different what plays are called without the right players on the team to call those plays. The Colts have rebuilt their team in three years and are not done yet. They have already done things that have never been done in those three years. Way too many want perfection and it is unreal to expect that with the time this team has been together. The Colts have yet to find a starting unit that have played more than a handful of games together. We can want all we care to but the reality of the NFL is it takes time to built a team to compete with teams that are championship caliber. The 'fan' in a lot of forum members have them blind to reality. Fan is short for fanatic and this forum is full of them.

I'm not sure how this relates to the conversation. We were discussing Chud and him developing a qb, which is not required of a HC or OC. That's the qb coaches job. Those other two have way more things to worry about that Luck's footwork, release, etc.

[esmort]

The OC or HC doesn't have to or typically develop QB's. That's what a qb coach is for.

 

I don't think Clyde Christensen is the guy for the the job.  Luck is already beyond the point where CC can offer much help.  It's like a HS school science teacher trying to help a top surgeon improve his surgery techniques.

[crazycolt1]

I'm not sure how this relates to the conversation. We were discussing Chud and him developing a qb, which is not required of a HC or OC. That's the qb coaches job. Those other two have way more things to worry about that Luck's footwork, release, etc.

How does it not relate? The NFL is a team sport and my comment covers that. Why this subject is even being discussed at this point in the season? Irsay is not going to make any changes anyway so it's a mute subject at this point. Irsay has left the door open for any future changes but till that times comes it makes no difference who or what this thread discusses.

[Jason_]

The OC or HC doesn't have to or typically develop QB's. That's what a qb coach is for.

 

Our QB coach is Clyde Chritiansen....so unless a new OC brings a new QB coach, then the new OC needs to be able to develop a QB. ;)

 

That said though, I see now where you're coming from.  I did misinterpret that previous post.

[BOTT]

Yikes, that was my LAST choice on that list.  I have no use for the Shanahan family.  Yuck.  

 

We'd attract all the top coaches with Luck here.  We'd have our pick.  But perhaps we need one with the built in Cache to call his own personnel shots.  I sure wish we'd kept Arians... he'd be my #1 choice if I could pick any coach anywhere... but I know it wouldn't and couldn't happen.  

 

PS: No Gruden.  He simply took Dungy's team and won the SB (albeit against his own former team).  Then he ran it into the ground.

So Gruden won a SB with a team Dungy couldn't win a SB with and Gruden is the lesser coach? I see convienetly left out his time in Oakland.

[VaAllDay757]

Kyle shanahan??? No way his playcalling is horrible and greg roman? Lol he's worse

[Pancake Block]

I like the idea of McDaniels. I have a hunch he'll be fielding calls from a lot of teams though, and he doesn't seem like the type that would be OK with having to answer to Grigson.

If Dorsett doesn't pan out BIG, Grigson should be gone as well.  I'm a Purdue man and really have been backing Grigs, but he's made some monumental errors on 1st rounders and as a result has depleted this team's upper echelon talent.  That's not to say he hasn't had some good draft picks as well, but Trent Richardson, Werner, and I think he was here when the decision to get rid of Jerry hughes was made.  He's done a nice job of bringing in veterans, but they are usually stop-gap 1 or 2 year solutions. 

[Narcosys]

How does it not relate? The NFL is a team sport and my comment covers that. Why this subject is even being discussed at this point in the season? Irsay is not going to make any changes anyway so it's a mute subject at this point. Irsay has left the door open for any future changes but till that times comes it makes no difference who or what this thread discusses.

It doesn't because the topic and debate isn't about all that nonsense. It is about who can HC and me bringing up Chud poisoning being a HC and him not worrying about developing luck because that's what a qb coach is for.

[Narcosys]

I don't think Clyde Christensen is the guy for the the job. Luck is already beyond the point where CC can offer much help. It's like a HS school science teacher trying to help a top surgeon improve his surgery techniques.

And that's a fair point. But we're not taking about Clyde, we're taking about Chud being able to HC, not develop a qb. That's a qb coaches job, whoever that person may be.

[ztboiler]

It did make me wonder once Dustin started this thread and we had that other parallel thread going on where Mike gushed about Luck.

 

If Mike Shanahan comes here, Kyle Shanahan will be brought in to be OC, no doubt about it. Big QB with legs and Stanford pedigree, Mike knows a thing or two about coaching such QBs and getting production out of no name RBs too.

 

Yes, he will want total roster control. When Polian and Dungy were here, Polian always made the first round pick less based on what Dungy wanted but he did not worry about what outsiders said. However, they had a very good relationship, which is key w.r.t the players drafted (nice read here and here about drafting Mathis). We did have a good scouting group with Polian.

Hard not to be intrigued by the idea of what Shanahan could do with Luck....but also wonder if the idea of Shanahan is more intriguing than the real thing at this point. 

[LJpalmbeacher2]

which brings in Parcelsʻs famous quote

Parcels`s quote always makes me hungry.

[ColtRider]

hire his dad and watch us go off

... the cliff!

[Colts_Fan12]

... the cliff!

no

[GoColts8818]

If Dorsett doesn't pan out BIG, Grigson should be gone as well.  I'm a Purdue man and really have been backing Grigs, but he's made some monumental errors on 1st rounders and as a result has depleted this team's upper echelon talent.  That's not to say he hasn't had some good draft picks as well, but Trent Richardson, Werner, and I think he was here when the decision to get rid of Jerry hughes was made.  He's done a nice job of bringing in veterans, but they are usually stop-gap 1 or 2 year solutions. 

People calling for them to fire both the coaching staff and the GM really need to think about this.  Do you really think the Colts are so bad that you need to blow it up and start over?  If you fire the GM and coaching staff that's what is going to happen because that's what new GMs do, they bring in their own players.  No guys like Luck, Castonzo, and Hilton aren't going to go anywhere but the vast majority of the team would be overhauled.  That's not something you do in one season.  Even Grigson didn't completely overhaul the roster in one season.  Frankly, you could argue he's still in the process of trying to overhaul the roster.  So that probably means it would take another two or three years for the Colts to be true Super Bowl contenders again. 

 

Frankly, I think on the whole Grigson has done a good job bringing talent here, maybe not as much as some want, but on the whole this team has far more talent than it did when he got here.  Yes he's made his mistakes but I think most of those who want him gone only look at those moves and focus so much on his mistakes they just discount his good moves which is not really being objective in evaluating him. 

 

I think while the Colts still need some tweaking they are in good shape overall.  The keyword there is tweaking, they are close, it's probably a better idea to see if you can make those tweaks to get where you want than it is to blow up everything and start over and if you bring in a new head coach and a new GM that's exactly what is going to happen. 

[ColtRider]

no

it's all good. I'm just not a Shanahan fan. He's a great QB coach, though. Just too controlling for my taste overall.