Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - SHANE STEICHEN: Full Indianapolis Colts HC Combine Press Conference

Starting point is 00:00:00 Start off, I want to thank Jeff Foster and NFS. We're putting this thing on, having the combine here, again, for another two years after this. It's been, it'll be phenomenal for the city. Just fortunate that's here. So, where are you guys are? You mentioned at the end of the season, you've got, you know, do some self-evaluation. Obviously, this wasn't the season you guys wanted. Has anything, have you had any, like, light bulb moments, or has anything come up that you'd really like to change moving forward?

Starting point is 00:00:23 Yeah, no, that's a good question. I think the way the season started was obviously pretty special. And then down the stretch, obviously, with some unfold. portion of circumstances. We've got to find ways to win ugly games. And I think whether that's through practice, how we practice late in the season, putting those guys in situations, you know, in training camp, obviously we do sudden change situations. You do two-minute drills. You do those throughout the season, but it's maintaining that, you know, down the stretch to putting those guys in more of those situations, I think it'll be a big part of those moving forward. What problems are

Starting point is 00:00:52 NFL offenses trying to solve right now? Maybe looking ahead? That's a loaded question. I think There's a lot. Obviously, you go through your, you know, evaluation in the offseason. Defensively, you know, I think defenses are doing a really good job schematically of disguising coverages, multiple fronts, multiple coverages, and how you want to attack those. And I think you've got to do a good job of finding indicators to do that throughout the weeks when you're game planning. And obviously, you know, through doing your self-scout stuff this off season, obviously points, you know, that you're going to play coming up this season, getting a head start on those guys.

Starting point is 00:01:30 Obviously, there's some new coordinators, some new coaches around the league, and just trying to find that stuff out. Shane, a year ago you guys took Tyler. We're seeing more and more tight-ins going the first round. How hard did you push and take him into that spot? And how critical is it to have a guy like Tyler to run the office when you want to? Yeah, I think it's huge. Anytime you can have a tight-in with his ability to run the routes

Starting point is 00:01:49 and block the way he blocks is huge. And to get him in the draft last year, where he got him was awesome for us, obviously. And what he was able to do, his rookie year, obviously, making the Pro Bowl, huge. Just an elite player with elite traits. He's an old school throwback. I like to call him that. Tough, physical. It can run all the routes. And, you know, at the

Starting point is 00:02:10 tight-end position, it is unique because he's in line. But you can flex him out wide too and get the matchups you want on linebackers and safeties to take advantage of that. He's a physical presence. And so, yeah. Shane, when healthy, why do you think it clicked with Daniel and what does he mean to this

Starting point is 00:02:25 franchise? I assume you all try to bring him back. Yeah, I think the way he and the way he goes about his business and his preparation is phenomenal. And what he was able to do before the injury was awesome for us. Obviously, a very talented player, sees the game well, can get us in out of the right plays, which was huge. So obviously we're in talks now with him, and hopefully something will work out here soon.

Starting point is 00:02:48 Shane's team? Yeah, I want to be physical, first and foremost, physical and then find ways to finish games. You know what I mean? And we'll go through that self-scout person. And I think you build your identity this offseason and going into training camp, which will be huge. But I think you've got to find ways to win games regardless of circumstances. And sometimes they've got to be ugly.

Starting point is 00:03:10 And they've got to be sometimes 10 to 13 and whatever it may look like going into those games and finding ways to win that. But like I said, I want to be physical. Last year, Gianne Travis got to fill in at times on the offensive line. What did you see from him during his rookie year? And would you be confident enough for him to slide into the starting role if Braden's not back? Yeah, I think there's a huge upside with Jalen. Obviously, he did some good things for us, a big human. I think Tony does a great job with those guys up front,

Starting point is 00:03:36 getting them prepared each and every week. And a very smart player picked it up pretty fast. And so excited what the future holds for. With Daniel coming. What did she do in the 38 and two start before things happen? Did you like about the team? And that time of the team can make this one efficient. Yeah, absolutely.

Starting point is 00:03:56 I think that's what gives me so much optimistic. about next year is that there was so much good to start the year starting eight and two and uh you know we're we're clicking on all senators i think everyone was rolling um obviously uh you know the way we're throwing it the way we were running it that we were playing on defense i think when you look back uh i think the biggest thing too is it's always one of those things the keys the victory right win the turnover battle i think we got to do a better job of that taking care of the football uh next year is going to be huge for us i think you know we did a good job of taking the ball away uh but if we can do that even more so this year, I think that would be huge for our success.

Starting point is 00:04:30 With Daniel coming back from the Achilles, are you comfortable with the offense you could run with, like, let's say his mobility isn't quite what it was last year? Yeah, I do feel confident. Obviously, he's attacking his rehab the right way, and so feel confident that he'll be ready to go for training camp. That's a great question. Obviously, we're diving into our Self-Skout stuff right now. I think, you know, at the end of the day, it's about, you know, starting with us as

Starting point is 00:04:59 coaches, obviously looking at our scheme, trying to, you know, scheme up those, those runs. You know, you can get two, three yards. But, you know, when your run, your yards per carry go up is when you create those explosive runs. And we got to get back to that, creating those holes, like we did earlier in the season for JT. So that would be a big part of our study this offseason to maintain that. With Wally and Mueller coming back from injury, where you look at the things we do, them here, yeah, I'm very excited about both those guys. They were having tremendous training camps, obviously, unfortunate, you know, circumstances with the injuries.

Starting point is 00:05:29 there, but Wally, you know, he's a guy that can play inside, play outside for us, feisty, sticking coverage, and then same thing, Hunter on the back end playing safety. You know, the ball just found him in training camp. He had a great sense, a great feel, obviously, playing the coverage that we were playing, but he was always in the right spot at the right time. You know, he had held the camp. I remember we had the joint practice against Baltimore, and he had two interceptions and a two-minute drill, and so that was exciting to see and how he played those things.

Starting point is 00:05:57 So, you know, to get those guys back, get them held. healthy, you know, be huge for us. Wooler's injury, kind of a long recovery. You know, it seemed like he was all year, even in a boot at the end. Do you guys, do you expect him back for OTAs training camp? Yeah, I think so. OTAs start to work him in there and then training camp as well. You know, he's attacked the rehab the right well.

Starting point is 00:06:17 Both him, Hunter and Wally, I've been doing a hell of a job. You know, they've been in there all year working. Even after the season ended, they're still in there every day working, getting their bodies right. I'm so excited, you know, for what the future holds for those two. You've talked a lot about the early season, the early season success on the offensive side of the ball, but what areas really stand out to you as parts of the offense

Starting point is 00:06:36 that really need to improve this off season? I think it's really just the consistency throughout the year. I mean, if we can do what we did to start the season throughout the 17-game stretch, it could obviously be a really special season. And we know, like, obviously, it's each week in this league, you know, you're not going to have some of those games where you go for 450 yards and score 35 points,

Starting point is 00:06:54 and it's finding ways to win the games regardless of what it looks like on a day-to-day basis out there and adjusting on the fly when we're out there. But obviously, just the consistency of what we play with that we did in the start of the season to finish out the right way. Lou's got Marion Hobby back with him now. What are your expectations for what we might see differently on the line? Yeah, I'm excited about Marion Hobby. You know, he's got over 30 years of coaching experience playing the league.

Starting point is 00:07:19 I'm obviously familiar with Lou system, coach with Lou there for three years in Cincinnati. I'm excited about the demeanor he's going to bring to that room, what he's about. You know, just going through the vetting process, calling people that have worked with them. Just nothing but great things to say about the person, the human, and the coach he is. So I'm excited for him to, you know, elevate that room. Coach, kind of follow up on Dustin's question. What can you do as a leader of this organization to keep that continuity going when you had the season that you did at the first versus the last? Yeah, I think the biggest thing in this league, too, is like when you do have, you know, some adversity there,

Starting point is 00:07:52 I think it's just with everything, you know, anyone in any organization, life, whatever, it's keeping a belief no matter what the circumstances or you're going to fight through and finish it. And I think that's the biggest thing because we're going to have adversity every year. You're going to get adversity through injuries or whatever it may be or something happens that you've got to find ways to overcome it. And so obviously you do a deep dive in that stuff. Things are going to come up next year that probably didn't come up last year that you got to get through and fight through. Shane, what's the biggest thing is going to first time? That's a good question. I think it's learning your guys.

Starting point is 00:08:24 I think when you're a first time coordinator calling it, if you go into a new situation, it's really learning your personal. really learning your personnel, I think is a big part of it and how you want to use those guys. And then, you know, from a down and distance point, how you're setting up plays, marrying plays, play action, when to call certain things. Some of the guys here have heard me about it. You know, there's an element and there's a feel to call in plays as well. You know what I mean? I think you have your list of plays.

Starting point is 00:08:48 You have your third downs. You have your red zone section. And sometimes you might be like, hey, I'm going to call this here. My first time I get in the red zone, but all of a sudden they change personnel on defense. And it's like, well, I'm not going to call that play here. So you've got to be able to adjust on the fly. Think fast. I think it's a big part of it.

Starting point is 00:09:02 Once you get in the flow of it, you start to feel it. Obviously, you know, if guys are good at it, you've got good personnel around you, you know, it could be really good. Along those same lines, there's a lot of coaches that went to be coordinators to first-time head coaches this year or something that you went through. How tough is that transition in the process to do that? I think part of it is, too, is when you make that transition, there's a lot more than just putting together an offense. Obviously, you've got to put together a whole staff. You've got to meet everybody in the building. There's a lot of operations stuff.

Starting point is 00:09:27 that goes on. I think you got to manage all that from making that jump. And then once you make that jump and you get into your, you know, you get comfortable with that situation and how the operations flowing, then you can dive into the football stuff. But you can't ever lose sight of that stuff because that's a big part of, you know, your job as a head coach to oversee it all. So I think that's the biggest transition for those guys. Do you remember any like maybe good advice you got about doing that? Well, yeah, they always say, they say, hey, you're going to have a lot on your plate when you get hired. But just don't worry. It's all going to get done. It's all going to get done. So I do remember. those nights when I first got hired, I didn't leave the office for probably two weeks. You know, you're on the phone, making phone calls, trying to get coaches hired, trying to interview flying guys in and out. My assistant's doing everything you can to get flights in and out for coaches and interviews are lasting eight hours and you're bringing in the next guy. And then you're going, you got the food. Yeah, come on. And it's just nonstop. So that's, that's part of,

Starting point is 00:10:17 you know, that's all part of it. What's you need about Alex game? Obviously career year last year or without a yard, but as a coach, what did you see? Well, I think he's made huge strides in his game. You know, obviously he's a big home run threat for us, as we know. But the intermediate stuff, the way he's coming and out of breaks at the top of routes, the comebacks, the one-on-ones on the outside, you know, running and breaking stuff. I mean, he's made a lot of strides in all those areas. And even the 50-50 balls down the field, I mean, he's making those, you know, 70% of the time now.

Starting point is 00:10:49 You know, you throw it up and you got a chance to go make a play for it. So it's been awesome to see. Is his ability to do that accentuated his ability then to go down and make those plays on deep balls like a team's half can't just sit on? Yeah, I think so. I think he just has a natural field, too, at tracking the ball. I think that's a gift that he has. I think he was naturally born with tracking the football down the field. And obviously, if you put it in his vicinity, he's able to rotate his body certain ways, make plays, you know, at the top, you know, and go make those plays.

Starting point is 00:11:17 Both your quarter days this offseason interviewed for jobs elsewhere, whether that was Lou for a head coaching position or Jim Bob. for OC play calling spots. Like, how much is it going to have both of those guys back in the fold heading in the 2026? Yeah, it's huge. Obviously, you want continuity on your staff. And at the same time, I always want those guys to progress. You know what I mean? Obviously, you always want guys on your staff.

Starting point is 00:11:36 That's why you hire guys. You want them to get their opportunity to go be head coaches and do those things. But to have them back, it is, you know, a blessing to have those guys back. All right. Sean Payton's just up there saying he's no longer going to call plays. Dave Canales said that earlier. You have obviously not chosen to do that. Why are you so adamant that you want everything on that plate?

Starting point is 00:11:55 Yeah, I mean, that's something that I really enjoy doing, personally. I really enjoy doing it. I think that's part of the reason I got hired here is to do that. And so that's a part of being a head coach that it's an aspect that I really enjoyed it. You mentioned the short yardage, the tough running and everything. Do you guys need more of a compliment for Johnlin? Because he's had a few seasons over 300 touches. Yeah, I think, you know, we'll look into that this offseason.

Starting point is 00:12:18 But obviously, Jonathan's a hell of a player for us, you know, the short yardage stuff. kind of look back South Scout short yardage. Statistically was pretty good for us this year. And I think goal to go, we're number one in the NFL in those situations. But I think any time you can take something off, you know, his plate, you know, we'll look at it. And so we'll take him for granted at all.

Starting point is 00:12:37 I mean, never. Just to the, we'll be going to get five yards from him and he can't touch down in the season. I mean, that's what he does. Yeah, no, you can't take that for granted. Obviously, he's an elite player. You know, you guys, for me said, the home run ability that he brings to our offense is huge.

Starting point is 00:12:50 He can break a game open at any point. Obviously, if there's a hole created there, you know, down the sidelines, he makes a guy missing the second, third level. That thing can go to go to the distance. So, you know, never take him for granted. How important is the role. Finishing, like, as a team in games, seasons, like, how do you cultivate that trick? Yeah, I think that's going through it in practice.

Starting point is 00:13:09 And I think that's when you find ways to win those tough, close games. Like, you know, we found a way to win, you know, Arizona early on in the season. We found a way to win against Atlanta. And sometimes it's not always going to go your way, but you've got to find ways to dig deep. And that's the bottom of the way. line and it's a belief that no matter what the circumstances are you know you can find a way to win this game is it doing things situational like like situationally different in practices is that

Starting point is 00:13:30 were you trying to say yeah so like you know in training camp obviously we do a lot of situational stuff two minute you know we did some sun change training camp a lot of folks on that we still do that during the season but I think we got to do more of that during the season I think you know to put those guys in those situations you know we always walk through a two minute we'll do a two minutes like hey well you know we got to do there's a there's a fine line too a little bit because You want to take care of these guys, too, down the stretch. You've got to make sure they're healthy and ready to go. But it is.

Starting point is 00:13:57 You can still manage that. You know what I mean? And put those guys in those situations to when it does come up, you know, on Sundays, it's like, hey, we just practiced this. And we've done practicing all year. So they're ready for those situations. What can Evan Sauce from day one do for this defense? It'll be huge.

Starting point is 00:14:12 Obviously, he's an electric player at the corner position to have him, you know, healthy back out there, you know, with us this year. It'll be huge for our defense. Obviously, a lockdown corner. to get him. Chris said that he, in his conversations he's had with Blue Ward, that he feels confident, like that he's ready to come back next year. It's obviously a very different message than what he told us at the end of the season.

Starting point is 00:14:35 What do you feel like has changed, or is it just the separation from the season that has allowed him to look at things differently? Yeah, possibly. These guys, you know, I've had some time away from the building and stuff, but, you know, I've had conversations with him a couple days ago, and, you know, he's in a good headspace. feeling good and so yeah we're excited for looking at the checks but Daniel Jones Alex Pierce do you recruit as a coach how does that work like seriously yeah that's a good question I think I think there's mutual interest on both sides I think that's the reality

Starting point is 00:15:07 of the situation and Mike Blum and Chris do their job with the agents it's really good things down how encouraging is that for you as a coach to know that you could get these two massive pieces of your offense back with all this interest yeah it'll be huge for us. We get those two guys back. Obviously, you know, they were playing, you know, obviously, Alcott had a hell of a year, and Daniel Jones was playing winning football for us, you know, until his injury happened. So I think there's to get that continuity back with, especially those two guys for offense, you know, would be beneficial and huge for us. Chris was optimistic about Anthony maybe coming back and playing for you guys again. How do you see

Starting point is 00:15:41 that possibility? Yeah, first of all, you know, I was so proud of the way he attacked, you know, last offseason going into training camp and the role that he had, you know, being the backup. You know, just a very unfortunate incident that happened in the locker room. So, you know, I know his eyes progressing well. Everything's all well. And, you know, we'll see what the future holds in. Shane, when you say winning ugly, you just mean

Starting point is 00:16:02 that's a slow-scorn game. Yeah, I think it's kind of similar. It's like, you know, when we went and played Seattle, it was a specific game plan, you know, that we went in there with. And obviously, you know, we felt like it was like the right game plan. And obviously, it didn't pan out the way we wanted. You know, we take the lead with 40 seconds left

Starting point is 00:16:17 and didn't find a way to finish it. But those are the ways you've got to be on the flip side of those games going into some of those games and how you want to play. And depending on what the personnel is and what you're dealing with and what you're going up against on how we need to play that game, you know. And I think that's, you do that every week.

Starting point is 00:16:32 You know, that's part of the process. You go through as coaches, as game planning and scheming that stuff up and how you're going to win and explain to the players like, hey, here's how we're going to win this football game. And obviously, things can change throughout a game and you got to adjust on the fly. But obviously, that's what I'm talking about.

Starting point is 00:16:46 What is the next? What is pit meant to this offense? I know his conscious situation, you'll decide that, but he's a lot. has been here for quite a while. Yeah, Pits has been phenomenal for us. I mean, one of the toughest guys I've ever been around. The way he plays the game, the contested catches, just absolutely been awesome. It's Chris, just his level of motivation, knowing how big this off season is, knowing what happened last year. For you personally as a coach, I mean, how fired up

Starting point is 00:17:11 about his upcoming season, knowing how good it was in the first part of season last year. I would say I'm probably the most fired up I've been about this football team since I've been here, just the way that the season went last year. I know we didn't end it the right way, but we saw what it can be. And obviously through the first 10 weeks of the season, 8-2 going into the vibe was impressive. And I think that gives a lot of confidence

Starting point is 00:17:31 and believe to a lot of guys in that locker room. And myself, as the coach, you know, seeing it, you know, up close in person and what it can be. What's the balancing act? What's the balancing act between that? Like, okay, we started dating two, but then also it's a new season. You know, the NFL is it can change.

Starting point is 00:17:46 Good or bad. No, that's a great question. I think every year, You guys heard me say this, but every year is a new year and you've got to attack it the right way. And obviously roster changes and whatever happens throughout free agency and the draft and going about that. You've got to build it all up again. And you've got to start from the ground up and go and put your guys a position to make plays. First and foremost, and attack OTAs the right way.

Starting point is 00:18:08 That's when it starts, April 20 with the players and have a great offseason here and then get into training camp and go attack that the right way and then go have a hell of the year.

Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - SHANE STEICHEN: Full Indianapolis Colts HC Combine Press Conference

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