Head Coaching Candidates [Mega-merge]

[NM_Colts]

That's what I'm wondering. We know Jim flew to meet with spags today. But what for

Hmmmmmmmmm.. the intrigue. Only an hour to wait for the presser. One heck of an off-season so far.

[wordofmouth]

One thing I'm noticing is a lot of people don't seem to like the idea of Tressel taking over. As a non College Football fan I was curious as to why?

He seems to have done a heck of a job at Ohio, of was he just a great recruter?

[Happy2BeHere]

Interesting on nfl.com article...

"With the Colts' head-coaching position now open, there could be speculation that the Colts might approach Dungy about a possible return. NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora said Tuesday on "Around The League," that there's no reason to believe Dungy could return to the coaching ranks."

What if some crazy thing brought Dungy back...I mean I'd have to be alright with that, but I think someone else could do better...but again, I'd take Dungy.

[TheNextGM]

Pass on Dungy. I don't think he has any interest in coming back, and I am tired of the Tampa 2.

New D, New O!!

[JColts72]

No Dungy 2 please! Thats' to the past, not NEW ERA.

[jcfaris]

Caldwell is a good man and coach but unforutnately not the best suited for the job at hand. By far the very best new Head Coach would be Jon Gruden and I think the Colts are the only team he would even consider.

[ColtJ82]

I have a whole list

• Peyton Manning
  
• Jim Tressel
  
• Mike Zimmer
  
• Rob Chudzinski
  
• Brian Billick
  
• Wade Phillips
  

Good Lord.....thank goodness you weren't "The Next GM" Peyton Manning, Wade Phillips?.....Seriously?)

[MTC]

Good Lord.....thank goodness you weren't "The Next GM" Peyton Manning, Wade Phillips?.....Seriously?)

Wade Phillips turned one of the worst defenses in the NFL to one of the best this season. And Peyton Manning is just a joke lol

[Larry Horseman]

I think Billick or Zimmer sound good. Also wouldn't mind giving Hue Jackson a look. I would prefer Spags as DC. Since Billick is offensive minded, pairing him as HC and Spags as DC would be good in my book.

Anyone saying Dungy should think about the over-used BP quote: "the past is prologue."

Update: Schefter is still reporting that Irsay met with Spags about DC, not HC

[Restored]

Wade Phillips turned one of the worst defenses in the NFL to one of the best this season. And Peyton Manning is just a joke lol

..As a coordinator. We've all seen what he can as a HC, which was really a whole lot of nothing.

Give me Spagnolo. He's already comfortable with Irsay's Jet already..

[Bleedin Blue]

Interesting on nfl.com article...

"With the Colts' head-coaching position now open, there could be speculation that the Colts might approach Dungy about a possible return. NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora said Tuesday on "Around The League," that there's no reason to believe Dungy could return to the coaching ranks."

What if some crazy thing brought Dungy back...I mean I'd have to be alright with that, but I think someone else could do better...but again, I'd take Dungy.

This will not happen.

[jcfaris]

We really need Jon Gruden as HC and then Peyton could not only QB but also be the "official" versus un-official Offense Coordinator he's always been anyway.

[GoColts8818]

I have a whole list

• Peyton Manning
  
• Jim Tressel
  
• Mike Zimmer
  
• Rob Chudzinski
  
• Brian Billick
  
• Wade Phillips
  

Peyton Manning would be a joke as a head coach and don't say "oh he coaches the team already." He doesn't. He's extremely invovled with what the offense does and calls things on the field but he's not the one who designs and comes up with the plays and he doesn't do anything with the defensive play calling.

Wade Phillips has proven he is a very good coordinator but not a very good head coach. Some people are like that. Nothing wrong with it unless he's hired to be your team's head coach.

Jim Tressel was brought in by Caldwell and I would expect him to be released with the coaching staff. I think the job he had was more out of a favor helping out another former Big Ten guy. Also for people wanting change Tressel will make Caldwell's play calling look exciting. I am not sure going the former college head coach route on this one.

I am not sure now how much Billick wants to get back into coaching. I know there wasn't much buz about him this off-season and Iam not sure if that's because there just wasn't buz around him or if he's jut not interested in getting back into coaching.

Zimmer is getting a lot of buz and I would expect us to join that list of teams and we could do worse than hiring him. I view him sorta like Dungy when the Bucs hired him just as an example. A good young and up coming DC who is going to make a good head coach one day.

Of your list Rob Chudzinski is the one I know the least about outside of him coaching the Panthers offense. So I can't really say much about him.

I think three names you are going to see come up for this job are Marty Mornhinweg. I wouldn't be excited about him. He set the table for Matt Millen to run the Lions into the ground.

The other is Bruce Arians. He is starting to get a little buz going for him in terms of being a NFL coach and was once Peyton Manning's QB coach.

Steve Spagnuolo. There is something strange going on here. He hadn't been mentioned in any media reports to the Colts all along then today out of no where there were reports that Caldwell was staying and Spagnuolo was being named the DC. Then just hours later we get word Caldwell is out. It could be a lot of things. It could be the whole Spagnuolo thing was a leak test as is being reported by some and there is no truth to any of it. It could be maybe the Colts were willing to keep Caldwell as the HC if Spagnuolo took the DC job and either turned them down or rethought it or lastly it could be Spanguolo is in the running for the HC job or DC job under the new HC.

[presto123]

No Dungy please. I wasn't the biggest fan of Dungy when he was here. Time for new philosophies. At least on Defense.

[Jason_]

I wouldn't mind seeing Brian Billick getting the job even though he is offensive minded he is a great coach and can put together a great coaching staff.

Absolutely. I would love to see Billick come back to coaching and how great it would be for him to come to the Colts. He is a all around excellent coach imo and I agree that he would put together a great staff. I would love to get Spags as DC but I'd also be happy to get Del Rio as DC and he and Billick have many connections from their days with the Vikings and Ravens. (JDR played while Billick was OC and JDR was on Billick's staff in Balt).

And I agree...please DON'T bring back Dungy. I highly doubt they will because all signs seem to indicate that Irsay wants to get away from the Dungy-defense.

[Smonroe]

Wade Phillips turned one of the worst defenses in the NFL to one of the best this season. And Peyton Manning is just a joke lol

I could get on the Wade train. He's already on record saying he wants to be a HC again. Plus, he knows how to beat the Texans D. He wasn't the problem in Dallas, we know that now.

[LJpalmbeacher2]

NO WAY I want Dungy back.

[presto123]

Do you think someone has already accepted the HC job or are they still in the searching mode? Hard for me to think they already have somebody with very little time they could have interviewed candidates.

[Joanna Lindsay-Summerford]

I vote for Gruden!!

[presto123]

I would be fine with Del Rio as DC. I just don't want him as HC.

[mrati2d]

SOmeone keep an eye on that private jet!

Its in Van nuys California right now...http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N91NA/history/20120117/1430Z/KIND/KVNY

[JWF]

I'm sure Grigson has someone in mind.

I agree. I just hope its not Mary Mornhinweg.

I wouldnt mind raiding the 49ers coaching staff.

[JColts72]

Better head to Indy for that 4 Pm news conference unless GM doing it solo

[JaseAiden23]

I say we go after a defensive minded coach and staff. In all my years of watching the Manning era the offense has not been our problem it has been the boring A S S, defense. I think this team needs to help out Peyton and this offense for once. I just wish we would have went after Harbaugh last year, thats the type of guy and character we need to lead this team. If we have to let Mathis go i say we go to someone who has experience with a 3-4 defense. I really dont follow other defensive coor. but I find it amazing the way Wade Phillips changed the D in Houston in just one year. Thats why i think while we are in the process of cleaning house we might as well switch up our play calling also and personally im getting bored of watching Tampa 2 all year. I think any true colt fan could be our defensive coor. 1st down.....tampa 2 2nd down.......tampa 2 3rd down........let me think (yea tampa 2 sounds good) REPEAT

[BProland85]

Great news that Caldwell is gone! As for our new HC, Im not sure I want him to be Steve Spagnoulo although I REALLY want him as our new DC. I wouldnd mind bringing in a guy like Kirk Ferentz if available or some very good offensive minded guy to help develop Luck while we have Spagnoulo run our defense.

[Quantum88]

Spagnuolo?! You guys were screaming that no coach who went 2-14 should have a job as head coach in the NFL. Spagnuolo's record as a head coach 1-15, 7-9, 2-14. How does that qualify him? Just because he is animated on the sidelines.

[BProland85]

Spagnuolo?! You guys were screaming that no coach who went 2-14 should have a job as head coach in the NFL. Spagnuolo's record as a head coach 1-15, 7-9, 2-14. How does that qualify him? Just because he is animated on the sidelines.

I never said I wanted him as HC, I want him as DC.

[presto123]

Lets get Ditka out of retirement. LOL

[MSColtsFan]

What about David Shaw out of Stanford? Obvious relationship with Luck, was an Eagles assistant (GM connection)....... Young, fits the "new era" quote from Irsay.....

[presto123]

Anybody from the college ranks? Jim Harbaugh has opened the door for teams to start looking there for upstart NFL coaches.

[Mameluc]

Absolutely. I would love to see Billick come back to coaching and how great it would be for him to come to the Colts. He is a all around excellent coach imo and I agree that he would put together a great staff. I would love to get Spags as DC but I'd also be happy to get Del Rio as DC and he and Billick have many connections from their days with the Vikings and Ravens. (JDR played while Billick was OC and JDR was on Billick's staff in Balt). And I agree...please DON'T bring back Dungy. I highly doubt they will because all signs seem to indicate that Irsay wants to get away from the Dungy-defense.

where you been bro

and yea id love to have billick and spags...my god

[BuildtheMonster1285]

I think Gruden would be an awesome head coach!

[storm1580]

No Dungy please. I wasn't the biggest fan of Dungy when he was here. Time for new philosophies. At least on Defense.

you no likey superbowl winning coach? It would be nice to see Zimmer or chuds.

[presto123]

What about David Shaw out of Stanford? Obvious relationship with Luck, was an Eagles assistant (GM connection)....... Young, fits the "new era" quote from Irsay.....

LOL....I just posted about a college coach right as you were posting. I like your thinking:)

[Restored]

What about David Shaw out of Stanford? Obvious relationship with Luck, was an Eagles assistant (GM connection)....... Young, fits the "new era" quote from Irsay.....

No. The guy reminds me of Jim Caldwell's long lost brother.

[JWF]

No. The guy reminds me of Jim Caldwell's long lost brother.

I think Shaw would be a better coach than Caldwell but I agree im hesistant to hire a coach who tookover someone else's team at its peak.

[No 1 Manning Fan]

I think Billick or Zimmer sound good. Also wouldn't mind giving Hue Jackson a look. I would prefer Spags as DC. Since Billick is offensive minded, pairing him as HC and Spags as DC would be good in my book. Anyone saying Dungy should think about the over-used BP quote: "the past is prologue." Update: Schefter is still reporting that Irsay met with Spags about DC, not HC

Billick or Zimmer all the way!

[MSColtsFan]

No. The guy reminds me of Jim Caldwell's long lost brother.

I agree - just adding to the list of possibilities. Mora, Sr. was picked when they drafted Peyton, but I have the feeling that this time with a new first time GM we will see a new first time HC too. Just my opinion. But do start looking at Eagles coaches, or those with Eagles connections. The new GM will be the person interviewing and hiring, with Irsay's final approval. And Shaw is on the list of people who fit the above criteria at least.

[SaveJC]

He has gone and i have to change my name

The person i wanted to replace him if this did happen was Mike Zimmer and that's the kind of coach we want a new up and coming defensive minded coach. I hope this doesn't spell the end for Peyton though.

[Dan]

I'm genuinely worried Spags is gonna be HC. I'd be over the moon if he was DC but HC, no no no... Billick please.