According to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, the Indianapolis Colts have fired defensive coordinator Greg Manusky on Tuesday:
The #Colts have fired defensive coordinator Greg Manusky, source said.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 5, 2016
The 49 year old defensive coordinator has been with the Colts since 2012, but his termination was likely one of the stipulations that was made in order for Chuck Pagano to remain as head coach on Monday.
It could be the first of many coaching changes for Pagano’s staff, as the team may make a serious shake-up. Right now, it’s unclear whether Rob Chudzinski will remain offensive coordinator or if the team will slide him back over to Pagano’s associate head coach again.
In Manusky’s four seasons with the Colts, his defense has ranked 21st (24.2 ppg), 9th (21.0 ppg), 19th (23.1 ppg), and most recently 25th (25.5 ppg) in allowed points per game.
While this year’s defense showed some improvement–particularly against the run, it’s still a unit that continues to get consistently destroyed by elite quarterbacks such as Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger–and even this season, Blake Bortles.
Overall under Manusky, the Colts defense failed to show much progress and consistent improvement on a year-to-year basis.
That being said, the Colts have one of the oldest defenses in the league and could use an infusion of young talent on that side of the football all together.
Outside of lockdown cornerback Vontae Davis, the defense really lacks stars:
Greg Manusky, fired by #Colts, was running Chuck Pagano's scheme without many playmakers. Curious to see if Pagano goes outside the box now
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 5, 2016
Not only that, but an inept offense often placed the defense too much on the field–leaving them worn down and with inopportune field position which only further contributed to their demise.
It’s worth noting that Pagano and Manusky worked together on this year’s defense, so it’s not entirely fair to blame the latter solely for their underachievement either.
Still, some change on this Colts coaching staff was really needed. Manusky joins Pep Hamilton as the latest Colts coordinator to be dismissed, as Hamilton was fired earlier this past season.